A Smile in the Bread Aisle

Greasing Up

These women dug into this Active Fitness Cream jar to grease up the loaves of bread at the Samarkand train station. Made us think twice about buying shiny bread on the street. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.  

Pamiri Hospitality

We visited a traditional Pamiri home in the village of Langar, Tajikistan and were welcomed with fresh, homemade bread and warm milk literally straight from the cow (we saw her outside when we first walked in). The man seated was our host the previous night. He (and his children) have light hair and blue eyes, a visual surprise for us. We asked his roots and were told that Pamiris with lighter features are descended from Macedonians who settled in the area under Alexander the Great (300 BC). If true, those are some strong genes!Read more about our adventures in the Pamirs.  

Preparing a Feast

Women charbroil the head and feet of a goat as preparation for a traditional meal...head and legs soup...The oven is also used for baking bread. Dough is stuck to the side which is heated by steam from hot coals. Read more about our visit to Turkmenistan.  

Chapati Master

Head chef Rajan Sharma watches his chapati master give us a lesson in how to make chapatis at the Dera Restaurant , Taj Hotel Chandigarh (India). © www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Breadworks

Nan (flat, round loaves) and girde nan (bagel-shaped bread) are stacked fresh from the oven. Taken in Kashgar, China.© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Tea Break

An older Uighur man takes a tea break from animal trading at the animal market in Kashgar, China. The bagel-shaped bread is called girde nan..© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Our Interpreter

This woman befriended us and turned into our impromptu interpreter (Tajik to Russian) at Varzob Bazaar. By the end of our visit, she was inviting us back to her house. Taken in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Bread Run

Waiting for freshly baked nan (Uighur flat bread baked in a tandoor-like clay oven) in Kashgar, China..© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Herbed-Laced Bread

Spring onions are baked into this flat bread at the market in Nukus, Uzbekistan. Read more about our visit to Uzbekistan and tourism in Uzbekistan.  

Baking Heat

Bread vendors mind the afternoon heat in Shakhrisabz, Uzbekistan. For more reading on Uzbekistan:www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/11/a-real-peek-at-uzbekista...www.uncorneredmarket.com/2007/11/uzbekistan-overchargistan/  

Hot From the Oven

A young baker stacks up Kyrgyz-style bread (nan) fresh from a tandoor oven in Bishkek.Read more about our visit to Bishkek and the rest of Kyrgyzstan.  

New York Bagels? No, Kashgar Girde Nan

An Uighur specialty, girde nan is a round bagel-like bread round baked in a clay, tandoor style oven. Delicious, especially the dark crust on the underside. Kashgar, China..© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Lurking Behind Her Loaves

At first, this bread girl at the Varzob Bazaar hid behind her pile of loaves when the camera came out.Within a few minutes, she gained her confidence and turned into a ham. Amazing what a few smiles and encouragement can do. Taken in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.Dig deeper into Central Asian Cuisine and find out the best and worst of food and markets in the Caucasus and Central Asia.  

Staples: Tea and Bread

Tour around the high mountains of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan and this (and potatoes) is what you'll live on. The elevation makes it difficult to grow vegetables.© www.uncorneredmarket.com  

Bread Polish

In order to make the bread look fresh and tasty, vendors appear to polish and refresh them with oil or butter all day long. Osh, Kyrgyzstan.Read more about Kyrgyzstan's sights and cities.  

Bread for Sale

What you see is what you get at this bakery in Tbilisi where an example of the ubiquitous tonispuri is tacked above the door.