Baku’s cuisine lures gourmets

Although well known in business circles for its large reserves of oil and gas, Azerbaijan, along with its cosmopolitan capital Baku, has recently drawn wider international attention with three prestigious events.

As the 2011 winner of the Eurovision Song Contest Baku gained the right to host this year’s contest, which was held in August in the purpose-built Crystal Palace. And national football teams converged on the capital for the FIFA Women’s World Cup from September 22 to October 13, and once again spectacular images of the waterside city were broadcast around the world tempting travellers to discover more.

In the lead-up to these events, Azerbaijan’s central government has poured millions into the city, turning it into an European-styled capital on the Caspian Sea, complete with stately buildings, wide boulevards, luxury hotels and a tree-lined boardwalk. There is even a fleet of London-style, black cabs to ferry visitors around.

Further boosting international awareness of Baku, the UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) — an agency which aims to promote emerging destinations around the world through sustainable, responsible and accessible tourism — organised the “Flavours of the Silk Road” conference in the capital in September. The three-day international conference explored how local cuisine can be used to promote a destination and boost tourist numbers. This UNWTO initiative is working with countries and cities along the Silk Road — the historical trade route which once linked Europe to Asia — and has spotlighted Baku as a city with enormous tourist potential due to its cuisine.

Flavours of the Silk Road was held in the recently opened Jumeirah Beach Hotel. This luxurious setting, which boasts state-of-the-art conference facilities, seven restaurants and a spa, was a fitting venue and one which exemplified the changing needs of visitors to one of Central Asia’s fastest expanding cities.

In attendance, and showing their support, were Abulfaz Garayev, Azerbaijan’s minister for culture and tourism; Teleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UNWTO; and Mohammad Reza Rahimi, vice-president of Iran. They were joined by 20 international speakers, journalists from around the world, local food providers, restaurateurs, and students from the tourism faculty of Baku University.

“Travellers are increasingly attracted to destinations where there is the opportunity to experience unique and endemic gastronomic experiences,” explains Rifai, “and Azerbaijan’s capital Baku embodies this quality perfectly.”

Within the UNWTO’s framework of promoting countries which were once on the Silk Road through their gastronomy, Baku was highlighted due to its extraordinary cuisine and potential for providing unique dining experiences. Its strategic position in Central Asia, on what was a historical trade route to Europe, Turkey, China and India, allowed it to absorb influences from all these regions.

“Baku has been for centuries a melting pot of delicious flavours and culinary traditions which are begging to be explored,” Rifai says. “The UNWTO feels that Baku and the rest of Azerbaijan are the perfect destinations for travellers who thrive on discovering new tastes and immersing themselves in local food culture.”

Much of the conference was devoted to the importance that local gastronomy has for travellers when deciding on where to travel. Vittorio Castellani (aka Chef Kumalé) has been investigating food and travel trends for over fifteen years through his extensive journeys that have taken him to hundreds of counties worldwide. “There are now around one billion travellers each year, and more than 30 per cent of their travel expenditure is food-related,” he says. “With that figure expected to rise to 1.6 billion by 2030, and with increased interest in authentic gastronomic experiences, food will become a major draw.”

A strong trend which Chef Kumalé has seen develop is the way people eat while away from home. “Travellers’ tastes are becoming more sophisticated and where once tourists were happy to eat international or even fast food, today, they want to immerse themselves in unique, golden moments when hunger strikes,” he says. This trend has already been seen in Europe and North America with travellers showing increased interest in local food markets, visiting vineyards and olive groves and patronising restaurants that serve locally sourced ingredients, many of which may come within a 100-kilometre radius.

Turkish chef, Musa Dagdeviren, has spent 35 years promoting authentic Turkish cuisine through his three Ciya restaurants in Istanbul. Their emphasis on traditional regional Turkish cuisine has seen patronage increase dramatically as well as the associated economic benefits. “International travellers come to my Ciya restaurants with the promise that they will get a slice of real Turkish culture through dishes prepared by hand and with passion,” he says. “The ingredients and spices used in all the dishes are explained on the menu and additional information is provided by the wait staff. I’m usually around to talk to guests to help bring them closer to what Turkish food is all about.”

Azerbaijan, along with its capital, Baku, already has a rich gastronomic heritage. By using the ideas and concepts highlighted by the Flavours of the Silk Road conference, the local food scene will become a reason to travel to Baku.

The backdrop for enjoying the traditional cuisine and eating customs in Baku is also inspirational. Visitors will be immediately drawn to the historical town centre which has been listed as a World Heritage Site by the Unesco. Dating back to the 11th century and completely enclosed by crenellated defensive walls, Baku’s tangle of lanes house delightful sandstone buildings adorned with overhanging wooden balconies, quaint restaurants, tearooms, small mosques, hamams and the spectacular Shirvanshah royal palace.

The Baku outside the walls also begs to be taken notice of. What was once the Soviet quarter has seen a flamboyant regeneration, and today, the city boasts more glitz and glass than Las Vegas. Pricey restaurants, luxury-brand stores and showy VIP clubs have opened — the trappings of a city keen to attract those with cash to spend.

Further evidence of Baku’s economic awakening comes from the numerous new five-star hotels which have recently opened their doors. For years the Hyatt stood as Baku’s sole international hotel. Now, no fewer than five new international hotel brands have opened properties of lofty proportions, including the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, Marriott, and the stunning Four Seasons with its enviable setting right on the water’s edge in the downtown area.

By far the most architecturally dramatic is the Fairmont Hotel, which will open in early 2013. Occupying the upper stories of one of the three high-rise Flame Towers which loom on a ridge overlooking Baku Bay, the design of the towers echoes Azerbaijan’s long cultural attachment to fire. The name Azerbaijan is derived from the ancient Persian word Atropatene, meaning, “land of fire”.

While Baku is keen to show its new face, the old walled town bears proof of the importance of the city when it fell on the Silk Road. It was here that the travelling merchants, carrying spices, cloth and merchandise, sought shelter. Their travels took them through Azerbaijan to other outposts as far away as Turkey, China, Korea and India.

Ancient caravanserais — the forerunners of modern hotels — dot the old city. In the Middle Ages, when the importance of the Silk Road was at the peak, weary merchants and their camels would spend the night in these simple accommodations. Each caravanserai is dominated by a central courtyard where the animals were kept, while the small, windowless cells which surround it were set up with beds and dining facilities for the weary travellers. Today, these well-preserved and highly atmospheric spaces have been converted into tearooms and restaurants, allowing 21st-century guests a unique opportunity to experience a slice of Silk Road life.

A good place to start is the Mugam caravanserai. Dating back to at least the 12th century, the central water well stands in the pretty, paved courtyard while the surrounding rooms, accessed through carved doorways, are set with tables and benches, covered with colourful Azerbaijani kilims. This unique setting is perfect to enjoy local delicacies. Traditionally, meals in Azerbaijan start with a wide selection of mezze — small dishes which can be shared with the other guests at the table. Favourites are stewed eggplant, goat’s cheese and black olives, diced cucumber and yogurt, chickpeas with tomato and coriander, and a red-pepper dip with crushed walnuts.

Mains at Mugam may include sabzi-govurma pilaf, an age-old dish which was quite likely a favourite with the camel owners who passed through centuries ago. Rice is stewed with lamb, onions, coriander and the green leafy vegetable dock to make a hearty and flavoursome meal. Make sure you also try Dushbar. These small fried dumplings are filled with spiced lamb and served with a tasty chicken broth.

Uniting all meals and social occasions, tea drinking is a ritual all over the country and highly enjoyable too. Opportunities abound to sit with the locals, with a tulip-shaped glass of tea. Many of the most pleasant tearooms, particularly when the weather is sunny, are set in gardens. Next to the 1,000-year-old Maiden Tower in Baku’s old town, in gardens filled with bougainvillea and crape myrtle, tables are set up in the shade — the perfect setting to spend time sipping this popular brew.

A popular local saying goes, “when you drink tea, you don’t count how many cups”, summing up nicely the joy the locals find in this pastime. Local tea varieties are flavoured with quince, cherry, peach, plum, strawberry, blackberry and grape jams. To make the aroma stronger cardamom leaves are often added, while for special occasions, including wedding feasts, the brew is infused with cinnamon and ginger. Complete the experience with a selection of Azerbaijani sweets. A national favourite, and one not to be missed, is Pakhlava — an extremely sweet, layered pastry filled with honey-soaked walnuts and almonds. It is a close cousin in both name and taste of the Turkish baklava but offers subtle differences in texture and flavour.

With the help of the UNWTO, Baku’s dining scene is ready to wow visitors with its rich gastronomic heritage. Get ready to indulge your taste buds with delicious central Asian cuisine served up in historical surroundings.

Scott Adams is a journalist based in Madrid.