Happy Novruz! Happy Spring! Happy New Beginnings!

March 19, 2013 | Posted in Holidays | 8 Comments

Spring is here and it means Novruz to Azerbaijan and several other countries around the world. It is time to celebrate the arrival of spring, the nature’s awakening, new life [...]

Happy Novruz! Happy Spring!

March 19, 2012 | Posted in Holidays | 6 Comments

Meltem holding a plate with sprouted wheat, Semeni, symbol of Novruz.
Dear friends of AZ Cookbook! Happy Novruz to you, happy Spring to you! May this holiday bring you happy [...]

Happy New Year!

December 29, 2011 | Posted in Holidays, Misc | 16 Comments

Photo courtesy:  My friend Rovshana Samadova. Taken in Washington D.C. Rovshana didn’t know it would end up on my blog, but as an avid hunter for anything pomegranate I spotted [...]

Shorgoghal - Spice-Filled Flaky Breads for Novruz

March 17, 2011 | Posted in Breads & Savory Bakes, Holidays | 24 Comments

Along with scrumptious multi-layered pakhlava (baklava) and tender nut-filled shekerbura, spice-infused flaky bread shorgoghal (alternative spelling: shor goghali) is another irresistable edible attribute of Novruz. In fact,  the three are [...]

Happy International Women’s Day!

March 7, 2011 | Posted in Holidays | 10 Comments

Happy International Women’s Day to all my lady readers and their loved ones! Wishing you all a life as beautiful and colorful as this rose.

Happy New Year & Solidarity Day!

December 29, 2010 | Posted in Holidays | 8 Comments

Hey, friends. Just wanted to wish you all a very Happy Near Year. I wish you only the best, which includes health, happiness, luck, tons of joy, great friendships, realization [...]

Shekerbura - Making a Novruz Dessert Step by Step

March 12, 2009 | Posted in Desserts, Holidays | 85 Comments

If Samani is a green symbol of Novruz, two desserts, Pakhlava (baklava) and Shekerbura, are the spring holiday’s sweet symbols. No Novruz table is complete without these delicious nut filled [...]

Novruz is knocking at the door, Samani is growing…

March 6, 2009 | Posted in Holidays | 37 Comments

This is my daughter Meltem, holding samani, symbol of spring
The month of March holds a very special place for Azerbaijanis. It is the month when Novruz, a spring holiday, is [...]

Prunes Dipped in Chocolate - Happy Women’s Day!

March 8, 2008 | Posted in Desserts, Holidays | 2 Comments

Today is the 8th of March - International Women’s Day. I don’t think it is celebrated in the US, but in Azerbaijan it is big. Good for women, bad for [...]

Spring is in the air & so is Novruz!

March 3, 2008 | Posted in Holidays, Misc | 9 Comments

Spring is coming. With its colors, liveliness and freshness. Where I live we’ve been seeing trees blooming and hearing birds chirping for quite some time already. I took a picture [...]