Persian Sweets, Allergy Cards, and Virtual Carnivals

RECENT COMMENTS

mike commented on Pumpkin Ravioli With Broth And Beans:

I love fresh ravioli, and also really enjoy Paul Bertolli's book. Looks like a great dish!

parker in the house commented on Recipe: Veggie Chili Beans with Cornbread Dumplings:

Just let me say that your gentle mention, honor, effort and thought about Sarina makes me want to visit your blog (or whatever you call it) again! There are a lot of things on the net that are all about "me; I like; my fave; etc. but I love the ones like yours that graciously embrace and talk about a significant other as well as your audience.

Lael commented on Vegetarian Pozole de Frijol - Quick and Hearty Soup with Hominy and Pinto Beans - Recipe:

This sounds so flavorful and nourishing. Perfect for a cold winter day. I've never used hominy before, though I've seen it in the store before. Maybe I'll dive in now. With all the options for topping this, I think it would make a great one-pot meal for a group of friends.

Tony commented on I Like You (Hospitality Under the Influence), by Amy Sedaris - Cookbook Review with Recipe for Greek Koulourakia Cookies:

Michael, these look like fantastic cookies! In fact, they remind me of these Middle Eastern cookies that I grew up eating. I'll have to give this recipe a try and see how they compare :)

Kate commented on Irish Soda Bread - Recipe:

I made this last night with dried cranberries. It was delicious. I blogged about it, if you're interested. Thanks for passing on a great, easy recipe.

susrith commented on Recipe: Syrian Vegetarian Red Lentil Soup (Shurbat Addes):

Hi
i love to experiment with food......being a strict vegetarian does drw a lot of curious questions..........the soup u have posted is very close to Indian version of dal or simple "pappu"......we are all the same with our food after all!

great going!

rpe commented on How To Make A Delicious, Vegetarian Potluck Salad in Five Minutes:

hey man, i made this recipe for a potluck and it was great. Thanks for the idea!

Michael Natkin commented on I Like You (Hospitality Under the Influence), by Amy Sedaris - Cookbook Review with Recipe for Greek Koulourakia Cookies:

Wow, I guess I have to try her cupcake recipes, it sounds like they are universally loved.

Persian Sweets, Allergy Cards, and Virtual Carnivals

There are three unrelated things I want to talk about today. My challenge as an utterly unprofessional writer: segue between them so that you as innocent reader feel as if they are intimately connected.

Have you ever had Persian (aka Iranian) bakery treats? The Seattle area is home to the delightful Minoo Bakery at 12518 Lake City Way NE. I neglected to bring my camera, but there is a nice picture of some of the sweets at Nerd's Eye View. Owners Rashid Ramzani and Ezzat Ghaderi clearly put a lot of love into their pastries. Everything in the case looks neat and precise, and the baking area in back is very clean and well organized, both of which I've found are strong indications of delicious baked goods to come. I had a couple of shortbread-like cookies made from chickpea flour, and a wonderful rolled phyllo and nut item similar to baklava.

Like many desserts from the Middle East and India, the Persian pastries are on the very sweet side, which makes them perfect for enjoying with coffee or tea. And also like many foods from that part of the world, they contain a lot of nuts. Which I dearly love, but Snacky Pants is severely allergic to. Now I don't mean it gives her a tummyache allergic. I mean hit her with the Epipen and off we go to the ER allergic. So we were delighted to learn about Select Wisely. They make laminated, wallet sized cards that describe your specific allergy or other dietary needs in many languages. Need to tell the Finns that you are a vegetarian? Headed to Croatia and lactose intolerant? They've got you covered. And if they don't have one in stock for your particular issue, they'll have it custom made.

And you know, when I'm traveling, I like to get in on local events and celebrations. When I'm hiking the blogosphere, I'm always on the lookout for a good carnival. Hey look! Is that our name in lights?