Alexander Pryanikov, host of the “World Market” program on the “My Planet” channel , told AiF.ru why sellers should not be trusted, what river bugs taste like, and also remembered how he was poisoned by a sardine, almost saved a monkey and advised how to choose tomatoes and meat.
Sergey Grachev, AiF.ru: Alexander, you have filmed many programs about markets in different countries of the world. For some people, going to the market is stressful. For others it's an adventure. But in any case, this is a place where you always subconsciously expect some kind of catch. How to protect yourself from market fraud?
Alexander Pryanikov : No matter what the seller says: that he is your best friend, that he has the best fruits, that now you won’t find such a price anywhere, his goal is to sell you the goods. There is only one rule: listen to the seller with half an ear and decide for yourself. Success in the market depends on you, how much you understand the goods and can taste a mature product from an unripe one, a high-quality one from a low-quality one.
You have to be prepared for the fact that instead of three tomatoes they will give you five or slightly weigh them down. This is not the place to find fault with this. If we are talking about large sums, that’s a different matter. Count your change, as they say, without leaving the cash register.
In all markets in the world, there are cunning sellers. They understand that you, a white monkey, have come to them for a maximum of two weeks (if we are talking about a vacation). And even if you come to them 5-7 times, they know that you will still leave later. Therefore, cunning people behave as if you are their close relative. And then they will sell you something anyway. But a city man, when they call him brother and swear eternal friendship, can no longer say “no.”
Alexander Pryanikov. Photo: Frame youtube.com/ My planet
- Well, what if you go to the market not on vacation, but at your place of residence?
- That's another matter! Here you need to build trusting relationships. If the seller has been on the market for a long time and does not intend to leave tomorrow, his reputation is more important to him than the desire to sell stale goods. You can trust him. And if he offers Baku tomatoes, he must be telling a lie.
— How can they cheat with Baku tomatoes?
- Easily! If you are not a professor at an agricultural institute and have not been studying these tomatoes all your life, then, of course, you won’t be able to tell which ones are Baku and which are not by taste. All that remains is to trust. But there is a secret here too. The most delicious Baku tomatoes are grown in the village of Zira. So ask not just for Baku tomatoes, but for Ziryanov tomatoes. And sellers will take you seriously.
Are there tomatoes in ketchup? Expertise "AiF" Read more
History of Azerbaijani tomatoes
Tomatoes came to Azerbaijan from Russia, becoming, by coincidence, one of the leading agricultural crops.
Here is how it was. In the first third of the 18th century, the first tomato seedlings arrived in Russia, where they began to be grown as houseplants. By the middle of the same century, in some regions of the Russian Empire (Tavrida, Crimea, Georgia, Astrakhan), attempts were being made to plant them in the ground. This does not bring success, because... the fruits do not ripen.
In 1780, in the next batch of exotic food, the embassy in Italy sent several boxes of tomatoes to the table of Catherine II. The taste, and most importantly the appearance, of overseas fruits arouses the keen interest of the empress. She orders them to be supplied on an ongoing basis, and to think about growing them in the country.
Catherine the Great does not know that tomatoes have long been grown, albeit without success, on the territory of the Empire, and are called “love apples.”
In 1784, an article by the famous memoirist, part-time botanist and agronomist, Andrei Timofeevich Bolotov, “On Love Apples,” appeared in print. Where he writes about the benefits of tomatoes as a food component. By the beginning of the 19th century, Boltov developed a system for ripening and growing seedlings of tomatoes - the tomatoes were ready to win their place in the sun.
At the same time, epoch-making events took place in the south of the Russian Empire. In 1803, another Russian-Persian war began.
By 1806, Russian troops captured most of northern Azerbaijan, including Baku. And as a result of the Treaty of Gulistan (1813), the Baku, Ganja, Karabakh, Shirvan, Kuba, Sheki, Derbent, and part of the Talysh Khanates went to Russia.
Thus, on the one hand, the tomato was ready to become a significant food crop in the Empire, on the other, the opportunity opened up to sow lands with the most favorable climate for planting.
An important factor here was that 90% of the inhabitants of the new territories were fed from the land, and were themselves interested in new types of agricultural plants from the huge northern market. Tomatoes simply could not help but attract attention.
They were the first to be grown in the Kubin-Khachmaz zone, as the most suitable climate for Astrakhan, Gazakh, bordering Georgia, and in the village of Mashtaga, on the Absheron Peninsula.
Ask your grandmother: we twist the tomatoes to cook our favorite Yumurta tomato in winter
There is definitely still a month to buy a box of delicious Azerbaijani tomatoes. Rich, sweet, meaty, grown under the Absheron sun - it’s hard to imagine national Azerbaijani cuisine without tomatoes. Moreover, Baku tomatoes have become a brand valued by gourmets all over the world. The Baku tomato itself is already a self-sufficient dish; sprinkle it with salt and break off some fresh bread - a delight! If your grandmother prepared this kind of “fast food” for you, you definitely know a lot about tomatoes. So grab a box of tomatoes from the nearest vegetable shop and go to the kitchen - we’ll prepare tomato paste, adjika and canned peeled tomatoes.
In the new project “Ask Grandma” by Umico and Azersun, we talk about the main products of the national cuisine and share recipes that have been tested by more than one generation. Today we are making tomato rolls so that we can prepare the most popular Azerbaijani breakfast – tomato-yumurta – all winter long. And every week we hold a quiz in which you can win delicious gifts from the largest manufacturer and exporter of Azerbaijan - Azersun holding. So get ready to answer culinary questions correctly.
"Baku tomatoes"
Real Baku tomatoes cannot be confused with anything - sweet, juicy, as if filled with the sun of Azerbaijan. They have a thin peel, bright red color and a unique aroma. Although, to be precise, the best Azerbaijani tomatoes are not exactly Baku, but Zira. They are grown in the village of Zira, fifty kilometers east of the capital of Azerbaijan.
The concept of “Baku tomatoes” appeared in the late 60s and early 70s, when the Kosygin reform was carried out and agricultural enterprises had the opportunity to sell their own products. Stalls opened in cities and street trading began. In the suburbs of Baku there is the village of Mashtaga - it is located on an ancient caravan route and has always been successful in trade. Since the late 60s, the main goods on the Mashtagino market were flowers and tomatoes, which became famous throughout the Union. The tomatoes sold by Mashtagin residents were called “Mashtagin” or “Baki tomatoes” (Baku tomatoes) - this is how this name was assigned to the delicious Azerbaijani tomatoes.
The secret of the tomatoes' taste was that they were grown in open, brackish soil in the humid air of Absheron. A special feature of Mashtagin tomatoes were microscopic cracks at the base, through which moisture evaporated, so the taste became very concentrated and bright. By the way, the varieties that made Azerbaijani tomatoes famous are no longer grown.
Zira tomatoes
Today the best tomatoes are Zirinsky, as they are called in Baku; in other countries they are “Baku” tomatoes. These are the successors to the glory of Mashtagin tomatoes. Zira tomatoes are red, they are never large, have thin, dense skin and a sweet and sour taste. They have a lot of pulp, and when you cut them, you immediately feel a rich aroma - all this is due to the ideal conditions in which tomatoes are grown. The proximity of the sea and the presence of small salty reservoirs nearby made the soils around Zir unique for growing tomatoes, and tomatoes themselves became one of the main products of Azerbaijani cuisine. By the way, these tomatoes will always cost more than others. This is one of the reasons why they are not used for pickling and frying. Zira tomatoes go in salads and are delicious on their own. So seize the moment and enjoy these tomatoes now, and take other varieties to the kitchen for preparations.
Let's go to the kitchen
You can prepare a lot of dishes from tomatoes, but the most popular in Azerbaijani cuisine is considered tomato-yumurta (omelet with tomatoes), which has become a symbol of our breakfasts. In winter, you can also indulge in this gastronomic joy - just roll up the peeled tomatoes and open them whenever you want.
Peeled tomatoes
Tomatoes 3 kg, Salt
- Wash and peel the tomatoes.
- Place them in jars and add salt: for a liter jar - 1 teaspoon of salt. There is no need to sterilize the jars, just rinse them.
- Line a large saucepan with a kitchen towel and place jars of tomatoes in it. Fill with water so that it does not reach the top of the jars by 4-5 cm. It is important that water does not get into the jars during boiling.
- Keep over high heat until boiling. Once the water boils, reduce the heat and leave the pan for an hour. As the water boils away, add more from the kettle and constantly make sure that water does not get into the jars.
- Remove the jars from the water and close with pre-washed lids. There is also no need to boil the lids.
Yumurta tomato is prepared from peeled tomatoes. To do this, fry finely chopped onion, add chopped tomatoes to it and pour beaten eggs on top. Your tomato-yumurta omelette is ready! Tomato salad is also very popular - simply mix chopped onions, herbs and tomatoes and serve with various dishes, such as pilaf.
Tomato paste
Tomatoes 3 kg Red bell pepper 1.5 kg Hot pepper 3 pcs. (optional) Salt 1 tbsp.
- Wash and peel the tomatoes. To make this easy, leave the tomatoes in hot water, then make a cut in each and pull off the skin.
- Wash and remove seeds from the peppers.
- Pass the peppers and tomatoes through a meat grinder.
- Bring the resulting mixture to a boil over high heat until thickened. Add salt at the very end.
- Sterilize the jars by steaming and boil the lids. Spin the tomato paste and put it in the cupboard.
Tomato paste is added to almost every dish for a burst of color and flavor. Cook soups, pizzas and spaghetti with tomato paste; you can brush it on the bird before baking it in the oven.
Adjika
Tomatoes 2 kg Red pepper (focus on your taste preferences) Red bell pepper 2 kg Garlic 3 pcs. Salt 2 tbsp. Sugar 200 gr. Apple cider vinegar 100 ml.
- Wash the food, remove the seeds from the garlic and peppers; you don’t have to peel the tomatoes. Scroll everything through a meat grinder.
- Bring the mixture to a boil until it thickens. Remove any foam that appears during boiling. When the liquid on top becomes almost transparent, add sugar, salt, vinegar and boil a little more.
- Sterilize the jars and boil the lids. Twist the adjika and store it in the closet.
Adjika is an excellent sauce for many dishes. In Azerbaijan, a very popular appetizer of boiled lobia (beans) with adjika. It can be served with fried potatoes or pasta. Adjika is used to season soups and rub onto chicken before baking.
Tomatoes in Azersun products
Azersun is a true keeper of the traditions of national Azerbaijani cuisine; the secrets of favorite homemade dishes are preserved in the holding’s brands – Bizim Tarla, ZEYTUN BAGLARI, AZERÇAY, etc.
Bizim Tarla helps out women who are passionate about preparing food for their family, but in the daily hustle and bustle do not have time to tighten the jars. At Bizim Tarla you can find tomato paste, peeled tomatoes, and even adjika. Thanks to the cooking method, tomatoes fully retain their taste and beneficial properties.
The Bizim Tarla brand gets its name from a field in Bilasuvar where vegetables and fruits are grown naturally on 34,000 hectares. Environmental friendliness and hygiene are of great importance in the production of Bizim Tarla products. Today it is a brand that every Azerbaijani knows and proudly calls a “local product.”
Bizim Tarla products are no different from homemade twists, but they save a lot of time. Canned compotes, preserves and jams from fresh fruits, peeled tomatoes, tomato paste, various pickles, green peas, vegetable dishes collected from gardens in different regions of Azerbaijan. Enjoy the taste of ready-made products, add them to other dishes, get inspired - let these be your little secrets in the kitchen.
Umico wishes you bon appetit!
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What are Baku tomatoes?
If you buy even real Baku tomatoes in Russia, their taste will still not be as bright as in Baku. No, they will be tastier than others, but still not the same. This is explained primarily by the fact that they are sold slightly unripe in order to reduce risks during transportation and increase sales time. After all, Baku tomatoes are not cheap at all.
Although there were other times.
The term “Baku tomatoes” appeared in the late 60s - early 70s (last century), when internal troubles ended in the USSR, and Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev took the post of General Secretary for a long time. The country entered a long period of stability/stagnation, which began with the so-called “golden five-year plan” - the most successful five years of the Union’s development.
Brezhnev became General in 1966, and a year before that, in 1965, a new economic reform, called Kosygin, was adopted. It contained such expressions as “expanding independence”, “decentralization of management”, “personal stimulation of work”, “cost accounting”, etc.
In our case, the main one was the resolution: “On the transfer of state farms and other state agricultural enterprises to full economic accounting”
This allowed agricultural producers to sell their products themselves, opening some kind of stalls in cities, and even using street trading (mainly from cars).
Naturally, enterprising citizens could not help but take advantage of this state of affairs.
Mashtagin tomatoes
There is a village called Mashtaga in the suburbs of Baku - the largest and one of the oldest in Absheron. Situated on an ancient caravan route that allowed one to bypass the Baku hills and Absheron lakes, it has been successful in trade since ancient times.
This trading, in today’s way “commercial” vein, is present in every Mashtaginite. Therefore, it is not surprising that since the late 60s, the residents of this village have taken over almost the entire street trade in agricultural products in Baku. They sold everything, but their specialty was flowers and tomatoes, which successfully began to conquer the union market.
The tomatoes sold by the Mashtagin residents were grown not only in the village, but throughout Absheron. They had a specific appearance and a very bright taste, so they began to be called “Mashtaginsky” or more simply “Baki tomatoes” (Baku tomatoes). The latter name migrated to the Union market.
Unfortunately, with the collapse of the USSR, those tomatoes can no longer be found on Russian markets. There are practically none in Baku itself. They were replaced by other, modern varieties.
What are real Mashtagin tomatoes?
These are tomatoes grown in open brackish soil, in the humid air of Absheron. A characteristic feature of Mashtagin tomatoes were microscopic overgrown cracks at the base. Through them, under the scorching sun, moisture evaporated, and the concentration of nutrients reached a maximum. This gave the tomatoes a bright taste and aroma.
Mashtagino tomatoes actually smelled like tomatoes!
They were juicy but not soggy. You could bite them without fear of getting splashed. Perhaps that’s why a tomato with salt and a piece of fresh bread was one of the common “fast foods” for Baku kids in the 60s and 70s. And how they were eaten on beaches and forays into nature.
Zira tomatoes
Today, two types of tomatoes grown in Azerbaijan are considered Baku tomatoes: red and pink. The first ones, called Zirin tomatoes in Baku, are more common, as if they are successors to the glory of Mashtagin tomatoes.
Zira is another Baku village that has been growing tomatoes for a long time. The so-called Mashtagin tomatoes were partly Zirin tomatoes, they were simply sold by Mashtagin residents.
With the advent of new times, when new productive varieties appeared, and the industry required large investments to move to a new technological level, the question arose of where to develop it.
Due to its position (the presence of empty areas for sowing, the close sea on three sides, many small salt lakes) and the specialization of the inhabitants (according to one version, the name of the ancient village came from the name of the spice grown here for centuries), Zira turned out to be preferable.
So, tomato farms quickly grew around Zir.
Today the best tomatoes are Zirin tomatoes. That’s what they are called in Baku, in other countries they are “Baku” ones.
What kind of Zirin tomatoes are they?
T.N. Zirina tomatoes are never large. They have a thin, dense skin and a sweet, sour taste. They contain little liquid and a lot of pulp; when cut, they emit a specific tomato aroma. The seeds are white, with little or no greenery around them.
They are grown in open ground from May to October, the rest of the time they are covered in greenhouses and greenhouses.
Baku (Zira) tomatoes are not used for pickling and frying. Firstly, they are expensive, secondly, their skin is too thin, and thirdly, they lose their advantages - taste and aroma. They go in salads and are delicious on their own.
Gazakh tomatoes
Tomatoes are grown everywhere in Azerbaijan, of different varieties and even colors. For example, in the Akstafa region, amazing black tomatoes (Kumato variety) are grown, there are yellow and orange varieties, small and the size of a small melon. But the largest areas for cultivation, in addition to the Absheron Peninsula, are located in the Gazakh, Khachmaz and Tovuz regions. In fact, they regulate prices on the domestic market of Azerbaijan.
One of the most popular varieties grown in Gazakh, today it is also grown in the Baku suburbs. This gave it the same wonderful “Baku” taste qualities, with completely different technical characteristics.
Nowadays, just like Zira tomatoes, it is actively sold in Russia under the brand name “Baku tomatoes”. Although in Baku it continues to be called “Gazakh”.
What are Gazakh (Baku) tomatoes?
They are grown, like all Baku tomatoes, in open ground, ripening a little later than Zirin tomatoes. They feel good in winter in greenhouses, practically without losing their taste.
If Zira tomatoes are small and round, then Gazakh tomatoes are large and flatter. Their color is not red, but crimson. They are not so good for salads because... overly juicy, but they make delicious tomato juices. They are also used for tomato paste, ketchup and frying. Delicious fresh.
But like Zirin’s, they don’t go for pickling.
source
Baku tomatoes are incredibly popular among Russian consumers. Fragrant, tasty, very juicy and sweet fruits seem to be filled with the sun of Azerbaijan. Their unique rich aroma and taste cannot be compared with other varieties. Baku tomatoes, even as an independent dish, are beautiful and multifaceted. And as an addition to kebab, you simply cannot find a better vegetable, and the pizza turns out with a completely different aroma and taste. You can also make an excellent salad from Baku tomatoes.
Master class on how to bargain
— How many markets did you visit during the five years of filming, and which of them made a shock impression on you?
— I traded in about 150 markets around the world. What shocked me was the wholesale market for edible insects on the border of Thailand and Cambodia, where all street food is purchased. Locusts, caterpillars, river bugs, centipedes—everything that crawls seemed to be sold there. I tried the omelette with ant caviar. Caviar, by the way, is very tasty, sour and crispy in the teeth. And fried grasshoppers and caterpillars are like chips. Locusts and bark beetles taste like peas.
- Which insect is the most delicious?
- River bug! A very scary looking cockroach. Hefty - 10 centimeters in length. Immediately at the market, the aunt puts it in a vat of palm oil and onto a plate. It turned out that this cockroach eats rotten fruits, and therefore its meat has a fruity taste and smells like mango. Mmmm, delicious!!
— Were you offered illegal things at the markets?
“Once in Malaysia I saw an old man on the street selling some tonic seeds. I couldn't resist - I bought it. He handed me a leaf, a nut shell with seeds in it, and gave me three more sticks. It works like this: you wrap the seeds in a leaf with sticks and chew them. It should be fun and upbeat. I ate it, but nothing happened.
— What did you bargain for, as they say, until you were blue in the face and was it worth it?
— To be honest, when the sellers understand that we are filming a program for television, they treat us to everything for free and give us some things. Of course, a carpet worth 50 thousand dollars will not be given away for nothing, but I didn’t bargain for such things. If you bargain just for the sake of interest, you only insult the seller.
- How to bargain correctly?
- You liked the tomato, for example. I asked the price. They call 100 rubles, say. It's too expensive for you. You understand that you will buy it for 70. Then you say: “Give it for 50.” And at some point you come together. But if you immediately say “thank you, I just wanted to know the price,” consider that you have spat in the seller’s soul. They are very offended.
Tops and roots. Let's go to the market for fresh vegetables Read more
Homeland of Baku tomatoes
Today, many market sellers are trying to sell tomatoes of other varieties, passing them off as Baku ones. After all, the juicy, best and most attractive fruits are grown in the village of Zira, located near Baku, 50 kilometers to the east. The excellent taste of tomatoes is well known to any resident of the capital of Azerbaijan.
There are some versions of where the name of this settlement came from. For example, the village of Zira comes from the name of a popular spice of the same name, which has been grown here for quite a long time. On the other hand, it is believed that the origin of the name comes from the Arabic word “ziraat”, which means “agriculture”. Of the two options, the second one is more realistic, because the soil in this village is very fertile, and the air gives off a rare freshness that cannot be found in other regions of Absheron. The reason for this is the fact that Zira is separated from the Caspian coast by salt lakes, which purify the air and add additional humidity to the climate.
Today, the main source of income on these lands is the cultivation of vegetables, including Baku tomatoes.
“Pork stomachs filled with meat are our fast food”
— Are our markets somehow different from foreign ones?
— In markets abroad, sellers feel calm and confident. There, for example, you can easily remove the production of black caviar and fish. We do not have. For example, Astrakhan seems to be the center of fish production! But you come to the market, and there are only two shops with caviar. We spent a month looking for a company to rent a vat of caviar and a conveyor. In the end, they never found it. No one with a camera allowed us into the production. They are afraid that we might show too much and they will be closed. And so everywhere, no matter what product you take.
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— What about the prices?
- I have such an example. The city of Busan in South Korea has a chic fish market. All the products are in huge aquariums there. Alive! And all this seafood is prepared in front of you! Two hours' flight from Busan is our Vladivostok. And there is a fish market there too. But compared to Busan, these are two attractions versus Disneyland. In Busan it is only 100 times more and 10 times cheaper.
— Did the Soviet past influence our markets?
- And how! 70 years of Soviet power almost destroyed the originality of the regions, including the culinary one. You are driving through Spain: here they cook a rooster in wine, and after 100 km they serve oysters and snails. Here you can drive 10 thousand km, and along the way there will be borscht, cutlets, and mashed potatoes everywhere. Of course, there are interesting, original dishes, but you still have to look for them. For example, in the Tambov region they prepare pork stomachs. They are stuffed with meat and baked. Yummy! And this could make world-class fast food! Nourishing, tasty - and you won’t see this anywhere else! This is what tourists all over the world appreciate. But no, they say: “Well, what’s wrong with this, we eat this every day, nothing interesting.” Or our pumpkin porridge. This is also “wow”!
Alexander Pryanikov at the Grand Bazaar market in Istanbul. Photo: Frame youtube.com/ My planet
— And we don’t have the same history of markets as in Istanbul, for example.
— In the USSR, they believed: whoever trades on the market is a speculator. Meanwhile, markets around the world have evolved over centuries. Let's say the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul. There at the market there is a family business; behind the counter we see the third and fourth generations of the same family.
— You won’t find something like this here?
— At any of our markets, I have the feeling that all these sellers are here temporarily, that they came to earn money and will soon leave. They feel that at any moment they can be told: “Get out of here.” But at the Grand Bazaar everything is different. I gave away 15 kilograms of gold, received a store - it’s yours. This is the difference between our and eastern bazaars.
Three axes and bulls in a tomato. What did they eat at student parties in the USSR? Read more
Expert observations
The Baku tomato should not be of impressive size, it has a uniform light red tint and a thin but durable peel. If it dries out, it will wrinkle, but will not lose the integrity of the cover.
Real fruits are grown under the Absheron sun from May to October. The rest of the time the vegetable is grown in greenhouses under lamps. Naturally, the taste qualities of seasonal and greenhouse tomatoes vary significantly.
Cost of Baku tomatoes and where to buy
Tomatoes can easily be considered the most consumed vegetable. If you want to experience the real and unique taste of Baku tomatoes, then go to the best place to buy these vegetables in Baku - the Teze Bazaar market. It is a multi-storey shopping center and is located on Samed Vurgun Street. All products at Teze Bazaar are of excellent quality and at reasonable prices.
Let's walk through the shelves in search of Baku tomatoes. Oh, we found it! Baku tomatoes at the Teze Bazaar market cost a couple of manats per kilo, that is, about seventy rubles in our money. That's not a lot for this incredibly tasty vegetable.
Monkey brains
— At markets, sellers often offer to try their goods. Is it possible to try and not get poisoned?
— If the product is new to you, there are no guarantees. For example, surstrüming is a rotten Swedish herring. It is sold in inflated cans. And the more the can is swollen, the steeper it is. And the herring smells like rotten meat. How do you know the body’s reaction in advance? Difficult. There's always a risk here.
— Have you personally had any bad experiences with new products?
— Once I tried a raw sardine. It was in Lebanon. In front of my eyes, the seller tore off the heads of the fish and ate them himself, as if nothing had happened. And he treated me: “Take and eat.” I ate it. And four working days fell out of schedule, and that’s how I got into trouble. From two tiny fish.
— You had a reputation as a showman, a glamorous character. Why did you suddenly become interested in the topic of markets?
- Today it is absolutely unglamorous to be glamorous. And markets are terribly exciting! Clubs, restaurants - boring. There is more freedom in the markets! The food tastes better there and the communication is livelier.
For example, in Greece we conducted an experiment. First, a fish restaurant bought 200 euros worth of fish. And then, literally with a list, we went to the wholesale fish market for the same fish. At 4 am we were already there and bought the freshest fish. And then we took it to the tavern, where they prepared it for us. Both the fish and its preparation cost us 50 euros. The difference is 4 times! And what an adventure!
Alexander Pryanikov. Photo: Frame youtube.com/ My planet
— Tell me the craziest story that happened to you at the market.
— It was in Kuala Lumpur. One seller had a monkey sitting on his shoulder. He says: “I sell monkey brains. Delicious. Do you want me to beat her with a stone in front of you now and give her a try?” “Will you kill a monkey in front of me?!” - I ask again. "Yes! It’s important to keep your brain fresh.” I got nervous. Stopped the camera. What to do? Either we need to decide, or we need to save the monkey. “Let’s buy him and let him go,” the operator suggested. “What if this guy catches her and sells her again?” I doubt. We were worried. We approached the man and I said: “Let’s buy her and release her outside the city.” And he’s like, let’s laugh! Out loud! And then I realized what idiots we are. And what a subtle sense of humor he has. It was his pet monkey, she drove birds away from the counter. And he will not sell his “girlfriend” for any money.
Market tricks. How to avoid being fooled? More details
Baku tomatoes in our markets
If you are on the Russian market and they convince you that this tomato is from Azerbaijan, then your doubts are understandable. After all, based on Rosselkhoznadzor data, only seven percent of the total volume of tomatoes in Russia comes from Azerbaijan.
If, nevertheless, the seller assures that his goods are from Azerbaijani fields, then one of the tomatoes will cut the path in half. The Baku tomato will show itself to have the same color of flesh and skin, and its seeds will be white, not green. Unknowing buyers are convinced that if there is a stalk, then the product is fresh. This is wrong. In truth, if a tomato has a stem, then this means growing it in a greenhouse, while real tomatoes from Baku are grown outdoors, and the stem is removed, even if the tomato is not fully ripe. If you see white spots or pigments on the skin, this means heavy application of chemicals. If the inner and outer color is uneven, or the flesh is white, then we can safely say that this vegetable was ripened using chemicals or the fruit was affected by a viral infection. But Baku tomatoes (photo attached) are not fertilized, because they always have enough warmth and light. In addition, the cost of fertilizers in Azerbaijan is very impressive.
KaviCom.ru Internet portal of Stary Oskol
Almost all sellers on the market divide tomatoes into 3 main types: Azerbaijani, Krasnodar and local greenhouse ones.
There is another type - these are tomatoes grown in Russia... but by the Chinese. They use Chinese seeds and Chinese fertilizers, and workers from the Middle Kingdom work on such plantations.
There are no questions about real Azerbaijani tomatoes. This country has been so successful in growing tomatoes that even southern European countries can envy them.
Modern greenhouse farms in Azerbaijan grow tomatoes in coconut shavings, the microclimate and watering are regulated using sophisticated Dutch and French technologies.
Bumblebees fly right inside the greenhouses. The insects live right there in special cardboard boxes suspended above the plants. There is perfect cleanliness inside. Even the seeds are produced in Azerbaijan itself; few countries can boast of this.
Huge semi-legal greenhouses used by Chinese businessmen are located in the south of Russia and the Urals. They were built as if in a hurry... from old boards, boxes and construction waste. There is unsanitary conditions inside. Sometimes local residents get a job in such places. This is what they say.
— Only visitors from Asia work there. They grow their tomatoes exclusively from their own seeds, using some strange chemicals. There are hieroglyphs on the packages, nothing can be read or understood. During the day I collected and packed vegetables, and in the evening a gazelle arrived into which we loaded the goods.
The most interesting thing is that there were no identification marks on the boxes. The place of harvest and the manufacturing company were never indicated. Three harvests were harvested from our plantations a year. It was difficult and uncomfortable to work there, since there were only a few of us locals,” said one of the former workers of Chinese greenhouses.
Even though the tomatoes are grown on Russian soil, they are still 99% Chinese. Since there are no markings on the boxes, most likely the tomatoes are passed off as Azerbaijani or Krasnodar.
Many experts say that there is a way to distinguish truly high-quality tomatoes from those that can cause harm.
In Azerbaijani greenhouses, either sticky traps or water traps with pheromones are used to catch pests. This technology for catching insects is very labor-intensive and technologically advanced.
And this is the key point! Azerbaijani tomatoes do not use pesticides or chemicals to control pests. For them, this work is performed by modern trap systems that are installed throughout the territory.
In artisanal tomatoes, huge amounts of chemicals are used, and by untrained people. Which is doubly bad.
These additives affect the appearance... more precisely, the internal structure of the fetus.
If you cut such a fruit in half, then at its base you can see a hard structure that resembles wood, cardboard... anything, but not a juicy tomato. This tasteless, fibrous part clearly indicates how much pesticides and other chemicals were used in the cultivation. The less it is, the better.
Real Azerbaijani tomatoes have no hard fibers at all. And all thanks to competent work with pests.
Hard fibers are an indicator of chemical additives during the growing process.
If hard fibers are present even in small quantities , then this means with a 95% probability that they sold you something else. Alpey Copypaste Source: https://zen.yandex.ru/media/id/5c6d662b37874700af707ce5/kitaiskie-pomidory-pod-vidom-azerbaidjanskih-5d0262853da65400af67735a
“Internal” characteristics of the variety and cooking
These tomatoes have a slightly sweet taste. They contain a rich set of vitamins C, group B1, PP, provitamin A, minerals, sugar, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, Ca and P. Baku tomatoes also contain a very important element - lycopene. Lycopene gives tomatoes a red tint, is a powerful natural antioxidant, and reduces the risk of pathologies of the cardiovascular system and various cancers. The healthiest tomatoes are those that have a high content of carotene and vitamin C. Compared to greenhouse vegetables, those grown in the sun have a large amount of useful substances.
Due to their juiciness, the fruits are perfect for consumption both fresh and fermented. These tomatoes can be baked in the oven without any hassle.
Baku tomatoes: varieties
This is a mid-season variety. Grown in open ground and film shelters. The plant is determinate. Requires mandatory garter and shaping. The fruits are fleshy, flat-round, large, weighing up to 300 g. The color is crimson. The variety tolerates temperature fluctuations well. The large-fruited Baku tomato, which has only positive reviews, is used for fresh consumption, making tomato paste, juices and ketchup.
- Baku pink tomatoes
The variety is small in size, has a thin skin and juicy, fleshy and sweet flesh. Pink tomatoes have three times more vitamin C and antioxidants than red ones.
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