Azerbaijan country of eastern Transcaucasia. Bounded by the Caucasus mountains on one side and the Caspian Sea on the other, it is a country full of beautiful and diverse landscapes. Azerbaijan also offers an interesting mix of tradition and modernization. The capital city, Baku, is a perfect example of this mix. Here, you’ll find an architectural mix of East-meets-West. One minute, you can be staring at modern shiny modern skyscrapers and the next, at a medieval walled old town steeped in history.

Quick Facts about Azerbaijan

• Capital City: Baku
• Language: Azerbaijani
• Currency: Azerbaijani manats (AZN)
• Climate: Dry sub-tropical climate
• Best Time to Visit: April to June and September to October
• Fun fact: Fine horses and caviar are two of the countries big exports

Overview of Azerbaijani Cuisine

• Culinary influences: Arabic, Turkish, Mediterranean
• Common ingredients:  Rice, seasonal fruit and vegetables, herbs
• National dish of Azerbaijan: Plov, which is a pilaf is characterized by saffron-flavoured rice cooked with aromatic herbs and varying meats or vegetables.

Popular Azerbaijani Foods

• Dovga– This traditional Azeri dish is a yoghurt soup that is served warm or cold, with rice, chickpeas and herbs.
• Qutab– A savoury pancake filled with either meat, cheese or spinach and eaten with a yoghurt sauce.
• Dolma– Dolma in Azerbaijan most commonly are made of grape leaves or cabbage stuffed with fillings such as rice, herbs, and meat. However, vegetarian/vegan dolma are also very popular.
• Pakhlava (Baklava)– This dessert may not be exclusive to Azerbaijan but it is very well-loved here. It is essentially layers of pastry stuffed with nuts or pistachios and coated with honey or syrup.
• Azerbaijani Sherbet- The most widespread drink in the country, it is a sweet, cold drink made by boiling water and infusing it with sugar and various fruits.

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