Crossroads of Cuisine (original) (raw)

2020, Crossroads of Cuisine

vii Contents Contents First of all, we (Buell and Anderson) thank our families, including our wives Ngan Le, who helped edit this volume, and Barbara Anderson and our children, and the dogs Kit, Kangal, and Sage. Among other people, we first thank young Leonor Abril, daughter of our co-author Montserrat de Pablo, who saved us from a major error when we identified a yak hybrid, which she was "studying in school," as just a yak, after it had gone to such great trouble to introduce itself to authors Buell and de Pablo from a large Mongolian rock in the early evening. Special thanks go also to our many Kazakh and Mongolian contacts. Among the former is Prof. Dosymbek Qatran, of the Kazakhstan Central Museum, and, especially, among the latter, the untiring Prof. Batdorj Batjargal, of the Mongolian State University. She was our guide for the interior parts of Mongolia, including Qaraqorum, and a co-witness when we encountered that large yak hybrid and took its picture. Also special thanks to Bayarsaikhan Dashdondog, our qatyn, for making things happen. Likewise special thanks goes to our other coauthor Moldir Oskenbay, of Almaty, and Madison, Wisconsin, for assistance above and beyond. She not only helped us in writing Kazakh sections of this book, but also assisted us with source material, including her wonderful translations, and was always forthcoming when questions needed to be answered. Moldir was likewise an enthusiastic guide for authors Buell and de Pablo as they went around the Almaty food markets and restaurants, and a gratious hostess for a dinner that included Kazakh horse meat sausages as well as the fabled Kazakh wild strawberries (the büldirgen of our song). Köp rakhmet also to our gabiyatan Angela Schottenhammer, of the University of Salzburg, who has been universally supportive and encouraging, and to ever helpful Hyunhee Park, who took the Buells around Korea and has answered so many questions since. Also to Elizabeth Brite, Douglas Futuyma, and Mark van Biers. Also to our friend Charles Perry for his advice and to many hosts in Mongolia and Kazakhstan. xi Illustrations The Orkhon inscriptions, Tonyukuk's grave 91 The steppe and Tonyukuk's grave 92 Mongol inscription from Qaraqorum 132 The Egyptian or Spice Market in Istanbul 138 The Egyptian or Spice Market in Istanbul 138 Spices and dried foods for sale in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia 139 Milking mares 143 Grut 154 Sweet Börek 157 Sour soup 158 Tutumash 160 Güllach 160 A modern Mongolian still of metal 167 38-42 The feast at Moldir Oskenbay's house in Almaty 243-244 Kazakh qara qazan (black pot) 246 Bread 247 Bauyrsaq 248 Qattama 250 47-53 A still and the making of cow's milk vodkha 260-261