Between the Lines: Listening with a Tarof Ear

With a background in anthropology and a family of immigrants, I like to think that I’m pretty good at understanding people. For folks who grew up with tarof we’re going to say things differently than say, plain white people from the Bay Area. But I’ve realized that even though I should be listening with different… Continue reading Between the Lines: Listening with a Tarof Ear

Time savers (& other baked goods)

You have to have time to figure out how to save time. A rockin Saturday night to me means making bereshke (kinda like a pierogi). It’s fried dough stuffed with goodies – potato, ground beef, or jam, they’re super versatile. I’ve found most people (as in peoples) eat some kind of stuffed fried dough thing,… Continue reading Time savers (& other baked goods)

The Iranian coin and a French flip

I experienced a fun cultural mashup the other day. It was Groundhog’s day, which falls on a Christian holiday called Candlemas, having something to do with the purification of the Virgin Mary and presentation of Jesus. Who knew? In France on this day, you’re supposed to hold a gold coin in one hand and flip… Continue reading The Iranian coin and a French flip