Happy Norouz Everyone! May the new season and New Year bring prosperity and good health to everyone anywhere around the world. This year I was unprepared and unable to do a haft seen (norouz table of 7 S’s). We are going to my in-laws for norouz dinner and I will have pictures of the sure to be amazing spread that will be waiting for us.

This year, I decided to K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) I need more sweetness and sugar in my life, so I made shortbread cookies to bring in the New Year. It’s really not about the recipe, but more about the cookies themselves and decorating them with love and attention. I used Martha Stewarts short bread cookie recipe; (recipe here) . It’s a simple and quick one. The fun and exciting part was using my new Golreezan Iran shaped cookie cutter.

As I cut into the dough with my country in hand, I thought about the people of Iran. I thought about the richness and colors of Iran and then I thought about the richness and colors of my own life. I decorated the cookies using only the colors of the Iranian flag; green, white and red. According to Wikipedia, green on the flag “in the Iranian Culture symbolizes Growth, Happiness, Unity, Nature, Vitality”. I love that so much! So as I used the green icing, I thought about the areas in my life where I wanted to grow. I want to grow in my personal relationships and decide to be ultimately happy. White “Stands for Peace as in many other Cultures. In the Iranian Culture it also symbolizes Chasteness, Equality, Freedom, Honesty, and Power.” The white sugar crystals I used to decorate the cookies, made me think, that I could definitely add some honesty and power in all aspects of my life. Starting with being honest with myself. Once I can be honest with myself, it will make me feel so powerful and sure of myself. Red “In the Iranian Culture symbolizes Bravery, Fire, Life, Love, Warmth, and Sophistication.” The red icing I was using was actually quite difficult to use cause it was runny and hard to manage. Ironically, the same can be said about life and love; so beautiful yet so hard to manage and understand. Love has no set pattern, it runs freely. I do believe that with the bravery and fire within, unconditional love can be so warm and soothing.

I don’t always put so much thought into everything I do… lol. I guess when it’s the New Year, it just forces you to be more self reflecting. I’ve got my work cut out for me this year. But I’m excited and I can’t wait to get to work and see what the New Year has in store for me. What about you? How will you be adding some green, white and red into your life?  

                            The tea cups sat there on the tray. All four of them. Steaming from the clear cups. I grab one by the handle and place it in front of me on the coffee table. I place my hands around the hot cup. I breathe in the authentic tea leaves. It smells so familiar and comforting. I don’t normally sweeten my tea but Homa tells me that if I want to try the biscuits I should add some sugar to my tea. I really want a biscuit, so I follow her instructions. I am so curious about these biscuits. They look like mini toasts. Perfectly shaped and painted golden brown. Big enough to hold comfortably in my hand and small enough to dip in my tea cup. I take a sip of my tea first. Hot and just sweet enough. I grab the hard biscuit from the centre plate and bring it close to my nose. I take a deep breath in; nutty roasted goodness. I slowly dip the cookie in my hot tea and hold still for 30 seconds.  I put the moist part of the biscuit in my mouth and wait for it to melt on my tongue. I’m immediately transported to my grandmothers living room in Tehran where my  younger brother and I are watching afternoon cartoons and having a snack. Tea and biscuits. The warm taste makes me feel like I’m ten again. It’s hard to believe it’s the exact same biscuit. The same texture, and smell. The same taste and feeling on my tongue. Perhaps it’s the same tea too? Maybe Homa time traveled and snatched that biscuit from that afternoon with my brother. She must have. She must have done it to mess with me. The biscuit. The sweet tea. My grandmother. Thanks Homa! 

Have you ever tasted something that immediately took you back to a different time and place? What was it, and how did it make you feel?