Altai people are nomads, that’s why one of their main occupation in old times was horse breeding. In summers they grazed their herbs at the foot of mountains and in alpine meadows, and in winters went to mountain valleys.

In the 19th-20th centuries, when butter making was widely spread, they actively started cow breeding. By that time they had already coped with agriculture to some extend. One of the most important trades of Altai people was hunting, fishing and collection of cedar nuts, plants and roots. Besides, they grew cereals in the fields and damsons, wild leek, angelica, berries and other herbs.

It’s not a surprise that the peculiarities of their life style and trades are reflected in national cuisine, where the main ingredients are meat of wild animals, game, fish and various diary products. The preferences in meals differ from the north to the south. In the north people prefer meat and diary products, while in the south they like dishes made of vegetables and fish.

So, in the first place for Altai people is meat, usually mutton and meat horse. Except for soup-khocho and boiled meat, Altai people cook dorgom – sausage made of lamb guts, kherzer and khan – (blood sausage) and others.

A special delicacy is considered to be a boiled rectum of a horse – kaazy. It is cooked as any dish in the Altai without any pepper but seasoned.

Tutpach is one more traditional dish made of unleavened dough. To make this dish you should cut the dough in small dices and boil them in water or meat broth with some onions.

Having visited Altai you can also taste the dishes and drinks made of milk, refinements of which are known only to Altai people. The most famous is khaimak. These are thick skins from fat baked milk. It’s something neutral between sour cream and butter. Also chegen is prepared from boiled milk – it’s a kind of sour clotted milk. One more favourite diary product of Altai people is bashtyk – insipid fat cheese, which look like cottage cheese. You can even taste vodka made of milk – araka and cheese called kurut.

Finally, you have an opportunity to taste a favourite drink of Altai people – tea with talkan. The process of drinking the tea is a genuine ritual which is worth seeing.