Hoss Zare: Returning home to a new peace in Iran
For chef Hoss Zare of the Flytrap in San Francisco, memories of his native Iran were bittersweet.
For years, despite becoming a U.S. citizen in 2010, Zare was unsure whether he would ever feel safe or comfortable visiting his homeland again.
After finding so much of Tabriz transformed from farmland to high-rises, Zare is eager to see how Iran will continue to evolve now that Western economic sanctions have been lifted.
The Bazaar of Tabriz, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the city center of Tabriz, is the largest covered marketplace in the world.
Shapouri Pavilion and Garden in Shiraz is an ornate mansion surrounded by lush gardens and fountains.
A band plays classic Persian songs.
The first floor is a cafe; the second floor is a more formal restaurant.
[...] the lamb neck here, served over Persian rice with fava beans, was actually served without bones.
Perhaps Iran’s most famous ancient site, Persepolis is a series of massive government palaces and ceremonial halls founded by Darius the Great in 515 B.C. Wander around to see intricate carvings, reliefs, statues and the towering Gate of All Nations.
Sleeping in luxury: The Abbassi Hotel was built 300 years ago.
Iranians love their desserts, especially faloodeh, the frosty concoction of fragrant rosewater, sugar, lime juice and vermicelli noodles.
Darband, a neighborhood inside Tehran, is the start of a popular hiking trail that passes by waterfalls and streams.
At the lower elevation, there are tea houses, and food and drink stalls, to provide tasty sustenance.
[...] there are banners telling people to eat slower.