By Paris Breakfasts uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Rose Petals and Saffron

 Last week I took a Persian cooking class with Louisa Shafia of Lucid Food, my niece. Rose petals were on the menu.

 My 1st encounter with rose petals was at Au Nom de la Rose. I went whole hog buying up the shop - they're so pretty to paint. But eating them wasn't on my menu.

 Rose petals were a savoury condiment in the class. Louisa said the tiny rose buds are in fact more flavorful. 
Did I say Louisa has a new cookbook coming out next spring on Persian food?

 After class I searched for my bottle of Fauchon rose buds. They come from Iran!

 More exotic class ingredients - sumac, pomegranate syrup, Basmati rice, Fava beans, rose petals, dried spearmint (more flavorful than fresh believe it or not when you rub it between your hands).

 Ingredients to make Persian eggplant-tomato stew - Bademjan.

 Bademjan in process. I was ready to stop there and wolf it down - the aromas are sensational!

 Louisa can peel a Fava bean blindfolded with one hand tied behind her back.

 Or slice up a slew of leeks with the best of them.

 Making Persian Basmati rice dish Tadig is no piece of cake, but it came out perfectly with Louisa's hand at the wheel.

 The fruits of our labors - a rhubarb spritzer on the left and Shirazi saladin the center - the best summer salad on the planet IMHO.

 LUNCH!

Photo by Louisa Shafia

  And let's not forget dessert. 
Saffron yogart ice cream sandwiches to die for!

 I cooked up a bunch of drawings for Louisa to put on her blog, Lucid Food.

Do stop by and say Hi!