In April of 1998 my brothers (two of them: Tim and Leonard, sans one: Fred) and I made a trip to Russia to visit my parents who had moved back for a time to start a church in my Dad’s hometown, Mikhaylovka. Mikhaylovka is a few hours outside of Rostov on Don, just off the Black Sea.
My mom died in 2013 (coming up on the three year anniversary) and my dad is pining to join her. Update: my dad died in 2018 – read more here: Untimely Death.
I have always been proud of my heritage and my parent’s remarkable story. Both of my parents “escaped” from Stalin’s Soviet Union in the early 1930’s and fortunately headed south into Iran. This choice was fortuitous as they spent the World War 2 years in a place of relative peace and safety. The choice has also flavored my immigrant experience from a culinary perspective (my Russian food experience is a fusion of Russian and Persian cuisine -the best) and my people perspective, I love the Iranian people and am grateful for their hospitality and generosity as it has contributed to my place in life today.
Here is a little taste of it in this interview with my parents.
