When we envisioned Mīzān’s debut, we didn’t want just another event—we wanted an experience that felt like stepping into another time, a place where stories from the past meet the present, woven together by saffron’s golden threads. In Brooklyn, surrounded by friends, collaborators, and future family, we gathered to share our vision for Mīzān and to celebrate the beauty of saffron as it finds its place on today’s tables.
The atmosphere was crafted by Erica Bonelli, founder of Philo. True to her dedication to Philoxenia—the Greek art of hospitality—she transformed the space into something intimate yet grand, thoughtful yet unpretentious. Given saffron’s deep roots in Greek mythology and history, it felt meaningful to have Afghanistan’s treasured spice honored with a nod to Greek hospitality. Erica’s tablescape was a journey of color and texture: chalices brimming with saffron, bottles of natural wine, and plates that looked almost too beautiful to disturb (almost). She laid out saffron labne, golden and tangy; roasted chicken infused with saffron’s warmth; a crisp chicory salad; and lavender-saffron cocktails that echoed the vivid purple blooms of the Crocus sativus flower.
Erica captured something we hold close at Mīzān: the meeting of worlds, a bridge between cultures forged through ingredients as timeless as saffron and as precious as the stories they carry. This dinner was about more than food; it was about honoring connections that transcend time, distance, and borders.
Through the lens of Adeeb Haidari from safariiicamp, this evening was immortalized. Adeeb’s photography doesn’t just capture moments; it tells stories, evoking the same respect and care we bring to each strand of saffron. His images turned the event into a visual tapestry—a golden echo of the Silk Road that inspires Mīzān, capturing every glint of saffron in the candlelight, every quiet exchange, every shared smile.
For us, this dinner was personal. Mīzān isn’t just a product; it’s our homage to Afghanistan’s rich cultural heritage, to a spice that has traveled across centuries and continents to find its place here with us. That night in Brooklyn, surrounded by people we trust, we felt something bigger—a connection to an ancient past that still lives and breathes today.
This was the first chapter of Mīzān, and we’re excited to bring more of this world to yours. From the first sip of lavender-saffron cocktails to the last bite of saffron-kissed labne, we invite you to share in the journey we’ve started, one golden thread at a time.