Last Sunday, I was inspired to cook a Persian dinner.
I’ve lost touch with an old friend of mine (seriously Mitra, get on FB already), and I have been thinking of her a lot lately, not only because of events in her parents' native Iran, but also remembering her giant Michael Jackson poster and our hilarious attempts to learn the steps from the Thriller video.
I spent a huge amount of my teenage life in the oasis of Mitra’s house, a tranquil place perfumed with rose water and sweet pipe tobacco. Her parents are two of the most elegant, warm and intelligent people I have ever met, who always spoke to me as an adult, and introduced me to Persian poetry, history and cuisine. Persian hospitality is legendary, and this family loved to entertain. I had my first tastes of pomegranates, pistachios, rose water, cardamom and caviar in their home.
On Sunday my improvised menu included pomegranate chicken, simplified with a bottle of POM and boneless breasts, and Persian rice with pistachios. Simple white rice would have done a better job with the pom sauce, but the fragrant rice with a crunchy crust was too good to pass up. I bought rose water intending to make Sholeh Zard, but its too hot to eat rice pudding. Instead, we had rosewater syrup on some Watmaugh strawberries.
I was sad to realize I go through Pinot Noir too fast in my house - the GB Pinot would have echoed the aromas and flavors of rose and pomegranate, but alas, there was none to be had. A bottle of 2008 Gewurztraminer saved the day, adding its distinctive spice to the brown spices in the chicken and complementing the sweet nuttiness of the rice.
My humble approximation of these classic dishes on a gorgeous Sonoma evening was merely the catalyst to a long family dinner, savoring flavors, memories, and each other's company. It is the simple yet profound luxury of the well-shared meal, more than any intrinsic quality or sensory pleasure, that inspires my passion for food and wine, and reminds me not to take a single day for granted.
