If tea is considered the center of culture in Central Asia, the chaikhana is where that tradition was bred and cultivated. For weary merchants and travelers trekking goods along the Silk Road, the chaikhana was a vital place of respite and refreshment, where a few cups of tea, a hearty meal, and good conversation would […]
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I’ll be attending the Christian Authors of the Pacific Northwest annual Christmas Book Fair on November 15, 2025, at Calvary Chapel in McMinnville, Oregon. If you live in the area, please stop by my table and pick up a free bookmark and chai tea latte recipe card. I’d love to meet you!
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Non bread is the traditional accompaniment to any Central Asian meal. Known for their large disc shape and depressed center, these bread rounds are favored for their chewy outer edges and crispy center crust. The artistry of these loaves catches the eye. Wooden-handled bread stamps with long metal teeth, called chekich, are pressed into the
Hospitality was vital to the transport of goods throughout the history of the Silk Road. Weary merchants, having travelled hundreds of miles, relied on caravanserais and outposts to supply food, water, and shelter for themselves and their animals. This tradition still runs deep in many Central Asian cities like Samarkand. Even today, guests are seated
Imagine a caravan of merchants and camels slogging hundreds of miles across the desert and steppe. They’ve taken great risk hauling expensive goods like silk, honey, and spices. Their feet are blistered. Their eyes sting from the blowing sand. And their camels have begun to grouse. As shadows grow long and the sun begins to
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Samarkand. Pearl of the East. City of Famous Shadows. Like Timbuktu and Kathmandu, the name Samarkand evokes a sense of grandeur and danger, of gold-laden caravans traversing waves of rippled sand dunes. Of an emerald oasis city, whose hanging vines and towering trees shaded storehouses of goods. Cinnamon bark from India. Honey and furs from
“To follow the Silk Road is to follow a ghost. It flows through the heart of Asia but it has officially vanished, leaving behind it the pattern of its restlessness: counterfeit borders, unmapped peoples. The road forks and wanders wherever you are. It is not a single way, but many: a web of choices.” Shadow of
After nine years, countless drafts, and much weeping and gnashing of teeth, I’ve finished writing the first book in the Silk Road series. It’s been a monumental task. So what comes next? I suppose it’s time to dip my toes into the publishing side of the book writing pool. For now, I’ve set my sights
Welcome to the blog of Anna C. Snyder. My dog just threw up on my carpet so I’ll make this quick. Whenever I sit down to write, I have to wage a serious war against constant interruption. I’ve tried to abate this by writing in the morning, before chaos has time to strike, but it
