NEW YORK, NY - MAY 09:  Alton Brown attends the "John Wick: Chapter 3" world premiere at One Hanson Place on May 9, 2019 in New York City.  (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
FOOD NEWS
The Citrus Spice Alton Brown Can't Stop Using
By Haldan Kirsch
When it comes to unique approaches, or finding creative solutions to problems when cooking at home, Alton Brown always seems to serve as a source of wisdom. When it comes to his favorite spices, there's one in particular that Brown cooks with often.
One of Brown's favorite go-to spices is sumac, a dark red spice from the berries of the sumac shrub that is highly common in Middle Eastern cooking. Sumac is used in many different dishes thanks to its tart, citrusy flavor and can be used in place of lemon juice.
Brown uses sumac in his hummus recipe and he also uses it in a lot of his fried dishes to cut through the richness of the oil and fat. Sumac is also great for dry rubs to accompany roasted meats, and can add complexity to rich, fatty meats like lamb chops.