Family & Traditions
On Seeking Home & Freedom
“I have been a stranger in a strange land.” – The BibleExodus 2:22 The story of Passover is a commemoration of the exodus of the ancient Israelites from slavery to freedom. It’s about the journey of a group of people wandering difficult landscapes in search of a place to live with dignity — in search of home. As an Iranian-American Jewish Woman, my relationship with religion is complex. But I appreciate the holiday’s universal themes of memory, optimism, humanity, family…
Creamy Butternut Squash Soup
Thanksgiving — my favorite holiday — is around the corner and I can’t wait to start preparing warming fall flavors to celebrate with friends and family. I’ve been cooking a thanksgiving meal for my people for 15 years, and it brings me much joy every time. I wrote about the joy and thrill of this holiday here . I look forward to building on that and creating new memories each year. Whether cooking for 25 people or 5 people, I’m…
Pomegranate Lacquered Whole Branzino with Za’atar
I have fond childhood memories of eating whole fish on family vacations in the lush areas of Northern Iran near the Caspian sea. Seafood was abundant, especially trout and whitefish (ghezel ala), often fried whole. The appetizing aroma of crispy fried trout mingling with the salt-kissed ocean air was delightful. The seafood was fresh, prepared simply with herbs and garlic, and at times with a squeeze of Seville orange (Naarenj). Fresh fish, aromatic herbs, uncomplicated, delicious. The flavor memories of…
Braised Brisket
The holidays are around the corner and although this year may be different than the rest- those of us who are fortunate enough- can still take solace in cooking a delicious meal. I’m grateful to be one with that privilege to indulge. According to the Oxford dictionary, “indulge” means to “allow oneself to enjoy the pleasure of.” I find pleasure in the simple things. Especially in a recipe which allows flavors to develop with the assistance of time. Classic brisket…
Around the Table in 365 Days
The departure of a year welcomes many new memories. As we near the end of this year, I like to take a moment and reflect on the last twelve months; the challenges faced, the lessons learned, the new friendships built. And of course for the epicurean-hearted, the delicious meals shared with loved ones, breaking bread together, in style. Seneca, the Roman Stoic philosopher said “every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” Who knew what to truly expect a…
Happy Hanukkah from Basil & Roses!
Ah, ’tis the season for celebrations and merriment. I love this time of year. No matter which holiday you celebrate, which customs and folklore you subscribe to, and regardless of which heritage and ritual is the wellspring of your origin story; the themes of gratitude, gathering, tradition, family and love are universal. I especially love being invited to friend’s homes with different cultural and religious backgrounds and learning about new customs, legends and wisdom. And of course, I love to…
Happy Thanksgiving from Basil & Roses!
Happy Thanksgiving, friends! We’re in full swing here planning our feast at the Basil & Roses kitchen and wanted to take a moment to thank you for coming along this amazing culinary ride with us! The Persian poet Rumi says ” Wear gratitude like a cloak and it will feed every corner of your life.” I’m grateful for you, and for the opportunity to share my art, which is my cooking, with you and the world every single day. I hope the recipes…
Happy Fall Equinox from Basil and Roses!
In honor of the beginning of Autumn and recent Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, I wanted to share a piece I wrote on the blog about “change” linked below. Today is the fall equinox, the day both the Northern and Southern hemispheres will experience an equal amount of daylight. I love both the science and poetry of this. For awesome facts on the subject, check out this great article from Vox, And, as the earth continues to turn on its tilted axis,…
Thank you, Mom.
Last week we celebrated Mother’s day. We were busy adoring my amazing mother and opening the garden for the season, so I’m finally getting to a proper blog post on the topic today. First and foremost, a belated Happy Mother’s Day from Basil & Roses! You inspired us, motivate us, bring us love and teach us to be better. In addition to my own queen mother, I am surrounded by friends and family members who have embarked on the journey…
Breaking Bread, Breaking Barriers, Building Bridges
“Not what we have But what we enjoy, constitutes our abundance,” said Epicurus. After celebrating a tradition-rich Nowouz which is the Persian New Year marked by the first day of spring, my family celebrated Passover. Over the same weekend some celebrated Easter, some seezdah-bedar, some weekly Sunday suppers- and many other traditions continued around the word. Though the observers and rituals may have been different, the common denominator was a festive meal. At Basil & Roses we call…