Our first course began with mare's milk, usually given to men and camel's milk, usually given to women. Slava ordered two bowls of it and left it for us to try as he went to get his wife and children. Grazina was eager to try it, so we allowed her the honors. Lance went next. He was still smiling when he said this is the most awful stuff I have ever tasted, comforting both Robin and me,who had yet to taste it. Robin pointed to me, the birthday boy, to try next. So I did. Lance was right. Not even one to like cow's milk, I sipped the mare's milk-yogart gone bad mixed with horse sweat and camel's milk, a little stronger in taste. Then, we had green tea. I never thought I eat and vegetables, would appreciate tea so much.
When Slava and Zhanet arrived, we ordered a traditional Kazakh feast--Beshparmak, flat large noodles with slices of horse meat, lamb sausage with live, rice and other entrails stuffed into sheep intestines, noodle soup with
horse meat, lamb on the bone, Baursak, deep fried popover and Greek salad. It was all vert tastey--all firsts for me. After dinner, we were so full we all decided to go for a walk in one of the local parks. On the way to the park, Grazina bought a soda and a surprise--Kurt, small, marble shaped white treats. Lance tried one and immediately spit it out--too salty and smelled like old milk. Come to find out it's old milk, with a little flour, salt--all rolled into a ball and dried in the
sun for days. So we all shared a pack of gum and walked.
Indeed, it was a day of firsts and some lasts. Some of those tastes never leave...
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