With its outstanding wine, plentiful fruit and excellent cuisine, hospitality in Georgia was famous for its indulgence in the former Soviet Union. Far from Moscow, the country that produced Stalin has a more relaxed approach to living and was the envy of other parts of the communist regime, as exemplified by this popular legend:
"When God was distributing portions of the world to all the people of the Earth, the Georgians were having a party and doing some serious drinking. As a result, they arrived late and were told by God that all the land had been distributed. When they replied that they were only late because they had been lifting their glasses in praise of Him, God was pleased, and gave the Georgians that part of Earth He had been reserving for Himself." (1)
The drunken excesses of the tamada, or toastmaster, are legendary - long flowing speeches on life, love and family washed down with copious quantities of grape juice - but the quality of the cuisine was also legendary, with hosts outdoing each other with exotic dish after dish on groaning tables. A Georgian restaurant experience is eating with a difference - here are some dishes to look out for.
How to Make Soups Tasty - Use Georgian Ingredients
Georgian food is full of flavour and some of the staple ingredients include garlic, walnuts, vinegar, various herbs and red peppers. Khashi, made from meat, garlic, walnuts and a host of herbs, and with legendary cures for even the most severe hangover, is the most popular soup, Others include Lobios Chorba (red beans), Bostneulis Kharcho (tomato with walnuts and vermicelli), Chikhirtma (chicken with coriander) and Chrianteli, a cold fruit soup - something for everyone.
Starters - Easy Appetizers for a Dinner Party
Bread is an important staple at any table in Tbilisi, with the very filling khachapuri, a tasty cheese bread, being the most popular. A variety of dishes appear on the table, all beautifully presented. Some to look out for include Kombostos Ruleti Nigvzit (cabbage and walnuts), Mtsvane Lobios Mkhali (green bean puree), Charkhlis Chogi (beetroot in a cherry sauce), Badridzhnis Khizilala (aubergine caviar) and Kartopili Nigvzit (potatoes and walnuts). A classic error for the first-timer is to over-indulge at this point, leaving little space for the main courses.
Main Courses - Garlic and Spices
Meat is a must for the main course, with Shashlik (skewered meat cubes) a popular dish, as are Khinkali, delicious large succulent dumplings, stuffed with ground lamb, beef or pork and a range of spices, and sometimes even cheese. Other delicacies include Ghvidzli (liver with pomegranate juice), Gochi (roast suckling pig) and Buglama (a veal stew combining tomatoes and herbs). Fish lovers may be tempted by the Tevzi Brotseulis Tsvenshi (fish in a pomegranate and walnut sauce), Shemtsvari Kalmakhi (grilled trout with tarragon) or Tatris Basturma (grilled marinated sturgeon)
Best Desserts to End a Feast
For the few still standing and with room in their stomachs, a fine meal is completed with dessert, where the choice of excellent local fruits and walnut pastries and sweets should satisfy even the most demanding of guests. Dishes to look out for include Pakhlava (walnut pastry), Gozinake (candied walnuts) and Nigvzis Torti (a cake with walnuts and raisins).
If invited to a Georgian feast, the best advice is to come prepared with an empty stomach and some public speaking ideas - even the most loquacious tamada will delegate tolumbashis, or assistant tamadas, sometimes with little notice. Enjoy!
Source - St. Petersburg Times, February 12, 2010
Paul Bradbury - Author of Hvar: An Insider's Guide to Croatia's Premier Island, and Lebanese Nuns Don't Ski
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