What is national cuisine and what can it tell us about the particular nation? Well, I think cuisine is an inseparable part of national identity which is usually harmonized with (or corresponds to) the country’s climate, culture, religion and history. Thus, it can say a lot about certain country or nation. Imagine, when we go to another country one of the first things we do is taste some local foods and ask about the way they are cooked. Then our local friends tell us some stories related to this food, we engage in conversation and then it turns out that we have learnt something new about the indigenous culture. But everything started from talking about certain local food that we tried, which was followed by interesting and engaging discussion.
In this article I want to tell you shortly about the very tasty cuisine of Georgia which will give you some idea about Georgian culture as well, and who knows, maybe after reading it you will decide to pack your luggage and go for summer holidays there.
Georgian cuisine is very closely related to the culture and traditions of the nation that is usually very exotic for foreigners. My aim is not to list all the traditional dishes here, instead I am going to be quite subjective and tell you about the foods I like the most and give you good recommendation about what you must eat when visiting Georgia.
Kachapuri (ხაჭაპური) is one of the most popular traditional foods in Georgia. When you step out of the airport and feel hungry but you do not really want to spend long time in the restaurant waiting for dinner to arrive, then Khachapuri is the best choice for you. It is kind of Georgian fast food. Khachapuri is just cheese-filled bread but with different shapes and sometimes different fillings (depending on the region). The two most common varieties of Khachapuri are Imeretian – circular shaped and easily eaten on-the-go, and Ajarian – a supremely rich oblong-shaped Khachapuri topped with butter and a fried egg. I, personally, love this food so much and every time I go back to Georgia the first thing I ask my mom is to bake Khachapuri for me. So I recommend trying it!
Next iconic Georgian food is Khinkali (ხინკალი). When my Polish friends first saw Khinkali they told me – “oh, it is just a bigger Pieróg!” Well, the way Khinkali is cooked may be somehow similar to the method Poles use when preparing Pierogi, though the taste, filling and the way of eating make Khinkali totally different from usual dumplings. In fact, it is twisted knob of dough stuffed with spiced meat, typically lamb or pork/beef mix. (Vegetarian alternatives are with potatoes, cheese or mushrooms). I usually eat Khinkali peppered with black paper with cold baverage and recommend trying it this way. You must know that it is customary to eat Khinkali with hands. First you bite it to suck out the meat juice and then eat the rest. Sometimes Georgians compete each other in eating Khinkali, but I advise you not to try to compete with Georgian fellows since they are well-trained in it.
Lobio (ლობიო) (in English “beans”) is also one of my favorite Georgian dishes. There are many types of Lobio, out of which the most popular is Lobio Nigvzit (Beans with walnut), in which the beans are mashed and mixed with garlic, walnuts, onions, and coriander. Lobio is usually served in a small brown ceramic pot which makes the food even more exotic for foreigners. Different from Khinkali, Lobio is relatively easy to prepare. You can simply find recipe on the internet and try to cook. During my living in Poland I have cooked it few times and it was not bad. J
Georgian eggplant with walnuts (ბადრიჯანი ნიგვზით) (Badrijani Nigvzit) is one of the best summer dishes in Georgia. Badrijani Nigvzit is tasty when it is cold and should always be eaten this way. The filling is unique and typically Georgian: pureed walnuts perfumed with fresh herbs (parsley and cilantro), garlic and vinegar. It is quite easy to prepare and ingredients can easily be found in Poland.
There are several traditional sweets in Georgian cuisine. For example Gozinaki (გოზინაყი) and Churchkhela (ჩურჩხელა).
Gozinaki is a traditional Georgian candy made of caramelized nuts fried in honey and is usually eaten at New Year and Christmas. It is kind of a tradition to have Gozinaki on New Year and Christmas table. Unfortunately, Gozinaki is not very easy to prepare, even though the ingredients it contains are easily accessible in supermarkets.
Churchkhela is often called “Georgian Snickers” because it is very nourishing and energizing. This sausage shaped candy is made from natural grape juice and different kinds of nuts. It is usually prepared during the harvest season in autumn (very typical in the eastern part of Georgia, like in Kakheti region). When driving from Western part of Georgia to the East you will see many Churchkhela stalls on the road so you can stop and buy some. Some people like to eat fresh Churchkhelas which are still soft but some like dried and old when it is dried. So you can try both and decide which one you like the most.
If you want to know more about Georgian cuisine I recommend visiting the country and explore it by yourself!
Valerian Karchava
