Why Are There No Persian Cook Shows On The Food Network Channel???

                                                           
Seriously...
Why is there no sweet little grandma with her cute little gold lame slide on house slippers and Hermes head scarf instructing us on the fabulousness of Persian cuisine on the Food Network???  Perhaps we could get a young and hot representation - I am thinking sort of Nigella Lawson of Tehran here, anyone, just as long as we Americans learn to appreciate this cuisine.  How many French, Mexican and Thai dishes are they going to cover until someone demands a little enlightenment?  Can they not find one Persian cook to contend on Top Chef?

When I got married to Matt one of the first gifts I received was a "Food of Life" cookbook.  That became my bible and I learned to make all of the classic Persian dishes but my instruction was really not complete until Matt's mother Shamsi came to stay with us.  Shamsi taught me the correct way to create these dishes much like an Italian mama would do. Shamsi is an artist in the kitchen! She can create a feast from a few tomatoes, a little saffron, potato and bit of ground beef - unbelievable!  What I really came to admire about Shamsi is her calmness in the kitchen.  The kitchen is Shamsi's world and she handles everything with a serenity and certainty and she creates with skill and love.  I am not a calm cook - unless I have a few glasses of wine and then of course I become a drunk cook.

One of the blogs I follow is Turmeric & Saffron, here Azita shares her love of Persian cuisine and you can feel it pop right out from the screen and almost smell the aromas of her creations.  She shares the healthy simple recipes that have been handed down from her mother and presents them with flair and style.  Azita's photo journalism is fresh, exciting and inspiring. I have never met Azita but I can tell you just from what I have read she needs to call upon the Food Network for a gig! 

Image Source

Azita has some great photos of the Persian New Year (Nowruz) decorations, particularly the Haft Seen.  This is a table setting that is a must for celebrating the Persian New Year which falls on the first day of Spring.  I hope you click through and check out Azita's blog and I hope you add her to your blog roll if you follow blogs, you can also find her on Facebook too!

Lets see now, what to make for dinner?????


My thoughts today,