preparing food for winter

One thing Tajiks do to prepare for winter is becoming a lost art back at home, I am afraid: Canning food for winter. My Mom used to do a lot more when she had a larger garden and my Mother-in-law still does a lot so her kids who are away in summer can come home in winter and enjoy the fruits of the garden.

The women in our landlord's family were busy one day this week with the first round of canning. I had the chance to sit with them and cut up veggies for a big salad, as they call it. Looks more like something we'd use over pasta, but they eat it in winter as a salad. Here are some pictures of our work...


Cooking it over a fire...


And here are some pickled tomatoes and cucumbers...yummy!