Tag: Central Asia
Plov—Uzbekistan’s legendary national dish
I grew up in the “rice belt” of Southeast Texas, so rice is one of my nostalgia foods. Pilaf, pilau, biryani all got my...
Through the lens: Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Ancient designs in the National Historical Museum, Bishkek
Did ancient acrobats inspire modern-day festivities?
Bishkek came as a surprise to me. After several weeks traveling the...
Traveling to Central Asia? Think Kyrgyzstan
As should be evident from my recent posts about some of the people I met, and the places I visited during recent travels in...
Artful dining in Kyrgyzstan
Traveling to Kyrgyzstan after several weeks in Uzbekistan, I was struck by how dining in Kyrgyzstan was varied and had such homespun charm. From...
Preserving Kyrgyzstan’s nomadic traditions
In a Bishkek museum, when I spotted this photograph of Kyrgyz nomads on the move, I was intrigued. What was the woman’s enormous turban...
“Golden hands” produce Kyrgyz shyrdaks
Shyrdaks are Kyrgyz felt carpets, handmade made using patterns and sewing techniques handed down through generations. Always produced by a community of women, they...
Kyrgyz felt travels its own Silk Road to high fashion
Designers in Kyrgyzstan are doing wonderful things with Kyrgyz felt these days. On a May afternoon in Bishkek, I visited the atelier of Aidai...
In Central Asia, sit down to dinner, Uzbek style
In Uzbekistan, my travel companions and I were welcomed to the table three times a day, and very often to a spread of Uzbek...
Uzbekistan’s surprisingly good kazy salad
They eat horses in Central Asia, don’t they? Well, I had not considered that. I knew the people of the region are famed horse...
The splendid embroidery of Uzbek suzanis
Suzani comes from the Persian word for "needle," used in reference to embroidered hangings and fabric coverings. Collectors also identify the term with the...