Souvenirs of Yazd
Yazd souvenirs attract many tourist due to their attractiveness and great diversity. Among Yazd’s souvenirs and handicrafts, its sweets are really well-known. Those who have tasted the food souvenirs of Yazd, they never forget the wonderful taste and even perhaps this taste motivates to travel to Yazd again. Yazd city has a long history in the field of sweet pastry production and its workshops. You may have heard the name of Haj Khalife Rahbar beside the souvenirs of Yazd. This name has been a brand for Yazd’s sweet pastries. The most famous ones are Yazdi Baklava, Qottab, Pashmak (similar to cotton candy) and Halva Ardeh. You can buy Yazd sweets from Amir Chakhmagh square. There are many shops around the square to buy souvenirs. The other sweets that can’t be missed easily are:
- Zulbia (Jalebi)
- Yazdi cake
- Yazdi rice bread
- Haji Badam
- Loz
- Herbal beverages
Yazdi Baklava
Yazd’s baklava is the noblest sweets of Yazd. This delicious sweet has reputation and a lot of lovers. An important point to be mentioned is that Yazdi Baklava has completely different taste in comparison to Turkish Baklavaand and the taste of pistachios and almonds is very pleasant. In order to make Yazdi Baklava, some ingredients such as milk, egg, flour, oil, Cardamom, Rose water, almond, pistachio and honey are used. It has attracted many lovers from all around the worlds like Canadian and American people who are its passionate fans. Yazdi Baklava is very nutritious and useful for strengthening memory, stomach and heart. If you have not tasted Yazdi Baklava, we suggest try and buy it as a popular souvenirs of Yazd.
Qottab
Another local sweets pastry that fascinates people of all ages is Qottab. It is ball-shaped and in the middle filled with an especial material including cardamom and almonds which involves high nutritional value. The needed ingredients for making Qottab include walnut, flour, yolk, sugar and baking powder. Like Baklava, this kind of sweets is so energetic due to its nutrition values. Of course, you should pay attention when purchasing Original Qottab. Because the fake ones have no nuts. Having this delicious ball-shaped sweet with a cup of tea is wonderful.
Pashmak
Pashmak is another famous souvenir of Yazd that is belonged to the Yazdi family of sweets. It’s in the form of very sweet fragile threads made of sugar, flour, oil and cardamom. Each of the components of Pashmak has a feature which is beneficial for human body. The age of Pashmak production in Haji Khalife Rahbar’s workshop goes back to 97 years ago. The processes of making Pashmak is very attractive and spectacular. After baking the initial ingredients and regular stirring, now it’s the time of Pashmak keshi (pulling the material until pashmak is created) that was done manually in old days but semi-automatically nowadays. This process is so important and after 26 times of the gently pulling action, Pashmak will be created. As the favorite of many people, Pashmak is made so difficultly.
Halva Ardeh (sesame tahini-based halva)
You may have heard a lot the name of Halva Ardeh. Ardeh (sesame butter) and halva Ardeh production has a long history in Iran. Ardakan’s halva Ardeh continues to be produced in the traditional way and no chemicals are added to it. That’s why it has been welcomed so much. Ardeh is made of sesame seeds. Sesame seeds contain oil and rich source of nutrients and energy needed for human body. It also has hot and sweet nature. The following are some of benefits of Ardeh:
- Memory improvement
- Prevents anemia and cures general fatigue and weakness
- Balances the body water
- Rich in vitamin B and E
- Bone strength of the body
- Source of energy foe athletes and those who consume so much energy
A good halva Ardeh should be soft and free of threads shape without crumbling automatically when being sliced and have light cream color. Halva Ardeh is widely known among Iranian people and is a suitable food for cold seasons. Having Aldeh with grape juice or honey is a complete and nutrient meal. Don’t forget to buy this delicious halva either for your consuming or as a souvenirs of Yazd and Ardakan.
Yazdi cake
This famous cake is found in most cities in Iran. It’s one of the best afternoon meals which is served for guest. The traditional type of Yazdi cake is used in religious ceremonies. Ingredients include: egg, sugar, white flour, fruit salt, baking powder, solid oil or butter, and yogurt or milk.
Loz
Loz or party sweet is another delicious sweet of this desert city. Loz has various types and that’s why it can satisfy any taste. The types include: saffron, pistachio, coconut, Bidmeshk (a kind of herbal beverage), and almond. Bidmeshk loz is a fragrant sweet that has many lovers. The initial ingredients of loz contain sugar, water, cardamom and rose water and depending on the kind of loz, pistachio powder, almond powder or coconut powder is added to until the dough of sweet is made. After loz is made, it is cut in rhombus-shaped form in especial dish.
Haji Badam
Unlike its simple appearance, this kind of sweet has high nutritional value due to the ingredients like nutmeg leaves and chickpea flour. Haji Badam is made of almonds, sugar powder, solid oil, chickpea flour, cardamom powder, nutmeg, yolk, and sometimes saffron. With regard to the ingredients used in this delicious sweet, you can use it for curing joint’s pain and muscles’ pain. Of course remember that like other sweets, overusing of Haji Badam can increase your blood sugar. Have Haji Badam with a cup of tea.
Abarkuh Honey
Honey is one of Abarkuh’s souvenirs that has many lovers. Abarkuh is a historical village and has a lot of historical works and sites. Besides historical arts, it also has handicrafts, diary, herbal medicines and so forth. Due to various flowers in the plains of this city, its honey has diversity. However, because of dehydration of the grounds these days, amount of honey has been decreased. While there are 4 thousands bee colonies in Abarkuh. In the past three years, Abarkuh honey has grown to 20 varieties and honey harvesting put Abarkuh in the third place during consecutive years.
