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Babylon Café #1
Café Babylon
Een verrukkelijke roman in de traditie van Chocolat en Rode rozen en tortilla's De bewoners van het Ierse dorpje Ballinacroagh zijn op gastronomisch gebied niet meer gewend dan de dagschotel in de lokale pub. Dit verandert wanneer de mooie en mysterieuze gezusters Aminpour zich ' op de vlucht voor de Iraanse Revolutie ' in het afgelegen dorp vestigen in de hoop op een beter leven. Marjan, Bahar en Layla Aminpour openen midden op de Main Mall het exotische Café Babylon, en brengen met hun sensuele Perzische recepten als granaatappelsoep en lamsstoofschotel met rozenblaadjes de broodnodige warmte en magie in de levens van de dorpsbewoners. Op subtiele wijze verweeft Marsha Mehran in Café Babylon het verhaal van Eva en de appel van kennis met de allegorie van Persephone en de granaatappel, en met eeuwenoude Keltische mythes. Café Babylon is een heerlijke magisch-realistische roman over een nieuwe start, voedsel, liefde en de mix van culturen.
239 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2005
180 people are currently reading
6999 people want to read
About the author
Marsha Mehran
9 books111 followersMarsha Mehran escaped the upheaval of the Iranian revolution with her family. She grew up in the United States, Australia and Argentina, where her parents operated a Middle Eastern café. She lived in both Brooklyn and Ireland.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 832 reviews
October 3, 2008
I hated every second of this pseudo magic realist ouevre. The writing is trying so hard to be eloquent and poetic but it's totally Hallmark. The writer graduated from the adjective school of writing. Yuck. Then again it's an easy read if you're in bed with the flu.
on the plus side: great recipes. little glimpse into both Iranian and Irish life.
on the plus side: great recipes. little glimpse into both Iranian and Irish life.
November 15, 2008
This book was very wonderful for what it was--a delicious mixture of food and the personal journeys of three sisters who escape Iran on the eve of the revolution and eventually make their way to Ireland. This book pleasantly reminded me of another book about the magic of food from another culture--The Mistress of Spices.
We learn of the sisters' experiences in Iran through flashbacks throughout the book, and I really appreciated Mehran's light touch in her descriptions of the sisters' painful memories. In my opinion, too many books are heavy-handed and overwhelming with sadness when they flashback to such events. Mehran had just the right combination of sadness and facts that made me want to learn more about this terrible time in Iran, but did not frighten me away from the violent history.
In Ireland, the sumptuous exotic spices of the sisters' cooking reinvigorate the aspirations of the townsfolk in Ballinacroagh and bring them together. I (of course) was hungry the entire time reading the book and would love to try some of the recipes that Mehran includes before every chapter. A yummy light read that delivered all it promised.
I am looking forward to discussing it at my book club on Monday and will post any other revelations our discussion brings. On a happy note, this might be my most successful book club pick ever--thanks Holyn for joining GoodReads so I could read your review!
We learn of the sisters' experiences in Iran through flashbacks throughout the book, and I really appreciated Mehran's light touch in her descriptions of the sisters' painful memories. In my opinion, too many books are heavy-handed and overwhelming with sadness when they flashback to such events. Mehran had just the right combination of sadness and facts that made me want to learn more about this terrible time in Iran, but did not frighten me away from the violent history.
In Ireland, the sumptuous exotic spices of the sisters' cooking reinvigorate the aspirations of the townsfolk in Ballinacroagh and bring them together. I (of course) was hungry the entire time reading the book and would love to try some of the recipes that Mehran includes before every chapter. A yummy light read that delivered all it promised.
I am looking forward to discussing it at my book club on Monday and will post any other revelations our discussion brings. On a happy note, this might be my most successful book club pick ever--thanks Holyn for joining GoodReads so I could read your review!
May 12, 2022
My dear friend Cathy sent me this book, and I imagine that she bought it because of its title: Pomegranate Soup, which is the best soup that I have ever eaten. She and I had it as a small Persian café, Soltan Banno, in San Diego, CA just before I moved to Oklahoma.
I had met Cathy in an encounter group while in college. We both lived in Berkeley, and at one time we both dated Iranians. I moved to San Diego just before moving to Oklahoma. She and I remain close friends to this very day.
In the book, three Persian sisters who had escaped Iran, came to Ireland to open up a Persian café where they served this wonderful soup and other Iranian delights. At the end of each chapter there is a recipe, which reminds of the book, Like Water for Chocolate.
The Iranian, Mehran, that I dated while living in Berkeley, like the woman in this story, had also escaped Iran in the time of the uprising.
Mehran once made me a Persian dish, Chelo Kabab with Masto-Khiar. It too was very good. But nothing is better than that soup, which recipe I wish I had. Both recipes may have been in the book, but I no longer own it so I don’t recall.
I had met Cathy in an encounter group while in college. We both lived in Berkeley, and at one time we both dated Iranians. I moved to San Diego just before moving to Oklahoma. She and I remain close friends to this very day.
In the book, three Persian sisters who had escaped Iran, came to Ireland to open up a Persian café where they served this wonderful soup and other Iranian delights. At the end of each chapter there is a recipe, which reminds of the book, Like Water for Chocolate.
The Iranian, Mehran, that I dated while living in Berkeley, like the woman in this story, had also escaped Iran in the time of the uprising.
Mehran once made me a Persian dish, Chelo Kabab with Masto-Khiar. It too was very good. But nothing is better than that soup, which recipe I wish I had. Both recipes may have been in the book, but I no longer own it so I don’t recall.
October 8, 2021
This book languished on my TBR for 8 years while I waited for the right time to read it. Luckily for me, that time is now, because I really liked it and have now replaced it on my list with its sequel Rosewater and Soda Bread.
In a nutshell, 3 Iranian refugee sisters arrive in a small Irish village in the mid-1980s, and open a cafe showcasing Persian cuisine. Some villagers are welcoming, others are suspicious, and still more are downright nasty towards the sisters. But these young women have survived and escaped a revolution in their homeland, so there's not much the Irish villagers could do to them to put them off their dream of a safe and quiet life in the Irish countryside. That's not to say that some won't try.
Each chapter of this story begins with a recipe, providing a focus (if not sometimes also a theme) for the chapter. I happened to also have a Persian cookbook - The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen - on my coffee table while reading this, so lots of comparisons were made! Not all the recipes were in my cookbook, but many were, and the illustrations really helped to fire my imagination. I'm not sure that all of Mehran's recipes would work, but they were often reasonably close to the cookbook. One I've picked out to definitely try is the fesenjoon, or chicken with walnuts and pomegranate, which sounds simply divine.
Apart from learning a bit about Persian cuisine, I feel like a know a little more now about the Iranian Revolution, as the sisters slowly reveal their backstory, mainly by internal reflection/memory. Some of these scenes were quite harrowing, providing a real contrast to the warmth and friendliness of life in the Babylon Cafe.
In a nutshell, 3 Iranian refugee sisters arrive in a small Irish village in the mid-1980s, and open a cafe showcasing Persian cuisine. Some villagers are welcoming, others are suspicious, and still more are downright nasty towards the sisters. But these young women have survived and escaped a revolution in their homeland, so there's not much the Irish villagers could do to them to put them off their dream of a safe and quiet life in the Irish countryside. That's not to say that some won't try.
Each chapter of this story begins with a recipe, providing a focus (if not sometimes also a theme) for the chapter. I happened to also have a Persian cookbook - The Saffron Tales: Recipes from the Persian Kitchen - on my coffee table while reading this, so lots of comparisons were made! Not all the recipes were in my cookbook, but many were, and the illustrations really helped to fire my imagination. I'm not sure that all of Mehran's recipes would work, but they were often reasonably close to the cookbook. One I've picked out to definitely try is the fesenjoon, or chicken with walnuts and pomegranate, which sounds simply divine.
Apart from learning a bit about Persian cuisine, I feel like a know a little more now about the Iranian Revolution, as the sisters slowly reveal their backstory, mainly by internal reflection/memory. Some of these scenes were quite harrowing, providing a real contrast to the warmth and friendliness of life in the Babylon Cafe.
February 14, 2024
Sometimes it is good to suspend belief and surrender your imagination to a form of magical realism which can transcend cultural barriers.
Three orphaned sisters, who fled Iran seven years earlier, have found their way to a small town in Ireland where they hope to make a home. They bring with them their heritage, their demons and their hopes for a better future. Marjan, Bahar and Layla open the Babylon Cafe in the heart of Ballinacroagh’s Main Mall. The smell of traditional Persian cooking wafting through the Mall works its own magic on many of the townsfolk: business is growing as is acceptance. But the past is not yet finished with the sisters, and their future is threatened.
In part this novel is about the clash of cultures and inherent suspicion about what is different. It is equally about the power of hope and the unifying role of food and the role of senses in life. In many ways, both the characters and the setting are irrelevant to these unifying points. The setting could be small town anywhere, the sisters could have any different cultural heritage. At the same time as each sister confronts her demons, many of the townspeople find the courage to question their own assumptions and values.
The novel contains some delicious recipes which some readers will wish to try, while others of us will simply enjoy the possibility. While many of the characters are lightly drawn stereotypes this doesn’t really detract from the power of the novel. A comparatively light read to be sure, but one with a powerful underlying message for those who want to accept it.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Three orphaned sisters, who fled Iran seven years earlier, have found their way to a small town in Ireland where they hope to make a home. They bring with them their heritage, their demons and their hopes for a better future. Marjan, Bahar and Layla open the Babylon Cafe in the heart of Ballinacroagh’s Main Mall. The smell of traditional Persian cooking wafting through the Mall works its own magic on many of the townsfolk: business is growing as is acceptance. But the past is not yet finished with the sisters, and their future is threatened.
In part this novel is about the clash of cultures and inherent suspicion about what is different. It is equally about the power of hope and the unifying role of food and the role of senses in life. In many ways, both the characters and the setting are irrelevant to these unifying points. The setting could be small town anywhere, the sisters could have any different cultural heritage. At the same time as each sister confronts her demons, many of the townspeople find the courage to question their own assumptions and values.
The novel contains some delicious recipes which some readers will wish to try, while others of us will simply enjoy the possibility. While many of the characters are lightly drawn stereotypes this doesn’t really detract from the power of the novel. A comparatively light read to be sure, but one with a powerful underlying message for those who want to accept it.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 2, 2015
I do feel I'm being a bit harsh here. There was such lot to like about this book - I'm a sucker for a cozy novel about food, initially it seemed a lightweight derivative of "Like water for chocolate" - which is brilliant & of course you can't expect every novel to invent a new genre. There is quite a bit of interesting and quite dark material about fleeing from Iran & then her sometimes insightful & sometimes rather dismissive view of Oirland. However ultimately I found this novel really lacked the cohesion of a more successful work. The character development was poor, the pacing was awful, the story was okay but lacked direction. Incidents & characters just popped up & disappeared. There was a strange mix of fragmented past history (without much insight - neighbour mean, husband was abusive) & then silly jolly asides about leprechauns, naughty local pranksters & ambitions of a disco - which didn't really progress the story or add much dimension to the characters. Comparing to some pretty solid novels that I have awarded with 3 stars, I felt bound to be a bit cruel here.
April 15, 2019
Не искам да бъде циничен, но бях готов да излея разочарованието си върху "Супа от нар" до момента, в който реших да видя как изглежда визуално авторката -Марша Мехран. Казах си, че приличен и сносен човек не е способен да напише такава боза. След това прочетох, че е починала много млада и ми стана неприятно, тягостно, не мисля, че е важно в такъв случай моето мнение... не знам, сдухах се, стана ми кофти. С два реда - три сестри, иранки, бягащи от революцията в Иран, се местят от Лондон в Ирландия и отварят кафенце/заведение с персийски манджи. Има изключително много герои, повечето клиширани, има и рецепти от иранската кухня, слаби диалози, недобре обмислени философствания и т.н. Накратко - не бих препоръчал. (боже, че е и било замислено да са 7 части...)
March 1, 2023
This book reminded me so much of Chocolat. Swap Iranian food for chocolate and a French village for an Irish one, and boom, you have this story. A little heavy handed with the adjectives, but an overall sweet story.
I will say that for the audiobook, I don't think it's necessary to read the recipes at the end of each chapter. I think those would have been better presented as an attached pdf, but maybe they're for those less familiar with Iranian food?
I will say that for the audiobook, I don't think it's necessary to read the recipes at the end of each chapter. I think those would have been better presented as an attached pdf, but maybe they're for those less familiar with Iranian food?
October 9, 2016
Jos kaipaat lukukokemukseltasi mausteita, herkullisia ruokia ja jopa reseptejä, iranilaisen Marsha Mehranin Lumoavien mausteiden kahvila (Pomegranade Soup 2005, suom. 2006) sopii sinulle. Suomalainen nimi on mielestäni paljon sopivampi kirjan sisällölle, vaikka kyllä kirjassa keitetään myös granaattiomenakeittoa ja keittoon on myös resepti.
Kirja kertoo kolmesta sisaruksesta Marjanista, Baharista ja Laylasta, jotka pakenivat Iranin vallankumousta vuonna 1979 aluksi Lontooseen. He pakenivat, koska Baharin mies oli väkivaltainen ja Teheranissa asuminen ei ollut enää turvallista nuorille naisille. Baharin mies löysi heidät Lontoosta, mutta tytöt pakenivat jälleen ja nyt Irlantiin syrjäiseen pieneen kylään, jota hallitsi rautaisella otteella Thomas McGuire.
Tytöt perustivat kahvilan, mutta alkuun paikkakuntalaiset vierastivat outoja hajuja ja keitoksia. Juorut vahvistivat kyläläisten luulotteluja ja pahansuopaisuutta tyttöjen kahvilaa ja itse tyttöjä kohtaan, jota lietsoi olutparoni Thomas McGuire. McGuire olisi halunnut itse tyttöjen kahvilapaikan, jotta olisi perustanut siihen diskon, sillä salaisissa ajatuksissaan, hän oli dj ja diskotanssin kuningas.
Tälle ihanalle ja lempeälle sisarus-kirjalle on jatko-osa Ruusuvettä ja lammaspataa.
Kirja kertoo kolmesta sisaruksesta Marjanista, Baharista ja Laylasta, jotka pakenivat Iranin vallankumousta vuonna 1979 aluksi Lontooseen. He pakenivat, koska Baharin mies oli väkivaltainen ja Teheranissa asuminen ei ollut enää turvallista nuorille naisille. Baharin mies löysi heidät Lontoosta, mutta tytöt pakenivat jälleen ja nyt Irlantiin syrjäiseen pieneen kylään, jota hallitsi rautaisella otteella Thomas McGuire.
Tytöt perustivat kahvilan, mutta alkuun paikkakuntalaiset vierastivat outoja hajuja ja keitoksia. Juorut vahvistivat kyläläisten luulotteluja ja pahansuopaisuutta tyttöjen kahvilaa ja itse tyttöjä kohtaan, jota lietsoi olutparoni Thomas McGuire. McGuire olisi halunnut itse tyttöjen kahvilapaikan, jotta olisi perustanut siihen diskon, sillä salaisissa ajatuksissaan, hän oli dj ja diskotanssin kuningas.
Tälle ihanalle ja lempeälle sisarus-kirjalle on jatko-osa Ruusuvettä ja lammaspataa.
August 23, 2008
This was a delicious summer read. Part "Journey from the Land of No", part "The Taste of Chocolate", Marsha Mehran tells a magical tale of 3 sisters who change the village of Ballinacroagh, Ireland when they move to town after fleeing the Iranian revolution. In the process of becoming part of the community and influencing the people who live there, they begin to come to terms with their own painful past. Each chapter starts with a recipe for a Persian delicacy which is incorporated into the story. At times I really wanted to go out and find a Persian restaurant -- or to go to a grocery store to find the unusual ingredients required to cook some of these dishes myself!
June 14, 2022
Une lecture agréable, où trois soeurs ayant fui l'Iran lors de la révolution, décident d'ouvrir un café das une petite ville irlandaise. Si j'ai aimé les backstory des personnages, il m'a tout de même manqué de nuance dans les personnages et dans les commentaires qui leur sont faits. Ok, ça se passe en 1986...mais quand même, c'est un peu In your face. Côté littéraire, je reprocherais un petit abus d'adjectifs et d'adverbes.
Pas mal, mais pas inoubliable non plus.
Pas mal, mais pas inoubliable non plus.
April 6, 2017
Całkiem sympatyczna książka, bardzo podoba mi się pomysł z przepisami, koniecznie będę musiała coś wypróbować.
July 17, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
March 28, 2015
Set in the fictitious village of Ballinacroagh of County Mayo in western Ireland, the book opens with three sisters working feverishly as they count down the minutes to the opening of their new café – the Babylon Café. It’s here that Marjan, Berhar and Layla are planting their roots after having fled Iran during the Iranian revolution of 1979 via Pakistan to the safe shores of London. Having toiled in the U.K. for a while, they have found solace in the beautiful country of Ireland, where they feel they can put the past behind them and start afresh by recreating the wonderful foods they grew up with - dolmeh, red lentil soup, baklava, dugh yogurt drink, abgusht, elephant ears, lavash bread, torshi, chelow, fesenjoon, pomegranate soup, etc. Each chapter begins with a recipe and through the wonderful and exotic aromas and flavors of Marjan’s cooking we experience the cathartic play of food and its significance in the lives of the three sisters. But Iranians settling in the village of Ballinacroagh is not an everyday occurrence; people are curious – the aromas emanating from the Babylon Café are different, tantalizing, strange. There’s excitement – let’s check out the new people, the café, the foods. Others are not too thrilled – who are these strange foreigners bringing their odd foods and ways into a peaceful village, where people have known each other for years. We come to experience the everyday goings on in Ballinacroagh – the inquisitive neighbor, the parish priest, the mischievous boys, the village bully. As the three sisters strive to attract customers and make their café a success, they painfully experience flashbacks of their time in Iran and what they had to endure before fleeing a revolution that continues to haunt them. A beautiful piece of work, wherein the storyline of the present is flavored with the past through the rich and fragrant ingredients of the foods prepared. I really enjoyed this book, much more than I thought I would – a highly recommended read.
October 26, 2014
Oh dear. Ageism, sizeism, looksism. Apparently physical infirmities, such as urinary incontinence, are also signs of moral failing. I got to "...Cecilia Devereux, the county mayor's two-hundred-and-twelve-pound nymphomaniacal daughter..." and would have stopped but I'm reading this with a group.
This book is a hot mess in so many ways. I wish the author had written a memoir; it sounds like she had a very interesting life. She died at such a young age; really sad and I have a feeling I would have liked her. But I can't recall the last time I read a (traditionally published) book that was so incoherent on so many levels. Just for example, the book shifted gears drastically at about the halfway point, with no foreshadowing of any kind. I would say that the end wound things up too easily and quickly but that would suggest there was more narrative logic than there actually was.
I put two stars in as a placeholder but would prefer not to rate this.
This book is a hot mess in so many ways. I wish the author had written a memoir; it sounds like she had a very interesting life. She died at such a young age; really sad and I have a feeling I would have liked her. But I can't recall the last time I read a (traditionally published) book that was so incoherent on so many levels. Just for example, the book shifted gears drastically at about the halfway point, with no foreshadowing of any kind. I would say that the end wound things up too easily and quickly but that would suggest there was more narrative logic than there actually was.
I put two stars in as a placeholder but would prefer not to rate this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 9, 2017
Çörek otu!
Love-in-a-mist!
Amor en una niebla!
Benim için kitap,zaman öğütücü günlerin üzerine serpilmiş çörek otlu sayfalar oldu bir nevi....
....
Dip not: Hikaye nasıldı diye sordu bir arkadaşım. Paketi açıkta bırakılmış petibör bisküvi gibi diye cevapladım:
"Bayat ve fakat yine de leziz, lezzetli! Sen sen ol; çörek otlarını cebinde taşıyan okuyucu ol!"
Love-in-a-mist!
Amor en una niebla!
Benim için kitap,zaman öğütücü günlerin üzerine serpilmiş çörek otlu sayfalar oldu bir nevi....
....
Dip not: Hikaye nasıldı diye sordu bir arkadaşım. Paketi açıkta bırakılmış petibör bisküvi gibi diye cevapladım:
"Bayat ve fakat yine de leziz, lezzetli! Sen sen ol; çörek otlarını cebinde taşıyan okuyucu ol!"
January 16, 2008
Fabulous story of Iranian women fleeing the revolution who land in a small Irish town. Food figures in it similar to the way it does in"Like Water for Chocolate". It borders on magical realism (Irish-Iranian magical realism?)The moral of the story is that we all must change and move on in our lives. the past is always behind us and the future ahead.
February 25, 2008
Set in the 1980s, three Iranian sisters set up a cafe in an Irish village to escape demons from the Iranian Revolution. First viewed with suspicion by most of the village, the sisters slowly carve a place for themselves. Lush descriptions of food and sympathetic characters make this an enjoyable and quick read. I am pleased to see that the author's second book is coming out in May 2008.
March 20, 2015
While I thought there was a lot of potential, I found it to be way too contrived and dumbed down for the subject matter (rape, revolution, domestic violence, religious tolerance, bigotry). I quickly lost interest as each problem arose at the beginning of a chapter, then was solved by the end of the same chapter. Too 'Brady Bunch' for me to get invested in.
May 1, 2021
More than a decade on after I first logged onto this site and took my reading in more intensive directions, and works by women of color still don't naturally come my way in my circles of awareness. Sure, one can plug into the commercial monstrosity and swallow down the latest anti-bigotry list spewed out by the megalodon tumor on the face of worker's rights that is the owner of this website, but cut out your past, and your present has nothing on which to stand in order to face the future. Go back a mere ten, twenty, half century or so, and watch how the audience can only name five, three, one, if that of an applicable author, and only if a Nobel Prize for Lit or a Pulitzer or some other self-laudatory Eurocentricity has spoonfed them all the way. The result of all this is a mixture of overhype, contention, and works that I've already read, and while I'm happy to see the last, it does nothing to feed my own appetites, seeing as how I don't see myself being in the mood for any sort of major rereading of adult material for at least another five years or so. Couple that with the pandemic still making my usual sources of new book material bleed out at the jugular, and I've lately taken to forcefully mass infusing my collection of works by women of color in an inverse relationship to monetary cost, which is how I acquired this particular book, snatched with 40 or so others in a $5 USD per bag frenzy. When I picked it up to read, I had some thoughts about reading good food, as well as experiencing a relatively rare viewpoint of a non-USA woman of color in a non-USA area, but the huge overvaluing of 'tell' over 'show', ridiculously dichotomous characterization, and a very mincing handling of historical context outweighed much of the delight I experienced. It's a shame, especially considering how so interesting a viewpoint in writing and genre was halted so soon (the author died at the age of 37), but it may prove better for those who find this kind of writing to be within their comfort zone and thus enjoy much more of the domestic happiness running throughout.
Whenever I need a break from the more intensive aspects of my usual hobbies (books, politics, a particular difficult video game, etc), I more often than not turn to cooking, scoping out the recipes for fully equipping my grocery list while watching anything food related on Netflix that's not too dramatic or Eurocentric ('Ugly Delicious' and 'The Great British Bake Off' are two of my favorites). It's a topic that I haven't tried very hard to integrate into my reading regimen due to how disparate the genre's usual style and caliber is from my exactingly honed tastes, but when the book buying incentives described above intersected with my coming across this particularly appealing looking work, I thought, why not. I had my reservations about the writing, and unfortunately, the author's exuberant sensory details regarding food and culture bled in a little too heavily into her treatment of rather stock characters and incredible plot scenarios (there's 'magical realism', and then there's almost Disney levels of cutesy good/diabolical evil). However, I was touched every once in a while when the more holistically put together scenes of good food and good company was able to portray Iran without completely devolving into the "Western" view of the country (once again, Klein's Shock Doctrine comes into relevance), and the recipes are nothing if not what I like most in food: good amounts of meat, fruit, vegetables, and spices, all simmered/canned/stirred/mixed together and cooked/piled/baked into a supremely delicious result without a uber fancy technological mishmash or NY Times level of fanciness in sight. Things in the US have developed to the point that I remember being able to get a variety of Persian ice creams without too much trouble back when I was in college, but I'm still waiting on my gloriously rich documentary on Iranian food to cross my path. The culture's had chilled dishes specifically made for summertime since 400 BCE, so saying that there's a wealth of relevant material for such is rather an understatement.
I have the poorest record with attempting these kinds of reads every once in a great while, but there is some good to getting out of my assumptions of what kinds of books exist on a regular basis. It's also good to get out of the habit of prioritizing works by women of color only on a nonfictional basis, or a recountal of trauma through fiction basis, or on some other level where I'm not engaging with it as lightly as I do with other, less politicized demographics, but for the purpose more similar to that of consulting Wikipedia about a 'foreign' landscape than anything else. Such 'for fun' works may not jive well with my usual inclinations, but it is good to relax every once in a while, as my brain working overtime in contextualizing the Iranian Revolution beyond what is put out by the usual Anglo text couldn't fully distract me from the wealth of new flavors and wonderful portrayals of finding a home/making a life that this book hit the mark on every once in a while. My being more comfortable with the hard and gritty of such circumstances doesn't mean that such things are good for me, and until I can naturally come to these sorts of materials in a way that ensures that my bookshelves are far less biased in the usual ways, granting myself direction through more artificial means is better than assuming the status quo has any interest in my well being. So, I thought this book was only okay, but the good aspects reminded me of the benefits of mixing my interests in food with that of literature, as well as multicultural focuses with the good life. Maybe by the next time I read another of this work's kind, I'll have actually tried making one of the recipes in this work. Something to look forward to, at any rate.
P.S. This work has a sequel, for anyone interested.
Whenever I need a break from the more intensive aspects of my usual hobbies (books, politics, a particular difficult video game, etc), I more often than not turn to cooking, scoping out the recipes for fully equipping my grocery list while watching anything food related on Netflix that's not too dramatic or Eurocentric ('Ugly Delicious' and 'The Great British Bake Off' are two of my favorites). It's a topic that I haven't tried very hard to integrate into my reading regimen due to how disparate the genre's usual style and caliber is from my exactingly honed tastes, but when the book buying incentives described above intersected with my coming across this particularly appealing looking work, I thought, why not. I had my reservations about the writing, and unfortunately, the author's exuberant sensory details regarding food and culture bled in a little too heavily into her treatment of rather stock characters and incredible plot scenarios (there's 'magical realism', and then there's almost Disney levels of cutesy good/diabolical evil). However, I was touched every once in a while when the more holistically put together scenes of good food and good company was able to portray Iran without completely devolving into the "Western" view of the country (once again, Klein's Shock Doctrine comes into relevance), and the recipes are nothing if not what I like most in food: good amounts of meat, fruit, vegetables, and spices, all simmered/canned/stirred/mixed together and cooked/piled/baked into a supremely delicious result without a uber fancy technological mishmash or NY Times level of fanciness in sight. Things in the US have developed to the point that I remember being able to get a variety of Persian ice creams without too much trouble back when I was in college, but I'm still waiting on my gloriously rich documentary on Iranian food to cross my path. The culture's had chilled dishes specifically made for summertime since 400 BCE, so saying that there's a wealth of relevant material for such is rather an understatement.
I have the poorest record with attempting these kinds of reads every once in a great while, but there is some good to getting out of my assumptions of what kinds of books exist on a regular basis. It's also good to get out of the habit of prioritizing works by women of color only on a nonfictional basis, or a recountal of trauma through fiction basis, or on some other level where I'm not engaging with it as lightly as I do with other, less politicized demographics, but for the purpose more similar to that of consulting Wikipedia about a 'foreign' landscape than anything else. Such 'for fun' works may not jive well with my usual inclinations, but it is good to relax every once in a while, as my brain working overtime in contextualizing the Iranian Revolution beyond what is put out by the usual Anglo text couldn't fully distract me from the wealth of new flavors and wonderful portrayals of finding a home/making a life that this book hit the mark on every once in a while. My being more comfortable with the hard and gritty of such circumstances doesn't mean that such things are good for me, and until I can naturally come to these sorts of materials in a way that ensures that my bookshelves are far less biased in the usual ways, granting myself direction through more artificial means is better than assuming the status quo has any interest in my well being. So, I thought this book was only okay, but the good aspects reminded me of the benefits of mixing my interests in food with that of literature, as well as multicultural focuses with the good life. Maybe by the next time I read another of this work's kind, I'll have actually tried making one of the recipes in this work. Something to look forward to, at any rate.
P.S. This work has a sequel, for anyone interested.
November 3, 2017
حتما کتاب را وقتی بخوانید که سیر هستید چون اینقدر با آب و تاب از غذاهای خوشمزه براتونمیگه که گرسنه میشید. کتاب آش ��نار یک همراهی دلچسب با زندگی سه خواهر ایرانیه که زمان انقلاب به انگلیس مهاجرت میکنند و در نهایت به ایرلند می رسند.
January 8, 2023
Lecture facile et agréable.
Trois soeurs ayant fui l'Iran vont ouvrir un café dans un village irlandais.Elles vont être confrontées à l'égo surdimensionné d'un homme qui possède les autres pub ,mais aussi accueillies avec bienveillance par d'autres villageois.Ce livre met en valeur la cuisine du Moyen-Orient.
Trois soeurs ayant fui l'Iran vont ouvrir un café dans un village irlandais.Elles vont être confrontées à l'égo surdimensionné d'un homme qui possède les autres pub ,mais aussi accueillies avec bienveillance par d'autres villageois.Ce livre met en valeur la cuisine du Moyen-Orient.
November 17, 2008
This charming book is set in small-town Ireland in the 1980s. It centers around a trio of sisters who have made their way from Iran after the revolution. They're haunted by their pasts, but they're also blazing a trail for a new, more cosmopolitan Ireland as they open a restaurant and broaden the horizons of the townspeople. It's reminiscent of Maeve Binchy, but with a more exotic flair (complete with recipes). A light read.
January 26, 2008
This was an easy to read, enjoyable book. I loved the food/recipe tie-ins and found myself wanting to learn more about Persian culture and cuisine when I was finished. I like to author's gentle approach to the story and I felt like the characters were real, with the exception of the bad guy, who seemed too bitter and hateful to me. Very pleasant overall!
November 30, 2011
Sweet story, but the characters are all caricatures. The story could have been wonderful, but the constant hyperbole and the author's writing style was annoying.
January 25, 2018
چه بخواهید و چه نه زندگی با شما و یا بدون شما جریان دارد. زندگی در حیاط پشتی دیگری شکوفه میکند و به یک دیگ آش انار دیگر طعم می بخشد.
December 9, 2020
Una bella e variopinta storia di riscatto, con i profumi e i sapori di spezie esotiche.
Tre giovani sorelle iraniane arrivano in un piccolo villaggio irlandese per aprire una caffetteria con gastronomia, portando scompiglio, bellezza e quel tocco di realismo magico. Ogni capitolo è introdotto da una ricetta della cucina persiana che mi sono ripromessa di provare. Molto belle le descrizioni della campagna irlandese, mentre le caratterizzazioni dei personaggi sono un po' stereotipate. Ho apprezzato in particolare i flashback sulla vita delle sorelle in Iran allo scoppio della rivoluzione khomeynista, che ha stravolto l'assetto politico e socioculturale in Iran degli anni 1978-1979, trasformando la monarchia in una repubblica islamica sciita. A causa del clima fortemente repressivo del regime, l'autrice stessa fu costretta ad abbandonare Teheran con la famiglia a soli due anni, rifugiandosi a Buenos Aires, dove i genitori aprirono un caffè come il Babilonia, con forti richiami alla propria terra di origine.
Tra i temi del romanzo c'è lo scontro tra culture, interessi e generazioni. Pregiudizi, discriminazioni e diffidenza sono prerogative purtroppo comuni a tutte le latitudini. Non importa che si tratti di un minuscolo villaggio irlandese o una metropoli. Laddove lo straniero viene percepito come diverso, la cucina può essere l'elemento che avvicina. Tre stelline e 1/2.
Tre giovani sorelle iraniane arrivano in un piccolo villaggio irlandese per aprire una caffetteria con gastronomia, portando scompiglio, bellezza e quel tocco di realismo magico. Ogni capitolo è introdotto da una ricetta della cucina persiana che mi sono ripromessa di provare. Molto belle le descrizioni della campagna irlandese, mentre le caratterizzazioni dei personaggi sono un po' stereotipate. Ho apprezzato in particolare i flashback sulla vita delle sorelle in Iran allo scoppio della rivoluzione khomeynista, che ha stravolto l'assetto politico e socioculturale in Iran degli anni 1978-1979, trasformando la monarchia in una repubblica islamica sciita. A causa del clima fortemente repressivo del regime, l'autrice stessa fu costretta ad abbandonare Teheran con la famiglia a soli due anni, rifugiandosi a Buenos Aires, dove i genitori aprirono un caffè come il Babilonia, con forti richiami alla propria terra di origine.
Tra i temi del romanzo c'è lo scontro tra culture, interessi e generazioni. Pregiudizi, discriminazioni e diffidenza sono prerogative purtroppo comuni a tutte le latitudini. Non importa che si tratti di un minuscolo villaggio irlandese o una metropoli. Laddove lo straniero viene percepito come diverso, la cucina può essere l'elemento che avvicina. Tre stelline e 1/2.
December 12, 2020
I absolutely adored this story.
Trigger warning for mild assault and sexual assault.
The writing style may annoy others, as it often switches perspectives within the same paragraph, but I rather enjoyed it as you got to see a little bit of everyone's point of view. For example, when Thomas what's-his-name went to visit Mrs Delmonico, he thought she was crazy by saying her dead husband was a rose bush, but we got to switch perspectives for a second and realise that she's not crazy, she scattered her husband's ashes there.
Anyway, I really loved this little visit into the lives of just regular people trying to deal with their own issues and grow as people. Really really loved it.
Trigger warning for mild assault and sexual assault.
The writing style may annoy others, as it often switches perspectives within the same paragraph, but I rather enjoyed it as you got to see a little bit of everyone's point of view. For example, when Thomas what's-his-name went to visit Mrs Delmonico, he thought she was crazy by saying her dead husband was a rose bush, but we got to switch perspectives for a second and realise that she's not crazy, she scattered her husband's ashes there.
Anyway, I really loved this little visit into the lives of just regular people trying to deal with their own issues and grow as people. Really really loved it.
March 12, 2020
Чудесна книга, написана с много чувство и сърдечност. Страниците ме потопиха не само в различните съдби на героите, но и във вкусния аромат на кафене "Вавилон". "Супа от нар" проследява нишката на цял един народ и богатството на кулинарното изкуство в Иран. В книгата може да се открият оригинални рецепти за различни персийски вкусотии, което още повече затвърждава автентичността на романа. "Супа от нар" се чете лесно и бързо, но в същото време кара читателя да се замисли за ценното в живота. Препоръчвам!
July 9, 2022
Un nouveau coup de coeur!
Ici nous suivons trois soeurs réfugiées d'Iran après la révolution et leur installation dans un petit village d'Irlande qui devient sous la plume de l'auteure le reflet à échelle réduite du monde. Il y a de bonnes âmes, des racistes, des faibles ... Avec un récit très poétique, nous suivons l'intégration des trois soeurs et leur route vers le bonheur, le tout passant via la cuisine ...
Je n'ai pas réussi à le lâcher. Une pépite.
Ici nous suivons trois soeurs réfugiées d'Iran après la révolution et leur installation dans un petit village d'Irlande qui devient sous la plume de l'auteure le reflet à échelle réduite du monde. Il y a de bonnes âmes, des racistes, des faibles ... Avec un récit très poétique, nous suivons l'intégration des trois soeurs et leur route vers le bonheur, le tout passant via la cuisine ...
Je n'ai pas réussi à le lâcher. Une pépite.
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