A few years ago, when I was just starting to blog about the food of my heritage, I came across an image of something called a Persian Love Cake, a chiffon cake adorned with a few pink rose petals. My first reaction was: no way! How come I've never heard of this before? Where was I all that time growing up in Iran when everyone else was eating کیک عشق - cake-e eshgh?
After my initial surprise, I realized there was no need to worry. This so-called Persian Love Cake was a modern creation, a sweet new take on the aromatic and flavorful ingredients that have long defined Persian desserts. I figured that if the combination of saffron, rose water, cardamom, and lemon zest transforms a simple cake into "love cake," then we Iranians have been feasting on love for centuries!
I may have been startled to discover that there's such a thing as Persian Love Cake, but I wouldn't be surprised if Persian food, in general, were called a love cuisine. So much love goes into mastering the art of simmering stews into glorious deliciousness using fresh, seasonal ingredients, just the right amount of salt, pepper, and spice, and steaming rice to a fluffy perfection with a golden, crunchy tahdig - crust.
I can easily call salad shirazi a love salad, fesenjoon a love khoresh, or zereshk polow a love polow, and I think we should call it a love menu!
In addition to my passion for Persian food, which is clearly evident in this very personal blog of mine, I've also developed a deep love for Persian poetry over the years. Persian poetry is as fragrant as drops of rose water in the air, colorful as saffron threads, and flavorful as cardamom nestled in its pod. That's what happens when an Iranian food blogger writes about Persian poetry!
In addition to my passion for Persian food, which is clearly evident in this very personal blog of mine, I've also developed a deep love for Persian poetry over the years. Persian poetry is as fragrant as drops of rose water in the air, colorful as saffron threads, and flavorful as cardamom nestled in its pod. That's what happens when an Iranian food blogger writes about Persian poetry!
Among many poems that I grew up with, a few that have left an everlasting impression on me and remain my favorites to this day. I am a firm believer that love is the force that connects and holds all things together in this world, even in the darkest and most challenging times.
The next poem, or rather a line of a poem, is by Hatef Esfahani, known for his ghazals (ode) and tarji-band (recurrent verse) style of poetry. However, I would like to take the liberty to say that for me this poem stands alone by itself as the best of the best to describe the mood and the feeling of someone's love and devotion. It has to be read several times to feel the rhythm and the beat embedded in the words. Perhaps, one day I'll come back to this post and write a translation for it, but so far, I am at a loss for words to capture the essence of it. Therefore, I'll leave it without the English translation. My sincere apologies.
For this recipe, I had a couple of options; the first one was the chiffon cake with rosewater icing and candied rose petals. The second option was a simple almond cake. I chose the second version simply because it tastes more like the kind of sweets I grew up with, no-frills and downright delicious. I've tweaked the recipe a little bit. Please see my Pinterest link for more Persian Love Cake recipes.
Serves 8
-2 1/2 cups almond flour
روزی که می گرفتند پیمان ز نسل آدم عشق از میان ذرات در جست وجوی ما بود
~ غمام همدانی
On the day of making a covenant with Adam's generation, "Love" among all other particles was looking for us.
My next favorite poem is a line from a tale in the book: منطق الطیر - The Conference of the Birds by Attar. It tells the story of an old woman who wanted to buy یوسف - Joseph when he was being sold to the highest bidder at a market in Egypt. All she had to offer was a handful of yarn. Knowing she couldn't afford him, she replied to the merchant's ridicule:
لیک اینم بس که چه دشمن چه دوست گوید این زن از خریداران اوست
~ عطار
"This is enough for me, that everyone, friend or foe, will say: this woman was among his bidders."
The next poem, or rather a line of a poem, is by Hatef Esfahani, known for his ghazals (ode) and tarji-band (recurrent verse) style of poetry. However, I would like to take the liberty to say that for me this poem stands alone by itself as the best of the best to describe the mood and the feeling of someone's love and devotion. It has to be read several times to feel the rhythm and the beat embedded in the words. Perhaps, one day I'll come back to this post and write a translation for it, but so far, I am at a loss for words to capture the essence of it. Therefore, I'll leave it without the English translation. My sincere apologies.
تو کمان کشیده و در کمین که زنی به تیرم و من غمین همه ی غمم بود از همین که خدا نکرده خطا کنی
~هاتف اصفهانی
I haven't written about my father as much as I have written about my mother. Perhaps because I didn't spend much time with him growing up, or rather, he didn't have much time to spend with us, always working so hard and often away from home. By the time he retired. I was long gone. Most of what I know about Baba's childhood and family history, I learned through my mother. Baba was a quiet man who had suffered from many physical ailments throughout his life.
I clearly remember my last long-distance phone conversation with Baba right before his passing. I had gotten the terrible news about my father's deteriorating condition. Devastated, I called home and asked to have a few words with him, even though I was told he couldn't speak coherently. Still, I needed to hear Baba's voice. I asked my mother to place the phone next to his ear, and I started to plead with him to say something, anything, that I just wanted to hear him. His last few words were: work on your heart and polish it into a jam-e jahan nama (a crystal globe that reflects the world). These were Baba's last words, a short message of a self-realized life lesson that spoke volumes and showed me the depth of his love for his child on his last breath, and for that alone, I am forever indebted to him.
For this recipe, I had a couple of options; the first one was the chiffon cake with rosewater icing and candied rose petals. The second option was a simple almond cake. I chose the second version simply because it tastes more like the kind of sweets I grew up with, no-frills and downright delicious. I've tweaked the recipe a little bit. Please see my Pinterest link for more Persian Love Cake recipes.
Persian Love Cake - کیک عشق پارسی
Ingredients
Serves 8
-2 1/2 cups almond flour
-1 cup strained yogurt
-1 cup of sugar
-1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-2 teaspoons baking powder
-Zest of 1 lemon/lime
-1 tablespoon rosewater
-A pinch of salt
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
-2-3 tablespoons chopped pistachios
-1 tablespoon sliced almonds
-1 teaspoon dried rose petals (crushed)
-1 teaspoon dried rose petals (crushed)
Method:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt. Mix thoroughly by hand or pulse it a few times in a food processor.
- Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Beat the eggs lightly, then add yogurt, lemon zest, cardamom, and rosewater. Combine with the flour mixture until well blended.
- Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the surface with a spatula.
- Bake on the middle rack for 35-40 minutes or until the center is set.
- Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan.
- Transfer to a serving platter and decorate with powdered sugar, chopped pistachios, sliced almonds, and rose petals on top, or however you hear desire.
- Serve with ice cream or fresh fruit and chai.
Enjoy! Happy Father's Day!
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| Persian Love Cake |
My Baba and I