You will fall in love with Roya Shariat and her mother, Gita Sadeh, as they welcome you into their home and share their favourite cherished family recipes that include soups and stews, main dishes, desserts, beverages, and so much more. The book takes a unique approach to Iranian cuisine, with recipes and twists that celebrate the evolution of Iranian food in America. Lush, full-colour photographs accompany these stunning recipes, many of which are vegetarian, vegan, and/or gluten-free, and include:

• Garlicky Eggplant Dip (Kashk Bademjoon)
• Chilled Yogurt and Herb Soup (Ab Doogh Khiar)
• Split Chickpea Stew with Crunchy Potatoes (Gheymeh)
• Sweet and Sour Pomegranate and Walnut Stew (Fessenjoon)
• Syrupy Semolina Cake (Cake-e Sharbati)
• Rice! Tahdig three ways, in addition to dishes like Crunchy Baked Saffron Rice with Chicken (Tahchin)
• And many more

Whether you already know and love Roya and Gita from their popular TikTok videos or are new to their warmth and humour, you are guaranteed to be inspired to make fantastic Iranian-influenced meals that will thrill your palate.

---

Orange and Cardamon French Toast

This might come as a surprise, but French toast is a huge piece of the Maman and Me story. When I was five years old, Maman signed us up for a mommy-and-me cooking class at our local community center. Together, we learned how to make simple dishes that were considered American classics. One of those dishes was French toast, which I took a strong liking to. In the years following the cooking class, Maman and I made French toast every single Sunday. French toast will always transport me back to those mommy-and-me moments, and now I’m sharing our twist on this classic breakfast.

Serves 4

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream or whole milk

4 large eggs

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp grated orange zest

½ tsp vanilla extract

½ tsp ground cardamom

Fine salt

1 loaf brioche or challah, cut ¾ in (2 cm) thick slices

Unsalted butter, for cooking Maple syrup, for serving

Confectioners’ sugar, for serving

Fresh berries, for serving (optional)

In a large bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, eggs, brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla, cardamom, and a pinch of salt until evenly combined. Pour the egg mixture into a baking dish and arrange the bread slices inside. Soak the bread, flipping once, for 2 minutes total.

Meanwhile, melt 1 Tbsp of butter in a large pan over medium heat until lightly foamy. Working in batches, add a few slices of the soaked bread and cook, flipping once, for 2 minutes on each side, or until evenly browned. Repeat to cook the remaining French toast, adding more butter to the pan as needed.

Placed the finished French toast on a warm serving platter and serve with maple syrup, confectioners’ sugar, and berries (if using). Leftover French toast will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and makes a delicious base for a Sweet Labneh Toast (page 31).

Recipe reprinted with permission from Princeton Architectural Press.