Ultimate Persian Gift Guide
Persian Treats
Zozo Baking offers beautiful handmade Persian pastries that are just gorgeous! The Tehran gift box pictured above features some of Chef Fariba's famous Kolompeh as well as several other cookies that are just as beautiful as they are delicious! Be sure to check the bazaar at Zozo Baking for more offerings like chai, baking tools and a Persian boutique.
Gifts for Children
photo via anaarfashion.com
Outfit your favorite baby in this cute Yalda onesie available in six colors from Anaar Urban Fashion who also makes apparel for youth and adults.
photo via amazon.com
Yalda Night by Anahita Tamaddon introduces children to one of the most beloved Iranian holidays of the year through the eyes of the six year old character Soraya. During a time when she is otherwise sad about the cold, dark days of winter, she is excited to find the warmth the celebrations of Yalda night bring.
photo via littleperisan.com
The Persian Alphabet Big Easy Box Set will delight and engage children of any age as they use colorful visuals, hands-on alphabet objects and included ideas for games and activities (ages 2+) to learn the Persian alphabet. Parents will find pronunciation guides in English, teacher-created example lesson plans, discussion prompts, activity ideas and games. It's all in the box! This is the perfect family gift as it will be useful for everyone in the home.
Image via shahnamehforkids.com
Shahnemeh for Kids offers great retelling of ancient Persian myths. They are a vibrant and engaging way to make a kid-friendly introduction to Ferdowsi's epic Shahnameh.
Image via gandomak.org
Gandomak offers high quality children's literature in Persian. If your child is already reading Persian, these are great titles to keep around for practicing Persian.
Apparel and Accessories
Make Tahdig Not War Shirts are iconic shirts created by Savage Muse They are great statement pieces that are bound to be well received by a lucky friend or loved one. Founder Parisa Parnian designed the shirts and has made them quite popular as she wears hers with flair and has garnered attention from many other like-minded tahdig (and peace) lovers.
Gifts for Chefs and Food Lovers
photo via cyrussaffron.com
Cyrus Saffron is a small business providing organic saffron grown in Washington state. They offer a selection of saffron in various sizes and a few other products like saffron sea salt. What a great story they have raising the bar for US grown saffron.
Zaffrus is known for premium and organic saffron, easy-to-use saffron powder and also features speciality items like this saffron infused honey. What a great treat this would be for any tea lovers on your list.
image via tahdiglover.com
Tahdig Lover has grown a huge following by making the art of tahdig approachable and fun with their all-in-one kits. Check out the Tahchin Bundle (pictured above), the Tahdiglover Kit and more! Tahdig Lover is based in the UK so if ordering internationally be sure to allow extra time for delivery.
Image via feastbylouisa.com
The Persian Flavors Gift Set by Louisa Shafia contains a Persian Spice Kit, a 12" Rice Bonnet, and a copy of The New Persian Kitchen. This is the perfect gift for any food lover! Louisa's online shop features an assortment of unique gift sets.
photo via enjoyspiceoflife.com
Spice of Life sells award-winning Persian simmer sauces and is currently selling a gift set. Each jar provides a variety of meal options that will be ready in about twenty minutes - perfect for busy foodies!
Cookbooks
photo via amazon.com
Chef Shadi HasanzadeNemati is well known for her website and social media following as Unicorns in the Kitchen. Her best-selling cookbook Easy Persian Kitchen is a great start for beginners with 100 recipes including step-by-step instructions, shopping tips, a how-to guide for preparing Persian ingredients and more!
photo via amazon.com
In Pomegranates and Roses, celebrated TV chef Ariana Bundy shares part memoir and part travelogue in this collection of memories inspired by her memories of an Iranian kitchen and made greater by her impressive resume as a renowned chef.
Image via amazon.com
Food of Life is the award-winning, authoritative gold standard of Persian cookbooks written by Najmieh Batmanglij. She has written several other cookbooks including Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey and Joon - a wonderful book that simplifies Persian cooking.
photo via igotitfrommymaman.com
Chef Hami Sharafi, known for his blog I Got It From My Maman, has created a great concept by prerecording his top classic recipes as instructional videos. This way, you get his well-loved recipes as well as his expert instruction on Persian cooking techniques. What a cool idea! Check out the Ghormeh Sabzi Masterclass, the Sweet and Sour Bundle and the Full Bundle for a huge discount and a large collection of all of your Persian favorites.
For the Home
photo via kuzehpottery.com
This pomegranate bud vase from Kuzeh Pottery is perfect for any Shab-e Yalda sofreh and would likely be used all year because it's just that cute!
photo via biancatschaikner.com
Is there a Shirazi on your list this year? Artist Bianca Tschaikner sells this whimsical map of Shiraz that would surely be hung with pride.
photo via superstitchous.com
This pomegranate throw blanket (also available in a mini size) is one of many fruit-themed sustainably made blankets with symbolic meaning made by Superstitchous. Other great options are the persimmon blanket, fig blanket and the evil eye blanket. You can't go wrong with any of these for just about anyone on your list!
photo via delledining.com
Chef Nadia Deljou of Delle Dining offers private dining experiences in the Atlanta area and recently launched Delle candles inspired by Persian culture and flavors including Poetry & Perfume, At Mamani & Baba's and Stay for Chai. Each candle comes with a QR code that will include a suggested song and recipe. All candles are hand poured, soy based, and made with a curated blend of essential oils created to achieve a very specific scent. Hurry and contact Delle Dining on Instagram via DM as word is these are already almost sold out!
photo via joonandjigar.com
There is no better way to toast than in these "Salamati" stemless wine glasses from Joon and Jigar. A set of these with a bottle of wine would be a great gift!
photo via moma.org
If you have not yet learned the game of backgammon, ask your parents, grandparents or favorite aunt or uncle and someone will be sure to rope you into this addictive game of strategy. This sharp looking backgammon set is available from the Museum of Modern Art store.
Persian Learning Materials
Persian Reading
photo via amrevanbooks.com
Moon and Sun is a selection of Rumi's rubaiyat in a bilingual English-Persian edition. Zara Houshmand translated these works in an a quest to provide English readers with a much-needed authentic translation of Rumi and work here is highly revered.
photo via amazon.com
Shahnameh: The Epic of the Persian Kings is an English translation by Ahmad Sadri of Ferdowsi’s classic poem that is part myth, part history–beginning with the legend of the birth of the Persian nation and its tumultuous history. This version retells the mythological tales in prose format and features spectacular illustrations created from elements culled from thousands of manuscripts, lithographs, and miniatures dating from the thirteenth through the nineteenth centuries.
photo via amazon.com
The Persians is an authoritative and comprehensive history of Iran, written by Homa Katouzian, an acclaimed expert, covers the entire history of the area from the ancient Persian Empire to today’s Iranian state.
photo via amazon.com
In Persepolis 2, author Marjane Satrapi continues her fascinating story in this follow-up to her heralded memoir Persepolis, which the Los Angeles Times called “one of the freshest and most original memoirs of our day,”
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