TEHRAN – On Thursday, a special festival devoted to medicinal herbs and traditional beverages brought together hundreds of natives and travelers in the ancient city of Soltanieh, which is home to a UNESCO-registered monument of the same name.   

“It was Soltanieh’s first festival of medicinal herbs that put the spotlight on ‘Sard’ and ‘Garm’ beverages as well,” the local tourism chief Parvaneh Asgari said.

The festival was aimed to mark the second day of the cultural heritage week that was concurrent with the International Museum Day, the official added.

There are many secrets to know about the Persian kitchen. An example of those very special characteristics is the medicinal aspects of Persian cuisine. Next time that you hear from an Iranian that some kind of food is Cold (Sard) or Warm (Garm) remember that they may be speaking about something other than the temperature of the food but with its influence on the body and soul - very comparable to some aspects of Chinese cuisine.

Rooted in traditional Persian medicine, these beliefs are still very popular even in educated Iranian families.  The ancient theory states that only a balanced diet with proportions of both types of food keeps people physically and mentally healthy.

For instance, some types of food such as lamb meat, onion, wheat, dates, nuts, and grapes are Warm and others such as beef, yogurt, cheese, cucumber, fish, beans, and rice are Cold.

With its fabulous vibrant regional dishes featured in stews, rice dishes, kebabs, beverages, and desserts, Persian cuisine has always been and still is, rich in fresh herbs such as basil, parsley, chives, cress, and mint. In Iran, herbs are usually measured by the kilogram rather than the bunch!

When it comes to Iran, food is also a delightful vehicle for discovering the ancient land that has long been situated at the crossroads of history. A paradise for foodie travelers, Iran is where it’s not just food on the menu. Some believe the Iranian cuisine is itself a metaphor for the country: It’s savory, sweet, fragrant, and incredibly complex.

Iranian cuisine delicately combines characteristics and peculiarities of the Near and West Asia, India, and East Asia due to Iran’s checkered antiquity and the country's location as a hub of trade between East and West on the historic Silk Roads. Similarly, the Persians have influenced many cuisines as part of their once policy of expansion.

Meaning “Town of the Sultans”, Soltanieh was briefly the capital of Persia’s Ilkhanid dynasty (a branch of the Mongol dynasty) during the 14th century.

AFM