Georgia
Food and Winter’s Charm
My first winter adventure was not just fun-filled but flavor-filled as well! Considering I grew up in a tropical country and got used to the middle eastern climate, traveling solo to Georgia in a snowy and windy weather is a new experience for me but it turned out to be one my best travel adventures. I didn’t just indulge with myself with activities I haven’t done before, I made sure I indulged myself with good food too.
I get way too much happiness from good food
Elizabeth Olsen
Though I didn’t have much opportunity to try a greater variety of Georgian cuisine as I’m on a short visit, I did enjoy some of the country’s notable dishes.
Khachapuri Adjaruli is one the traditional dishes in Georgia. It is a canoe shaped dough, filled with cheese, topped with cracked raw egg and butter. To enjoy this dish, just mix the filling vigorously using a spoon, tear the bread and dip it in the mixture! I tried this dish at Sakachapure Restaurant in Eastpoint, Tbilisi.
If you love dumplings like I do, you better not miss trying this Georgian soup dumpling, Khinkali. I impressed our group during our lunch at Alani Restaurant by perfectly eating Khinkali on my first try. So how do you eat Khinkali? Just bite or make a small hole in the side, slurp out the broth (make sure it is not too hot), enjoy the filling and discard the top knot.
I was absolutely curious to know what these are the moment I saw them in the streets of Tbilisi.
Churchkhela, a popular Georgian sweet is a colorful confection made of concentrated grapefruits and the exterior resembles a wax. I actually thought these were candles!
Georgia also produces delicious and diverse dried fruits called Chiri. It is another popular Georgian sweet which you will find hanging on the street market.
Lobiani is a bean-filled bread. Its main ingredient is kidney beans (lobio). Lobiani and Georgian cheese bread (or cheese pie) were served daily at the hotel were I stayed. I also liked the Georgian maize porridge.
Mtsvadi (Georgian Kebab): I had taste of this tender and well-seasoned meat in skewers roasted in open fire at Tavaduri Restaurant, Ethnographic Park, Sighnaghi. They serve excellent food. The green tossed salad was delicious and refreshing.
The Kebab in pita bread in Time Out Hotel, Gudauri Ski Resort tastes good too.
GEORGIAN WINES
Wine tasting when visiting Georgia is a must!
The most well-known region for producing Georgian wine is Kakheti.
It took us about two hours to reach Kakheti due to the thick snow on roads but I certainly didn’t mind traveling that long as my whole attention was engrossed by watching and admiring the snow capped mountains, villages and other fascinating scenes on the road.
We stopped over at Shumi winery in Tsinandali village, Kakheti. The whole place is covered in snow but I am sure it looks lovelier when it’s not winter as it has a vineyard and a garden. They offer free wine tasting. We tried 4-5 wines and I particularly liked the Kindzmarauli red semi-sweet wine.