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Azerbaijan is one of the ancient hearths of world civilization. The Azerbaijani culture is rooted in depth of a thousand years. Herodotus, who lived in the 5th century B.C. and considered as a “Father” of history, wrote that cultural monuments existed in Azerbaijan since the oldest times. It is natural that antiquity and richness of cultural monuments led to rise of fundamental cultural heritage. Geographical location and historical diversity of our country played the big role in forming of this heritage.
Azerbaijan always attracted the foreign travelers by the enchantment of its nature, variety of relief, by the fact that it was a country of long-livers. Azerbaijan is the country of long-livers. The scientists tried to explain this by giving the various reasons. Some people explain it by favorable climate conditions, others – by mode of living, or by healthy food and healthy nutrition. Above mentioned reasons are affecting on man’s ability to work, vital functions and longevity indeed.
History of cooking is rooted in antiquity. The archeologists found various stone appliances for cooking in different regions of the country relating to the Stone Age. The stone axes, stone hammers, crockery and other stone kitchen-ware were found in the sites of dwelling of the primitive people. Azerbaijani cuisine is one of the leading world cuisines. Azeri cuisine is very popular among other oriental cuisines. Some dishes of it were included in the number of main components of some International cuisines. The national Azeri color is revealing itself in Azerbaijani cuisine. The hospitality at folk fests and wedding parties and wide choice of dishes that are served by hosts at the wedding parties and folk fests are visiting cards of Azerbaijani nation. Talish cuisine is one of the branches of Azeri cuisine.
Culture of cooking in Lenkoran-Astara region of Azerbaijan is ancient and rich. The stone fry pans, mortars, various choppers, earthenware crockery, shards of cups, personal vessels for water, antique pots, big earthenware pitchers of 3-1 centuries B.C. belonged to the ancient people were found during archeological dig.
There cooked 21 dishes only from rice, 23 dishes from meat, 7 dishes from fowl, 20 floury dishes, 9 fishy dishes in this region. Levenghi, which is one of the sorts of local dishes, is considered as one of the most delicious dishes. Besides there are known 8 sorts of ash, 5 sorts of kiukiu, 28 dishes from fruits, and different sorts of sirdag. Talish cuisine is different form cuisines of other regions by its richness. This thought can be confirmed by anyone who visited this land and partook of delicious dishes of this region.
Dishes:
° Pilaw: dashma pilaw, suzme pilaw, gara pilaw, doshama pilaw, shuyud pilaw, pahla pilaw, borani pilaw, larga pilaw, lentil pilaw, potato pilaw, haricot pilaw, rice halva, rice lokiu, rice firni (sweet rice porridge), white ash, cholmek pilaw, kellepacha pilaw etc.
° Fish dishes: girdabitch fish (Cisco with levenghi), fishy sirdag (especially from bream), roasted fish, balig-kebab, stewed fish, salty fish, fish baked in tandeer (oven made from clay), cheki girdabitch, caviar etc.
° Khurush (dishes cooked from meats, fowl and chicken): juja-kebab with levenghi, tas-kebab, chikhirtma, mukurtush, musamma, fisnjan, miutaljam, tursha-kebab, tike-kebab, lule-kebab, tava-kebab, giymeqatig, sebzi-govurma, shirin-govurma, shami, chelmek-kebab, pilaw alti (bald-coot, duck, yelba), djiz-biz, piti, kufta-bozbash, tike-bozbash, kellepacha, khash, giyme-badimdjan, badimdjan sirdag (egg-plant ragout), dolma in grape leaves, dolma in cabbage leaves, yelpenek dolmasi etc.
° Kiukiu: sebzi kiukiu, potato kiukiu, egg-plant kiukiu, walnut kiukiu, meat kiukiu.
° Floury dishes: hashil, dushbara, erishte, guymag, umadj, hangal, fasali, qutab etc.
Dairy dishes: bulama, sudlu ash, firni etc.
° Sweets: tiar-halva, halva umadj, shekerbura, pahlava, qandi kiulcha, shorechoreyi, bishi, bamiya, gurabiya, ziren chireyi, peshmek, madjum halva, samani halva etc.
Diversity of national cuisine, traditional ceremonies and customs, wedding ceremonies and folk fests make Azerbaijan more attractive.
In order to make this diversity enduring and long-living this diversity must be popularized, disseminated and supported.
Development of in-country tourism and one of its branches – cultural tourism open the wide access to researches and popularization of this rich heritage. Being the tourist company we are interested in organization of gourmet tours and in providing the qualitative tourist product.
Southern Tour
Friday
10:00-10:30 Assembly in front of McDonalds
10:30 Departure from Baku to Lerik
13:30 Arrival to Masalli
13:30-14:00 Visit Seyid Sadig sanctuary – Digah mosque (XVI century B.C.)
14:00-14:45 Lunch
14:45 Departure to Lenkoran
1630 Arrival to Lenkoran
16:30-17:00 Visit the house of Mirmuhammed khan
17:00-17:30 Visiting and shopping at artisan exhibition
17:30 Departure to “Mashabeyi” family-resort center
18:30 Accommodation at “Mashabeyi” family-resort center
18:30-19:30 Spare time
20:00 Dinner and testing of 21 dishes and drinks of Talish cuisine.
Saturday
09:30-09:45 Breakfast
09:45-10:45 Visiting Babagilda sanctuary
10:45-11:45 Arrival to Hudju village
11:45-12:45 Meet the dwellers of the village, making the acquaintance of local ceremonies and customs, and cuisine.
12:45 Collective participation in cooking the fishy dishes (girdabitch, levenghi, cisco, fishy sirdag and stewed fish) and lunch.
14;00 Participation in preparations to the rural wedding
° Participation in cooking the wedding party food.
° Acquaintance with various sorts of pilaw and direct participation in cooking the pilaw.
° Acquaintance with wedding ceremonies and customs
° Preparation of marquee etc.
° Decoration of bridegroom room
° Placing the dowry of bride
19:00 Returning to the resort.
20:00 Dinner
21:00 Entertainment program with participation of local folk ensemble
Sunday
08:00-09:00 Breakfast
09:00-10:00 Departure to Hudju village to the wedding party
10:00-18:00 Participation in the wedding party
° Photography and video filming
18:00 Departure to Baku
23:00 Arrival to Baku
This project became real owing to financial support of Open Society Institute – Assistance Foundation
www.osi-az.org | 
