REGULAR HALVA - NO ONE DIED
My grandmother used to make halva for us on a fairly regular basis.
She never let me help because it involves making a roux and very
hot pans.
One day a family friend came over and got very serious quickly. We
asked what was wrong and she asked, "Who died? Are you all okay?"
I didn't know what she was talking about. But then I heard my
grandmother laughing and telling her that everything was fine. She
knew how much we loved Halva, and made it for us now and then.
Later on, she explained that you usually make halva for funerals,
and that it's not something that is eaten very often, but that she
made it for us because we loved it.
Chef Aarash Zarrabi,
Sous Chef,
International House
Berkeley, California
19
