When you cross the border of Georgia, border guards don’t just stamp your passport, they hand you a bottle of wine. This is a worthy welcome in a mountainous country, between Europe and Asia, where guests are hailed as “gifts from God”, and traditional “suprami” celebrations sometimes last for days with a wide range of dishes and lots of wine.
Georgia is one of the few countries in the world that are widely known for their culinary diversity. In ancient times, when merchants transported goods and spices along the great silk road, Georgians borrowed and incorporated foreign ingredients and cooking styles into their own. For centuries, Georgian cuisine has been influenced by the countries of the Mediterranean coast, Arab and Mongolian flavors, Persian and Ottoman cuisines. Today’s Georgian cuisine is a rich interaction of Mediterranean and middle Eastern tastes.
Georgia is one of the most popular places for foodies in Europe. Plan a unique trip to Georgia and get to know this country from a new perspective. Please contact us by email geogeorgia.travel@gmail.com or call by phone +995599955541.
Georgian dishes have a special flavor and surprisingly liberal use of chili, and also contain a lot of fresh herbs. Georgian food is plentiful, and the table is not uncommon-Georgians even have a word for it: shemomedjamo (literal translation:”I accidentally ate everything”!). Although it will be difficult for you to try all the delicacies that Georgia has to offer, you should at least try to make sure that the most famous Georgian dishes are on your plate.
Moreover, they are very cheap and delicious! There are two things you can’t help but try while you are in Georgia – Khinkali and Khachapuri.
The most recognizable Georgian dish is khinkali–a kind of hybrid of Russian dumplings and dumplings with a filling that usually consists of chopped meat with herbs. However, you can find many alternative meat fillings, such as cheese, potatoes, or mushrooms.
In the mountains, this delicious dish is made from lamb, which is abundant, in other places a mixture of chopped beef and pork is used. The origins of the khinkali cannot be accurately traced; some point to the influence of the Tatars, while others claim that the khinkali is an indigenous product of the native mountain culture of Georgia.
No Georgian holiday is complete without khachapuri. According to many, this is a classic Georgian cheese bread. It is one of the most creative bread dishes in Georgia. The filling contains cheese (fresh or aged, most often Suluguni), eggs, oil and other ingredients. There are several options, but the most famous of them – hachapuri in Adjara khachapuri and in Imerolia.
Different varieties correspond to different regions: traditional khachapuri with salted Suluguni cheese; there are also lobiani (with beans), habizgina (with potatoes) and stuffed khachapuri, fried in oil or on a spit. Its shape and texture vary from region to region: it may have a thin or thick crust, or contain one or more layers. Khachapuri can take a round, triangular or rectangular shape of all sizes and even have the shape of a boat with an egg in the middle, as in the case of Adjarian khachapuri.
You will often find kharcho listed in the restaurant menu in the soups section. Kharcho is a thick slow-cooked meat stew with tomatoes, spices and aromatic herbs. Its distinctive aromatic feature is largely due to the use of hmelis-a marigold-rich Georgian analog of the Indian curry mix. This dish is more like a thin stew. Kharcho is usually made from beef, plum puree and ground walnuts, which gives the sauce a rich sweet and sour taste and a beautiful nutty consistency.
A meat kebab, whether it is veal, lamb or pork, is a symbol of a real holiday à la georgienne. While the choice of meat varies from region to region, as well as depending on the season, the method of grilling is more or less the same throughout.For frying, a vine that has not reached the age of majority is used.After grilling, the meat cubes are removed from the skewers and shaken in a pot with thinly sliced onions and pomegranate juice.The fizzy meat slightly caramelizes the onion, and the pomegranate juice forms a soft, sour sauce with meat juices.
Poultry (chicken or Turkey) is served with a diluted paste of walnuts, garlic and herbs.It is believed that this is a winter dish (translated from the Georgian”sivi” means “cold”).Satsivi is usually eaten during Christmas and new year holidays, especially in the Adjara region.
Each region makes its own cheese. Suluguni, a signature product of Western Georgia, is perhaps the most delicious semi-soft Georgian cheese. Its high humidity is reminiscent of mozzarella. Guda is a sharp mountain cheese from Tusheti, traditionally made from sheep’s milk and aged in sheep’s skin.
Ready to try Georgia for yourself? Choose one of our tours and send us an email: geogeorgia.travel@gmail.com – our managers will offer you an exciting culinary journey through Georgia that will satisfy the wishes of any tourist. Any more questions? Call: +995599955541.
It is strange that in a country that loves baking so much, there are not so many Georgian sweets and desserts. The most famous is Churchkhela, a candle-shaped candy made from grape must nuts and flour.It is beautiful and not as sweet as expected at first. Preparing churchkhela requires patience and practice: concentrated grape juice (left over from the annual wine harvest) must be repeatedly poured on strands of walnuts. Each layer is left to dry. Filled with protein and sugar, the churchkhels even fought alongside the Georgian military, who relied on them as a source of food suitable for long-term storage.
In Georgia, there are many roadside vendors selling fruits, vegetables, honey, wine and handmade products. You can safely buy from these sellers. Everything is cheap and high quality.Fruit is especially good! Food is surprisingly inexpensive, both in restaurants and in fast food.Including snacks, water and Breakfast, the average receipt will not exceed 10 euros per day per person.
Georgia is quite famous for its high-quality mineral water, especially Borjomi (sparkling) and Bakuriani (plain). In Borjomi, you can fill your bottle for free, but this is not exactly the same as what you buy in supermarkets.
In Georgia, they still drink lemonade, which doesn’t have to be made from lemons! It can be lemonade with a pear or tarragon. You will find enough variety in Georgian cooking to justify daily consumption of local food.Around the Old city of Tbilisi and beyond, there are hundreds of cafes and restaurants where you can try the best dishes in the tavern-style basement restaurants and local cafes.Georgians are famous for their hospitality, and home cooking is at a very high level, so if someone invites you to dine at their house, believe me, you must agree!
Trips can be inspired by everything : from historical attractions to family visits, and in the case of Georgia, food! Call: +995599955541 – our managers will help you get to know the long-standing culinary traditions of this country.