I’m collecting moments of joy where I can these days, relishing simple pleasures like watching a dove’s daily routine collecting twigs from the patio for a nest, my cat purring from the (apparent) comfort of a shoebox she’s newly co-opted as a bed and the perfumey scent of jasmine flowers blooming in the backyard.
And this week, joy can also be found in the form of a vibrant cookbook that features some of the most popular recipes from a beloved Peninsula restaurant chain. On Tuesday, “Zareen’s Pakistani Kitchen: Recipes from a Well-Fed Childhood” was released. Written by Umair and Zareen Khan, the husband-and-wife founders of the Pakistani Indian eateries located in Redwood City, Palo Alto and Mountain View, it includes recipes from their childhoods, South Asian street food and dishes from the restaurants – chicken tikka masala, Memoni samosas, Desi-Paleo Salad and more.
The result is a cookbook that jumps out from the bookshelf with its boldly illustrated cover, colorful photos and vivid writing that celebrates Pakistani recipes and culture. Women’s empowerment is another key theme of the cookbook, as it spotlights six women Zareen and Umair admire like Michelle Tam, food activist and creator of Nom Nom Paleo. And half of proceeds from the book will be donated to charities that support women.
I spoke with Zareen and Umair in advance of their cookbook’s release about which recipes evoke the most nostalgia, the most challenging parts of publishing a cookbook and how they chose which restaurant recipes to include. Find their book at your favorite independent Peninsula bookseller and my Q&A below.
Happy spring equinox!
Julia Brown
Six Fifty Editor
editor@thesixfifty.com
Ask an aficionado: All about houseplants
Houseplants can be a great way to spruce up your space and bring a bit of nature indoors. We checked in with Riley Talain of Redwood City’s Little Green – A Plant Bar for some easy care tips.
Palo Alto author’s memoir tells of ‘ordinary’ people and extraordinary courage
“To me it’s very important for ordinary people to realize the greatness of their own lives. We all have our own stories,” Miriam Kurtzig Freedman says of her book telling the story of her mother, Thea Arons, and how she came to live in the U.S.
Recreate Zareen’s chicken tikka masala and more signature dishes with the new cookbook ‘Zareen’s Pakistani Kitchen: Recipes from a Well-Fed Childhood’
Zareen and Umair Khan discuss the book’s theme of women’s empowerment, its most nostalgic recipes and making Pakistani food accessible for everyone.
Congrats to Stacie C. of Palo Alto, who was the first reader to correctly identify where last week’s photo was taken (it’s Broadway in Burlingame!).
The first person to reply to this email with the correct place where the below photo was taken will win a prize from The Six Fifty and a shoutout in our next newsletter!
Belmont Handcrafted Originals Art Fair: March 22-23 Artists working in many media, from jewelry to ceramics, photography and more, bring their wares to an art fair held at Carlmont Village Shopping Center.
Nature Lotería: March 22 Peninsula Open Space Trust, Canopy and Latino Outdoors host a bilingual event celebrating nature, community and culture. Play a game of Lotería with cards featuring California plants and animals, illustrated by a local artist. There will also be food, music and more.
Chai Lab Pop-Up: March 22 Fireside Books and More hosts the Chai Lab, offering craft chai, traditional blends and speciality coffees.
Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson: March 25 Authors and journalists Klein and Thompson, in conversation with Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, discuss their book “Abundance,” described as a “paradigm-shifting call to rethink big, entrenched problems that seem mired in systemic scarcity.”
Everything Sourdough: March 27 Learn all about working with sourdough and take home a sourdough starter of your own at this workshop presented by Deb of Everything Sourdough, held at Little Green.
San Francisco Salsa Festival: March 28-30 Salsa fans unite for a weekend of music, competition, performances and dance workshops.
Documentary: Contemporary Indigenous Voices: March 29 Catch documentary work by artist Kirti Bassendine followed by a Q&A, part of her “Contemporary Indigenous Voices of California’s South Coast Range (CIVSCR)” project.
Celebrating 13 Days of Nowruz: March 30 Learn about the rich traditions of Persian, Tajik and Afghan dance, plus an invitation to join in the dancing following a brief lesson.
Happy Pleasant Valley: Through March 30 TheatreWorks Silicon Valley presents the world premiere of this “senior sex scandal murder mystery musical” about a Gen Z influencer and her Korean American grandma.
Plan Ahead
Bonsai Class at Blue Oak Brewing Company: April 3 Learn to select, style and care for a bonsai tree and take one home with you after this workshop.
Mosab Abu Toha: April 3 Palestinian poet, short story author and essayist Mosab Abu Toha comes to Stanford for a reading and conversation.
Pug Yoga: April 5 Looking to change up your yoga routine and make it a bit more, well, adorable? Meet some adoptable pugs (and/or bring your own well-behaved pug along) during an hour of yoga.
BanjerDan: April 5 Santa Cruz County “banjo-centric” musician Dan Mazer – aka BanjerDan – brings his Americana sounds and humorous commentary to Mountain View.
11th Annual Silicon Valley Jewish Playwriting Contest: April 6 Audience members watch three plays and vote for their favorite in this event dedicated to celebrating new voices.
Mark Easter: April 9 Ecologist Mark Easter comes to Patagonia’s Palo Alto location to share his book ‘The Blue Plate: A Food Lover’s Guide to Climate Chaos.’
Bia Ferreira: April 11 Brazilian singer, songwriter and activist Bia Ferreira comes to Stanford to perform what she defines as “MMP: Música de Mulher Preta (Black Woman Music).”
Laser Queen: April 12 De Anza College’s Fujitsu Planetarium celebrates the music of Queen with a laser light show.
Guided Walk at Bean Hollow State Beach: April 13 A State Parks educator leads a leisurely 1.5-mile hike along the coastal bluffs.
Revel in the ethereal glow of nighttime cherry blossoms at Saratoga’s Hakone Estate and Gardens
The Japanese gardens hidden in the Santa Cruz Mountain foothills host evening viewings of spring blooms.
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