10/22/2007

What Love Tastes Like

Taleghan's Kash Village Woman, Ashpazan Kash Village Women Cooking For Many in Ashpazan Ceremony Photos by Farshad Salehi
Do you miss the simple and free pleasure of being served a bowl of hot Ash-e-Reshteh cooked and served by the loving hands of women who put their hearts and souls into cooking for hundreds once a year? I miss it. Food that is cooked with love tastes better. Looking at these pictures doesn't really make me hungry. It just makes me nostalgic with the memory of smells and tastes of love. I miss it a lot.

27 comments:

بانوي جشنواره زمستان said...

ooooooh Nazy jan;
try to coming to Iran to be with these lovely people!

بانوي جشنواره زمستان said...

دلتنگ اين شهر بودن
کنار همه اين انسان ها
نگاه هاي عاري از گناه
کنار همه اين عاشقانه ها
که دوست مي دارمشان
جايي
کنار اين سرزمين
من
باقي مانده ام

Niloufar said...

کاش همه چیزش به همین ارامی و صمیمیت بود
کاش نازی جان

Tameshk said...

Nazy Joonam

These pictures definitely make me hungry for the warm aroma surrounding those pots.

بانوي جشنواره زمستان said...

من هم با آن کاش نيلوفرانه موافقم

Marzieh said...

آی قشنگ میگییییییییییی

دیگه تمامه! حرفی برای گفتن نیست:)

ممنون

مرضیه

Anonymous said...

Nazy jan,
It is always my pleasure to come here often and read your lovely writings in your blog. Thanks for all your lovely words.
About the food...yes Nazy jan, az you said it was lovely, I still remember waiting for "Gheymeh Nazri!" at "Ashoura" days!! & I have really missed "Ash Reshteh". I have missed all.

Have a very good day Nazy jan,
Pardis

Anonymous said...

عکس هایی که فرشاد عزیز (جناب !) از ولایت طالقان انداخته و ما همه پیش از این ناظر آن بودیم آن قدر (مثل خودش) گرم و صمیمی هستند که من هرگز از دیدن آن ها سیر نمی شوم. ببینید نگاه یک انسان چه قدر گویای شخصیت باطنی او هم هست! برایم از آن پیرزن تعریف می کرد و این که او تا چه حد مهربان و میهمان نواز بوده. ما هویت سرزمین خود را در میان چنین آثار و شواهدی بازمی جوییم، نه در میان سخنان سیاستمداران و دولتمردان آن.
بالاخره فرشاد نازنین روزی شما را به کوی آشنای خود خواهد برد نازی عزیز

midnight/... said...

memory of tasting a loved made aash and having it in a vast land under the sun. seems so so far away! some times I ask myself why I was here! I am giving up too much to gain some much!

Unknown said...

نازی عزیزم سلام
خیلی ممنونم از تصاویری که گذاشتی من چند تصویر این شکلی رو هم باز خواهم فرستاد برایت
نازی جان آش رشته واقعا یکی از خوشمزه ترین غذا هاست واقعا مخصوصا نوع نذریش

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آقای دکتر عزیز و دوست داشتنی
حال شما خوبه
من واقعا نمی دونم این همه لطف رو چطور پاسخ بدم و جبران کنم
ولی جدا فکر نمی کنم لایق این همه لطف باشم
انشاالله این موطن رو به زودی از نزدیک ببینین
از همه ی دوستان چه داخل ایران و چه خارج از ایران دعوت میکنم که مهمان بنده باشن در روستای آبا و اجدادی من

Anonymous said...

Interesting.
What is this Ashpazan ceremony? Is there any article or blog post about it online?

jeerjeerak said...

Tonight when i get home, i'm going to take some of my mom's Aash-reshte out of the freezer add some garnish and have myself a small feast... yes, i still have her Aash in the freezer! Plus some gheime and ghorme-sabzi, and mirza-ghasemi too:)))

Anonymous said...

in avalin bare ke mitoonam comment begzaram. :)
deltangihaye adami ra baad taraneyi misazad
royahayash ra asmane por setare nadide migirad
hichzaman kasi ghamgin nabashe :)

Nazy said...

Salam Neda Jan: Yes, I am homesick for Iran. Thank you for your lovely poem. Every single corner of Iran is beautiful and unforgettable in my opinion. Even when times get hard, it is still beautiful and its people kind and generous. Be good azizam.

Nazy said...

Salam Bar Niloofar-e Azizam. I hope you are safe and sound from the fires and that your loved one (your mother, if I'm not mistaken) is on her way to recovery. Thank you for coming and for leaving me a message.

There are so many good things about Iran. Those beautiful things have been around for thousands of years and hopefully, they will be around for thousands more. In the overall scheme of things, Niloo Jan, current events will measure as nothing but seconds of a bad dream. Iran will always remain beautiful and peaceful, as people of Iran are deeply decent and civilized people, even in its farthest villages. That's what I think. We must also never forget our share of responsibility for helping the people of Iran to love and respect themselves and to strive to get better, learn more, and prosper. Be happy and strong. I'm glad to have found you my friend.

Nazy said...

Dear Tameshk:

Yes, and I can even smell the wood burning under that giant pot. I think our sense of smell is rather under-appreciated in triggering memories. My American friend tells me that she associates the smell of burnt butter with happiness and comfort, because when she was young, her grandmother baked cookies for her in the house which created that smell, and because her grandmother had been kind and protective of her, the smell reminds her of safety and joy.

Most Iranians associate smells of rosewater and saffron with family home and Iran. The smell of Ash Reshteh and fried onions is also always very comforting to me.

(Say, for a pile of tiny bones, you certainly seem to love food!) Be happy and enjoy your visit with Dr. Hossein, the sweetest genius I ever met!

Nazy said...

Thank you sweet Marzieh! I see you are an Iran lover like me! Where are you? In the US? Whereabouts? Be good my friend.

Nazy said...

Salam Pardis Jan: Yes, Nazri is fabulous! It used to be that people would deliver the nazri food to your house! Nowadays there are lines and you sometimes have to wait there with your "ghablameh!" I don't mind it, though, as it is a really fun thing to do!

When we were children, after our neighbors delivered the delicious food in beautiful "gol-e-sorkhi" bowls and dishes to our home, my mother would have us return the cleaned bowl to the neighbor with a gorgeous red rose from our yard in it! How I miss those days of joy and innocence as a child. It was really a happy childhood for me, growing up in Tehran.

Take care and come back again soon.

Nazy said...

Salam Alef Shin Jan: Yes, Farshad's "eye" in taking the photos has been essential to the stunning results. I so hope your prediction comes true soon, and I will go to visit Kash with him and other friends some day soon. I agree with you, Iran and Iranians are beautiful and precious all by themselves, independent of politics. I hope you have a good weekend.

Nazy said...

Nimeh Shab Jan: I see the photos made you nostalgic, too! I believe each and every one of us are exactly where we should be, doing exactly as we must. You were in Iran, you are here now, and someday you will be in Iran again and another in Europe. Places can't matter that much. Do good things and make good memories wherever you are and take them with you to your new destinations. Never live in the past, and don't fret over the future. Here and now is what you have and you can control. Enjoy it with knowledge, heart, and courage. Of course you do all that, the way I see it! Take care Leila Jan.

Nazy said...

Farshad Jan: Thank you for the photos, for the invitation, and for your generosity. Could you please explain more about "Ashpazan" for all of us, especially Ehsan who has raised the question? Thank you again for your kind inclusion of me in your love for your heritage. Take care.

Nazy said...

Ehsan Jan: I used the few words Farshad had sent along with his beautiful photographs. We'll wait for him to elaborate. Thanks for visiting.

Nazy said...

Jeerjeerak Jan: Noosh-e-Jan! Of course, it isn't really very nice to show off! Just kidding, show off your "maman-paz" food while it lasts, as nothing else compares in the world. I still remember a particular meal of "loobia polo" my mother made me one day when it was snowing outside. I remember that meal which only she and I ate together, as the most delicious food I ever had in my life. When you think about it, love is the spice that makes foods special. Enjoy azizam.

Nazy said...

Salam and Welcome to Shohreh-ye Aziz: Thank you for coming and for leaving that sweet verse. I came to visit you and I will come again. Thanks again.

Anonymous said...

نازی عزیزم سلام
شماهمیشه به من لطف دارین
آش رشته پزان یکی از سنتهای دیرینه ی ایرانی هاست که به مناسبتهای مختلف غذا درست کرده و به دوستان و آشنایان می دهند یکی از این غذا ها آش رشته است که مخلوطی است از نخود و لوبیا و عدس و سبزی و رشته و پیاز و سیر که با کشک و نعنای داغ و پیاز داغ ( سرخ کرده) سرو می شود
این غذا که خیلی لذیذ هم هست در وقت سرما باعث گرم شدن عمومی بدن میشه و چون طالقان منطقه ای سردسیره به همین دلیل پختن آش رشته به عنوان نذری مخصوصا در زمستان خیلی مرسومه
--------------------------
روش طبخ آش رشته رو اینجا می تونین ببینین:
http://www.tafrihi.com/food/15.htm

--------------------------
می تونین عکس آش رشته رو هم اینجاها ببینین:
http://www.lilian2323.blogfa.com/cat-39.aspx
http://www.ashreshteh.com/images/ash.jpg

Nazy said...

Thank you Farshad Jan. Very informative as usual. I think, however, that Ehsan was asking about "marasem-e-Ashpazan," and not "ash reshteh." Is Ashpazan a religeous celebration, for example? How old is that tradition in Kash? Who participates in cooking the Ash? Is it open for everyone to participate? If you know the answer to those kinds of questions, it would be great to hear from you. Thank you again Farshad Jan!

Anonymous said...

بله نازی عزیز ولی از اونجایی که من خیلی شکمو هستم وقتی اومدم از مراسم آش رشته حرف بزنم اونقدر محو آش شدم که همه چیز یادم رفت
LOL
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اصولا ایرانی ها در روزهایی خاص مثل عاشورا و روزهای عید ، غذا درست میکنند و بین دوستان و آشنایان و همسایه ها و اهالی محل پخش می کنند
این غذا ها عموما خورش قیمه است ، آش رشته و بعضا هم حلیم
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در خطه ی طالقان به دلیل سردسیر بودن حبوبات خیلی خوب رشد می کنه و چون آب و هوا هم خیلی سرده و آش رشته در هوای سرد واقعا مزه میده اغلب نذری اهالی طالقان محدود میشه به آش
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در روستاها یا به طور کلی فضاهای کوچک معمولا روش نذری پختن و خرج دادن به این صورته که همه ی اهالی ده در طبخ غذا و شستن ظروف کمک می کنن
معمولا سیستم به این صورته در طالقان که هر کدام از مواد اولیه از خونه ی یکی از اهالی میاد و همه در یک محل عمومی مثل امامزاده یا مسجد جمع میشن و غذا درست میکنن و بعد سایر اهالی که اغلب پیر مردهاو پیرزن ها و بچه ها هستند می آیند و همه مشغول خوردن میشن
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این محلی که شما در این تصویر میبینید امامزاده ی کش ه ، که در بعنوان تجمعگاه اهالی به حساب می آد
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بنای امامزاده تقریبا مربوط به 500 سال پیشه که مرتب بازسازی شده ولی همچنان اصالت خودش رو حفظ کرده
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شاید براتون جالب باشه که بدونین در مراسم عید نوروز و شب چهارشنبه ی آخر سال (چهارشنبه سوری) و مراسم سیزدهم نوروز (سیزده به در) هم در طالقان رسم بر اینه که همه کمک می کنن (چه مالی یعنی تهیه ی وسایل مورد نیاز و چه معنوی یعنی کمک برای طبخ غذا و غیره) و مراسم با پهن کردن فرش در بام خانه ها برگزار میشه یعنی همه در بام خانه ها جمع میشن و غذا می خورن و میگن و میخندن
البته این روزها دیگه این مراسم خیلی کم رنگ شده و دیگه تقریبا با شیروانی شدن سقف خانه ها به جای کاه گل جمع شده
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نازی عزیز فکر میکنم باید یه مطلب مفصل برات راجع به طالقان و رسم و رسومش بنویسم
راستی من عکسهای امامزاده رو هم دارم برات میلشون میکنم