Shiraz & Syrah by Mina Abdi
Mina Abdi’s story began on the lush streets of her Iranian childhood, growing up in a culture where food was central to identity — where entire families enjoyed cooking together and recipes were lovingly passed down over generations. After mastering Persian cuisine, Abdi traveled to France to study as a chef, learning recipes that she now shares in Shiraz & Syrah (Gatekeeper Press), in tribute to the historical, cultural and culinary links that bond Iran and France.
Featuring breathtaking photography and framed by beautiful designs, this cookbook showcases the intricate connections between French and Persian cuisine, culminating in a collection of simple — yet elegant — recipes that are near and dear to the hearts of many. We talked to Abdi about what kickstarted her career in cuisine, and what one dish she would hand-pick from her book for readers to enjoy.
Q: Tell us about your personal journey and how you became a professional chef.
A: I always loved cooking from a very young age, and I mastered my homeland food which is Persian cuisine. Years later because of my love for cooking, I decided to discover and learn other cuisines and I was fascinated and drawn to the richness and elegance of French food. Even though my career was not in cooking in my younger years, I never forgot my love of cooking and desire to be a chef and I eventually enrolled in French culinary schools and became a chef.
Q: Why did you write this book?
A: I thought it’s a good idea to put two great cuisines in one cookbook for foodies to enjoy. It’s a book of exotic and healthy Persian food and the very elegant and rich French cuisine and they both can be enjoyed on different occasions. So, I put both cuisines in one cookbook instead of writing two and with one book you can enjoy the recipes for different moods, exotic and hearty or elegant and rich.
Q: Your book is a convergence of Iranian and French cuisine. What are some of the key characteristics/ingredients of those cuisines?
A: They are both very special and delicious cuisines. Persian food is healthy, using a lot of fresh herbs and spices such as saffron that makes it very exotic and delicious, sometimes gourmet and sometimes comfort food. French food as we all know is very elegant and gourmet with delicious sauces and amazing pastries.
Q: Tell us about your vivid memories of Iran’s rich culture, aromatic street food, and the elegant flavors of French cuisine that inspired your recipes.
A: Cooking and eating together is a big part of Persian culture and everyday life. Even though I moved here 50 years ago I still vividly remember the smell of roasted beets on carts in the streets during winter or taste of fragrant rose water or saffron ice cream in summer afternoons. One of the most famous Persian foods are kabob that are made with aromatically marinated chicken, beef or lamb. There are a lot of kabob houses in Iran, and you feel instantly hungry by the savory smell of kabob coming from kabob houses when walking on the streets of Iran. The most important thing about French cuisine is its elegance and richness with amazing sauces that makes it a big favorite of all cuisines in the world.
Q: I imagine this will be hard to answer, but if a reader wanted to understand the true uniqueness of the cultures that influence your cooking, what one main dish and one dessert would best exemplify it?
A: If I want to choose just one dish, I choose Persian chelo Kabob which is grilled marinated beef, lamb, or chicken Kabob with rice which is kind of our national and most famous dish. For one desert I choose profiteroles which is pastry puffs filled with ice cream as my favorite French dessert and you can serve this dessert with any kind of ice cream such as French vanilla or Persian rose water or saffron ice cream, depending on your mood for either Persian or French dessert.
Q: What do you hope readers will take away from your book?
A: I hope they find my recipes delicious and useful because I always try to make my recipes approachable for any level of cooks, either home cooks or chefs, but also when you serve them, they look like you spent hours in the kitchen and are very impressive. I want the readers to be able to use this cookbook for making delicious and gourmet meals without spending hours preparing the food either for the family dinners or elegant dinner parties.
