TEHRAN –A festival dedicated to traditional and healthy food was held in Chenaran county in the northeastern province of Khorasan Razavi on Monday, a local tourism official has said. 

The festival was organized to help revive forgotten food recipes as well as preserve the old cuisine traditions, Mohammad Taherian explained on Tuesday.

Performing folk music and displaying hand-made products of the locals were also parts of the festival, the official added. 

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

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

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.

Located 50 kilometers northwest of Mashhad, the provincial capital, Chenaran is a mountainous destination with rich wildlife for local holidaymakers. 

ABU/AM