"The Afghan nan (the local bread) is almost a meter-long and half-an-inch thick, " Ashok wrote in a typical post on his blog.

NPR: Discovering Afghan Cuisine, a World Away

McCUNE: The Afghan troupe's artistic director, Mahmoud Salimi, remembers a fleeting moment during the mujaheddin takeover when bread was in abundance and people were happy.

NPR: 'Beyond the Mirror': Afghanistan's Pain Onstage