Spring time in the Northern Latitudes/ Come Alive When Winter Ends

 

peach blossoms

If you're human, living in the northern latitudes, you've noticed daylight is increasing.  Every year this end of winter darkness has been celebrated by diverse cultures.  One of my favorite cultural celebrations comes from Persia.  A very popular Persian poet today and for the past seven hundred years or so is known to us as Rumi.  Much of his poetry reminds us to embrace the delights of the senses and enjoy life—perfect for this time of year.

I recently had a couple of memorable meals at a Persian restaurant near Sacramento, Shahrzad.  You may not have such an opportunity to celebrate spring near you.  But I recommend this:  When seated our waiter brought a basket of pita bread, a bowl containing fresh sprigs of coriander leaves, mint, and dill weed, and a plate of spreadable white cheese.  The idea is you assemble a sandwich according to your taste from those ingredients.  The result of including the fresh greens is to wake up your taste buds and get ready for a magnificent meal. 

I had a bowl of lentil soup because although it was spring we had run into the restaurant dodging hail.  I hoped the soup would be warming.  It was so much more.  Waves of discrete flavors delighted me.  Lemon, mint, bay leaves were the things I could recognize; but there were other unidentified flavors.

That meal also included a smoky eggplant dish for me and lamb for my friends.  We completed the meal with ice cream made with saffron, pistachios and rose water.  It was the perfect way to commemorate the change in season.

I was lucky enough to travel by land across Iran not once but twice many years ago before Iran became dominated politically by fundamentalist religion.  It's kind of ironic that those who want out next President to be more influence by religion want us to bomb Iran.  Take a moment to enjoy a cultural tradition that's celebrated thousands of spring times.