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München Blanvalet 2006
Description
Beneath the holy mountain Croagh Patrick, in damp and lovely County Mayo, sits the small, sheltered village of Ballinacroagh. To the exotic Aminpour sisters, Ireland looks like a much-needed safe haven. It has been seven years since Marjan Aminpour fled Iran with her younger sisters, Bahar and Layla, and she hopes that in Ballinacroagh, a land of “crazed sheep and dizzying roads,” they might finally find a home. From the kitchen of an old pastry shop on Main Mall, the sisters set about creating a Persian oasis. Soon sensuous wafts of cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron float through the streets–an exotic aroma that announces the opening of the Babylon Café, and a shock to a town that generally subsists on boiled cabbage and Guinness served at the local tavern. And it is an affront to the senses of Ballinacroagh’s uncrowned king, Thomas McGuire. After trying to buy the old pastry shop for years and failing, Thomas is enraged to find it occupied–and by foreigners, no less. But the mysterious, spicy fragrances work their magic on the townsfolk, and soon, business is booming. Marjan is thrilled with the demand for her red lentil soup, abgusht stew, and rosewater baklava–and with the transformation in her sisters. Young Layla finds first love, and even tense, haunted Bahar seems to be less nervous. And in the stand-up-comedian-turned-priest Father Fergal Mahoney, the gentle, lonely widow Estelle Delmonico, and the headstrong hairdresser Fiona Athey, the sisters find a merry band of supporters against the close-minded opposition of less welcoming villagers stuck in their ways. But the idyll is soon broken when the past rushes back to threaten the Amnipours once more, and the lives they left behind in revolution-era Iran bleed into the present. Infused with the textures and scents, trials and triumph,s of two distinct cultures, Pomegranate Soup is an infectious novel of magical realism. This richly detailed story, highlighted with delicious recipes, is a delectable journey into the heart of Persian cooking and Irish living.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member wyvernfriend
Three sisters from Iran move to a small town in Mayo in the shadow of Croagh Patrick and in seting up a Persian cafe they change all around them and are changed by the town
LibraryThing member mooknits
A nice read of not as much substance as I had hoped. The recipes were interesting and I might try a couple of them. However the writing was somewhat contrived and the story didn't really go anywhere. It was a little predictable, but enjoyable all the same.
LibraryThing member bknaus
I loved this book. The story was a little far-fetched, but the whole theme of food and good cooking as a catalyst for social interaction and healing was lovely. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the sisters cooking and I've made a couple of the recipes. Reminded me a little of Babette's
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LibraryThing member gwendolyndawson
Three Iranian sisters flee Iran and open a café in a small Irish town. A bit of magical realism with recipes included. Nice attempt to duplicate Like Water for Chocolate but only slightly successful.
LibraryThing member bookappeal
A good March/springtime story. Three sister from Iran flee the revolution and end up in a small Irish village in 1986 where they open a Persian restaurant. They interfere with the bizarre plans of the local hotshot so he sets out to boycott the restaurant. But the delicious smells prove to be too
Overall, a light story that entertains the senses - recipes and detailed descriptions of Persian delicacies are interwoven through the story. A combination of Jan Karon's gentle village stories and Like Water for Chocolate's sensual food.
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much for some residents to ignore. The sisters slowly win over the town but are faced with their fair share of prejudice and are haunted by the past they escaped.Overall, a light story that entertains the senses - recipes and detailed descriptions of Persian delicacies are interwoven through the story. A combination of Jan Karon's gentle village stories and Like Water for Chocolate's sensual food.
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LibraryThing member PitcherBooks
Puts one in mind of "Like Water for Chocolate" but a bit less sensual. A pleasant read about three sisters who escaped Iran to make a new life in Ireland and how they did so. The mix of exotic Iranian beauties and cuisine with a small backwater town in Ireland provides a bit of amusement :-)
LibraryThing member porch_reader
This is the June selection for my real-life book club. Marjan, Bahar, and Layla, sisters who have escaped the Iranian Revolution, find themselves in a small village in Ireland where they open the Babylon Cafe. They face a mixed reaction from the town's residents, some of whom welcome them with open
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The three sisters are interesting characters, each with her own reaction to the past. A number of the townspeople play well-developed supporting roles. The story unfolds slowly, with both the past and the present becoming clearer as the book goes along. The most interesting part of the book is the way that Mehran weaves food into the story. Each chapter starts with a recipe for a Middle Eastern dish that plays an important role in the story.
There are some rough spots in the plot. A few pieces of the story fall into place a little too easily. But, this is a solid debut novel.
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arms and others who are suspicious of the odd smells coming from the cafe. But the mixed reactions of the townspeople are nothing compared to what the sisters have been through in Iran. Through a series of flashbacks, we learn more about the sisters' past and come to understand how their past has influenced their relationships and fears. Overall, I really enjoyed this book. The three sisters are interesting characters, each with her own reaction to the past. A number of the townspeople play well-developed supporting roles. The story unfolds slowly, with both the past and the present becoming clearer as the book goes along. The most interesting part of the book is the way that Mehran weaves food into the story. Each chapter starts with a recipe for a Middle Eastern dish that plays an important role in the story.
There are some rough spots in the plot. A few pieces of the story fall into place a little too easily. But, this is a solid debut novel.
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LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran is a entrancing book of three Iranian sisters who flee their home country and end up in a small Irish town. They open a café and immediately strange and wonderful things begin to happen in the quiet, quaint village. If you have read Garden Spells by Sarah Addison
With the eldest sister cooking up strange and delectable dishes, the younger sister fitting into her new school and finding her first boyfriend, our attention becomes focused on the middle sister, and in a series of flashbacks we find out why the sisters needed to flee their country and what they are hiding from.
This was an excellent story, I grew to care about the sisters and the townspeople. The author supplies a recipe of Persian origin with every chapter, so my mouth was kept watering for these tempting dishes. As everything was not neatly wrapped up by the end, I am looking forward to the next one to assure myself that these women get their deserved happy ending.
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Allen, you would realize the similarities and enjoy the magical realism that is dished up in this book.With the eldest sister cooking up strange and delectable dishes, the younger sister fitting into her new school and finding her first boyfriend, our attention becomes focused on the middle sister, and in a series of flashbacks we find out why the sisters needed to flee their country and what they are hiding from.
This was an excellent story, I grew to care about the sisters and the townspeople. The author supplies a recipe of Persian origin with every chapter, so my mouth was kept watering for these tempting dishes. As everything was not neatly wrapped up by the end, I am looking forward to the next one to assure myself that these women get their deserved happy ending.
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LibraryThing member ccayne
Interesting story of three sisters who fled the Iranian revolution and a violent man and ended up in a town in Ireland where they opened a cafe. They cook dishes from their native Iran and raise suspicion among some in the town, the local gossips and the McGuire family who have eyes on the cafe
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space. It was a light entertaining read even with the difficulties the sisters experienced both when they fled Iran and fitting in in their new home. Show Less
LibraryThing member susiesharp
What a beautiful magical book I want a restaurant like the Babylon Café in my town! I want to smell the baklava and the elephant ears and even the abgust, and it made me curious to taste pomegranate soup. I don’t think I’d ever find the ingredients but the recipes sound so good.
This book is
There are some interesting characters in this book I love Mrs. Delmonico and hated Thomas McGuire who is the self-imposed “king” of Ballinacroagh he is egotistical and a racist and is bound and determined to shut down the café.
I really enjoyed this book it is beautiful and lyrical and a great story. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical realism & foodie fiction. If you liked Garden Spells you will enjoy this book
This book is
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set in the 80’s and is about 3 sisters who escaped Iran right before the revolution. They have been through much on their journey but have hopefully finally found “home” in Ballinacroagh Ireland where they have opened up the Babylon Café serving Iranian delicacies, not everyone in town is happy about the café but they soon have a core group of customers who will eventually become friends and family.There are some interesting characters in this book I love Mrs. Delmonico and hated Thomas McGuire who is the self-imposed “king” of Ballinacroagh he is egotistical and a racist and is bound and determined to shut down the café.
I really enjoyed this book it is beautiful and lyrical and a great story. I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys magical realism & foodie fiction. If you liked Garden Spells you will enjoy this book
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LibraryThing member veracite
It has some nice recipes heading the chapters but the book itself is a bit of a mish mash, not entirely settled in its place, too short for the number of characters. It was just not very satisfactory.
LibraryThing member AdrienneJS
I really enjoyed this book and its insight to both the Persian and Irish cultures. The author presents very interesting and entertaining character descriptions, although sometimes I wondered why she went into such depth on descriptions of minor characters, but overall I really appreciated the
I felt that that the conflicts were resolved a little too neatly at the end, and so the end was not quite satisfying enough for me.
I would rate this book PG-13 because of profanity (especially from certain characters) and because of the descriptions of the atrocities that some of sisters suffered at the start of the Iranian revolution.
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character descriptions. The food was another character, and that was very well described -- I already had an appreciation for Persian cuisine, and these descriptions made me want to hurry to my favorite Persian restaurant.I felt that that the conflicts were resolved a little too neatly at the end, and so the end was not quite satisfying enough for me.
I would rate this book PG-13 because of profanity (especially from certain characters) and because of the descriptions of the atrocities that some of sisters suffered at the start of the Iranian revolution.
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LibraryThing member Sharon.Flesher
This book made me hungry!
LibraryThing member writerfidora
I really enjoyed this book and its insight to both the Persian and Irish cultures. The author presents very interesting and entertaining character descriptions, although sometimes I wondered why she went into such depth on descriptions of minor characters, but overall I really appreciated the
I felt that that the conflicts were resolved a little too neatly at the end, and so the end was not quite satisfying enough for me.
I would rate this book PG-13 because of profanity (especially from certain characters) and because of the descriptions of the atrocities that some of sisters suffered at the start of the Iranian revolution.
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character descriptions. The food was another character, and that was very well described -- I already had an appreciation for Persian cuisine, and these descriptions made me want to hurry to my favorite Persian restaurant.I felt that that the conflicts were resolved a little too neatly at the end, and so the end was not quite satisfying enough for me.
I would rate this book PG-13 because of profanity (especially from certain characters) and because of the descriptions of the atrocities that some of sisters suffered at the start of the Iranian revolution.
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LibraryThing member BookConcierge
Three sisters flee Tehran for a small town in Ireland. When Marjan, Behar and Layla take over the former Papa’s Pastries to open Ballinacroagh’s first “foreign” restaurant, they are met with curious gazes and even hostility. Tom McGuire, their next-door neighbor, is furious that his big
I really wanted to like this book. Just reading the description made me think of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Mistress of Spices (a book I loved). But this novel failed to deliver the magic it promised. Perhaps this was because of the flashbacks to the sisters’ lives in Tehran; perhaps it was the bully McGuire (and his eldest son, who was equally unsavory), or town gossip Dervla Quigley and her vicious rumor-spreading. Whatever the cause, I just didn’t “feel the magic.” Still, Mehran kept the story moving forward, with suitable tension and a believable outcome. So, I rate it a moderate 3; it was adequate, but I didn’t love it.
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plans have been thwarted by these “Arabs” and he is determined to bully everyone in town until they girls are run off. But he doesn’t count on the magical powers of the Marjan’s exotic recipes, and the intoxicating smell of rosewater and cinnamon emanating from Layla’s very pores. I really wanted to like this book. Just reading the description made me think of Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni’s Mistress of Spices (a book I loved). But this novel failed to deliver the magic it promised. Perhaps this was because of the flashbacks to the sisters’ lives in Tehran; perhaps it was the bully McGuire (and his eldest son, who was equally unsavory), or town gossip Dervla Quigley and her vicious rumor-spreading. Whatever the cause, I just didn’t “feel the magic.” Still, Mehran kept the story moving forward, with suitable tension and a believable outcome. So, I rate it a moderate 3; it was adequate, but I didn’t love it.
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LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
It has been seven years since Marjan Aminpour fled Iran with her younger sisters Bahar and Layla at the beginning of the Islamic Revolution. They've made their way (via London) to start a new life for themselves in the sleepy, close-minded Irish village of Ballinacroagh. They open the Babylon Cafe
Each chapter begins with a recipe that is carefully woven into the story:
-dolmeh
-red lentil soup
-baklava
-dugh yogurt drink
-abgusht
-elephant ears
-lavish bread
-torshi
-chelow
-fesenjoon
-migraine headache remedy
-pomegranate soup
-after dinner lavender-mint tea
This was a charming and delightful book and it was fun to see how the three sisters try to make a new life for themselves despite the unwillingness of many townspeople to let that happen. I found the characters compelling and the atmosphere of Ireland was realistically portrayed. There is a sequel, called Rosewater and Soda Bread that takes place about a year later than Pomegranate Soup which I may pick up. I did read that the 36 year old author died of unknown causes earlier this year.
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and in no time the smell of traditional Persian cooking is wafting through the village. Eventually in works its own magic on many of the locals. However, they've made an enemy of Thomas McGuire, the man who owns most of Ballinacroagh and is not used to being denied anything he wants. What he has always wanted is to open a disco in the shop that now houses the Babylon Cafe. Thomas sets out to ruin the girls and close the restaurant. Plus, echoes from the past will return to haunt one of the sisters. Each chapter begins with a recipe that is carefully woven into the story:
-dolmeh
-red lentil soup
-baklava
-dugh yogurt drink
-abgusht
-elephant ears
-lavish bread
-torshi
-chelow
-fesenjoon
-migraine headache remedy
-pomegranate soup
-after dinner lavender-mint tea
This was a charming and delightful book and it was fun to see how the three sisters try to make a new life for themselves despite the unwillingness of many townspeople to let that happen. I found the characters compelling and the atmosphere of Ireland was realistically portrayed. There is a sequel, called Rosewater and Soda Bread that takes place about a year later than Pomegranate Soup which I may pick up. I did read that the 36 year old author died of unknown causes earlier this year.
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LibraryThing member JBarringer
This is a lovely book, showing not just the dark side of life as an Iranian refugee in Ireland, but the warmer, richer sides as well. It may make the reader hungry, reading about so much luscious food, but there are recipes mixed in with the story, including a few I plan to try this week.
LibraryThing member Auntie-Nanuuq
Three sisters escape Iran and then London to live in a small Irish town. While there, the owner of an Italian bakery rents them her shop and they open up a Persian restaurant.
As we learn of their life in Ireland, their past comes to haunt & heal them. We learn about the villagers, their loves,
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lies, pasts, regrets, & epiphanies.This is a rich, beautiful, & evocative story, one that envelopes the senses and leave one yearning for the richness for the stories of Scheherazade, the spices of a Moroccan bazaar, a life of lushness, ripe fruits & blossoming flowers.
My one complaint, was the incorrect assumption that Jose Cuervo comes w/ a worm at the bottom, which in the story turns out to be a tapeworm. When one takes the painstaking effort to invest in the history of Iran, the richness of the foods, herbs & spices, one would hope that the author would show the same type of diligence in all aspects of her story.
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LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
The selection at Cook the Books club for February/March is Pomegranate Soup by Marsha Mehran.
Three sisters from Iran end up in County Mayo, Ireland, hoping for a better life. The Aminpour sisters open a cafe and cook the delectable dishes from their homeland. It’s a small Irish village and while
The setting for this book was Ireland and Iran. The plot plays out predictably with the women and their Irish neighbors, the cultural differences accepted. Well, by most people. Definitely a foodie book with over a dozen recipes included throughout.
There were so many interesting dishes served up in this book but the recipe for lentil soup grabbed me right away. I had been wanting to make red lentil soup for a long time.
Photos & recipes on my blog.
Three sisters from Iran end up in County Mayo, Ireland, hoping for a better life. The Aminpour sisters open a cafe and cook the delectable dishes from their homeland. It’s a small Irish village and while
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some of the townsfolk want to try a more exotic cuisine, there are those who shun the women and cafe simply because they are from Iran. You could substitute any middle eastern family trying to run a cafe in any small town, in Ireland or the U.S. for this plot.The setting for this book was Ireland and Iran. The plot plays out predictably with the women and their Irish neighbors, the cultural differences accepted. Well, by most people. Definitely a foodie book with over a dozen recipes included throughout.
There were so many interesting dishes served up in this book but the recipe for lentil soup grabbed me right away. I had been wanting to make red lentil soup for a long time.
Photos & recipes on my blog.
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Subjects
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2005
Physical description
19 inches
ISBN
9783442366118