My Tsagaan sar

So today we had a great opportunity and one of our colleagues invited us to have lunch at his mother-in-law’s home for Tsaagan sar (yep – it’s still going).  It was definitely a great experience.  First, we had to great his mother-in-law with the proper Mongolian greeting (I was glad I read my earlier post or would have been alarmed by being smelled).  Another thing I learned was that it is incredibly interesting to see how old people think you are.  With the greeting, the older person puts their palms up or down when greeting you (note to self – must use the root touch kit I brought this weekend). 

I also learned why Mongolian boots are turned up.  I’m told by our host, that the Chinese made the Mongolians wear boots with pointed toes because they were hard to run in and would keep them from escaping.  But the Mongols were too smart and turned the boots up on the ends so they could escape the Chinese.  Also, showing the sole of your shoe is a sign of disrespect – so essentially the Mongols were giving the finger to the Chinese. (I do not have back-up documentation to support this claim – but I certainly wasn’t going to argue).

Another tidbit I learned was that the big “cookies” on the Tsagaan sar table have to be in odd numbers – a little bit like pulling the petals off a flower (he loves me, he loves me not)…  in this case it’s happiness, sorrow, happiness, sorrow….  I wonder what happens if you are the one that gets the sorrow cookie.  The cookies are also shaped like boots – specifically the Chinese boots – that tried to squash them.  The cookies are eaten after the holiday and evidently quite good with the milk tea.



that's mare's milk out in front



Now – here is where you should all be proud.  I drank the milk tea, I ate the cheese, the bits of beef back (in Mongolia the fattier the meat the higher quality – we had good quality), milk vodka (actually wasn’t bad) and wait for it….  MARE’S MILK.  Yep.  I did it.  Wasn’t sure I was going to be able to and I didn’t have a second sip – but I can now say that I’ve done it.



beef back




Buuz or dumplings - they make thousands of these so they have something hot and fresh to serve guests.  Our hosts made over 7,000 for the holiday.  Delish!



After lunch, very graciously our host gave us all gifts.  Sweets for all, body wash for the women (maybe we smelled bad) and cigarettes for the men.  It was really a great experience and I was so glad to be able to get a taste (literally) of their holiday.