The Azerbaijan Cooking Lady: Where Does She Live?

Aziza Ramikhanova, the Azerbaijani cooking lady, lives in the village of Hil in the Gusar region of Azerbaijan. Hil village is located in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains, in a fertile valley. Aziza is a talented cook, known for her mouthwatering recipes that are popular at weddings in her village. Together with her son, Amiraslan Ramikhanov, a professional chef, she shares her culinary skills and traditional Azerbaijani dishes with the world through their YouTube channel, Country Life Vlog. The channel showcases the beauty and simplicity of rural life, attracting millions of viewers with its calming and captivating content.

Aziza Ramikhanova and her son Amiraslan live in the village of Hil in the Gusar region

Amiraslan Ramikhanov, a professional chef, returned to his native village due to the pandemic. Instead of giving up his passion, he decided to collaborate with his mother, Aziza, and share their culinary creations with the world through a YouTube channel. The channel, aptly named "Country Life Vlog" or "K?nd Hayat?", has become a massive success, with over 1.6 million subscribers and more than 130 videos showcasing the beauty and simplicity of rural life.

The videos feature Aziza, her husband, and occasionally other family members preparing traditional Azerbaijani and Turkic dishes. The family's farm, nestled in the valley below the Caucasus Mountains, provides the perfect backdrop for their culinary endeavours. The recipes they share are often cooked over an open flame in a large cauldron-like pot, with ingredients freshly picked from their farm, including vegetables and herbs.

The filming and production of the videos is a family affair, with Amiraslan acting as the videographer and editor, capturing the essence of their village life. The success of their channel has shone a spotlight on the culinary delights of the Gusar region, with viewers worldwide falling in love with Aziza's culinary prowess and the charming village of Hil.

The impact of Aziza and Amiraslan's online presence extends beyond the kitchen. They showcase the historical and cultural richness of their region, with ancient mosques and fortresses in the vicinity. Their videos also highlight the natural beauty of the area, from the majestic waterfalls of Laza village to the stunning landscapes surrounding it. Aziza and Amiraslan's online presence has not only shared the delights of Azerbaijani cuisine but has also promoted the cultural and natural wonders of their beloved village and region.

Amiraslan Ramikhanov is a professional chef who worked in Baku before the pandemic

Amiraslan worked in a restaurant in Baku, but when the pandemic hit, he returned to his native village. There, he continued to pursue his passion for cooking, collaborating with his mother. Together, they present various food recipes via their Youtube channel, which has garnered millions of views and over 1.6 million subscribers. The channel, called "Country Life Vlog" or "K?nd Hayat?" in Azerbaijani, showcases not only their culinary creations but also offers a glimpse into rural life in Azerbaijan.

The videos are mostly silent, with only the sounds of nature and the tasks at hand, such as chopping wood or cleaning fish, filling the air. This silence, coupled with the bucolic scenery, creates a relaxing and calming atmosphere for viewers. The filming is highly professional, with Amiraslan utilising his skills as a chef to capture the beauty and simplicity of village life.

In addition to his filming and editing prowess, Amiraslan also showcases his culinary expertise by preparing dishes alongside his mother. They cook traditional Azerbaijani and Turkic fare, including lamb stews, cabbage dolma, kabobs, and baklava. The mother-son duo mainly use fresh vegetables grown in their yard and cook over an open flame, utilising a wood-fired saj, a type of low-sided wok with origins in the cookware of nomadic people.

Through their channel, Amiraslan and Aziza have not only shared their delicious recipes but have also offered a window into the charming and serene life of Hil village, nestled in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains.

Aziza and her husband's cooking videos are filmed on their farmland near their village

Aziza Ramikhanova and her husband's cooking videos are filmed on their farmland near their village of Hil in the Gusar region of Azerbaijan. The couple's son, Amiraslan, a professional chef, started recording his family and village life during the pandemic. Amiraslan's YouTube channel now has over 1.6 million subscribers and 130 videos showcasing the beauty and simplicity of rural life.

The videos feature Aziza and her husband preparing traditional Azerbaijani and Turkic dishes, such as lamb stews, cabbage dolma, kabobs, and baklava. They cook over an open flame, using fresh vegetables from their farm. The couple's farmland also features a charming house, built specifically for filming, adding to the excitement of the video-making process.

In one of the videos, Aziza prepares a sheep's head from scratch, showcasing her culinary skills and the realities of food preparation in rural Azerbaijan. Aziza's cooking methods are traditional and rustic, using a wood-fired saj, a low-sided wok used by nomadic people in the region. She chops ingredients with an all-purpose blade, sitting outdoors on a sheepskin-covered bench at a rickety table.

The filming process is professional, with Amiraslan capturing the beautiful rural setting and the sounds of nature, including clucking chickens, gobbling turkeys, and chirping birds. The videos also feature vignettes of farm life, such as picking herbs, harvesting vegetables, and stacking firewood, providing a relaxing and calming viewing experience for audiences.

Through their cooking videos, Aziza and her husband share a piece of their village life, inviting viewers to experience the warmth and comfort of traditional cooking methods and the beauty of the Azerbaijani countryside.

The Ramikhanovs cook using fresh vegetables grown in their yard

The Ramikhanovs, mother and son duo Aziza and Amiraslan, are the stars of the Country Life Vlog, a YouTube channel with nearly 4 million subscribers. The channel showcases the family's life in the village of Hil in the Gusar region of Azerbaijan. The family's cooking videos, filmed by Amiraslan, feature traditional dishes cooked over a wood fire using fresh vegetables grown in their yard.

Aziza is a talented cook, and her recipes are popular at weddings in Hil village. In the videos, she prepares meals using a wood-fired saj, a type of low-sided wok used by nomadic people in the region. She chops ingredients with a multipurpose blade that resembles a hedge-layer's billhook, and her cooking is done outside, with a fire pit made from refashioned metal rods. The family's yard provides a charming backdrop for the videos, with its farmland and cozy house.

Amiraslan, a professional chef, returned to his native village due to the pandemic and began filming his mother's cooking as a way to share regional dishes and rural life with a wider audience. The videos also offer a glimpse into farm life, including picking herbs, harvesting vegetables, and stacking firewood. The channel's popularity can be attributed to its professional filming, silent and relaxing nature, and the beauty and simplicity of the rural lifestyle it portrays.

The Ramikhanovs' cooking videos showcase their talent and highlight the benefits of using fresh, homegrown ingredients. By sharing their culinary traditions and way of life, they have attracted a global audience and provided a window into the captivating world of Azerbaijani village life.

The family's cooking videos showcase traditional Azerbaijani and Turkic dishes

The Country Life Vlog, or K?nd Hayat?, showcases the culinary skills of Aziza Ramikhanova, the matriarch of her family, who lives in the village of Hil in the Gusar region of Azerbaijan. The YouTube channel, which has attracted nearly 4 million subscribers, features traditional Azerbaijani and Turkic dishes, including lamb stews, cabbage dolma, kabobs, and baklava.

Aziza's son, Amiraslan Ramikhanov, a professional chef who returned to his native village due to the pandemic, films and edits the culinary videos. The family usually films their cooking videos on their farmland near their village, using fresh vegetables from their yard. Amiraslan also captures the beauty and simplicity of village life, including vignettes of farm work such as picking herbs, harvesting vegetables, and stacking firewood.

In the videos, Aziza is seen cooking outside, using a wood-fired saj, a type of low-sided wok with origins in the cookware of nomadic people. She prepares a variety of dishes, showcasing her mastery of traditional Azerbaijani cuisine. One notable episode features Aziza preparing a sheep's head from scratch, while another showcases her making an oxtail stew, starting with some rudimentary butchery.

The Country Life Vlog offers a relaxing form of slow TV, with bucolic scenery and natural sounds. The videos often include cutaways to pots of flowers, wild herbs, and Aziza's husband chopping wood, providing a calming and captivating glimpse into rural life in Azerbaijan.

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