In the medieval Persian world, meals are not served as successive courses; instead, the *sofreh* is laid out: a long cloth spread directly on the ground where everything arrives at once. Flatbread (*nan*) is the foundation, serving as both plate and utensil; around it are arranged a braised meat, tangy dairy, dried fruits, and honey sweets. One sits cross-legged, eating with the three fingers of the right hand, tearing the bread. The scholar's meal is modest but varied: a little of everything, much conversation.

Two hallmarks of pre-Columbian Persian cuisine: asafoetida (*hing*), a potent resin that often replaces garlic and adds umami depth, and verjuice (*âb-ghureh*), the juice of unripe grapes that provides sharp acidity where lemons are scarce. They season nearly all the stews (*qaliya*) of this region and era.