EXHIBITS
Talking to America: Iranian Communities in Southern California: Foodways
Iranian Foodways in the US
Southern California is a heaven for those who love Persian food. The large number of Iranian restaurants and grocery stores spread throughout SoCal offes a culinary experience that is unparalleled anywhere else in the US. From traditional kabobs and stews to more innovative dishes that give Iranian food a more fusionist spin, options abound for anyone looking for a taste of Persian cuisine.
Pictured is the popular Iranian meat and vegetable stew ghormeh sabzi, next to a bowl of yogurt and Persian shallots (mast-o-musir), freshly baked flatbread, and three plates of rice and kabob.
SoCal is one of the few places where people can not only find Iranian food on restaurants menus but can also buy to-go versions of the same food at stores for a quick lunch or easily order large trays of rice, kabob, and stew to serve at their dinner parties.
Wholesome Choice Supermarket in Irvine is one of the stores that serves a large selection of Iranian food in its international food section.
Flat bread, feta cheese, nuts, and aromatic herbs that are the centerpieces of many Iranian tables are readily at hand in most parts of Southern California.
The packaged herbs (on the right) are used in Iranian dishes like ash reshteh (Persian noodle soup), ghormeh sabzi (herb stew), and kuku (herb frittata) that require a combination of herbs mixed with the right ratio.
Persian food has a constant presence in many of the Iranian events in the area—whether it's a Nowruz party, a religious celebration, a professional conference, or a funeral. Pictured above is a the range of food options for sale at a Charshanbe Soori (Fire Festival) event in Orange County. The options provided at this event are, from left to right, ash reshteh (Persian noodle soup), Kabob Koobideh, saffron rice, and Gheimeh (beef and split pea) stew.