Friday afternoon is the perfect time to think about a crazy trip, right? How about a culinary expedition this time? We would like to take you to the Caucasus region – to a country with which we have close relations and our countrymen are choosing it more and more often as the direction of their travels. Let’s discover the flavors of Georgia together!
We have already written a bit about Georgia itself, we melted over the flagship dish, khachapuri. It is certain, however, that the beauty and richness of the local flavors do not end there. Georgian cuisine has been elevated to the rank of true art for years. Regional dishes in both visual and culinary terms are real masterpieces and it is definitely worth taking a few moments to delve into it.
“God sends us guests!”
Maybe Polish blood flows in Georgian veins, or maybe it is completely the opposite. Does not matter. It is important that together we share similar values, including friendship and hospitality, which can sometimes be intimidating. We will definitely not welcome you in every country: “God sends us guests!”, Right? Georgians take great care of their guests, often hosting them in a royal style. The host sets a long table, calls friends, invites the master of ceremonies (Tamada), puts the best wine on the table at the moment. For example, Mukuzani is a dry wine with a dark ruby color and an extremely delicate, complex bouquet. It is also worth trying the world-famous, semi-sweet Kindzmarauli . Experienced sommeliers describe them as “wonderful, ripe red with a wonderful berry bouquet and fabulous taste.” It seems to be a great introduction to supra . Supra is a local feast that she is always accompanied by toasts and dances. Supra is traditionally ended by Georgian polyphony, brave riders and beautiful women sing folk songs that echo the mountains. At dawn, when everything seems to be eaten, drunk and sung, the time has come for … supra “The second table”! A new, white tablecloth is spread out for guests on the table, where delicious and fragrant snacks are served – it seems that the holiday has not yet begun … So what can we find on it? What are the flavors of Georgia?
Tastes of Georgia: strange names and a feast of flavors!
It is difficult to state clearly what to expect when traveling to Georgia. It’s easiest to say EVERYTHING. No matter how much you want to prepare before the trip, the locals will find a way to surprise us. We can learn names like adjandandals , adjika , borani , chalipapa , chinkali or czachochbili , and we can even know what is behind them, but already during the first live meeting with Georgian specialties we can be totally taken aback. It’s best to start them with home, country cuisine – that’s where we’ll get to know the flavors of Georgia in its purest form. Georgian housewives have at their disposal a whole range of natural ingredients that they add to the eye, with a sense – it is difficult to reach specific proportions – this does not prevent them from achieving real heights and genius of flavors. In fact, every Georgian dish comes in many variants, depending on the region and the circumstances in which it is served. Traditionally, also fast versions of meat dishes are prepared – they do not differ in any way from their meat originals.
The flavors of Georgia are a real mix of spices – oriental and those that grow in the home garden. Dishes are usually very nutritious, and it is difficult to find soups on the tables, , but lots of snacks are served. In summer, the basis is tomato and fresh basil salad < / strong> and in September with the addition of sunflower oil pressed on site . The real hit is also jong-jong. For clarification, this is a delicacy made from twigs harvested in one place only ( Lechkhuma ) and then pickled, which can be stored for no more than two days. You will also find on the table a bunch of plant herbs such as coriander, tarragon, basil, creeping onion and mint, which may seem a simple ikebana compared to pkhalli (a mixture of chopped fresh herbs, cooked in a nut sauce and grains pomegranate). Span>
Invited to a sumptuous Georgian party will first of all be offered for tasting satsivi (turkey stewed in nut sauce), followed by lobio (beans in tomato sauce). The inhabitants of Kaheti love cooked dishes, in particular those called hashlama (cooked meat with the addition of dressings). When the feast is coming to an end, sweet jams, dried and fresh fruits appear on the table, e.g., figs, caralokas, watermelons, melons, mandarins, grapes, apples, oranges. There are also sweets. One of the more original sweets is czurczchela . It resembles long icicles. They are threaded hazelnuts embedded in dough, which is made of thick grape juice.
Tastes of Georgia: land of meat and cheese
The art of preparing meat is well known throughout the Caucasus, but only Georgians who are not bound by Islamic principles can boast of the freedom to choose a recipe. Virtually every family has their recipes, which are passed down from generation to generation … Aromatic buglama (braised mutton with dressing), appetizing bastrum (fried beef fillet), khinkali – a favorite dish of Georgian highlanders (the meat is not minced in it, but chopped with a knife until it forms jelly), kuchmachi (a hot dish made from liver, heart, lungs and tongue, served in oil with dressing), traditional chahohbili (chicken stewed in tomato sauce – previously this dish was prepared only from pheasant) – these are just some of them. All these dishes, except lamb skewers, beef, turkey, pork, and sturgeon, which are prepared on skewers, are prepared in Georgian clay braids and are most often baked, stewed or smoked in special ovens, thanks to which they have really unique taste qualities and aromatic.
It is impossible to write about Georgian cuisine, not to mention Georgian cheese – after all, it is present in almost every dish. Unlike French or Swiss cheeses, it is hard to say clearly what it really is. Almost every Georgian region boasts its own species. For example, in Imeretia the cheese is very soft and I serve it with gadazelila mint, and in Theuletia people prefer goat cheese, which is produced in characteristic bags. Most often it is made from milk that is on hand – usually from cow, but also from sheep, buffalo (whiter than cow) or goat. The milk may be freshly milked or slightly dense, but still sweet. Sour cream is often collected, e.g. for butter, however, if someone wants to have a fatter cheese, they can leave it. On a normal Georgian farm no one pasteurizes or sterilizes exactly what milk is poured into – the dishes are simply clean and the milk is filtered only through gauze. Thanks to this, it maintains a completely natural composition and a complete bouquet of bacteria needed for cheese ripening. Cheeses are used in Georgian cuisine as a snack (natural or baked), as well as an ingredient in various main dishes. Hmmm – the best is made hot, when the slightly salty taste melts in the mouth, and the whole gets a slightly flowing consistency.
The flavors of Georgia are wonderful, probably everyone knows now, right? Not everyone will certainly be able to go there to feast until morning with Georgian friends. Don’t worry though! You can have a substitute for the local flavors and atmosphere by going to one of the best Georgian restaurants in Poland. There are probably those who would like to test their culinary skills themselves and together with their beloved person treat themselves to their own supra. We refer you to the face of Georgia, where you will certainly find many interesting recipes.
Bon Appetit!
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