There are plenty of stories, poems, sayings and proverbs glorifying the bread. It is valued not only for its nutritional properties. Bread is the reflection of singular national family traditions and sign of wellbeing. And what a table without desert?! Sweets left few indifferent making our lives sweet in all its senses.

One could get evidence of it in the Festival of Bread and Sweets where Uzbek flat cakes with crust, puffy round loafs, and savory baked goods were represented. Skilful bakers brought together in the festival at that day in order to demonstrate their mastery and delight people. There were great kinds of bread: “obi non”, “gijda non”, “shirmoy non”, the Samarqand, Khorazm flat cakes, the Tashkent and Qo’qon patirs “jizzali non”, “piyozli non”, “lochira”, “qatlama”, “gilmindi”, “yupqa”, “varaqi”, “qovurma chuchvara”, “somsa” and eastern sweets – “pashmak”, “chak-chak”, “bo’ghirsoq”, “o’rama”, “parvarda”, “novvot”.

“We intend to demonstrate what the Uzbek culinary is capable to,” comments the chef from the Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan Ozodjon Ominjonov.

The private firm Muntazam from Qo’qon laso represented its assortment in the festival. According to the head of the firm Muazzam Sulaymonqulova, baking turned their family business based on the traditions of their forefathers. Actively participating in various review-contests the firm was marked with a number of certificates and diplomas. This family business also received a grant from the Mehr Nuri Fund.

The Association of Bread Producers Toshkent-non presented their bakery and pastry products, as well as exemplary mahallas of the capital, national cultural centers, cafes, restaurants, hotels and individual entrepreneurs from towns and regions of the country. Visitors could taste bread and sweets at tables of Russians, Ukrainians, Poles, Uyghurs, Tajiks, Azerbaijanis, Tatars and others. 

“We have presented more than 30 kinds of bakery and pastry made by women of the center,” tells the head of the Azerbaijan national cultural center Mobil Mamedov. “Visitors can get acquainted with out national cuisine, try lavash, widely-known pakhlava with nuts made of 8 layers of pastry and dressed with honey.”

“We are happy to participate in this festival where one has got the opportunity to comprehend traditions and cultures of other people who in live peaceful coexistence,” says the representative of the Russian cultural center in Tashkent Tatiana Chabrova. “For another time we are eager to show the openheartedness of Russians by treating guests with our national bread and sweets.”

Within the festival on the result of the review-contest the winners were awarded in various nominations: “Forgotten recipes” – cooks from Khorazm region, “Best theme table” – mahalla Bogh ko’cha of Shayhontohur district, Tashkent, “Best ethnical cuisine” – Azerbaijan national cultural center, “Best somsa baker” – Association of Chefs of Uzbekistan and others.

The festival organized by the SUE Intourist Tashkent at Uzbekturizm NC, Ministry of Culture and Sports, Tashkent city administration, International Charity Fund Oltin Meros, as well as other organizations and ministries has turned the bright event in the cultural life of the capital. 

“I take a true delight with this festival. In several hours I managed to get acquainted with the Uzbek cuisine and try the popular plov,” shared the impressions the tourist from South Korea Sodjong Kim. “Wish plenty of similar events. They are of interest of both locals and foreign tourist.”

“Festival of Bread and Sweets favors the popularization of national traditions, preservation of intangible cultural heritage of peoples. Here we see significance and complexity of bakers’ job. Besides, it is a good opportunity to support small enterprises in the Year of Small Business and Private Entrepreneurship,” underscores the event organizer, head of the SUE Intourist Tashkent at Uzbekturizm NC Jamila Mirzarahmetova. “We believe this festival will initiate a kind tradition of organization of the event annually.”