All about Georgian cuisine. Georgian cuisine. Food prices

National Georgian cuisine is a real art, complex and beautiful. Only in Georgia itself can you really get to know the taste of local dishes. The basis of traditional Georgian cuisine is herbs, which are collected and stored according to special rules. Herbs are used to create complex mixtures that give Georgian dishes their incomparable taste.

In addition to a huge taste palette, the national dishes of Georgia are also characterized by satiety. Where in Georgia without meat, and even more so without barbecue. And the meat should definitely be served with traditional Georgian drinks - the richest palette of wines and the well-known Borjomi.

And of course, the guest will be fed to the full here, introduced to the flowery Georgian toasts and will be allowed to experience all the delights of the Georgian feast. It is called supra here, and a feast is never complete without toasts, dances and songs.

Dishes of Georgia: what to try for a tourist

• Satsivi. Turkey braised in walnut sauce. Needless to say, a whole bouquet of herbs is used to make the sauce.
• Lobio. Beans in tomato sauce. This dish is prepared in almost every family according to its own recipe.
• Khashlama. Boiled meat with spices is especially loved in Kakheti. Do not even try to find out the secret of seasonings - you will hardly be able to reproduce the recipe anyway.
• Cheeses. Each region of Georgia has its own variety of cheese. In Imereti, they make a very soft cheese with mint gadazelili, and in Teuleti they prefer gouda sheep cheese, which is prepared in bags of the same name. Cheeses in Georgian cuisine are used both as a snack (raw or fried), and as a full-fledged ingredient in various dishes.
• Buglam. Fragrant lamb stew with spices that are the personal secret of every cook.

• Basturma. Fried beef fillet. It sounds simple, but in fact, the taste of this appetizing dish can hardly be expressed in words.
• Khinkali. Favorite dish of the inhabitants of mountainous Georgia. The meat is not passed through a meat grinder, but is beaten off with a knife to a jelly-like state. And under the shell of the dough there should always be a fragrant broth.
• Kuchmachi. A hot dish of liver, heart, lung and tongue served in oil with spices.
• Chakhokhbili. Chicken stewed in tomato sauce. This dish used to be prepared exclusively from pheasant; chicken was used in it only in the 20th century.
• Kebab. From lamb, veal, turkey, pork, sturgeon, which are cooked on skewers or kets, Georgian clay pans. Abundance is simply impossible.

"EACH GEORGIAN DISH IS A POEM." A.S. PUSHKIN

Georgian cuisine dishes This is truly the food of the gods. None of the national and traditional cuisines of other nations has such an abundance of food, such mind-blowing smells and such a desire to eat everything that is on the plate...

There is a beautiful and not quite ordinary legend about the appearance of Georgian cuisine. Once upon a time, God lived on earth. And after one of the meals, he had to move through the Caucasus Mountains. And these mountains were so high that during a long ascent, bread and meat imperceptibly fell out of God's knapsack. And the place where these products fell was later called Georgia. A country where all culinary traditions are so honored and loved. A country in which a meal is not just the absorption of food, but also a leisurely conversation. Because it is simply impossible to imagine a Georgian feast without peaceful communication.

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Khachapuri

Probably, there is no person in the world who would not know that there is something in cooking. khachapuri. There is no single recipe for khachapuri. In each region of Georgia, this delicious and very interesting dish is prepared in its own way. And therein lies its attraction. Even Roger Rosen, who knows and loves Georgia well, and the author of an excellent guidebook, writes: "If Georgians emigrated to America in the same numbers as Italians, khachapuri would be as famous and popular as pizza."

Khachapuri can be round or boat-shaped, can be sprinkled with cheese, or can be stuffed with beans. The beauty of this dish is that in most cases it is made from yeast-free dough. Yeasts occupy the lactic acid organisms of matsoni. Sometimes instead of matsoni, you can use kefir or yogurt. But in Georgia this is almost never done. Recently, even puff pastry khachapuri has appeared, which simply stirred up the culinary of this country.

Adzharuli or Adjarian khachapuri. To say that adjaruli is delicious is to say nothing. This is just a magical dish, from which it is impossible to break away. Adzharuli is prepared in the form of a boat, and after baking the dough itself, you should definitely drive an egg into the very middle and put a piece of butter. Then the adjaruli is again placed in the oven and cooked for another 10 minutes until the protein thickens. Adzharuli are served hot and eaten simply with a bang.

Imeruli. This is another kind of khachapuri. One such cake, eaten for breakfast or dinner, may well satisfy the hunger of an adult man. Imeruli looks like a cake. Moreover, it is believed that a good imeruli should consist of a very large amount of cheese and a small amount of flour. Imeretian khachapuri, and sometimes imeruli is called that, is a hearty and incredibly tasty dish that you should definitely try. Of course, imeruli or any other dish can be prepared at home. But will this dish have the taste of the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea? That is why imeruli is worth trying only in its homeland - in Georgia. And we can make your dream come true by choosing a profitable tour to Georgia for you.

Megruli. In another way, this dish is called Megrelian khachapuri. For example, everyone knows that it is simply impossible to imagine Italy without pizza. And it is also impossible to imagine Georgia without khachapuri, without a variety of khachapuri, which are so fond of cooking in Georgia. But they don't just love to cook. They love to offer these miracle dishes to all their friends and guests. Megruli is also khachapuri, but unlike all other types of khachapuri, the cheese here is not only inside the cake itself, but also outside. And there is actually an incredible amount of cheese here.

Svanuri. This type of khachapuri also has another name - Svan khachapuri. This excellent dish is prepared from dough with meat filling. Only experienced housewives who have fully mastered this difficult technology can prepare such khachapuri. It only at first glance seems that cooking khachapuri is easy and simple. But this is far from true. For holidays and weddings, this meat pie that looks so appetizing takes center stage on the table.

Achma. Truly, this is the king of khachapuri. Hearty and very tasty kind of khachapuri, which is cooked with cheese or meat. It takes 4 hours to prepare it - from kneading the dough to pulling it out of the oven. Therefore, Achma is not prepared every day in Georgia. But if the hostess decided to make this particular dish, then the smell from it spreads throughout the village.

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Bread

Bread occupies a special place in Georgian cuisine. Not a single dish is served at the table without this ruddy and very tasty pastry. But bread in Georgia can be very, very different. It would seem that such a small country, but such a variety of bread that it's just hard to believe!

It is round, fragrant Mrgvili, and rectangular, tasty trahtinuli, and square, melting in your mouth kukhtiani, and sickle-shaped, savory shoty, and rich, beautiful science, and wheat, bursting with warmth puri, and amazing cornmeal tortillas mchadi, baked in stone pans "ketsi" on the coals… And all this bread is simply impossible not to try!

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Meat dishes

Meat plays a special role in Georgian cuisine. Georgians are people who do not have any cult or religious restrictions in choosing meat for cooking their favorite dishes. These mouth-watering and incredibly tasty meat dishes are loved not only to cook, but also to eat. And, of course, not a single festive feast can do without traditionally cooked meat on an open fire.

Khinkali. Georgian national dish. This is perhaps the dish that the whole world knows. These envelopes made of thin dough with delicious and very fragrant meat filling are very popular in Georgia. A well-cooked khinkali must have meat juice inside!

Khinkali is an invention of the inhabitants of the mountainous regions of Georgia. The best khinkali is made in Khevsureti, Pshavi and Tusheti. In the mountainous regions, khinkali is the main dish.

It is believed that eating khinkali is the same as drinking Georgian wine. Both must be able to be done.

Khinkali in Georgia is usually eaten only with hands. Before putting khinkali into your mouth, sprinkle it well with black pepper, then bite a little and drink all the juice it contains. And only then it is worth enjoying the magnificent minced meat with a variety of peppers. And one more detail: the place where the folds of dough are connected is often not eaten, and by their number you can determine how much khinkali a person ate. They are called "kudi" - a hat.

You will definitely return to Georgia to try this amazing dish again!

bathe. These are very tasty and incredibly mouth-watering sausages, which you should definitely fry before eating. During frying, these sausages are not recommended to be pierced, because in this case the dish will lose all its juice and become very dry.

Mtsvadi. This is a traditional Georgian barbecue, which is made from lamb. This is an incredibly tasty and fragrant dish, which is prepared quite often in Georgia. There are three types of mtsvadi. The first is the preparation of shish kebab from a whole piece of meat tenderloin. The second is a shish kebab of marinated meat. The third is a barbecue with eggplant.

Chicken tapaka (tabaka). This is a national Georgian dish, which is often served at the festive table. When cooking, a young chicken is fried in a special frying pan with a load (tapaka) along with various spices. From the name of this pan, the dish got its name. This dish is very common in Russia, but you can only taste real tapaka chicken in its homeland - in Georgia.

Satsivi. This meat dish is prepared from chicken, which is then served with the sauce of the same name. In some regions of Georgia, turkey with satsivi sauce or even duck or goose with the same sauce can be cooked instead of chicken. The sauce itself in this case is prepared using a large amount of walnuts.

But about walnuts in Georgian cuisine it is worth mentioning separately.. Walnuts are used very often in the preparation of Georgian dishes. Usually they are used in the preparation of sauces, but often they also go as seasonings for meat or fish dishes, although fish is rarely eaten in Georgia. In addition, walnuts are widely used in the preparation of soups and a wide variety of sweets. They are put in hot main dishes and cold salads. And not a single Georgian housewife simply imagines how she can do without nuts in her kitchen.

Chakhokhbili. This is a kind of poultry stew. When this dish first appeared in Georgian cuisine, it was prepared only from pheasant, but now the most common chakhokhbili is made from chicken meat. At the same time, before preparing the stew itself, chicken meat must be fried in a dry frying pan for 15 minutes. But the set of vegetables in the preparation of chakhokhbili always remains at the choice of the cook.

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Soups

Soups in Georgia are very fond of. Here everyone can find exactly the dish that will appeal to you. Unlike other countries, soups in Georgia are most often seasoned with egg or flour sauce.

Chikhirtma. This is a very tender and tasty chicken meat soup, in which an incredible amount of a variety of seasonings. Sometimes lamb meat is used in the preparation of this dish. As a thickener, cornmeal is used. In addition, there are absolutely no vegetables here, and this is very unusual for tourists who are completely unaccustomed to such dishes.

Khashi. Favorite hangover dish of Georgians. This soup in Georgia is usually eaten in the morning. There are no vegetables here either, and the broth itself is made from meat offal. It is believed that women should never try this soup, and it should be eaten only with chacha, but not with wine. In addition, this soup does not tolerate toast at all, during which it can simply cool down.

In Georgia, they say, "Khashi is eaten in the morning to gain energy or cure a hangover."

Kharcho. Oh, this divine dish should be consumed only in this country during a tour to Georgia. What is served in our cafes is completely different from the kharcho that Georgian housewives cook. A real kharcho is a soup that combines the softness and tenderness of meat broth, tklapi acid and the spice of many varieties of greens, which are certainly put in this delicious dish.

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Cheese

Cheese is part of Georgian cuisine. Very many dishes cannot do without them, and cheeses themselves with a combination of bread are a dish in their own right that brings satiety and after which you don’t want to eat something for a long time.

For example, the famous cheese suluguni is a pickled cheese that has a very pure sour-milk taste. This cheese has very few eyes, but it is incredibly loved by all Georgians. Khachapuri is baked with it or used in salads. In addition, it has an unusual white color for us.

less popular and Imeretian cheese. It is prepared from the milk of a variety of domestic animals. This cheese also has a milky color, but in brine it must be kept for several months.

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. Vegetables

Vegetables occupy a special place on the Georgian table. Without them, it is simply impossible to imagine a full-fledged feast. Boiled and baked, fried and stewed, pickled, salted and raw... And all this, combined with a variety of sauces, gives thousands and thousands of recipes and dishes that simply cannot be rated at the highest level.

Lobio. This is the national dish of Georgia, which includes beans, and the beans can be either green, string or in grains. And from what kind of beans will be used, there will be a variation of sauces. Lobio is served with lavash.

Phali. This dish consists of two parts - dressing and spinach leaves, asparagus, cabbage or beet tops. Dressing, as a rule, consists of nuts, onions and many herbs.

Eggplant with nuts. Eggplants are often used for cooking Georgian dishes. And the most favorite combination at the same time was and remains eggplant and nuts. The dish is ready in about an hour. During this time, the eggplant is processed and the nut sauce is prepared. Then each strip of eggplant is fried, and then spread with sauce and rolled into a roll. Although sometimes the eggplant is left on a dish in the form of a sandwich or simply folded into 2 halves.

Ajapsandal. For this dish, again, it is worth using eggplant. The dish can be served both hot and cold, and in appearance it resembles a vegetable stew with meat.

Tkemali. Georgian ketchup, but much more ... Prepared from red or green fruits of the tkemali tree. Nobody leaves Georgia without a bottle of Tkemali.

Adjika. Real Georgian adjika is made only from red pepper, garlic and various herbs. Tomatoes are never used here. Adjika has a traditional red color, but if unripe pepper was used in cooking, then the color may well be green.

Satsivi. This is a traditional sauce that is served with turkey or chicken. The sauce consists of walnuts and a large number of various spices.

Bage. Nut sauce seasoned with garlic and spices. Suitable for everything!

Dishes of Georgian cuisine. desserts

Churchkhela. This dish is made from strung nuts that are poured or dipped in thickened grape juice. Depending on which region of Georgia the dish is prepared in, grape juice can be very different.

Kozinaki or gozinaki. This national dish of Georgia is most often prepared for the New Year's table and is a mixture of nuts and honey. Instead of nuts, you can use peeled seeds.

Pelamushi. Georgian desserts are mostly made with fruits and nuts rather than butter and eggs. Pelamushi is a Georgian delicacy made from grape juice extract, sugar and flour.

Georgian food- this is the same attraction of Georgia as the mountains, the Black Sea, parks and fountains. In order to taste real Georgian food, to feel all the tastes of khachapuri and the aroma of khinkali, to try unusual cheeses and soups, you should definitely visit this country. And to do this is not so difficult. It is enough to order tours to Georgia on our website and your taste buds will thank you for this!

Many dishes of the national cuisine of Georgia have gained worldwide fame and are loved in many countries of the world. Such dishes, of course, include tapaka chicken, khachapuri, chakhokhbili and kharcho. These dishes are especially popular in our country.

They are widely used in the preparation of Georgian cuisine. They can be found both as an independent dish, and as a pleasant addition to a meat dish. A feature of Georgian cuisine is the contrast of spicy and spicy.

Speaking about Georgian cuisine, one cannot help but recall the fact that different parts of Georgia have their own peculiarities of national cuisine. The Surami pass divided the country into two parts - Western and Eastern. Differences in cuisines are due not only to natural conditions, but also to the fact that they have been under the influence of two different cultures for a long time: the Western part is under Turkish influence, the Eastern part is Iranian. As a result, cornmeal cakes and cornbread have become widespread in Western Georgia, and poultry dishes (chickens and turkeys) are served as meat dishes. Eastern Georgians love wheat bread and beef and lamb dishes. Fish dishes are common only in those areas that are near rivers.

However, the main characteristic features of the Georgian national cuisine remain common to all regions, because it is based on the same products, and the cooking technologies are the same.

When cooking, Georgians like to use an open fire and a spit (dishes are also prepared mainly in this way). In this way, not only meat and fish dishes are prepared, but also cheese ones. The use of sour, sour-egg and sour-fat environments to create an original taste and texture of soups, as well as the use of various sauces to enrich the assortment of second courses, can be attributed to the truly national features of Georgian culinary.

Snacks in Georgia

The national cuisine of Georgia includes a huge number of different snacks.

The representatives of cold appetizers undoubtedly include lobio, made either from green bean pods or from boiled red beans with herbs, pomegranate seeds can also be included in this dish (note: beans are the main ingredient and). Dishes made from young nettles, beet leaves, spinach and other vegetables are very popular.

In general, vegetables occupy a special place on the Georgian table. Without them, it is simply impossible to imagine a full-fledged feast in this country. They can be served raw or boiled, fried, baked, stewed, pickled, salted ... in general, there are many options.

In addition to lobio, phali is also popular. This dish is prepared from spinach leaves, asparagus, beet tops and cabbage with a dressing consisting of nuts, herbs and onions.

Very often, eggplants are used for cooking Georgian cuisine. One of my favorite dishes is eggplant with walnut sauce.

Another popular dish among Georgians is ajapsandali. It consists of the following ingredients: green beans, eggplant, tomatoes, sweet peppers, garlic, cilantro, basil, onions. Sometimes potatoes and hot peppers are added to it.

Chogi is also popular with Georgians. This dish is a vegetable appetizer made from dried dogwood, roasted beets and green onions. Each ingredient is prepared separately, and then everything is mixed.

No feast can do without cheese. This is a necessary component of the national cuisine of Georgia. They are used in the preparation of many dishes, and they are also served as a separate snack. Suluguni cheese, perhaps, can be attributed to the most famous Georgian cheeses. It has a pronounced sour-milk taste. Imereti cheese is made from the milk of various domestic animals, aged in brine for several months. In general, almost all cheeses of Georgian cuisine are prepared in the wineskin or jug ​​way.

Georgian cuisine sauces

Georgian cuisine cannot be imagined without sauces, which the locals love to add to all sorts of dishes. Sauces in Georgia can be both spicy and sour. Satsebeli, tkemali, bazhi, adjika are the most popular types of sauces.

The technology for preparing Georgian sauces is quite simple. It consists of two main operations: boiling down the puree or fruit juice by a third or half and crushing nuts, spices and garlic until an emulsion or smooth paste is obtained. Thanks to fruit and berry juices, sauces acquire an unusual tart-sour taste, which is often confused with "sharpness". The sourness of fruit juices has nothing to do with the sharpness of vinegar. Spicy herbs used to make sauces are also not hot, but they are incredibly fragrant.

Satsebeli is prepared on the basis of fruits and nuts. Its main ingredients include: chicken broth, walnuts, juice of unripe grapes (pomegranate, blackberry or mixtures of these juices), garlic, saffron, cilantro greens, red ground pepper. This sauce should be seasoned with poultry dishes. The sauce can be served either hot or cold.

Tkemali is recommended to be used with meat, fish, poultry and various side dishes. Currently, there are many ways to prepare it, but the main ingredients of this sauce are tkemali plum, aromatic herbs and garlic.

Adjika is one of the most spicy and spicy spices in the Caucasus. It is made from red pepper with salt, herbs and garlic. And, mind you, tomatoes are not included in its composition. The traditional color for this sauce is red, but it can also be made from unripe peppers, as a result of which the sauce may acquire a green tint.

Bazhi is a sauce made from nuts, also seasoned with garlic and spices. It is suitable for all kinds of food.

One sauce can be applied to completely different dishes (meat, vegetable or fish). Depending on this, different culinary creations are the result. This is precisely the reason for the presence in the Georgian cuisine of a huge number of names of second courses.

Sauces in Georgia can act as independent dishes, and in this case they are used with bread.

Soups

The most famous Georgian soup is kharcho. It is made from beef with rice and walnuts on a special sour base - tklapi. Tklapi is a semi-finished product made from tkemali plum (essentially plum puree thickened in the sun). In summer, it can be replaced with fresh cherry plum (tkemali) or tomatoes and lemon juice, but beef cannot be replaced with anything, because even the Georgian name itself is translated into Russian as “beef soup” or “beef meat for kharcho”.

Among the favorite soups in Georgia are also chikhirtma, bozartma, khashi and shechamandy.

Chikhirtma is an egg-based soup made from lamb or poultry meat. Thanks to the base, the soup turns out to be very thick, in addition, it has peculiar taste characteristics. In terms of the composition of spices, chikhirtma differs from kharcho, primarily in the presence of mint and saffron, as well as the absence of suneli hops.

Bozartma is prepared from fatty lamb or poultry with a little liquid, resulting in this soup with a slight sourness. The only vegetables that are added to it are tomatoes and onions, moreover, tomatoes in poultry bozartme may be completely absent. In the latter case, pomegranate juice can be added to give the necessary acid.

Khashi is a fatty rich broth made from beef legs, peritoneum and stomach. Dried pita bread and crushed garlic are served separately.

Shechamandy - Vegetarian matsoni soup without vegetables and cereals, thickened with flour dressing, served with eggs.

Main courses

Khinkali is considered a special meat dish in Georgia - large juicy dumplings sprinkled with black pepper. They are served as the main and only dish. Khinkali is usually eaten with hands.

Mtsvadi is another meat dish that is appreciated not only in Georgia, it takes pride of place both on and among Russian lovers of gatherings with friends in nature or in the country. It's about barbecue. Georgians make it mainly from beef (bovine) meat. There are three main types of mtsvadi in Georgia:

• Kebab from a whole ox tenderloin, the so-called long kebab; in restaurants now it is extremely rare;
• Mtsvadi from basturma, i.e. pre-prepared marinated beef meat;
• Lamb shish kebab with eggplant.

Mujuzhi is a dish of boiled semi-marinated pork. Nowadays, it is made either from pork tails and legs, or from young meat pork. But real husbands should consist of both types of meat cooked in wine vinegar (sour dry wine, infused for 1-2 weeks on tarragon and basil, is used as it).

Chanakhi is a dish cooked in pots. It includes fatty lamb (1/5 part of chanakhi) and vegetables (eggplants, tomatoes, potatoes, onions). From spices, parsley, cilantro, basil, red and black pepper are added.

Another dish known in many countries, at least in the former USSR, is chakhokhbili. Most often it is prepared from poultry meat, sometimes from beef or lamb. First, the meat is fried in a pan without additional fat (therefore, it is better to choose fatty pieces of meat for this dish), at the end of frying, onions are added. And after that, the meat is already boiled, but without adding water, but with vegetables (i.e., in the juice of vegetables). At the end of the stew, spices are added.

Tobacco chicken is cooked in a wide tapa pan under a lid and oppression. In Georgia, it is usually prepared without seasonings, as the finished chicken is used as a semi-finished product for other dishes. An example of such dishes is lamb. It is a combination of separately cooked vegetables and chicken.

To make chicken tabaka you will need:

• 1 chicken
• 2-2.5 tbsp ghee
• 0.5 tsp red ground pepper

We cut the gutted chicken along the breast, beat it with a wooden mallet so that it takes a flattened shape. We fill the legs and wings into the cuts made in the skin so that they do not rise during frying. Then salt, pepper on both sides and put it on a preheated pan, pressing down with a lid (you can put something heavy on it). Fry for about half an hour on both sides.

For eggplant borani you will need:

• 1 chicken tobacco
• 10 eggplant
• 7 bulbs
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 0.5 cup oil
• 2 tbsp basilica
• 2 tbsp mint
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp saffron infusion (5-6 stamens)
• 3 tsp cinnamon

Eggplants are peeled and cut into thin circles, salt, let them stand for 5 minutes, then squeeze, removing excess salt. Fry the onion sliced ​​into rings together with the eggplants prepared in advance in oil, mixing with fresh spicy herbs. Then we divide the prepared vegetables into two parts. Put the first part on the bottom of the plate. On top of it spread the chicken, cut into 8-10 pieces. The rest of the vegetables are spread on top of the chicken and all this is poured together with matsoni (sour milk) with saffron infusion and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Khachapuri

This dish of Georgian cuisine deserves a separate discussion, because there is no such person in the world who has not heard about it. Each region of Georgia has its own special recipe for this dish.

Khachapuri can be boat-shaped or round, topped with cheese, or stuffed with beans. The whole charm of this dish is that instead of yeast, yogurt is used for dough (sometimes kefir or yogurt, though not in Georgia, but in other countries).

Adjarian khachapuri will satisfy the taste needs of any person. They are prepared in the form of a boat, and after baking the dough, an egg is broken into its middle and a piece of butter is placed. Then adjaruli is again placed in the oven for 10 minutes. This dish is served hot.

Imeruli is another kind of khachapuri. It is believed that a good imeruli consists of a large amount of cheese and a small amount of dough.

Megruli or Megrelian khachapuri resembles pizza, because the cheese is not only inside, but also outside this type of khachapuri.

The composition of Svan khachapuri (svanuri) includes meat. Cooking this dish is not as easy as it might seem at first glance.

But achma is deservedly considered the king of khachapuri. It is prepared with both cheese and meat. It takes about 4 hours to prepare.

Desserts of Georgia

In general, the inhabitants of Georgia prefer to use various fruits, berries, natural juices, nuts and honey for dessert. But still, in Georgian cuisine there are several recipes that can satisfy the appetite of the sweet tooth. The basis of sweets in Georgia are nuts.

The most famous Georgian dessert, whose name is remembered by everyone who has visited our shores of the Black Sea, is churchkhela. These are nuts strung on a string and soaked in thickened grape juice. Kozinaki (or gozinaki) are also among the national dishes of Georgia. They are a mixture of nuts and honey. Pelamushi is another Georgian national dessert. It is made from grape juice extract, flour and sugar.

Ingredients:

• peeled nuts - 1 kg
• honey - 1 kg
• powdered sugar - 0.25 cups

Lightly roasted nuts cut into small pieces (almonds and hazelnuts should be scalded with boiling water before roasting and peeled). Boil honey in a copper or aluminum bowl and boil it to such a state that a drop taken for a sample does not spread on a plate. Then pour the nuts into the honey, continuing to cook and stir continuously until the aroma of fried appears (that is, until caramelization begins). Shortly before turning off, pour powdered sugar into the mixture of honey and nuts, thanks to which the gozinaki will be fragile. Then we spread the resulting mass on a wooden board pre-moistened with cold water (or marble, oiled). We roll out a layer 1 cm thick (it is also better to moisten the rolling pin in water). Cool and cut into squares of centimeters by 5. Dry until hardened.

Beverages

Among the drinks, mineral waters (whose springs can be found near the main routes) and various wines, which may be inferior to the wines you will find at the wine festival, are especially popular, but Russians appreciate them.

Georgian wine is best tasted at the place of its production, i.e. in the villages of the Alazani Valley and in the vicinity of Ambrolauri, where Khvanchkara, beloved by Stalin, is produced to this day. You can go on a tour of the winery in Tsinandali. There are many good wines in Georgia, but you should not drink only one variety - Isabella. This is a semi-Arican variety of wine, which the Georgians themselves call contemptuously "Odessa".

Georgia is a country of ancient and high culture, geographically it is located at the crossroads of European and Asian civilization, and despite the frequent invasions of enemies, the Georgian people managed to preserve their original culture. Georgia, like most parts of the Caucasus, is characterized by long hot summers, plenty of sun and relatively mild winters.

Since ancient times, the territory of Georgia was divided into certain provinces, today they are usually called economic regions. This is the central-eastern, eastern, southern, central-western. The Georgians themselves "divide" Georgia into East and West. Common features for both parts is the consumption of wines and spices - these components are part of any meal. In all other respects, there are significant differences. For example, in Western Georgia, bread and special cakes made from corn flour - mchadi are widespread, it is baked on clay pans - "ketsi", and in Eastern Georgia they prefer wheat bread. In some parts of Western Georgia - Megrelia and Abkhazia - they also use chumiza (a type of millet) as bread, from which they cook a mushy mass - gomi. It is eaten with soups, meat and vegetable dishes. In the east of Georgia, along with the main meat for Georgians - beef, they eat lamb, and consume quite a lot of fat. At the same time, in Western Georgia they eat much less meat, here they prefer poultry - chickens and turkeys. However, all these differences do not give grounds to draw a hard line between the cuisines of the east and west of Georgia.

It should be noted that Georgian cuisine is distinguished by the simplicity of cooking. In Georgia, there are no religious and cultural restrictions on the choice of meat, since for a long time the Georgian nation existed at the junction of many cultures and influences. In general, in Georgian cuisine, none of the types of meat is predominant. Georgian meat dishes can be prepared from pork (muzhuzhi), lamb (chanakhi), beef (kharcho) and poultry (chakhokhbili). However, tolerance for all types of meat does not prevent Georgians from giving their preference to beef and poultry. Thus, soup "kharcho" is cooked only from beef, with rice and walnuts on a special sour base - tklapi (a semi-finished product made from tkemali plum - creamy puree thickened in the sun). The combination of soft tender taste of beef broth and neutral taste of rice with natural acidity of tklapi, spicy herbs of dressing and slightly astringent aroma of nuts creates a characteristic taste and smell of soup - kharcho. But khashi is prepared only from pork legs. This broth with garlic and black pepper is drunk in the morning, before dawn. As the Georgians themselves say, "khashi" is especially good "as a cure for a hangover." Well, in general, Georgian soups are quite dense, mainly due to the introduction of egg yolks, and they are devoid of vegetable dressing.

Meat is also widely used in the preparation of second courses. In Georgia, they certainly cook - mtsvadi (in Russian - shish kebab). The washed carcass of an animal or bird is strung on a skewer along the entire length and fried over coal, constantly turning. Only 10 minutes before readiness, the carcass is salted, peppered and sprinkled with spices.

The bird is usually cooked with feathers. Gutted, salted inside, it is thickly coated with soft clay. Thus, the bird is cooked in its own juice. After 40 minutes, the clay is broken and all feathers are removed with it. A specific attribute for Georgian cuisine in the preparation of meat dishes, namely frying poultry under pressure, are wide metal tapa pans. This technique was borrowed from the Armenians, but it has become much more widespread in Georgian cuisine. This and other technological methods serve as an element in creating a national culinary flavor in Georgian cuisine.
Compared to meat, fish occupies a relatively modest place in Georgia. Basically, fish dishes are prepared from barbel, khramul, shemay, podust, belonging to the carp family, and trout, which lives only in certain regions of the country. Fish is consumed mainly in boiled and stewed form.

Vegetable dishes are widely spread in Georgia. Most of these dishes are made from beans, eggplant, cabbage, beets, and tomatoes. Along with this, nettle, mallow, purslane, young tops of garden crops - beets, cauliflower are used. Vegetable dishes can be raw, boiled, baked, fried, stewed, salted and pickled.
Georgian cuisine - eating cheeses

Another distinctive feature of the Georgian table is the frequent and abundant use of cheeses. The composition of the cheeses here is very specific. Basically, these are brine-type cheeses, prepared using a jug or wineskin method. Here it is impossible not to mention the difference in tastes of Eastern and Western Georgia. In the West, soft, fresh cheeses with a sour-milk taste are produced - suluguni - puff cheese in the form of a round cake, and similar to it, but not puff - Imeretinsky. In Eastern Georgia, more spicy and salty cheeses are common - Kobiysky, Tushinsky, Georgian, Guda, Chanakh, Ossetian. The way cheese is used in Georgia is special. As a rule, this is not a snack dish, as in European cuisines, but the main component for preparing hot dishes. In Georgia, cheese is boiled, boiled in milk, fried on a spit, a frying pan, baked in dough, soaked, crushed, flavored with butter and spices. This feature of the use of cheeses is largely due to the fact that Transcaucasian cheeses often do not go through the full ripening process and are a semi-finished product. There are several hundred Georgian dishes that include cheese. But perhaps the most beloved and universally recognized for all residents of Georgia are khachapuri - special pies that are prepared using different types of cheese.

Quite often, nuts are used for cooking - hazelnuts, almonds, hazel, beech, but most often, walnuts. This is an invariable component of various seasonings and sauces; nuts are equally well suited to meat, vegetable and even fish dishes. Nuts are put in soups, confectionery, salads, and second courses. In general, without them, the Georgian table is simply unthinkable.

Spicy herbs are of great importance in Georgia. They are eaten throughout the year, served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Depending on the season, it can be parsley, dill, wild garlic, fields, mint, tsitsmat, basil, savory, tarragon and many other greens that grow in Georgia. Fruits, leaves, stems, bark, roots, inflorescences can be used as spices.
spices in Georgian cuisine

All of these are fresh or dried. In addition to aroma and taste, spices contain a huge amount of useful substances: minerals, salts, iron, phosphorus, various vitamins, essential oils, amino acids, fructose and much more. Who knows, maybe it is in the greenery that the secret of the health and longevity of Georgians is hidden.

One of the essential and truly national features of Georgian cuisine is the use of sauces to enrich the range of second courses. The same dish served with a different sauce differs not only in appearance, but also in taste and aroma. Sauces with bright colors allow you to better decorate the dish, give it a finished look. Georgian sauces are fundamentally different from sauces of other national cuisines, both in composition and in preparation technology. In Georgia, sour berry and fruit juices or puree from tkemali, blackthorn, pomegranate, blackberry, and tomato are used as the basis for making sauces. Nut sauces are also widely used, where crushed nuts serve as the basis. Along with the base, the composition of sauces includes a large set of spices and spices.
wine in Georgian cuisine

The culture of wine production is inextricably linked with the history of Georgia. Viticulture is one of the most ancient and highly respected branches of Georgian agriculture. The Georgian people have been cultivating vineyards from generation to generation, while tribal secrets are kept in great secrecy. Therefore, Georgia is so rich in a variety of wines. To date, Georgian breeders have bred more than 500 grapevine varieties. The culture of winemaking, which has entered the life of Georgians since ancient times, has left its mark on the culture of drinking alcohol. Wine accompanies any dinner, but at the everyday table it is very moderate - 2-3 small glasses. No one, even the poorest people in Georgia, indulges in the pleasure of drinking a glass of wine before dinner. Natural Georgian wine contains many useful substances, so even children are allowed to drink it.
On holidays, when the whole family gathers at a large table or guests come, more wine is drunk, and the best that is in the house. However, the main attention should be paid not to the amount of alcohol consumed, but to the culture of drinking. Strict order always reigns at the Georgian table. The toastmaster is elected. It must be a witty man who has reached the age of 18. At the table, no one has the right to make a toast without the permission of the toastmaster. The usual "norm" of the toastmaster is 25 glasses of wine, 250 grams each - after all, he must separately pronounce a toast for each of those present, without leaving the table for 5 hours. The toastmaster's record is 45 glasses and a 3-liter horn drunk in one feast. The last glass at the Georgian table should be drained to the bottom - you can’t “leave tears” to the owner of the house. In Georgia, there is a separate holiday - the grape harvest festival - "Rtveli", it falls on September. Everyone, even children, gather grapes in wicker baskets. The walls of the house are hung with dried bunches. Sweet, frothy madjari is prepared from grapes of the first grade. It is not aged for years, but is drunk as soon as it is ready. From the must left after the preparation of majari, and cornmeal, pilamushi is prepared. From grape juice and nuts - churchkhela. In the basement of each rural house there is a wine storage (marani). It represents one or several huge cone-shaped clay jars (kvevri) dug into the ground.

According to the nature of wine production, Georgia can be divided into two zones: Eastern and Western. Eastern includes Kakheti and Kartli. In Kakheti, mainly white grape varieties are cultivated - rkatsiteli, khikhvi, red varieties - saperavi and cabernet. In Kartla, the leading varieties are chinuri, aligot, tavkveri and gorouli.

Such wine material is used to prepare soft Tsinandali wine, tart, thick and strong Saperavi, unsurpassed in taste and aroma of Kindzmarauli, a kind of Tesmani, and Gurjaani.
Georgian Cuisine - Kindzmarauli

The Western zone includes Imeretia, Megrelia, Guria, Adjara, Racha - Pehchumi and Abkhazia. In these areas, grape varieties such as tsitska, tsalikouri, krahuna, alexandreum and others are grown. Here, along with specific table varieties, raw materials for sparkling wines are also produced, and such wines as Khvanchkara, Tvishi are no less successful than vintage Kakhetian wines.

In general, more than 50 different brands of grape wines are produced in Georgia. White table wines are prepared in three ways: Kakhetian - eastern (fermentation of must with pulp - combs, skins and seeds of grapes), Imeritinsky - western (fermentation of must with partial participation of pulp) and European (fermentation of pure must - grape juice without pulp). According to the European method, Tsinandali No. 1, Gujaani No. 3, Tsamkodri No. 7, Mihranuli No. 9, Napereuli No. 27, and ordinary table wines No. 6.23 are produced in Georgia. These wines have a delicate, light, fresh taste with fruity notes. Their strength is 10-12.5 degrees, exposure - 2-3 years.

According to the Kakheti method, they prepare "Kakhitinsky" No. 8, "Tibaani" No. 12. On the palate they are full, soft and harmonious. The wine is aged for a year, its strength is 11.5 - 13 degrees.

"Svir" is prepared in the Imeritinsky way. This wine has a harmonious taste, delicate bouquet. It is aged for two years and then bottled. Ready wines have a strength of 11-12.5 degrees.
Georgian cuisine - wines

Wines are divided into varietal and blended. Varietal wines are those that are made from one variety of grapes, while blended wines are made from several. It should be noted that Georgian wines are produced under the numbers and the name of the locality where it is made, or under the number and name of the grape variety from which the wine is made. In addition, table, semi-sweet, fortified, dessert, sparkling wines, as well as vintage and ordinary cognacs are also made in Georgia. It should be noted that in Georgia, as a rule, strong drinks are drunk in limited quantities. Traditionally, it is a sweet liqueur or chacha. The liqueur is made from various fruits (usually they take those that are not suitable for eating - crushed, spoiled by precipitation) or fermented jam. Chacha is fruit moonshine, it is also called grape vodka. Chacha is made from pomace (the remains of grapes after wine), figs, tangerines, oranges or mulberries. Chacha is being prepared, just like Russian moonshine, that is, with the help of a moonshine still.

Traditionally, chacha is drunk from small cups (25-30 gr.). In Western Georgia, chacha is eaten with something sweet, in Eastern Georgia, on the contrary, with pickles.

Cognac production in Georgia appeared relatively recently, in the second half of the 19th century. Despite a short history, Georgian cognacs have gained great fame. They are made from cognac alcohol (65-70 degrees), in oak barrels, where cognac acquires a golden color, mild taste and fragrant aroma. Depending on the aging period and the degree of maturity, vintage cognacs with an alcohol age of 6 to 10 years and more and ordinary cognacs with an age of cognac alcohol of 3 to 5 years are made from cognac spirits.

No, friends, we are not turning into a culinary site. The thing is that when talking about Georgia, it is simply impossible to bypass the topic of food or touch it superficially: the food here is so amazing that it is worth coming here just to eat.

This is another article about Georgian cuisine, this time - as many as 30 dishes that you must try. Read, take note and be sure to come try.

1. Puri

No wonder they say that bread is the head of everything. Georgian cuisine begins with bread, bread is special here and is one of the main components of the diet. Puri is the most recognizable pastry in Georgia due to its shape - this bread cannot be confused with anything.

Georgians bake bread in traditional clay ovens called tone. The fire burns at the bottom of the oven and heats its walls, on which the Georgian baker “slaps” the cakes so that they are attached and baked in a vertical state.

2. Khachapuri

Georgian cheese bread or tortilla with cheese is another important part of Georgian cuisine. There are several versions of khachapuri preparation, which depend on the region. Everything you need to try:

Imeretinsky - round with cheese inside.

Megrelian - similar to Imereti, but contains cheese and butter not only inside, but also outside.

Adjarian - boat-shaped khachapuri containing cheese, egg and butter.

Khachapuri on a skewer - cheese and dough are wound on a skewer and cooked on a barbecue.

3. Science

- This is Georgian spicy bread, which can be tasted far from everywhere. It is also baked in tone, but is interesting in that it has the aroma of cloves, cinnamon and contains raisins. This pastry is typical for the city of Surami. There are many small roadside bakeries where you can buy science hot right out of the oven.

4. Chvishtari

Chvishtari are Georgian cornbread. They come from Svaneti. Inside chvishtari - cheese, served with sauce.

5. Suluguni

Georgian cheese similar in texture to mozzarella. It is salty, viscous, divided into "strings". It is eaten just like that or added to various dishes (for example, khachapuri).

6. Nadugi

This is an original Georgian appetizer, consisting of fresh cottage cheese with a delicate creamy taste, wrapped in thin suluguni cheese.

7. Jonjoli

A traditional Georgian appetizer, plain in appearance, but very interesting in taste. These are pickled flowers. Slightly reminiscent of sauerkraut and salted olives.

8. Salad

The word "salad" in the menu of Georgian cafes often refers to a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes. Additional ingredients and dressing may vary by establishment. The photo shows a salad of cucumbers and tomatoes with onions and walnuts. It also turns out very tasty with Kakhetian oil.

9. Georgian chicken salad

Another salad that often appears on the menu of most establishments is listed as qatmis salati. It is a simple chicken salad with onions, mayonnaise and spices.

10. Olivier or Russian potato salad

Olivier is considered a traditional dish of Russian cuisine here. This salad is quite popular, it is served almost everywhere. But this is not quite familiar to us Olivier. Here it is cooked without sausage. And often confused with vinaigrette - ask the waiter what exactly is called Olivier in the institution.

11. Badrijani

One of the most favorite snacks of tourists is eggplant rolls. The filling can be very varied, but always contains cheese and walnuts.

12. Phali

Pkhali is an original appetizer in the form of flatbreads, the main ingredient can be almost any vegetable or herb, the most popular are beets and spinach. It is served as a side dish for meat dishes, as an independent dish, as an appetizer.

13. Dolma

This is an appetizer in the form of a rice-meat mass wrapped in a cabbage or grape leaf. In Georgia, it is traditionally served with yoghurt garlic sauce. Strictly speaking, this is a dish of Armenian cuisine, but in Georgia they love dolma and know how to cook it.

14. Khinkali

This is boiled meat in dough, reminiscent of dumplings. You need to eat only with your hands, holding them by the ponytails. In each region, they are prepared differently and with different fillings. In Tbilisi, we recommend trying the city recipe with meat and herbs. If you are traveling along the Georgian military road, stop in the village of Pasanauri. It is considered the birthplace of khinkali and here they are excellent.

15. Chikhirtma

Unusual chicken soup, which includes meat, herbs, egg, flour and vinegar. From the habit it may seem a little sour due to vinegar, but in general the taste of the broth is rich and harmonious. If you went too far with wine yesterday, chikhirtma will be your salvation.

16. Mtsvadi

Served with plum sauce tkemali or tomato satsebeli. As a rule, the meat is cooked without marinade at all, but generously flavored with onions and pomegranate seeds.

17. Fried potatoes

A classic side dish that can be ordered everywhere is fried potatoes served with tkemali sauce.

18. Lobio

A dish of beans with onions and herbs. Depending on the institution, it may differ slightly both in composition and in consistency. Served most often in a small clay pot. Try drowning a pod of hot pepper in a pot and popping lobio along with mchadi (corn tortilla).

19. Chashushuli

A traditional Georgian dish is veal stewed with onions and peppers.

20. Chakapuli

Again, meat stewed with herbs and spices. Lamb is used as meat, sour plums, cilantro, tarragon, white wine are used as additives.

21. Kharcho

Traditional Georgian first course with beef, can be served with or without rice. There are also vegetarian versions of kharcho with eggplant, zucchini, walnuts. Be careful - kharcho is always a very spicy dish.

22. Trout in pomegranate sauce

Trout is fried whole until crispy, served in sweet or salty pomegranate sauce.

23. Matsoni

This is Georgian yogurt. It has a pleasant delicate taste, served at room temperature. Also widely used in sauces and dressings.

24. Churchkhela

This is a dessert in the form of a string of nuts in thick caramelized grape syrup. It is sold on every corner, but do not buy churchkhela on the street - there it has dried up, absorbed all the delights of road dust. Buy in stores. The correct churchkhela is not hard, but stretchy, like nougat.

25. Chiri

Chiri is dried persimmon. Such a delicacy can be found in the same shops where they sell churchkhela. Sliced ​​persimmons are strung on threads and hung until completely dry for several weeks.

26. Borjomi

This is a popular mineral water not only in Georgia, but also far beyond its borders, which is extracted from the source of the same name. You can buy it in any store and cafe, as well as drink directly from the source if you find yourself in Borjomi.

27. Lemonade

If Georgians do not drink Borjomi, wine or beer, then they drink lemonade. There are many variations of lemonade here, it can be different in taste and color.

28. Waters of Lagidze

This is sparkling water with syrups that awakens warm nostalgia in tourists. There are many flavors: cherry, cream, lemon, pear, tarragon, grapes, vanilla and even chocolate.

29. Traditional wine

Namely, made in kvevri (large clay jugs buried in the ground) according to the traditional recipe, as the ancestors did eight thousand years ago. You will not taste such wine in any other country in the world, so take a moment - taste Georgian wines and take them home.

30. Chacha

Traditional grape vodka, which is made from the remains of wine materials. Try chacha if you like hard liquor. The main thing is to calculate your strength and do not interfere with other alcohol.

This list is far from complete, there are many more delicious dishes in Georgian cuisine. When you find yourself in Georgia, eat everything and more - it is better to gain a couple of extra pounds than to regret the missed opportunity to know one of the most amazing cuisines in the world.

By Katherine Belarmino and Romeo Belarmino.

In contact with