The Master Artisan
Fergana Valley, Uzbekistan 2012
We visited many artisans during our days in Fergana Valley. This man is a master knife maker. He sat at his workbench to demonstrate. He must have explained but I don’t remember what he said. I was too busy trying to get a good shot. I did pay attention when he showed us how sharp his knives were. Dangerously sharp! I bought a small one but hesitate to use it because I am prone to cutting myself and that knife would slice right through a finger with the least effort. It is a work of art with a brass handle in an abstract duck shape and I put it with my Indian nutcracker another (in my hands) potentially lethal tool.
Tea in an Uzbek Garden
As we were learning about knives, daggers and swords, tea was being laid on in the garden. Serving tea is part of every visit to an Uzbek home. I knew that, but I couldn’t help feeling flattered and pleased.
Gardens in Uzbek culture made me think of Paradise. Often there was a small pool, like those goldfish ponds that were popular when I was a child. Various fruit trees provided shade as well as fruit such as persimmon, pomegranate. Grape vines trailed over latticework arbors. Shards of golden sunlight pierced the shade. Who wouldn’t be flattered and pleased to have tea in an Uzbek garden?
I poured myself a cup of tea and was just getting ready to eat some fruit when we were called away by our guide. We had other places to visit.
To enjoy your own tea in an Uzbek garden contact: www.uzbekjourneys.com
Rosemary, did you see a variety of nuts over there to go with the fruit and tea? Just wondering what kinds are grown there. J.
Hi, Jerry.
I don’t recall eating many nuts when we were there, but pistachios and walnuts grow wild in Uzbekistan and they are cultivating pecans and hazelnuts. The tea table contained the kernels of apricot seeds. Torie and I were under the impression that they contain cyanide and we didn’t take any. I’ve looked it up and those seeds and many others do contain cyanide and can harm or kill a person depending on the amount eaten. In general, the food of Kyrgyzstan was superior to the food of Uzbekistan in my opinion. Kyrgyzstan is not a desert and dairy products, rich and creamy, were truly farm fresh.
Thanks for checking my site.
Rosemary