Bostanlyk Ancient Almond Varieties

At Uzbekistan’s northern borders with Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan lies Chatkal valley, crossed by the ancient Silk Road linking Asia with Europe. This area is where the domestication of many almond cultivars originated, including those varieties consumed around the world today. It is still possible to find both wild and cultivated almond trees in the country.
The Bostanlyk district, in the western Tien Shan region, ranks first for almond production in the entire country and boasts an impressive heritage of wild almond forests, which have still not yet been classified. High mountain ranges act as barriers to protect the Bostanlyk district from the cold winds blowing from the northwest but the area is completely open to the western winds bringing moisture from the Caspian Sea. This climatic complexity creates exclusively favorable conditions for the growth of the most thermophilic species of almond.
The Shreder Research Institute, which specializes in studying almond trees, is located in this region and has so far identified more than 50 sweet and bitter almond varieties. It selects the best varieties, beginning with wild ones. But there is still an enormous amount of work to do.
Unfortunately the ancient forests of wild almond trees have been severely affected by large-scale felling for use as winter fuel and the sale of timber. The periods of greatest crisis were during the last world war and also during the recent political crisis leading to independence. Progressive deforestation has caused a sharp reduction in the biodiversity of almond trees and other species. Recently, in collaboration with the Presidium producers, the authorities have elaborated a program for the conservation of the genetic heritage of wild almond trees.
The almond tree is important not only for the landscape of Uzbekistan, but also for local culture and economy.The almond makes up a intrinsic part of life in the Bostanlyk settlements.
Traditionally almonds were ground in a wooden mortar and mixed with honey (sugar is now more often used) to produce shirilik, a sweet product still made today (frequently with added walnuts) for festive occasions. Almonds may be toasted, transformed into tolkun—ground fresh almonds used at the table or as an ingredient in cakes, desserts and cookies (a more recent tradition) or crushed to produce bitter almond oil. Those living in Brichmulla use old recipes for cooking and produce the almond sweet called “khashtak”, produced from kuraga (dried and stoned native apricot varieties), raisins, honey and almonds and/or walnuts. Khashtak is used for family consumption or sold at the Tashkent market (Uzbekistan’s capital). Today producers are writing up a traditional recipe collection containing all the uses of the different almond varieties.