TEHRAN– 140 participants showed off cooking skills at a culinary festival dedicated to local dishes held on December 22 in Bojnurd, the capital of North Khorasan province.

“This festival was held in three sections of local bread, Ash (a traditional slow-cooked, thick soup), and dessert with the presence of 140 participants,” the provincial tourism chief said on Wednesday.

“Three winners were selected and honored in each section,” Ali Mostofian said.

The festival was aimed to highlight traditional and local foods, and to create an atmosphere of competition and excitement among the attendees, the official said.

Iranian cuisine, usually dominated by fragrant herbs, varies from region to region. It principally accentuates freshness, deliciousness, and colorfulness.

No Persian meal is complete without an abundance of herbs. Every table is usually set with Sabzi-Khordan, a basket of fresh herbs, radishes, and scallions, which are eaten raw and by the handful. Persian cuisine is, above all, about balance — of tastes and flavors, textures and temperatures.

Some say that food is not merely an organic product with biochemical compositions. However, for members of each community, it is defined as a cultural element.

AFM