Of course the food, drink, and sharing of meals has been an important part of our journey. Above is traditional dance and costume at a Azerbaijani restaurant I visited for a work function. It really helped to have our Azerbaijani friends show us how to order and get the most out of our dining experiences in restaurants. And, we shared a few meals in our friends’ homes, which was extra nice. Below is a beautiful plate of grilled lamb, chicken, lamb and beef kebabs, potatoes, and eggplant.

We had a huge dinner at Nurlan’s house with his sister and mother. We had vegetables stuffed with meat, and the rice dish Plov, and a variety of salads. It is common to serve fresh herbs that you eat simple and raw. I have always appreciated tea, but learned a greater appreciation for it in Azerbaijan where it is a huge part of the culture.

Here the tea is made in a samovar, which maintains both hot water and hot concentrated tea. They are heated with burning wood. We had a nice meal with Nick, who brought us to this neat outdoor restaurant. Below is Turkish coffee.

We loved breakfast in Azerbaijan. Above with some American friends who introduced us to the big breakfasts and below at our neighborhood favorite. That breakfast below with a big pot of tea costs $18.

We lived in trendy neighborhood and this lovely breakfast was just down the block. Below, Nazim brought me to many nice restaurants. This is a fish restaurant overlooking the Caspian sea with our friend Bagush.

Many or most restaurants in Azerbaijan feature small dining rooms for private parties. Here we are celebrating Ibrahim’s birthday. Below, we are at a great outdoor restaurant.

Above, we enjoyed an exceptional lamb feast. Nice to see how the kitchen works. Below is the traditional dish Piti. You start by pouring the top layer of broth over the bread and then empty the rest of the lamb stew into your bowl.

There are Persian, Turkish, and Russian influences on the food, which was really nice. Below, Michelle and I are having delicious borscht.

We found our Macedonian friends living in Baku and had a great traditional Macedonian meal with Blazhe and Jasmina. We will visit with them in Macedonia on our way home.

Fast food – I guess I ate all my doners before I could take a picture. Its amazing that I did not get a picture, considering how many doners I ate, but the great majority were eaten standing up. But, I really liked the Gutab which is like a quesadilla in concept but different in texture and taste.

Above, we are eating Gutab roadside- on our trip to Sheki and here with Andrew and Nick in Ganja. Below, Nick and I taking advantage of the cafe culture in Baku and trying the traditional shisha.

I ate alone quite a bit, so when I had friends to eat and drink with I made the most of it. Curt, Nurlan, me, and Nick at NZS a local brewery since 1997. There must have been 400 people there enjoying the beer, all men.