By Humaira
This blog has been in existence for over five years because of you - my readers. Your words of support, encouragement and gratitude has fueled my search for interesting recipes, stories and cultural tidbits that makes Afghanistan so unique.
In an effort to keep fresh, I’ve recently revamped the blog - new site, new photos, new categories (vegetarian and gluten free). I hope the new structure makes it easy to find recipes and engages you further in learning about Afghanistan. During this process, we’ve experienced a few technical difficulties - if you’ve been spammed, please accept my apology.
I would like to give back to you, my readers, a special gift of two copies of Book of Photographs by my photographer friend Joe Hoyt, who traveled in Afghanistan from 1970-1975.
Seven years ago, I met Joe when we were panelists at an event in San Francisco. When I first saw Joe’s photos, I was brought to tears. Through his small lense, he has captured the Afghanistan I once knew, “From an Era of Peace”, so perfectly named.
Praise for Joe’s work:
“For years now, Afghanistan has become synonymous with the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and terrorism. But it wasn’t always so. For most of the previous century, Afghanistan lived in peaceful anonymity. It was a magnet for travelers who came to see the rugged beauty of the land, to walk along the old Silk Route, and to meet its kind and hospitable people. Joe Hoyt’s lens gloriously brings back this bygone Afghanistan. In his photos, we get a glimpse of a land that was once a meeting point of cultures, a link between east and west. He captures the raw, ethereal beauty of this land, a taste of its prosperous history, and the unique spirit of its proud and resilient people. What’s more, looking at Hoyt’s photographs of this happier era, the suffering and tumult that the Afghan people have endured since is made more personal. The toll of the tragedy becomes palpable. This is testament to Hoyt’s skills as a photographer as well as his personal affection for this war-scarred land and its people”
To enter for the giveaway, write a comment at the bottom of this post saying how you came across this blog and name your favorite Afghan dish. The deadline for entering is Monday December 1st, midnight Pacific Daylight time. All entries must be a subscriber to this blog and a US resident, (apologies, we are not able to ship books outside the US). All entries will be entered into a random drawing and there will be two winner. You will receive one entry for each of the following - leaving a comment here, following me on Twitter and Instagram. You must be a subscriber to this blog and must be 18 years and older to win.