In the papers: A dash of Dardashti

It's funny what you find once you begin searching.

I generally search for my TOLLIN, TALALAY or FINK in newspaper databases, but rarely have I checked for the DARDASHTI clan. To make up for it, I decided to see what may be lurking in NewspaperARCHIVE.com - I was pleasantly surprised.

[NewspaperArchive is a subscription site. Check it out and see if it is right for you. It has helped me in my quest.]

In the Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts) on Tuesday, September 25, 1973), I found that cousin Cantor David Dardashti would be officiating at Rosh Hashanah services at Temple Anshe Amunim in Pittsfield.

In the Bridgeport (Connecticut) Telegram for Monday, February 18, 1974, there was an announcement of the singing Dardashti brothers: David, his older brother (now Hazzan Farid) and younger brother (now Hazzan Hamid):

Hevra, the Jewish organization on campus [University of Bridgeport], will sponsor an evening with the Dardashti brothers, with music, dancing and slides Sunday from 8 p.m to midnight in the Carriage house, behind Bryant Hall, Park Avenue.

A few months later, cousin John was winning first place in a cooking contest, as reported in the Daily Times of June 23, 1974, in Salisbury, Maryland:

John Dardashti. of Wilmington, Del., the winner of the Delaware division of the Delmarva Chicken Cooking Contest Saturday now has his eyes on that National Contest coming up July 25 at Winston-Salem, N.C. For the past two years Delaware cooks have been national champs.

Mr. Dardashti, who grew up in Iran, said he used his Persian background, plus some of his own ideas to come up with "Chicken Shish-Kabob". He and only one other contestant cooked their chicken over hot charcoal out-of-doors. The flavor of Mr. Dardashti's recipe comes from a sauce brushed on the chicken when it is cooking.

His hobbies are cooking, tennis and art. His cooking interest started over a decade ago. Mr. Dardashti is an architect, and he and Mrs. Dardashti have two children. He was educated at the University of California.

And in the Berkshire Eagle for July 7, 1975) piece, there's a long article on cousin David, mentioned above, which offered many nostalgic memories as I remembered his parents, Yonah and Houri (in Iran, Israel and in the US), when his first child was born very close in age to our own daughter. There's a great photo of the very young David.



I'll be back to check out the other articles.