Little bit of Persian Cuisine

Ironically enough (at least for me, okay), Ancient Greek texts reflect the excellence of Persian Cuisine. Darius the Great and Xerxes threw lavish feats that totally astonished the Greeks. On the walls of Persepolis, depictions of these feasts can be found, such as the Nowruz feast where Persian citizens would come to the Shah bearing gifts. Ancient Persians’ diet mostly consisted of wheat, millet, and barley. However, barley became more prominent than wheat once wheat prices started to rise. We partly have Iran to thank for the spread of quinces, pears, apples, muskmelons, watermelons, pomegranates and mulberries since these fruits were all able to move west as Iran served as a hub of trade throughout ancient times. Persian cuisine eventually spread to Greece with the fall of the Persian Empire and the rise of the Seleucid Empire. 

Many European crusaders brought back with them flavors and spices from the Middle East to Europe. At this time, the Persian Empire had become immersed into the various Muslim Caliphates. Nonetheless, the cuisine and culture of the region was distinctly influenced by Persians. 

After the Mongolian empire conquered the Middle East in the 13th and 14th centuries, the Middle East’s influence dwindled. Various cuisines and cultures of Persia would not reach the West for hundreds of years. At least not until European travelers come back to them in the 17th and 18th centuries. Took ‘em long enough.