Thanksgiving seems to be every immigrant's favorite holiday. It certainly is my family's favorite, because unlike Christmas and Easter that are religious, and the Fourth of July which is patriotic, Thanksgiving is universal and all encompassing.
Thanksgiving's adaptable tradition allows persons of different cultures to incorporate their unique elements within the celebration. So, for us Iranians, it means we can give thanks after and not before the meal, and have our turkey with rice and barberries (zereshk) stuffing and still feel American.
In my family, the dinner table plays a central role in our celebration of Thanksgiving, partly because it brings the family together, but mainly because my mother is a wonderful cook and a professional caterer. Like most other Iranians, our dinner table includes the traditional American Thanksgiving dishes, yet accented with Iranian flavors.
In the spirit of the season, I would like to share some of my mom's favorite Thanksgiving recipes, which include rice stuffing with zereshk; cranberry quince chutney; torsh sweet potatoes; mashed potatoes with dill; and pomegranate gelatin. To view these recipes, please visit www.sofreh.com.
Noosh-e-jon!
