Treasure Beyond Gold and Jewels

Indeed, Persian cookery engages not just the eyes and nose, but it captivates the taste buds as well, unfolding flavors that subtly hint at the delights that await.  The visuals, though, beguile, and make the first pass at seduction. Persians call the pilaf Javaher Polow, or Jeweled Rice, and fittingly so.  Saffron sets the rice…

Barberries and Advieh

The vibrant colors above cover a beguiling range, from verdant greens to iridescent crimson, to the deepest yellow.  It’s a jewel box of colors; in fact, Persians call this zereshk polow, or jeweled rice.   The variety of shades represent the intensity of flavors that make Persian cuisine so memorable. Saffron dyes the rice a…

It’s the Saffron

Just look what a pinch of it does to the bouillabaisse pictured above.  The soup started with a clear broth, and stayed that way as the ingredients accumulated.  It was only at the very end, the last step, that a pinch of saffron created magic, turning a clear soup bright yellow.  A fairly expensive party…