Sherbets

These cordials were phased into the Iranian diet over a matter of centuries as their beloved wine was phased out. Even the name, sharbat, is but a couple of twisted letters away from sharab, the Farsi word for wine.

In fact alcohol never left the Iranian culture – it just hides its face. I should point out that it remains strictly illegal, with the death penalty in place for serial abusers. But home-made wine is quite the norm, and most upper-middle-class households in Iran are happy to offer guests wine or smuggled spirits (for which you can usually read Johnnie Walker whisky). There is a much-told urban legend that has it that when the state vodka distillery was razed to the ground, several million more were spawned. Home distilling of potato or rice vodka is common, sometimes, of course, with disastrous results. Lack of proper knowledge can and does lead to blindness and death.