Postcard from Bishkek

One of the fist Russian dishes I was served when I first came here back in the mid-90’s was a dish of Solyanka. This is a soup – which may be either Russian or Ukrainian in origin … no-one seems to know for sure – that is very popular throughout Russia and other former Soviet […]

We get some very strange questions from time to time … and one in particular sticks in my mind: “Can we get Pot Noodles in Bishkek?” For the record: Pot Noodle is a propriety brand of instant noodle – a snack food – available introduced into Britain by Golden Wonder in 1977.  They are available in a […]

Tonight is known in Mexico as the Night of the Radishes. The festivities associated with this event have been celebrated since 1897 in the main square of the city of Oaxaca and is usually attended by several thousand people. and has been described as one of the impressive Vegetable Festivals around the world. Craftsmen carve […]

Today happens to be International Day Against Pesticides. It is not an official UN recognized commemorative day, but was established by the 400 members of the Pesticide Action Network International, (PAN). Their aim was to draw attention to problems caused by production and use of hazardous chemicals used as pesticides in order to increase cop […]

Some people often express surprise when I mention that I have cooked a meal … “You cook?!”, they exclaim.  I am not sure what they think I do when it comes to feeding myself.  I suppose it is true that, there are times when I do go “out to dinner” more than I eat at home […]

The other day my neighbour brought a in jug and poured out its contents into several glasses which she then distributed around the office. The jug contained Compote – a traditional fruit drink – which she had just finished making and wanted to show off.  It was still warm.  When we had dutifully drunk our […]

Last week, I saw an interesting news item … announcing the establishment of a new fish farm in the Naryn Region where they are “growing” Rainbow Trout which aims to produce between five and six tons a year. When I first came to Bishkek I was sent to go and buy some fish.  Now, I […]

Summer has come … and gone, but it’s the nature of life in the twentieth century that we live in a global village where the seasons are not marked in the same way as it used to be: Strawberries at Christmas and Maksym all year round. Another refreshing summer drink is Kvass – a fermented drink […]

I wrote a postcard the other about potatoes I bought in Kochkor whilst I was on my way back from Naryn.  Potatioes are a really versatile crop and can be cooked in all sorts of ways: boiled, mashed, baked, fried, roast … and so on. The standard, of course is boiling – clean and peel the potatoes, […]

A week ago I was driving back from Naryn and as we drove through Kochkor, there were sacks of potatoes stacked by the roadside.  We stopped and had a look.  The potatoes had just been dug out from the ground, and the they were a good size and shape.  We asked how much and for […]