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May 07, 2008
Persian dining out ....
On my last day in Tehran I had the fun of being taken out to dinner in a traditional Persian restuarant. While I'm at it and for the record, "Iran" is the Farsee or Persian word for the country of the Persians. And "Pars" is Farsee for Persian ....
As I have mentioned before, the Persians take hospitality seriously. The guest is sacred and it takes the Biblical duty of hospitality to its fullest extent. Not only that, but the guest is under an obligation as well - to honour his host and respect their traditions and rights. Something I think our Western culture sometimes fails to appreciate and which we could do worse than try to recapture. In a traditional setting you dine in a tent, on a raised platform and preferably near running water.
My hosts at pains to ensure I am comfortable - and I have to say that they spared no effort.
Dinner comprises of several courses accompanied by tea, coffee or soft drinks and I would have to say that I found this just as pleasant as I would have with a glass of wine.
Breaking and sharing bread, an important element of any meal with a guest. A strong reminder of the origins of some of our Christian traditions.
The main course depends upon where you are from in Iran. Some, from the Caspian sea provinces, prefer fish - and it certainly looks and tastes excellent, Others, from the central regions prefer kebabs, and again the variety, the preparation and the presentation varies between regions. One constant - rice. Rice with everything!
Naser (Left) is from the North and chose fish, Kazem (Right) is from the West and chose a very spicy mix of meat and vegetables - which he ate between taking photographs.
Dining is also a leisurely affair, there is no pressure to hurry and the food is cooked to order. A little over two hours sped by while we enjoyed our company and our food.
Posted by The Gray Monk at May 7, 2008 07:39 PM
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Comments
My kids would love it. They take f.o.r.e.v.e.r to eat dinner. ;-)
Posted by: vw bug at May 12, 2008 10:17 AM