The longest night of the year is a festive holiday in Persian culture, when light overcomes darkness and good overcomes evil. Although its roots are in Zoroastrianism, Yalda is embraced by all Persians regardless of religion, including Iranian Jews. Hear Louisa Shaffia talk about Yalda customs, Jewish Iranian culture and practices, and sample traditional and modern Yalda foods. Louisa will have a pop-up of her Persian-inspired online store Feast by Louisa, with items including chocolate bars, cardamom coffee, and pomegranate walnut sauce. Elements of the presentation will include a talk about the history of Jews in Iran, the Yalda holiday and how it’s celebrated by Jews, fale Hafez fortune telling, and a special altar for the holiday known as a sofreh Yalda.
About Louisa Shaffia
Louisa Shaffia has been cooking Persian food long enough to be an authority. She is the author of The New Persian Kitchen and winner of Food52’s Piglet award. She has spoken about her passion for Persian food at Harvard, Google, and the Museum of Food and Drink. Her recipes have been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The New Yorker, and Bon Appétit, and on National Public Radio, among other platforms. She hosts cooking classes and offers Persian guest-chef dinners at restaurants around the country, including Maydan in Washington, DC, Zahav in Philadelphia, and Kismet in Los Angeles. She is currently a resident of Nashville, where she serves as the Culinary Liaison for the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, both cooking for and organizing events that feature chefs from Nashville’s richly diverse immigrant community.
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