I’ve been craving Barbari bread for years now. I’ve asked for it at every Persian food restaurant and market I’ve come across here in California. No success. So I started asking at Afghani restaurants. No success. Yesterday an Afghani restauranteur actually tried to describe Naan to me. I was insulted. (Hate it when my personal sense of Persian uppityness rises to the surface–my late Iranian dad’s doing). Worse, I was disappointed. No Barbari bread.
A couple of years ago on the internet I found an Afghan bakery that makes it. But it’s an hour away from my location, in both directions. Don’t know if it still exists or how good it is.
I started eating Barbari bread when I was a teenager in Tehran. My grandmother–bless her heart–would bring it home and I would smear it with Laughing Cow cheese before gobbling it down while still fresh. It was wonderful. Fond memories.
My quest continues…
