Georgian cuisine

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Georgian cuisine (Georgian: ქართული სამზარეულო; k’art’uli samzareulo) refers to the cooking styles and dishes that originate in the country of Georgia (along with two breakaway independent states of Abkhazia and South Ossetia) and which are historically prepared by Georgian people around the world. The Georgian cuisine is unique to the country, but also carries some influences from other European and nearby Middle Eastern culinary traditions. Each historical province of Georgia has its own distinct culinary tradition, with variations such as Megrelian, Kakhetian, and Imeretian cuisines. Heavy on meat dishes, the Georgian cuisine also offers a variety of vegetarian dishes.

Georgian cuisine is the result of the rich interplay of culinary ideas carried along the trade routes by merchants and travelers alike.[1] The importance of both food and drink to Georgian culture is best observed during a feast called supra, when a huge assortment of dishes are prepared, always accompanied by large amounts of wine, and that can last for hours. In a Georgian feast, the role of the tamada (toastmaster) is an important and honoured position.

Georgian restaurants were prevalent in Russia throughout the 20th century, influenced in part by Joseph Stalin's Georgian ethnicity. In Russia, all major cities have many Georgian restaurants, and Russian restaurants often feature Georgian food items on their menu.[2]

In countries of the former Soviet Union, Georgian food is also popular due to the immigration of Georgians to other Soviet republics

Appetizers

Breads

Old Georgian bakery oven used to make tone bread (tonis puri)

Traditional Georgian breads are varied, and include tonis puri, khacha puri (cheese bread), Shotis Puri, mesxuri puri, and mchadi. Georgian breads are traditionally baked in a large, round, well-shaped oven called t'one.

Cheeses

Imeruli cheese in a Tbilisi shop

Salads

Traditional Georgian vegetable salad with walnuts
Beetroot pkhali with walnuts
  • Boloki tcharkhlit
  • Ispanakhi Matsvnit
  • Ispanakhis
  • Kartophilis
  • Katmis
  • Khakhvis
  • Khilis
  • Kiborchkhalis
  • Kitris
  • Kombosto vashlit
  • Kombostos
  • Kvertskhis
  • Lobios
  • Pkhali
  • Sagazapkhulo
  • Satatsuris
  • Sokos
  • Staphilos
  • Tarkhunis
  • Tcharkhali vashlit
  • Tcharkhlis
  • Tevzis

Soups and stews

Chanakhi
Kharcho

Fish

Sterlet with satsivi sauce
  • Chakhokhbili Oraguli
  • Kalmakhi Tarkhunit
  • Kephali
  • Khizilala
  • Kibo Kindzit
  • Kibo Mokharshuli
  • Kibo Tetri Ghvinit
  • Kobri Nigvzit da Brotseulit
  • Loko Kindzmatshi
  • Loko Tsiteli Ghvinit
  • Oraguli Nigvzit
  • Shebolili Kephali
  • Shemtsvari Tarti
  • Sterlet
  • Tarti Tetri ghvinit
  • Tevzi Bazheshi
  • Tevzi Pamidvrit
  • Tsotskhali
  • Tsvera Nigvzit da Brotseulit
  • Zutkhi Kaklis photolshi
  • Zutkhi Shemtsvari
  • Zutkhis Mtsvadi

Meat

Chakapuli
A plate of Khinkali
Mtsvadi

Poultry

Chakhokhbili
Chicken tabaka with hazelnut sauce
  • Bati Shavi kliavit
  • Chakhokhbili
  • Chicken tabaka
  • Chikhirtma
  • Chkhmeruli
  • Ikhvi Bostneulit
  • Ikhvis Chakhokhbili
  • Indauris garo
  • Katami Brinjit
  • Katami Gatenili Kuch-gvidzlit
  • Katami Nivrit
  • Katmis Mkhali
  • Kutchmatchi
  • Satsivi Kvertskhit
  • Shemtsvari Indauri
  • Tsitsila Abkhazurd
  • Tsitsila Shindit

Sauces and spices

Sauces and spices common in Georgian cuisine include:

Vegetarian dishes

Ajapsandali
Lobio
  • Ajapsandali
  • Badrijani Brinjit
  • Badrijani Mtsvanilit
  • Badrijani Nigvzit
  • Badrijnis Borani
  • Badrijnis khizilala
  • Ekala Nigvzit
  • Gogris Guphta
  • Ispanakhi
  • Ispanakhi Kvertskhit
  • Kartopili Kvartskhit
  • Kartopili Nigvzit
  • Kombosto Nigvzit
  • Lobiani
  • Lobio Nigvzit
  • Mtsvane Lobio
  • Satatsuri Nigvzit
  • Sazapkhulo Tolma
  • Soko
  • Soko Naghebit
  • Tolma

Desserts

Churchkhela
Gozinaki
Kaklis muraba
  • Alublis Ghvezeli
  • Alublis Muraba
  • Churchkhela
  • Gozinaki
  • Kada
  • Khilis Torti
  • Kishmishiani
  • Martqvis Torti
  • Muraba (kaklis muraba, komshis muraba, sazamtros muraba, vardis muraba, etc.)
  • Nazuki
  • Nigvziani
  • Nigvzis Torti
  • Pakhlava
  • Paska bobobo
  • Phelamushi
  • Phenovani
  • Ponçiki
  • Qaviani
  • Shakarlama Tkhilit
  • Shokoladiani
  • Taphlis kveri
  • Vashlis Namtskhvari

Beverages

Alcoholic drinks from Georgia include chacha and wine (especially Georgian wine). Some of the most well-known Georgian wines include Pirosmani, Alazani, Akhasheni, Saperavi, and Kindzmarauli. Wine culture in Georgia dates back thousands of years, and many Georgian wines are made from traditional Georgian grape varieties that are little known in the West, such as Saperavi and Rkatsiteli. Georgian wine is well known throughout Eastern Europe, and is a significant national export, with exports of over 10 million bottles of wine per year. Georgia is also home to many beer brands, including Natakhtari, Kazbegi, Argo, Kasri, and Karva.

Lagidze water is a Georgian flavored soda drink, made with a variety of natural syrups, sold bottled or mixed directly in a glass from a soda fountain. Common types of mineral water from Georgia include Borjomi, Nabeghlavi, Likani, and Sairme.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Food Cultures of the World Encyclopedia, Volume 1, Ken Albala, p. 125
  2. ↑ Food Culture in Russia and Central Asia, Glenn Randall Mack, Asele Surina, p. 10
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