The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen

I have had this book for only a couple of weeks and have already made so many dishes. This is my new favorite Cookbook. I had a small dinner party for vegetarians (and one vegan) and made the Persian rice salad and Burnt Eggplant dip. Both delicious. Can't wait to make the Persian Love Cake and the Date Bars. Love the flavors and recipes are easy to follow and made me feel confident even when using exotic ingredients like Saffron, Golpar, Rose Water. I am going to give this cookbook as a gift to friends for Christmas.

My friend had taken her other cookbook out of the library, Zaitoun, and I flipped through and tried a recipe or two. Then when I saw The Saffron Tales, I fell in love with the cover and the reviews made me purchase it. I'm so glad I did. Throughout 2020, I made about 20 of the recipes, and each one worked. My nephew-in-law, who grew up on Persian food, said the recipes were authentic and similiar to the ones his mom made - and missed!! Once we get through the pandemic, I hope to cook these for him - and also cook with his mom.The recipes are fresh, eye-opening flavors that pop. A trip to the local MidEastern grocery, I was able to purchase all that I needed in that one trip to stock my spice cabinet. It's been magical. And it seems like Yasmin is in the kitchen with me given the way she explains each dish. Can't wait for the next cookbook.

Beautiful book & great recipes! Had my eye on this for a while, and finally bought it as a gift to myself, when I couldn't stop drooling over it! Lots of beautiful photos to go with the recipes!I'm very familiar with Middle-Eastern food, as I've been cooking it for over 50 years, both personally & professionally. Since I just got this book, I haven't cooked a particular recipe from this book, yet, but in looking over these recipes I believe they will be excellent! They look authentic, based on my personal cooking experience, and that of friends, as I have cooked a version of most of the recipes in here, and these look good!I just got all the ingredients to make the "Choux Buns with Rose Water & Pistachio Cream".Pâté de choux pastry is pretty easy to make, despite tales to the contrary; just pay attention to your dough and keep stirring, and don't get distracted...near the end, it all comes together pretty fast! I love pistachios & rose water, and who wouldn't want to bite into a luscious cream-filled pastry! (well, except for those on restricted diets for medical reasons)Anyway, this promises to be a delicious adventure in cooking, and I can't wait to get into these treats! Lots of fun things in here!NOTE: where I live it's easy to get these ingredients, but if you live in an area that's harder to come by them, most can be gotten at any Natural Foods store or ordered online. I think Amazon has teamed up with Whole Foods, so that could be a resource for you, too (they're pricey, but they do have a lot of good stuff). Have fun!

Beautiful cookbook and interesting glimpse into the Iranian culture. The onion and fenugreek soup has already become a regular meal at my home, and I have tried many more of the recipes with success. I look forward to trying more of the recipes. Definitely would recommend.

This a great cookbook on Persian cooking that has straight forward recipes and a story behind them of their origins. The ingredients are simply explained and the book would make a lovely introduction to the food culture for an adventurous cook and a really nice shower gift for someone starting out!

I have studied art and the art of cooking almost my whole life. I have collected and used cookbooks from nearly every culture and country, as well as corresponding ingredients and spices. But I lacked a good Iranian cookbook, and wondered what I would find in this one.Well, I am not only impressed, can hardly wait to get into the kitchen to try some of the recipes I've bookmarked. It will be fun to use some spices and ingredients have been waiting their turn.But what really recommends this book are the gorgeous photos and the well-written prose. There is a certain warmth to the details giving context to each Ingredient and recipe. I felt sun shining on the kitchen, and was amazed by the colors and combinations of foods. This is a cookbook that is organized, well edited, and has all the necessary parts, such as a glossary, sections for categories, and references. I'll be reading this In place of my typical novel, for quite a treat.

I love this book, because it has colorful pictures on every other page. Each recipe has a picture to where you know what it’s supposed to look like in the end. Someone who is such a picky eater like myself wants to make every recipe in the book. The recipes seem easy to understand. Can buy almost all the ingredients at local grocery store like Giant.

A really wonderful book. I found the recipes to be written well and the anecdotes that went along with each one made me feel like I was sitting down and sharing a meal with the author. There are a few special ingredients that I did not have, but I now have a kitchen full of cardamom, rose water, orange blossom water and other beautiful things I never even knew about. If you like to travel the world from your kitchen as I do, you need this book in your collection.

Right, where to start... I initially bought this book for my mother for Christmas. It arrived today and I’ve just finished reading through it and I am not only, over the moon with all the delicious recipes but I’m also so proud of my culture and how it’s portrayed in this book.My mother obviously doesn’t need recipes from her own motherland however this is still the perfect gift for her. Some of our most classic dishes, slightly westernised but still familiar to her taste palette. Filled with stories that’ll be sure to warm the coldest of hearts! That being said, this book still stays true to traditional Persian recipes and cooking and is just beautiful.To the person who’s left a review referring to the food as ‘bland’ as it lacks spices. If you’re looking for recipes with more of a kick, then this isn’t the book for you and you’d be better off purchasing south Asian cook books or places more commonly known for spices. However, if you’re looking for punchy, flavourful, FRAGRANT (above all) food then please don’t look any further.Just a stunning book all round filled with beautiful recipes. I urge anyone who’s unsure to do themselves a favour and buy this book. I know some of you might see this as a bias review but I grew up in London disliking Persian flavours and food and honestly wouldn’t give it the credit if I felt people from all backgrounds wouldn’t love this book. This book is easy to understand, well presented and everything a cookbook should be.To all foodies and lovers of good food and damn good rice, look no further.Now to buy one for myself!

This cookbook is the nicest cookbook I have ever seen. It is beautifully printed on excellent paper with incomparable illustrations. Having been to Persia, with my wife, on several occasions I have had a lot of experience of Persian cooking and of the various regional differences. What more can I say except go out and buy this book. You'll be amply rewarded and very proud of your new acquisition.

I love this book! I bought it about 10 months ago as I had always wanted to learn to cook Persian food and it has not disappointed. I have tried most of the recipes and they have all been delicious. The book is beautifully written and illustrated, taking you on a journey through Iran, but it is also clearly laid out and easy to follow. I highly recommend it.

I love this book! Only let down was the state of it in the post. Scratched cover and bent and damaged edges. Would be too much of a pain to send back. Maybe Amazon need to look into their storage of the books in the warehouse.

I was very pleased with the book when it arrived. A beautifully photographed and bound object, but the recipes are bland. I bought all new spices to make the recipes so its not operator error, the dishes just don't pack the punch I was expecting. I've only made three chicken dishes so far so if I see an improvement I'll amend this review. So far Ottolenghi and Anjum Anand are much tastier.