What makes a good tahdig, and why we argue about it
5 August 2026
The crisp golden layer at the bottom of the rice pot is the most fought over thing in any Persian kitchen. Here is how it is made, and why no two cooks agree.
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The long road of saffron, from the field to your plate
It takes about seventy thousand flowers to make a pound of saffron, and every one of them is picked by hand before the sun is properly up. Here is how ours reaches the kitchen.
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It takes about seventy thousand flowers to make a pound of saffron, and every one of them is picked by hand before the sun is properly up. Here is how ours reaches the kitchen.
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Most of what happens in a restaurant kitchen happens before anybody sits down. Here is one ordinary Friday, hour by hour.
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ReadIn most restaurants tea is what arrives with the bill. Here it is a course, and the pot is meant to sit on the table for a while.
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