The Silk Road is not your average A44 from here to somewhere else you don’t particularly want to be. No, it is resplendent with glamour and history, a route of dreams enhanced by tales of heroes and wealth beyond the reach of mere Kings. It is seven thousand kilometres of trading route between China, Asia and Europe, passing through some of the world’s most interesting countries. It has existed since before Christ and is still the road where adventurers can find something of the excitement of travel in centuries past. To follow the Silk road will stay with you for ever, it is not a day trip to the coast!
Five hundred and fifty kilometres of the Silk road pass through Armenia, taking the traveller from Georgia to Iran, through regions travelled for centuries such as Meghri and the Selim mountain pass. This part of the route is a glimpse of real history, reflected in the traditional foods that are eaten by the local people. I haven’t yet been to visit Armenia, but I am looking forward to going and will snap photos of all the interesting dishes I taste whilst there. As a sample though, if you go you can expect a diet based on lamb, aubergine and lavash – a delicious flat bread traditionally
made by rolling out the dough and cooking it quickly on the hot walls of a clay oven. When dry it can be stored for almost a year and is easily rehydrated with a sprinkle of water. I am looking forward to trying this bread very much.
image courtesy Wikipedia, user Eaeeae
Byorek is another dish that I’m looking forward to eating. Also called Khachapuri these are phyllo pastry pies filled with cheese or spinach and covered in seeds. Of course, with the Silk Route reaching over so many countries the cuisine will be influenced to some degree by the foods of neighbouring states. This makes the food on the Silk route a glorious mix. It makes it hard to say what I will experience or what you would like most if you visit.
Prepare for a visual feast when I return. Photos and videos will make the Silk road sing and the food jump out and make you want to visit just to try some of the delicacies I blog about!
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