A little about bread

This is the last time we will be remembering the September 11, 2001 tragedy while in Azerbaijan. Linda and I, as most Americans alive at that time, remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first watched the unfolding of the events of that dreadful day. I recall the feelings after 9/11 when everyone was patriotic, kind, courteous, and caring. That period lasted far too briefly and then we went to war. Little did we realize that 9 years later we would be living in a Muslim country albeit very secular. Our Muslim friends share our pain and during a conversation club in Kurdamir this week, a young man looked us in the eyes and with great emotion said, “I am sorry that so many Americans died on September 11.”

This week the library was closed on Thursday and Friday for the end of Ramadan holiday. It is celebrated by visiting with those who have had family members die in the past year, and visiting with family. One of the foods of Ramadan is Hava, which is in the first photo. It is very simple, butter is heated and flour and sugar are fried until the brown color. Linda and I do not care for the taste, but deeply appreciate our two neighbors bringing us dishes of Hava yesterday and today.
On Monday and Tuesday this week we had media training at the IREX Media Center. Lunch was served for all those who participated. There were about 20 young adults and each day we were provided with Lula Kebabs for lunch. The kebab is a mutton sausage cooked over an open flame, then cilantro and onions are added and all is rolled in a lavash, which is a flour tortilla. The drink served is called Iran – which is buttermilk. The photos try to illustrate.
The final photo is of women making lavash. One will prepare and cook the dough, while another rolls it flat before the cooking. It takes a lot of practice and skill to make lavash quickly.

The main stable of life here is bread. The common loaf of bread is round and about 10 inches in diameter. The loaf cost 25 qepek (30 cents). The price has varied between 20 and 30 qepek in our time of service. Loaves can be purchased in every market, out of boxes on a corner, or at the isti chorek (hot bread) store. From the bakery (isti chorek) the bread is hand stacked and carried by the armful out to a vehicle either a small truck with a shell or an automobile trunk, back seat, front seat, wherever there is room. The bread is then placed in rows in boxes. I would estimate the age of these boxes at about 18 months, and they are used again and again. The bread is then taken to individual sellers and hand carried into the selling area. Placed in boxes with blankets to cover. I do not enquire as to the laundering practices of these blankets, but I would guess annually. Again the bread is placed in rows by hand, customers then come in and search through the box, handle a few loaves and select the ones they prefer. If we buy bread at the market, there is no way to estimate the number of hands, which have touched each loaf.
Linda and I buy very little of the round bread. It is difficult to toast, and we like the traditional slices for sandwiches. The purchased bread is a little chewy, but if warm, can be okay. When visiting in a home we can tell immediately if a woman bakes her own bread by the texture.
We have a market, which has someone prepare bread in what we would call a traditional loaf, and I pay 30 qepek for it. When it is fresh, it is great for our lunchtime sandwiches. Linda says all bread is good if you put peanut butter on it.
There are also many buns sold in the markets, and they are all very sweet. We have purchased and tried to use for sandwiches and hamburger buns, but the taste is just too sweet. They are primarily snack breads.
A week ago, we cooked our own hamburger buns, and I must say they were wonderful!
During the winter and spring months we have been able to purchase a whole grain bread, and if fresh is very good. I found a rye like bread, but only have seen it occasionally.
I think we sometimes dream about those homemade rolls and crescent rolls that are brought to basket dinners in Missouri – our friends, please make note.