Postcard from Bishkek

I had been out of the office attending some meeting or other, and when I got back I was told, (as, indeed, often happens), that all the time I had been away the phone hadn’t stopped ringing with people wanting, (or needing (!)), to speak with me.

Well, I thought to myself, someone’s presumably exaggerating and there were probably just one or two calls.  Then, Lisa gave me a pile of message slips and I had to admit that there had indeed been a few more phone calls than usual.

Perhaps the most intriguing of all those slips simply said “Someone is coming to see you” … It was from a colleague in another tour company and I wondered what on earth it could be possible be about, but rather than waste trying to second guess the mysterious meaning behind the cryptic message, I got on with trying to clear the rapidly mounting paperwork off my desk.

After about an hour, a young man appeared and asked to see me, announcing that he had been sent by my colleague.

“Oh, yes!  You are expected,” I said, “but please tell me, what’s it all about?, What can I do for you?”

Well, it turned out that he and some friends have started a small business … and he thought it may be of interest to our clients.  Now, to be honest, I have met many budding entrepreneurs who have approached me with more or less the same line … and over the years I have also been asked to judge “Business Plan” competitions and so I have seen my fair share of “promising” ventures.  Like most of them, this one started from a simple idea but it struck me as different … for several reasons.

He introduced me to their product – Toi Talkan.  Toi being basically a celebration or feast and Talkan … well, I had forgotten but he reminded me that it was a flour made from ground cereals such as wheat, barley or corn.   It is the classic ingredient in several Kyrgyz dishes and drinks, and Toi Talkan was one such cake, biscuit or sweet, which has been made by generations over the centuries.

The recipe is actually very simple, there are only three basic ingredients: the talkan, butter and honey.  In olden times the nomads would grind the grain into a flour and when travelling would mix it with water, (or milk), and honey – a bit like a breakfast cereal or porridge – to give a simple but filling and nourishing meal whilst on the move.  The stories of many travelers through Central Asia, (particularly Peter Fleming and Ella Maillart), tell how they survived on this sort of fare during their expeditions.

I don’t know when, or who it was that first thought of the idea of making a small cake from the flour and honey and frying it in butter, however, the idea caught on and many of the Kyrgyz that I know and have talked to about this, tell me how they recall their grandmothers making this treat – and when I give them one of the bars to try they tell me how it brings back evocative memories.

As I said, it’s a simple idea … but one with plenty of potential.  What’s more, it’s tasty, a good source of energy and uses local ingredients which are “ecologically pure”

One of the other reasons I like this project was that they had managed to get past the basic “concept” stage, where someone has an idea, albeit a good idea, but no-one has the energy or insight to take it further.   What’s more, they seemed to have avoided another common pitfall, by keeping their feet well and truly on the ground instead of being overwhelmed by enthusiasm and trying to do to too much too soon.

They started by getting their product certified … and fitting out a small production line including purchasing special packaging equipment to wrap their bars in foil to help seal in the freshness.  At the moment, they only produce two lines – one made from barley and the other from sweetcorn, but they have plans for future expansion.  As well as increasing their production runs, they hope to introduce new lines; for example from wheat, or incorporating locally produced fruit and nuts in the same style as Muesli Bars.

 

Personally, I quite like the idea of the fruit and nut combinations … it’s a question of taste and I think that the fruit and nuts would add to the variety of both tastes and textures.

As it happens, it’s that time of year again – Spring, when the flowers start blooming and people take to the streets dressed casually for the warmer weather and the Shoro stands appear at street corners. which provide a refreshingly healthy and tasty drink on hot summer days and during the summer months I often start my day with a glass of Shoro rather than a cup of coffee.  Now, although I happen to like Maksym Shoro, I know many visitors and ex-pats who describe it as “an acquired taste” – one which they have yet to acquire, even if I have done so.

 

 

Tags: Food and Drink, Kyrgyzstan