There’s something completely magical about cooking over an open flame. Fire brings us together not just for sharing a meal, but for experiencing lasting moments of laughter, love, and community.

In the Common Flame, we discover how cultures across the world are united by a common love of cooking over an open flame. In this edition, we look at rural life in Azerbaijan where Aziza and her family care for their village and share their life with the world with their popular Youtube channel, “Country Life Vlog.”

“We love to share what we do at countryside, engage with nature, and make the most out of village life”— the Country Life Vlog

Meet Aziza and Her Family

If you browse Youtube looking for inspiration for your next recipe, you’re bound to come across the Country Life Vlog. Far from the bustle of Azerbaijan’s capital and nestled beneath the Greater Caucasus mountains, Aziza and her family live a life centered around delicious food and hard work.

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The heart of the Country Life Vlog is Aziza and her family. They rise early to tend their garden, chickens, and cows, and gather fresh ingredients for their meals, and sometimes build the oven needed to make the dish! All the hard work is done with a smile. Watching their videos, you can’t help but feel their passion for family and life in the countryside.

Just a year ago, Aziza’s son and professional chef, Amiraslan, was working in a restaurant in their nation’s capital of Baku. Sadly, the restaurant was forced to close due to the pandemic. Amiraslan saw this as an opportunity to share their region’s dishes and way of life with the world. Amiraslan returned to his native village and began to create videos of his family at work preparing cozy and comforting dishes over an open flame. In a year, their Youtube channel has gathered over 450,000 subscribers with many of their videos reaching over one million views.