Georgian cuisine

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Georgian cuisine ქართული სამზარეულო
Mineral water Borjomi Likani Nabeglavi Sairme
Foods and dishes Georgian bread Georgian cheese Ajapsandali Badrijani Chakapuli Chakhokhbili Chanakhi Chicken tabaka Chikhirtma Chkmeruli Churchkhela Gozinaki Ispanakhi Matsvnit Khachapuri Kharcho Khashi Khinkali Kubdari Kuchmachi Kupati Lobiani Lobio Mchadi Mujuji Pelamushi Pkhali Satsivi Shotis puri Sulguni Tolma Tklapi Tonis puri
Wines Georgian wine Alazani Aleksandrouli Badagoni Barakoni Khvanchkara Kindzmarauli Mtsvane Mujuretuli Mukuzani Rkatsiteli Saperavi Tsinandali Tsolikouri Usakhelauri
Vodka Chacha Eristoff
Sauces Ajika Tkemali
See also Kantsi Keipi Khmeli suneli Lagidze water Rtveli Supra Tamada Tarkhuna Utskho suneli

Georgian cuisine (Georgian: ქართული სამზარეულო; k’art’uli samzareulo) refers to the cooking styles and dishes created by Georgian people. 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. Rich with meat dishes, the Georgian cuisine also offers a variety of vegetarian dishes.

Georgian cuisine is the result of the broad 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 emigration of Georgians to other Soviet republics

Appetizers

• 
  Badrijnis khizilala
• 
  Kuchmachi
• 
  Mchadi

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.

• 
  Imeruli Khachapuri from Imereti region
• 
  Adjaruli Khachapuri from Adjara region

Cheeses

Imeruli cheese in a Tbilisi shop

• Imeruli
• Nadugi
• Qarkhnuli
• Sulguni
• Tushuri (Guda)
• Tenili
• Lori
• Dambali Khacho

• 
  Nadugi cheese with mint wrapped in thin slices of sulguni cheese
• 
  Tenili

Salads

Traditional Georgian vegetable salad with walnuts

Beetroot pkhali with walnuts

Soups and stews

Chanakhi

Kharcho

• Arjakelis
• Balbis
• Bostneulis
• Chikhirtma
• Domkhlis
• Dos
• Gholos
• Gogris
• Ispanakhis
• Katmis
• Kharcho
• Lobios
• Makhokhis
• Matsvnis
• Mukhudos
• Nivris
• Pomidvris
• Puris Kharsho
• Qvelis
• Satatsuris
• Shindis
• Shorba
• Sokos
• Staphilos

Fish

Sterlet with satsivi sauce

Meat

Chakapuli

A plate of Khinkali

Mtsvadi

• Abkhazura
• Basturma
• Betchi
• Chakapuli
• Chanakhi
• Dzekhvi
• Guphta
• Jonjoli
• Kababi
• Khashi
• Khashlama
• Khinkali
• Ku
• Kutchmatchi
• Lori
• Mokharshuli ena
• Mokharshuli Gotchi
• Mtsvadi
• Muzhuzhi
• Plov
• Qaurma
• Shashlik
• Shemtsvari Gotchi
• Shilaplavi

Poultry

Chakhokhbili

Chicken tabaka with hazelnut sauce

Sauces and spices

Sauces and spices common in Georgian cuisine include:

• Ajika - a spicy paste or sauce seasoned with hot chili peppers
• Khmeli-suneli - a powdered herb/spice mixture
• Satsivi - a type of walnut sauce
• Tkemali - a type of plum sauce

• 
  Megrelian ajika
• 
  Satsivi
• 
  Tkemali

Vegetarian dishes

Ajapsandali

Lobio

Desserts

Churchkhela

Gozinaki

Kaklis muraba

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.

• 
  Georgian wine
• 
  Kindzmarauli winery

See also

• Caucasian cuisine
• European cuisine
• Soviet cuisine

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Cuisine of Georgia.

• Georgian Recipes by Georgia About
• "Hvino News" - wine news from Republic of Georgia
• Georgian Food and Recipes
• Savoring Georgia. This book discusses the cuisine and festive traditions of Georgia in the context of world culinary culture.