MONGOLIAN CULTURE AND FOOD
Mongolia is about the size of Alaska (three times the size of France). It is a landlocked country between China and Russia. This land locked desert country is known for harsh winters, high winds, and very little rain fall. About 2.5 million people live in Mongolia and Buddhism is the primary religion. Because of it's location, it is difficult to obtain many types of vegetables, spices and foods.  Much of the variety you will find comes crosses the boarder into Mongolia from China.

Nomads and Their Food
Only about 40 percent of the population continue to live traditional nomadic lifestyle tending more than 33 million livestock. Animal husbandry remains a backbone of the national economy, providing 20 percent of the world's fine cashmere production. The nomads' life changed very little since old days, except that nomadic herders prefer to use sometimes motorbikes or "iron horses" rather than live ones. Mongolia remains the last refuge of the pastoral nomadism, preserving and continuing the rich traditional culture of Huns, Scythians and Tartars - all those nomadic nations that passed though history. The nomadic way of life has been a great influence on Mongolian cuisine where people eat lots of meat and fats because they need a good source of energy that will last them the whole day. As people move into Ulaanbaatar, the capital city of Mongolia, they leave behind the old ways for fast foods and comfort.  However, much of the traditional ways of life still find their way into peoples lives. The festivals and cultural events--very popular with everyone--always return to the traditional and long reaching roots of Mongolia's culture and culinary history.

Climate and Food
"The climate in Mongolia is full of extremes. Sudden changes from heat to cold, from summer to winter are amazing and hard to bear..." wrote Roy Chapman Andrews, an American paleontologist who ventured to wilderness of the Gobi Desert back in 20s. Indeed, temperatures may fall by 30 degrees not only in a season but also within a fortnight. Distance from seas and considerable elevation over the sea level makes the climate very dry. Mongolia lies right between the southern edge of eternal glaciers and northernmost boundaries of deserts. The climate obviously impacts the types of foods that can be grown and raised in Mongolia.