I just realized that it has been way too long since I last wrote a post for this blog. I have missed it, and missed you all. I want to share with you what I have been working on while I have been away.

First, I am in the final stages of putting recipes together for my follow-up cookbook to Persian Cooking in an American Kitchen. This one (title TBD) is about marriage. Marriage is the joining of two people, who bring with them their histories, their cultures, their families, … and their foods. The two people join together to form a new unit that builds on those histories and cultures to create a new family, complete with its own culture, history, … and food. The book will bring together our food cultures in a way that honors them both being a part of our blended family. Going beyond that, this book will include the recipes that are the new food culture of our family, particularly, marrying Persian flavors and techniques with other foods that we, as a family, love to eat. Our family includes vegetarians, so I am putting an emphasis on vegetarian foods and vegetarian or vegan options.

Working on this cookbook has been a lot of fun, and at some point I will need to forcibly stop myself from adding new recipes and start editing the book. I have really enjoyed testing the recipes out on friends and family. The table below was a taste test of different rice cooking techniques, a tater tot tadig, and a new jackfruit fesenjen.

The other thing that has taken most of my attention has been Red Cedar Forest Therapy. I absolutely love guiding people to connect with nature, with themselves, and with the people around them. Starting a new business is always a lot of work, but when you enjoy what you are doing, the work becomes pleasure.

Since it is summer, I have decided to share the recipe with you for a special Persian yogurt “soda”. Many people make this with club soda, but as a Jew from New York, I make mine with seltzer. As someone who did not initially like doogh but now loves it, all I can say is… Try it, you’ll like it. And…it’s good for you!

I present this recipe in ratios (2:1:½:1). It can be scaled up or down to the amount you want to make. Feel free to tweak it to your taste. I will give you the base ratio, then you can increase from there, depending upon how much doogh you want to make. The pitcher I usually make is double this recipe.

Doogh

2 cups plain -yogurt (not greek)

1 tablespoon dried mint

½ teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup seltzer

Directions

Put the yogurt in a pitcher and, using an immersion blender, blend until smooth. Add the mint and salt and stir well.  

Pour in the seltzer. Check the taste and adjust as necessary.

Chill. Drink and enjoy!

Makes 3 cups of doogh.