![]() ![]() She would make us okra, roasted tomatoes, but then do these wedge potatoes…that she roasted with lamb au jus. ![]() My brother and I are both vegetarians, and it was always a challenge for her when it came to planning her menu. She passed away this past year, so the holidays are going to be different this year. The holidays for Lisa and her Greek family are filled with copious amounts of food most notably in the past from the hand and kitchen of her late godmother in Enid. Please refer to Persian and Greek history.) I don’t mind saying her Baklava is the most tender, perfectly sweetened, perfectly textured I have ever had-and makes a damn good treat on Sunday afternoons accompanied with hot Persian tea. Lisa and I are part of the same “Dinner Club” group, and this past October it was Lisa’s turn to host a full-on Greek meal. Whatever season of the year, the Greek flag is prominently displayed at her midtown Oklahoma City home. Not only for her boundless energy and willingness to help with different charitable and civic organizations around Oklahoma City, but also because she takes great pride and owns her Greek heritage. GREEKįirst off, in full disclosure, Lisa Pitsiri is one of my favorite people in the world. All those exotic flavors, and styles of cooking are now part of that delicious melting pot we call America, Oklahoma City, and holiday food memories. They also celebrate with foods they grew up with, and know. They celebrate these holidays, and a lot of them celebrate with traditional American food. With that came Thanksgiving, Christmas (if they didn’t already have it), Independence Day, and Halloween, with all the other smaller holidays scattered in for good measure. They earned citizenship and proudly became Americans. It seems that a lot of immigrants, especially in or around my father’s generation, had a strong desire to assimilate into American culture. Most of what I learned in how to be a good person was centered around Persian food-as humans, we are shaped so much by the food traditions passed down to us. I learned a lot of this ethic through his cooking of Persian food, and sitting around the table at Sunday dinner listening to stories of when he was growing up. It’s how I welcome guests into my home, and how I strive daily to be the kind, hard-working, generous, and respected man that my father is…and his father and his brothers and sisters also. My “Iranian-ness” does not only make up my last name, it's how I cook and eat-not just as a professional chef, but in my daily home life as well. Let’s face it, the government of Iran hasn’t exactly been the most popular when it comes to American politics and interests, but the culture, heritage and people from my father’s side is one that I am extremely proud of. Despite our differences, the one thing we have most in common is our love for family and friends, and how we celebrate that through food.Īs the son of a man who came to the United States, specifically Oklahoma, to be educated, start a family and an engineering company-as a proud American citizen-I have always been keenly aware of my Persian heritage. We have our own unique cultures to remind us of time and families departed, and all celebrate the holiday season in our own distinctive ways. Who do we think we are, who do we know we are, and how do we celebrate the holidays with food? We are a nation of indigenous people and of immigrants, containing as many variations of flavors and traditions. A Table of Traditions: 6 Oklahomans of Various Ethnicities Invite Us Into Their Homes to Share Their Favorite Holiday Dishes ![]()
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