This is so much more than a cook book – its an art book, its a history book, its a book of poetry, its a masterpiece.  Yes, there are delightful recipes but you'll find the story of the people of Persia (now Iran) the most engrossing.  You can trace the history of wine through seven thousand years from its first origins in the Fertile Crecent of the Near East, an area that includes parts of Turkey and Iran near the Caspian and Black Seas.  This section is magnificently illustrated with photographs of antiquities, paintings, maps, sculptures, wine vessels and vineyard sites.  The culture, the agriculture, the changes in religion, the artists and poets of the time are all related in beautifully flowing prose; and when coupled with the pictures and writings of the day you begin to understand much more than ever before about this distant land.

A section on Wine and Persian Poetry written by Dick Davis, a leading authority on Persian literature, provides a unique link between Persian poetry and wine-drinking through translations of ancient writings.  Wine pairings with the exotic foods of Persia is a formidable challenge, one undertaken by Burke Owens, associate curator of COPIA in Napa.  Putting together these two experts brings even more depth and substance to the Persian wine and food experience.

The twist of adding Napa to the Persian story is by tracing the development of a new winery in Napa founded by Darioush and Shahpar Khaledi and the magnificent building designed to reflect the ancient palace complex called Persepolis, built in the sixth century then looted and destroyed by Alexander the Great just two centuries later.  The Khaledi family came to the U.S. in 1976, just before the revolution, with two young children and their life savings of $50,000.  With other family members they bought a small grocery store in Torrance, CA and, as they say, the rest is history.  That enterprise is now 23 supermarkets and other real estate holdings; and now, their crown jewel, Darioush Winery.

Barmanglij is also a former Iranian, first having left to study in the United States when she was 18 years old and later with her husband when she left to reside first in France and later here in the US.  She has written extensively on Persian foods and cooking including several cookbooks.  She was not at first interested in wine; did not drink and came from a family that forbade alcohol.  Only after she was married and her husband was a wine fancier did she become interested.  Her first introduction to wine was with a glass of Taittinger Blanc de Blanc as post-revolution refugees in southern France.  Later the family made and bottled their own wines and eventually moved to the States.  She has lectured, traveled extensively teaching cooking and was persuaded to do this book by her friends in Napa.

The cookbook section is filled with mouth-watering treats, from small dishes to soups, main courses and desserts.  The recipes range from amazingly simple to horrendously complex, but all are worth the effort.  A section on the Culture of Hospitality, planning Persian-styled dinners and a group of seasonal menus provides needed assistance in utilizing the recipes.  My favorites include Pomegranate and Pistachio Meatballs, Vine Leaf Wrapped Lamb Kebabs, Pistachio Soup, Spring-Lamb Shank Braise in Merlot, Saffron and Rosewater with Fava Bean and Dill Steamed Rice, Chicken and Eggplant Braise with Unripe Grapes, Persian Gulf-style Striped Bass and Shrimp Braise with Tamarind, Almond Baklava and Orange Saffron Rice Pudding.  My only question is “Why dont my dishes turn out like the lavish photographs in the book?”  Maybe its my camera……..

The Spirituality
of Wine

Tom Harpur,Author

Northstone Publishing (Wood Lake Books), British Columbia, Canada

When I was just a youngster I heard a goodly number of sermons on the evils of strong drink – my Dad was a minister.  Then came my college days and I enjoyed the camaraderie of a beer with my school friends.  Later came a stint in the Air Force where I enjoyed being stationed in California in the midst of the wine country.  Thats where I came to appreciate sipping fine wines.  But all along a wee voice in the back of my head occasionally reminded me of those words I had so often heard years before, but I kept asking myself, “How can anything so enjoyable be bad?”  Oh, how I wish this book had been available then; its not really a sermon but rather a revelation, beautifully written on the relationship of spirituality and wine.

Harpur is a noted journalist, TV host, Canadas best-known spiritual author.  Following studies in philosophy and theology at Oxford he published several best selling books on religion and related subjects but was not a wine drinker.  His first wine experience came about on a trip to France where in Bordeaux he accidentally met a fellow Canadian and had the good fortune of being invited to the Cruse estate for a sumptuous dinner with splendid wines.  We should all be so lucky!  From that came a study of wines and in particular the spirituality of wines.

By examining the historical development of wine and its almost constant relationship with the religious services and rituals over the years, Harpur came to the realization that wine has always, from the very beginning, been associated with the teachings of almost every religion.  Throughout the book there are quotes from the Bible, the Talmud, religious leaders, famed writers and theologians which illustrate the point.  These are presented amidst glorious photographs of wine country and people enjoying wine.  It is not only a wonderfully refreshing book to read, it is a pleasurable one to look through. 

Beyond the first chapters on The Story of Wine and the Universal Connection are enlightening chapters on the Healthful Blessings of the Grape, The Bible is Filled with Wine, and Celebrating Life.  Nowhere have I ever read a more profound treatise on the relationship of wine and the human soul, or ones spirituality.  At one point in the Story of Wine, Harpur delves into the history of wines in Canada and reminds us all that in the 11^th century, Viking Leif Ericsson and his crew of 35 landed in Newfoundland and named the rugged island Vinland; there was an abundance of wild grapes growing along the hillsides of the bays and coves.

My Amazon.com account testifies to the number of times I have chosen this book to be given as a gift to friends and relatives, just as it was given to me by a close relative. They have treasured the quiet moments alone with the thoughts, pictures and quotations; and, with a glass of wine, it becomes one of lifes memorable experiences.  John Calvin, the Protestant reformer in the 1500s had said, “Wine is Gods special drink” and in Psalm 75:8 you find “For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red.”

Wine is Gods gift to man to enjoy and Harpurs book is a gift to help us enjoy both wine and its relationship to spirituality.