Join us at LAPL Central as we return for the Fall season with Feride Buyuran on “Food of Azerbaijan: From the Silk Road to Today.”

Azerbaijan is bounded by the Caspian Sea and Caucasus Mountains, which span Asia and Europe. Azerbaijani cuisine as we know today evolved gradually over the centuries as new ingredients and techniques were introduced as a result of cultural exchange between East and West. Feride walks us through the evolution of the cuisine, highlighting the role of the Silk Road in the formation of the local food scene, the dramatic impact of sovietization on the country’s traditional cuisine, as well as the revival of long-forgotten foods and culinary practices after independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991.

About the speaker:

Feride Buyuran was born and brought up in Baku, Azerbaijan and moved to the United States at the age of 24. She is the author of Pomegranates & Saffron: A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan and the writer behind the blog www.AZcookbook.com, where she shares recipes and stories from her native Azerbaijan and beyond. Feride holds BA and MA degrees in English and Literature from the University of Languages in Baku and an MBA from California State University, Long Beach.

A reception with themed refreshments will follow the talk at approximately 11:30am.

Free and open to the public!