Whole Foods wins tahini taste test by landslide
Whether pureed with chickpeas for a creamy hummus or mixed with lemon juice and garlic to drizzle on falafel, tahini - sesame paste - is essential for a variety of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean fare.
In our hunt for brands to sample, we found a surprising number on market shelves - at least eight brands at Samiramis Imports, a Middle Eastern specialty shop in San Francisco's Mission District, and seven brands at Rainbow Grocery.
[...] place went to Tohum ($11.99 for 10.5 ounces at Rainbow Grocery), a kosher product made from heirloom golden sesame seeds grown in Turkey's Anatolia region.
Some panelists enjoyed its "roasted nutty flavor," while others felt it tasted "more like peanut butter" with "no discernible sesame flavor."
Arrowhead Mills ($9.79 for 16 ounces at Rainbow Grocery), a kosher product from Guatemala, came in third.
Panelists were Marc Halperin, culinary director, Center for Culinary Development, San Francisco; Shelley Handler, food consultant, San Francisco; Emily Luchetti, chief pastry officer, Waterbar and Farallon, San Francisco; Rosemary Mark, recipe developer, Walnut Creek; Roland Passot, chef-owner of La Folie in San Francisco and three Left Banks, San Francisco.