A NATION ON A PLATE Azerbaijan
The Azerbaijani table is a colourful amalgamation of dishes and ingredients — some fiercely local, some influenced by years of Turkic, Anadolu, Iranian and Eastern European influence.
The country’s nine climactic zones gift the people with a bounty of fresh produce — including peaches, pomegranates, apples, figs, saffron and sweet peppers. While sheep and cattle raised on the steppe contribute meat and dairy, a variety of fresh seafood is drawn from the Caspian Sea, and vast grasslands and a rice belt furnish the country with its grains. Saffron-in fused plov (pilaf), the king of Azerbaijani cuisine, is always centre-stage, its courtiers a cast of grilled kebabs, skewered meats, dolma and cold salads. These are often accompanied by a glass of Azerbaijani wine or sherbet, a
