Titolo
Last month, I tried my first pumpkin spice latte (I’m not an alien, just British). Actually, it was half of a PSL, because I was defeated by its cloying sweetness before I could finish. Suffice to say I won’t be ordering another any time soon, but it did make me think about—and crave—pumpkin spice’s punchier, less basic cousin: hawaij.
Pronounced “hu-why-adge,” hawaij refers to two, distinct Yemenite spice blends, one sweet and one savory. Hawaij means “mixture” in Arabic and has long been a staple in the Yemenite-Jewish kitchen where the savory version—a blend of cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, and cardamom—is used most often for soup. But it’s the sweet one, coined “hawaij for coffee,” that I’ve found to be the perfect spice for winter sipping, baking, and more.