If you’re interested in Central Asian biodiversity and its products you might enjoy some recent photographs of mine from Tashkent’s central fruit and veg market. And if you recognize something interesting, and know its local name, do please leave a comment.
Turkey making the most of its agrobiodiversity
I’m off for a few weeks’ holiday soon, but I couldn’t go without some reflections on my recent trip to Uzbekistan, via Turkey. I’ll post some photos from the main market in Tashkent later, but in the meantime, here’s a very rapid agrobiodiversity trifecta from a day’s transit in Istanbul.
First, I haven’t been in Turkey for a while, and I don’t remember vişne, or sour cherry, juice been available so readily commercially in cartons a few years back, along with more common staples like orange and apple juice. It’s delicious. Has anyone seen it in Europe?
Secondly, I was intrigued and impressed by the marketing work being done on the hazelnut. Turkish Airlines doesn’t give out peanuts with its drinks. It gives out attractive packets of dry hazelnuts. Again, very tasty, and a nice way of promoting local agrobiodiversity.
And finally, good to see salep, a traditional drink made from ground up orchid bulbs, on sale at the airport, and indeed featured in the in-flight magazine. Great to warm up after a morning wandering around Istanbul in a rainstorm.
Featured: Potato germplasm online database
Dirk Enneking has some advice for CIP on their new germplasm databases:
For an outsider there are several obstacles ie. too much choice, too many clicks with a mouse button, in order to get any real joy out of this rather obscure database (we all know potatoes are an important food, though).
What do you think?
Nibbles: Aquaculture, Pilchards et al. protected, Mongolian nomads, Tropical wine
- FAO on climate change and aquaculture.
- Cornish sardines sigh huge sigh of relief at attaining EU protection.
- “Planned activities include supporting small businesses, improving access to local and regional markets and reintroducing abandoned traditions such as felt-making for clothing and yurts.” Sounds like a barrel of laughs.
- “…patronizing our local fruit wines also means helping small farmers and communities that are collecting the fruits used for making these wines.” Anybody try this?
CIP to provide way out of root and tuber genebank database hell?
The International Potato Center (CIP) has announced the launch of two databases. One is on its potato and sweetpotato genebank holdings, and the other on advanced potato varieties and clones. Will their usability and content satisfy Jeremy? Do they satisfy you? Check them out and let us know what you think, we promise to pass the message on.