Year : 2014

Soup

A Winter’s Tale and a Pomegranate Soup – Shab-E Yalda – Aash-E Anar

Yeky bood, yeky nabood…
‘Twas the longest night of the year.
‘Twas the darkest night of the year.
‘Twas the most magical night of the year.
Soak the rice as the split peas simmer away.  Immerse your hands in the cold water and gently break up the rice into bits and pieces. Feel the familiar beat of nostalgia course through your body.  Memory knocking at your door.  It always begins with a gentle knock.

Stew

The Spice Cupboard – A Story of Love – A Yellow Split Pea and Persian Lime Stew – Khoresh Gheymeh

 ♪ MUSIC WE’RE COOKING TO ♪
Casually he lifts up his shirt.  Revealing cuts and bruises.  A skateboarding injury.  Meant to impress I think.  He keeps the shirt up for a beat longer than necessary.  Awkwardly lingering in the moment.  Electrifying and innocent all at the same time. As a young man in his early twenties – really, still a boy – is apt to do.
Casually I ask him if he needs an icepack.

Dinner

Lost Things – Jashneh Mehregan – A Broccoli Koo Koo

 ♪ Music we’re cooking to ♪
Mama, can you squeeze the clouds to make it rain? – Soleil
Step outside.
Plant your bare feet firmly in the grass.
Let your toes wander. Let them search and settle amongst the rough and dying blades.
What was once lush and green.  What was once childhood.  What was once a vibrant summer respectfully fading away and making room for a crisp and most welcome autumn breeze.
Lost.

Appies

The Politics of Hummus in a Moody Kitchen

♪ Music we’re cooking to ♪
It’s deliciously liberating to not have any attachments.
Soak dried chickpeas in plenty of water over night.
To not feel the glare, pressure and judgment of those wiser than you, those that have come before you, searing your back.  Those mothers, grandmothers and great-grandmothers, that make a habit of pulling up a stool and comfortably perching themselves on your shoulders, watching your every move.

Dessert

Yellow Flame Pudding – A Saffron and Rose Chia Seed Pudding – Sholeh Zardeh Tokhmeh Sharbati – That Woman

I am that woman.
You know the one.
You’ve seen her around town.
On the 405 – the 101 – and the 10 sometimes going East – on market days going West.
You’ve waited patiently and sometimes not so patiently for her to pull out of “your” Whole Foods parking spot.
You’ve caught a glimpse of her in your rear view mirror at school drop offs and pick ups.
You’ve pulled up beside her at the stop light.

Dinner

Louisa’s Tempeh Kabas with Minty Cilantro Lime Sauce – Persian Hospitality

 ♪ Music we’re cooking to ♪
Much has been written, said, rumored, about Iran – about Persians.  By Persians and non-Persians alike.  Some true – some pure fiction – some thoughtful – some ignorant – some just plain uninformed.  But the one Persian quality that can be wholeheartedly agreed upon by everyone across time and borders is the generosity and excellence of Persian Hospitality.

Dessert

Mothers and Daughters – Strawberries Macerated in Pomegranate Molasses with Rose Water Cream

Once upon a time, a long, long, long time ago, there was a bang which wasn’t really a bang but more of a singular moment in time when all the matter in the universe came into laser-sharp focus and all that energy in there shook around and bounced off of each other and  contracted and contracted until there was no more room so it expanded and BANG! exploded into tiny particles forming protons, neutrons and electrons – forming The Univ

Dinner Stew

An Artichoke, Mushroom, and Sour Green Plum Stew – Khoresh Kangar-E-Farangi Ba Gojeh Sabz – An Official Dinner Invitation

 ♪ MUSIC WE’RE COOKING TO ♪
Mama!  The radio just said Air Force One landed at LAX.  Can the President come over for dinner?  Please?!
What’s Air Force One, Luna?
Air Force One is the President’s airplane, Soleil.  And he’s here!  If Mama says it’s ok then he can come over for dinner.  Can he Mama?  Please?!  You could make Polo with Tahdig.  I bet he would love it.  Let’s call him.