Saaghi ساقی The Persian Home Bar
An imagined scene from All of Iran
Chapter 10 of 10 · 16 drinks

All of Iran

سراسر ایران

Yalda night, the rose and the nightingale, the Persian garden. Drinks the whole country shares.

Backdrop and props for this chapter: near-black, hammered copper tray, candlelight.

The drinks

16 cocktails

Yalda illustrated card

Yalda

یلدا
Pomegranate and orange blossom for the longest night of the year.
 Yalda & Pistachio illustrated card

Yalda & Pistachio

یلدا و پسته
The Yalda table in one glass, pomegranate and pistachio.
 Rose & Nightingale illustrated card

Rose & Nightingale

گل و بلبل
Cherry, sweet lemon and rose, the lovers of Persian poetry.
 Persian Garden illustrated card

Persian Garden

باغ ایرانی
Sekanjebin, cucumber and mint, a summer afternoon in the garden.
 Tart Cherry Noir illustrated card

Tart Cherry Noir

آلبالو
Deep sour cherry with a whisper of almond.
 Cherry Ember illustrated card

Cherry Ember

اخگر آلبالو
Sour cherry and sekanjebin with a glow of mezcal smoke.
 Autumn Ember illustrated card

Autumn Ember

اخگر پاییز
Ripe persimmon, smoke, bitter orange and rose, for Mehregan.
 Summer Courtyard illustrated card

Summer Courtyard

حیاط تابستان
Watermelon, rose and a gentle bitterness, by the courtyard pool.
 Bitter Garden illustrated card

Bitter Garden

باغ تلخ
Gentian, orange and cardamom, for the bitter and the sweet of life.
 Pineapple & Pistachio illustrated card

Pineapple & Pistachio

آناناس و پسته
Tropical pineapple meets Kerman pistachio, a playful juice-bar combination.
 Sharbati Soda illustrated card

Sharbati Soda

سودای شربتی
Rose, lime and basil-seed pearls drifting in a tall glass: the Ramadan sharbat, lengthened with vodka and soda.
 Haft Sin illustrated card

Haft Sin

هفت‌سین
Four of the seven on the Nowruz table, back together with the wine.
 Sagi Sour illustrated card

Sagi Sour

سگی سور
Raisin spirit, lemon and a cloud of foam, with bitters drawn across the top and a line of barberries.
 Keshmesh Old Fashioned illustrated card

Keshmesh Old Fashioned

اولدفشن کشمش
Raisin spirit meets raisin syrup: aragh stirred with Malayer shireh, orange bitters and golden raisins.
 Mazeh Martini illustrated card

Mazeh Martini

مارتینی مزه
The spread in the glass: aragh, dry vermouth and olive brine, with Gilan's marinated olives on the pick.
 Albaloo Polo illustrated card

Albaloo Polo

آلبالوپلو
Sour-cherry rice in a glass: bourbon, sweet vermouth, tart cherry syrup and two drops of saffron.
Pantry for this chapter

What you'll make first

All syrups & preparations
Syrup

Plain Syrup

شربت ساده
base syrup · everywhere
Used in 5 drinks
Syrup

Cardamom Syrup

شربت هل
spice syrup · Persian Gulf coast and across Iran
Used in 7 drinks
Syrup

Damask Rose Syrup

شربت گل محمدی
floral syrup · Kashan (Qamsar)
Used in 4 drinks
Syrup

Orange Blossom Syrup

شربت بهار نارنج
floral syrup · Shiraz (Fars) and Mazandaran
Used in 2 drinks
Syrup

Mint Sekanjebin

سکنجبین
sweet-sour vinegar syrup · across Iran
Used in 6 drinks
Syrup

Tart Cherry Syrup

شربت آلبالو
fruit syrup · across Iran
Used in 5 drinks
Syrup

Pomegranate Syrup

شربت انار
fruit syrup · Saveh, Yazd and across Iran
Used in 3 drinks
Syrup

Pistachio Orgeat

شربت پسته
nut syrup · Kerman (Rafsanjan)
Used in 5 drinks
Preparation

Saffron Infusion

دم‌کردهٔ زعفران
infusion (unsweetened) · Khorasan
Used in 6 drinks
Preparation

Aquafaba

آب نخود
foaming agent · n/a
Used in 6 drinks
Juice

Fresh Lemon and Lime Juice

آب لیمو تازه
fresh juice · across Iran
Used in 44 drinks
Juice

Fresh Cucumber Juice

آب خیار
fresh juice · across Iran
Used in 4 drinks
Juice

Fresh Watermelon Juice

آب هندوانه
fresh juice · across Iran
Used in 2 drinks
Juice

Persimmon Purée

پورهٔ خرمالو
fruit purée · across Iran (autumn)
Used in 1 drink
Juice

Fresh Pomegranate Juice

آب انار
fresh juice · Saveh, Yazd and across Iran
Used in 6 drinks
Juice

Persian Sweet Lemon Juice

آب لیمو شیرین
fresh juice · across Iran (winter)
Used in 1 drink
Garnish

Zeytun Parvardeh (Marinated Olives)

زیتون پرورده
garnish · Gilan (Rudbar)
Used in 2 drinks
Garnish

Persian Rim Salts

نمک‌های لبهٔ لیوان
garnish · Persian Gulf, Khuzestan and across Iran
Used in 6 drinks
Preparation

Basil-Seed Pearls (Tokhm-e Sharbati)

تخم شربتی
seed pearls · across Iran
Used in 1 drink
Syrup

Grape Molasses Syrup (Shireh-ye Angoor)

شیرهٔ انگور
fruit syrup · Hamadan (Malayer) and Azerbaijan
Used in 3 drinks
Syrup

Senjed Syrup (Oleaster)

شربت سنجد
fruit syrup · across Iran (Nowruz)
Used in 1 drink