Saaghi ساقی The Persian Home Bar
An imagined scene from Khorasan & the East
Chapter 1 of 10 · 9 drinks

Khorasan & the East

خراسان و شرق ایران

Saffron fields picked before dawn, barberries and jujubes from Birjand, the desert winds of Sistan. Where the collection begins.

Backdrop and props for this chapter: saffron-crimson, dark wood, saffron crocus flowers.

The drinks

9 cocktails

Khorasan Sunrise illustrated card

Khorasan Sunrise

طلوع خراسان
Saffron and apricot at first light. Where the collection begins.
 Red Gold of Qaen illustrated card

Red Gold of Qaen

طلای سرخ قائن
A dry saffron martini with a whisper of smoke and salt.
 Neyshabur Vesper illustrated card

Neyshabur Vesper

وسپر نیشابور
For Omar Khayyam, poet of the wine cup.
 Mashhad After Dark illustrated card

Mashhad After Dark

شب مشهد
A saffron Old Fashioned, sweetened at your own pace with a stick of nabat.
 Birjand Ruby illustrated card

Birjand Ruby

یاقوت بیرجند
Barberry and orange, bright as a jewel.
 Birjand Amber illustrated card

Birjand Amber

کهربای بیرجند
Brandy and jujube, mellow as a grandmother's winter remedy.
 Sistan Wind illustrated card

Sistan Wind

باد سیستان
Melon, lime and mint, as cooling as the famous summer wind.
 Baluchestan Sunset illustrated card

Baluchestan Sunset

غروب بلوچستان
Ruby hibiscus and a touch of date, the color of evening on the coast.
 Aroosi illustrated card

Aroosi

عروسی
Iran's sourest berry in a bittersweet glass: aragh, red bitter, sweet vermouth and barberry syrup, a thread of saffron on top.
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

Saffron–Cardamom Syrup

شربت زعفران و هل
spice syrup · Khorasan (Torbat-e Heydarieh, Qaen)
Used in 3 drinks
Syrup

Barberry Syrup

شربت زرشک
fruit syrup · South Khorasan (Qaen, Birjand)
Used in 2 drinks
Syrup

Date Syrup

شیره خرما
fruit syrup · Kerman (Bam), Khuzestan and the Persian Gulf coast
Used in 6 drinks
Syrup

Jujube Syrup

شربت عناب
fruit syrup · South Khorasan (Birjand)
Used in 1 drink
Syrup

Hibiscus Syrup

شربت چای ترش
floral fruit syrup · Sistan and Baluchestan
Used in 1 drink
Preparation

Saffron Infusion

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

Smoked Saline

محلول نمک دودی
saline solution · n/a
Used in 1 drink
Juice

Fresh Lemon and Lime Juice

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

Fresh Melon Juice

آب خربزه
fresh juice · Sistan and Khorasan
Used in 1 drink