My Link to the Past

October 26, 1997

Food

Persians eat a lot of meat. They have only a few dishes that do not contain meat. Chelo kabab is one of the most common in most homes and restaurants, even though it is very simple. It's a dish that contains either beef, chicken, or pork, with rice, baked tomatoes, and greenery. Ash (osh) is a soup that has noodles, barley, and a variety of different things. There are many different kinds, such as Ashetorch, a dried fruit soup, Ashejo, a barley and pea soup, and Ashemast, a yogurt soup. They don't sound good, but they are! 

All meals either contain rice or bread. There are two different kinds of bread. There is lavash, a white bread which is very thin and often served with cheese for breakfast, and there is sangak, a brown bread which is thicker and eaten while still warm. There is a portion of yogurt with every thing, even ash!

Clothes

The traditional Persian clothes are very elaborate and contain a lot of beads and silks. They flow and have intricate designs, along with beautiful colors. Now, under religious rule (theocracy), Iranian women have to wrap up in big shawls (chador) and only their eyes and feet can be seen. Persians were very elaborate and even their shoes were fancy: they were the color of gold. Some rich people's party shoes were made of gold thread and jewels! 

Traditions and Celebrations

The new year starts on the 21st day of March (the first day of Spring). They celebrate in various ways. The most common is the haftsin, a way of welcoming the new year. The display in a house contains seven things beginning with S (in Farsi). In English they are: apples, wheat grass, sugar, salt, garlic, vinegar, and sumac. It also contains gold fish as a sign of life, flowers as a sign of nature, and coins as a sign for wealth in the upcoming year. Another custom is to jump over a little fire. The reason for this is that all of the problems of your last year fall in the fire and burn, and you start out fresh. They have two kinds of "Santa Clauses" Amu Norooz (Uncle New Year) and Haji Firooz (a more child-based figure)