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Recipes and Memories of a Journey from Iran to Italy
Pomegranates & Artichokes
Pomegranates & Artichokes is the story of Saghar's own culinary journey from Iran to Italy, in which she describes the many parallels that link Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food cultures, and shows how ingredients and recipes - unconstrained by borders - are shared and transformed through the immigrant experience.
May 4, 2023
“Refreshingly unusual in its concept and geographical spread, filled with heady pleasure, deep locality and genuine know-how, Pomegranates & Artichokes is also quite possibly the most beautiful cookbook I have ever seen.”
— Caroline Eden, author of Red Sands, Black Sea and Samarkand
From the publisher
When Iranian writer and food photographer Saghar Setareh moved to Italy at the age of 22, she was enchanted by the rich food culture of her adopted country, and this inspired a curiosity in the cuisine of her homeland and the surrounding countries of the Levant and Eastern Mediterranean.
Pomegranates & Artichokes is the story of Saghar's own culinary journey from Iran to Italy, in which she describes the many parallels that link Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food cultures, and shows how ingredients and recipes - unconstrained by borders - are shared and transformed through the immigrant experience.
Divided into three sections representing stops on Saghar's culinary 'road trip' - Iran, In Between and Italy - this book features more than 80 recipes celebrating the foods of these regions. Among the highlights are a simple Iranian breakfast platter, a celebratory Persian feast, Sicilian-style stuffed artichokes, guinea hen braised with pomegranate, sweet-sour meatballs from Aleppo, a Roman ricotta and wild cherry pie and a velvety Middle Eastern milk pudding.
Illustrated with Saghar's own beautiful photography, and peppered with personal insights and experiences, Pomegranates & Artichokes tells the story of two food cultures, and the delicious space in between.
“ [A] fascinating and deeply personal debut recipe collection, which evinces warm feelings about both locales while also training a clear eye on the experience of being foreign in Italy. […] Setareh elegantly spins a web of connections between all three [regions]. Gorgeous photography throughout enhances the experience. Setareh’s thoughtful tone and generosity of spirit make this well worth a look.”
Reviews
“Rich with detail, this beautiful and beautifully written book bridges two culinary worlds and invites us to cook.”
— Rachel Roddy, author of An A to Z of Pasta, Two Kitchens and Five Quarters
“An utterly enchanting book that captures the essence of migration and the magnificence of Iran's culinary traditions, with stunning photography, captivating stories and mouth-watering recipes.”
— Yasmin Khan, author of Ripe Figs, Zaitoun and Saffron Tales
“Saghar's food and story is rich with culture, history and beauty. I cannot wait to cook from it and lose myself in its pages.”
— Olia Hercules, author of Mamushka, Summer Kitchens and Home Food
“I want to [get] lost in her photography, find connections that transcend physical places and pore over the kind of food that I want to immediately cook for friends and neighbours”.
— Emiko Davies, author of Florentine, Tortellini at Midnight and Cinnamon and Salt
“Saghar Setareh guides us on a spirited and soulful culinary journey. This is not a cookbook lost in the nostalgia of a bygone era, but an invitation to Setareh’s table firmly planted in the here and now. And what a delicious table it is.”
— Naz Deravian, author of Bottom of the Pot
“A jewel of a cookbook: With her graceful and passionate writing, Saghar Setareh offers a powerful testament to how much more imaginative our cooking can be in a world where borders—whether literal or figurative—don’t exist.”
— Mayukh Sen, author of Taste Makers
the soundtrack
In order to get in the mood for Pomegranates & Artichokes, I have made a meticulously curated playlist that mimics the chapters of the book; it starts in Iran, then travels west through Turkey, Lebanon, Syria, Greece etc, and then arrives in Italy. Just like the recipes in the book these tracks have been chosen because of their regionality and free spirit. Let’s discover something beautiful about a place we don’t know.