Home Regions Europe Georgia

Georgia

Georgia, at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, nestles between the Caucasus Mountains and Black Sea, with Tbilisi’s old town and sulfur baths as its heart. Famous for ancient wine-making, polyphonic singing, and Orthodox Christianity, it’s a cultural mosaic with Soviet scars. Georgia’s economy grows on tourism, agriculture (think hazelnuts), and energy pipelines, despite tensions with Russia over Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Its warmth and resilience shine through.

Georgia

Featured Dishes from Georgia

Chirbuli

Chirbuli

Omelette with a tomato and walnut sauce

Khash

Khash

Khash is a dish of boiled cow or sheep parts, which might include the head, feet, and stomach (tripe). It is a dish of Armenian origin. Khash and its variations are traditional dishes in Afghanistan, Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, North Macedonia, Mongolia and some Persian Gulf countries.

Kulich

Kulich

Kulich is a village in Zherizhah Rural District, in the Central District of Sarvabad County, Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 201, in 41 families. The village is populated by Kurds.

Matsoni

Matsoni

Matzoon[a] or matsoni[b] (Georgian: მაწონი, mats'oni) is a fermented milk product of Armenian origin found in Armenia and Georgia. The Caspian Sea yogurt commercialized in Japan is said to be the same type of yogurt as matzoon, but a comparison of microbiota and viscosity found that the two are entirely different. Georgian Matsoni has been a protected geographical indication in Georgia since 24 January 2012. The name of the product originates from Armenian matz (sour, glue). The etymology is provided by Grigor Magistros, in his Definition of grammar (11th century).

Syrniki

Syrniki

Syrniki or syrnyky (Ukrainian: сирники, cheese cakes) are fried Eastern Slavic quark (curd cheese) pancakes. They are a part of Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian, Latvian (biezpiena plācenīši) and Lithuanian cuisine (varškėčiai). In Russia, they are also known as tvorozhniki (творо́жники). The name syrniki is derived from the Slavic word syr (сир), meaning a soft curd cheese. The Ukrainian language retains the old Slavic sense of the word, as in domashnii syr (домашній сир, literal translation 'domestic cheese'), whereas in Russian another old Slavic word for curd cheese, tvorog (творог), is used. Syrnyky or tvorozhniki are made from creamy tvorog, mixed with flour, eggs and sugar, sometimes adding vanilla extract. Pot cheese or farmer's cheese or quark is suggested as a substitute for the tvorog. The soft mixture is shaped into cakes, which are pan- or shallow-fried in vegetable oil or in hot butter. The consistency should remain slightly creamy, while they are slightly browned on both sides. They are traditionally sweet and served for breakfast or dessert, but can be made savory as well. Raisins, chopped dried apricot, fresh apples or pears are sometimes added into the batter. They are typically served with varenye, jam, smetana (sour cream) and / or melted butter.

Zapekanka

Zapekanka

Casserole, cheesecake or coffee cake, can be savory or sweet, there are many different ways to prepare this dish

Apple pie

Apple pie

An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling is apples. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream , custard or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the filling; the upper crust may be solid or latticed (woven of crosswise strips). The bottom crust may be baked separately ("blind") to prevent it from getting soggy. Tarte Tatin is baked with the crust on top, but served with it on the bottom. Originating in the 14th century in England, apple pie recipes are now a standard part of cuisines in many countries where apples grow. Apple pies are an unofficial symbol of the United States and one of its signature comfort foods.

Badagi

Badagi

Pressed and concentrated fresh grape juice, used in sweets and desserts

Biskvit

Biskvit

Churchkhela

Churchkhela

Candle-shaped sweet made with walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds threaded onto a string, dipped in thickened grape juice or fruit juice and dried in the shape of a sausage (hence the name sujuk)

Eklerki

Eklerki

An éclair is a pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with a flavored icing. The dough, which is the same as that used for profiterole, is typically piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. Once cool, the pastry is filled with custard (crème pâtissière), whipped cream or chiboust cream, then iced with fondant icing. Other fillings include pistachio- and rum-flavoured custard, fruit-flavoured fillings, or chestnut purée. The icing is sometimes caramel, in which case the dessert may be called a bâton de Jacob (lit. 'Jacob's staff'). A similar pastry in a round rather than oblong shape is called a religieuse. The word comes from the French éclair, meaning 'flash of lightning', so named because it is eaten quickly (in a flash); however some believe that the name is due to the glistening of the frosting resembling lightning. The éclair originated during the 19th century in Lyon, France where it was called pain à la Duchesse ('Duchess-style bread') or petite duchesse ('little duchess') until 1850. The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s.

Gogoși

Gogoși

Gogoși , known as pancove in Transylvania, pampuște in Bukovina and croafne/crofne in Banat are Romanian sweet pastries similar to filled doughnuts. Gogoși is the plural form of the Romanian word gogoașă ([ɡoˈɡo̯a.ʃə]). Gogoși are pieces of dough shaped into a flattened sphere that are deep-fried in oil and optionally dusted with icing sugar. They have a fluffy and airy consistency, no hole and are often filled. Gogoși fillings include chocolate, apricot jam, strawberry jam, cream cheese, or feta cheese.

Gozinaki

Gozinaki

Gozinaki is a traditional Georgian confection made of caramelized nuts, usually walnuts, and fried in honey. In the western Georgian provinces of Imereti and Racha, it was sometimes called "churchkhela", a name more commonly applied to walnuts sewn onto a string, dipped in thickened white grape juice and dried. In several of Georgia's rural areas, both walnuts and honey used to have sacral associations. According to a long-established tradition, Gozinaki is served at special occasions, and is a mandatory component of New Year's Eve and Christmas celebrations.

Jalebi

Jalebi

Jalebi [a] is a popular sweet snack in the Indian subcontinent, West Asia and some parts of Africa. It goes by many names, including jilapi, zelepi, jilebi, jilipi, zulbia, zoolbia, jerry, mushabak, z'labia, or zalabia. The south Asian variety is made by deep-frying maida flour batter in pretzel or circular shapes, which are then soaked in sugar syrup. Jalebi is eaten with curd or rabri (in North India) along with optional other flavors such as kewra (scented water).

Kulich

Kulich

Kulich is a village in Zherizhah Rural District, in the Central District of Sarvabad County, Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 201, in 41 families. The village is populated by Kurds.

Mamalo

Mamalo

Lollypop candy commonly in the shape of a bird or rooster

Medok

Medok

Layered honey cake, a Georgian variation of the medovnik layered honey cake

Morozhenoye

Morozhenoye

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Murabba

Murabba

Sweet fruit preserves, many versions

Oreshki

Oreshki

Walnut-shaped cookies filled with caramel, chocolate, nuts

Pakhlava

Pakhlava

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. It was one of the most popular sweet pastries of Ottoman cuisine. There are several theories for the origin of the pre-Ottoman version of the dish. In modern times, it is a common dessert among cuisines of countries in West Asia, Southeast Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. It is also enjoyed in Pakistan and Afghanistan, where, although not a traditional sweet, it has carved out a niche in urban centers. The word baklava is first attested in English in 1650, a borrowing from Ottoman Turkish: باقلاوه /bɑːklɑvɑː/. The name baklava is used in many languages with minor phonetic and spelling variations. The earliest known reference to baklava is in a poem by the 15th century mystic Kaygusuz Abdal.

Pelamushi

Pelamushi

Pelamushi or tatara (Georgian: თათარა) is a Georgian dessert porridge commonly made in autumn, composed of a thick, hard chilled jelly made from grape juice and flour. Pelamushi is usually served with peeled nuts or gozinaki. Grape juice is boiled, and flour and/ or corn flour is added to thicken the mixture. Sugar may be added if a sweeter flavour is desired. Pelamushi and nuts are used to prepare Churchkhela.[citation needed]

Ponchiki

Ponchiki

Pączki are filled doughnuts found in Polish cuisine. A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened ball and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing, glaze, or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally rectified spirit) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough. Pączki are commonly thought of as fluffy but somewhat collapsed, with a bright stripe around them; these features are seen as evidence that the dough was fried in fresh oil.

Ptichye moloko

Ptichye moloko

Ptasie mleczko or bird's milk is a Central European confectionery originating in Poland. It is a small, chocolate-covered bar with a soft marshmallow-like interior. E. Wedel is one of the most recognized chocolate confectioneries in Poland, having exclusive rights for the name Ptasie mleczko. Other confectionery producers also make similar candies named differently (e.g., Alpejskie mleczko, "Alpine milk"). Nonetheless, Ptasie mleczko is often used to refer to similar candies with vanilla, cream, lemon or chocolate flavour. In Russia, ptichye moloko (птичье молоко) is both a popular candy and a famous soufflé cake. The brand was introduced in the 1960s during the Soviet era, and continues to be used by companies operating the factories which produced these candies and cakes since that time. The confectionery is also produced in other post-Soviet states.

Shakarlama

Shakarlama

Varenye

Varenye

Varenye is a popular whole-fruit preserve, widespread in Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), as well as the Baltic region (Lithuanian: uogienė [uə̯ˈɡʲiə̯nʲeː], Latvian: ievārījums, Estonian: moos). It is made by cooking berries, other fruits, or more rarely nuts, vegetables, or flowers, in sugar syrup. In some traditional recipes, other sweeteners such as honey or treacle are used instead of or in addition to sugar. Varenye is similar to jam except the fruits are not macerated, and no gelling agent is added. It is characterized by a thick but transparent syrup having the natural colour of the fruits. Varenye is an old Slavic word which is used in East Slavic languages in a more general sense to refer to any type of sweet fruit preserve. The word has common etymological roots with the verbs denoting cooking, boiling, brewing, or stewing (Russian: варить, Belarusian: варыць, Ukrainian: варити).

Akhasheni

Akhasheni

Akhasheni is an appellation for wines produced around Akhasheni village, Gurjaani district, Kakheti region in eastern Georgia. Akhasheni is a naturally semi-sweet red wine made from the Saperavi grape variety. It is of dark-pomegranate color and has a harmonious velvety taste with a chocolate flavor. It contains 10.5–12% alcohol, 3–5% sugar and has 5–7% titrated acidity. The wine has been manufactured since 1958.

Aladasturi

Aladasturi

Alexandrouli

Alexandrouli

Aleksandrouli is a Georgian red grape variety. The grape is reputed to be one of the oldest and greatest of the Georgian varieties, but is also reported by the Geilweilerhof database as a selected seedling of Muscat of Alexandria.[citation needed] This may reflect two varieties, the Alexandrouli wine grape and the table grape Alexandriuli Muscat. Used in Georgia to produce a semi-sweet red wine known as Khvanchkara or as a medium bodied, semi-dry, chewy blend (with Mujuretuli) having good acids and claimed to have aroma flavours reminiscent of pomegranates.

Aluda

Aluda

Borjomi

Borjomi

Borjomi is a brand of naturally carbonated mineral water from springs in the Borjomi Gorge of central Georgia. The artesian springs in the valley are fed by water that filters from glaciers covering the peaks of the Bakuriani mountains at altitudes of up to 2,300 m (7,500 ft). The water rises to the surface without pumping and is transported by pipes to two bottling plants in the town of Borjomi. The mineral springs of the Borjomi valley were known to locals for over a thousand years but did not reach wider recognition until the early 1800s, after the Russian Imperial Army stationed in the area became aware of the water's salubrious effects. By the 1890s, Borjomi had become famous throughout the Russian Empire, had earned the favor of the Russian imperial dynasty of Romanov and was being bottled in the Georgian estates of Grand Duke Mikhail of Russia. After the Russian Revolution of 1917 and subsequent Soviet takeover of Georgia, the Borjomi enterprise was nationalized and the water was made into a top Soviet export.

Chacha

Chacha

Chacha is a Georgian pomace brandy, clear and strong (ranging between 40% alcohol for commercially produced to 85% for home brew), which is sometimes called "wine vodka", "grape vodka", or "Georgian vodka/grappa". It is made of grape pomace (grape residue left after making wine). The term chacha is used in Georgia to refer to grape distillate. It may be also produced from unripe or wild grapes. Other common fruits or herbs used are figs, tangerines, oranges, mulberries or tarragon. The Kakheti region, which is in the easternmost part of the country, accounts for 75% of all vineyards (approximately 33,000 hectares) in Georgia. Traditionally only a homedistilled drink of Georgians, it is today also commonly produced by professional distillers and most wineries who include it in their product range.

Chinuri

Chinuri

Chinuri is a white wine grape variety of high acidity. It is associated with Georgian wine, and is grown in Kartli, reaching full maturity by late October. Chinuri is commonly used for both still and sparkling wines by blending with Goruli Mtsvane and Aligote. It exhibits good resistance to fungal diseases and phylloxera. "Chinuri" is derived from chinebuli, meaning "excellent" in Georgian language.

Chkhaveri

Chkhaveri

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Cognac

Cognac

Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cognac production falls under French appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) designation, with production methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. Among the specified grapes, Ugni blanc, known locally as Saint-Émilion, is most widely used. The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wines barrel-age, and most cognacs spend considerably longer "on the wood" than the minimum legal requirement.

Dzelshavi

Dzelshavi

Jani

Jani

Kazbegi

Kazbegi

Khikhvi

Khikhvi

Khvanchkara

Khvanchkara

PDO wine-producing region in Racha’s Ambrolauri municipality, western Georgia

Kindzmarauli

Kindzmarauli

Saperavi is an acidic, teinturier-type grape variety native to the country of Georgia, where it is used to make many of the region's most well-known wines. It is also grown in Russia and in lesser quantities in Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Australia. Saperavi is also known under the synonyms Didi Saperavi, Kleinberiger, Nerki Khagog, Patara Saperavi, Saparavi, Sapeavi de Kakhetie, Saperaibi, Saperavi de Kachet, Saperavi de Kakhetie, Saperavi Patara, Sapeur, Sapperavi, Sapperavy, Scoperawi, and Szaperavi. The berries are medium to large, elliptic or round depending on the type, dark bluish, and thin-skinned; with a maturation period of approximately 5 months and moderate productivity. The leaves are 3-lobed, large, and roundish.

Kisi

Kisi

Krakhuna

Krakhuna

White grape from Imereti, Georgia

Kvareli

Kvareli

Lagidze water

Lagidze water

Laghidze water is a popular Georgian soft drink based on soda and a variety of natural syrups. It has been traditionally mixed in a glass from a soda fountain, but it is also available as a bottled soft drink in a range of flavors. Some American food writers liken it to egg cream, but the authentic Georgian drink includes neither milk nor chocolate syrup. Laghidze water is named after Mitrofan Laghidze, a pharmacist's apprentice in Kutaisi, Georgia, who in 1887 explored the idea of using natural syrups instead of imported flavored essences in making lemonades. In 1900, the Lagidze Brothers plant in Kutaisi began blending unique proprietary flavors from herbs and fruits. Today, Lagidze waters are produced in a wide range of natural flavors, including quince (aiva), pear, citrus fruit, cherry, tarragon, and others. Lagidze waters are distributed in Russia, Ukraine, the three Baltic states, Poland, and Armenia. The technology and culture of the Lagidze Waters were inscribed on the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Georgia list in 2014.

Limonati

Limonati

Sweet soda or carbonated beverage, commonly made with pear, orange, tarragon, vanilla

Lomisi

Lomisi

Manavi

Manavi

Mtevandidi

Mtevandidi

Mtevandidi is an indigenous red grape variety from the region of Guria in the country of Georgia, primarily used for producing table wine. It is known also by the synonyms Akido , Achido, Didd Mtevana, Didmtevana, and Didtevano. There are no written sources regarding the origin of Mtevandidi. Botanical and agricultural features suggest that this variety is indigenous to Georgia. Mtevandidi is a productive grapevine variety mostly used for making wine in Guria, particularly in its eastern part; wherein vines were cultivated as high-formations, which even if neglected can maintain growth, development, and quality. Since the second half of the 19th century, high vineyards of Mtevandidi were massively destroyed due to the spread of fungal diseases and phylloxera, . By the initiative of local residents, concerned with viticulture issues, in Chokhatauri and Makharadze (the villages Kalagoni, Dablatsikhe, and Baghdati) in 1905 and 1906 grafts of Mtevandidi were cultivated as low vineyards, some of them still in existence even today, and characterized with high productivity and normal development of vines.

Mtsvane

Mtsvane

Mujuretuli

Mujuretuli

Mujuretuli is a red wine grape grown in Georgia. It is also known as Mudzhuretuli, Mudshuretuli and Keduretuli. The grape is planted exclusively in its ancestral home Georgia. Since 1907, it has been blended with Aleksandrouli to make Khvanchkara wine. Used in Georgia to produce a varietal rosé and a medium bodied, semi-dry, chewy blend having good acids and claimed to have aroma flavors reminiscent of pomegranates.

Mukuzani

Mukuzani

Nabeglavi

Nabeglavi

Napareuli

Napareuli

Natakhtari

Natakhtari

Ojaleshi

Ojaleshi

Otskhanuri Sapere

Otskhanuri Sapere

Georgia is one of the oldest wine-producing countries in the world. The fertile valleys and protective slopes of the South Caucasus were home to grapevine cultivation and neolithic wine production for at least 8000 years. Due to millennia of winemaking and the prominent economic role it retains in Georgia to the present day, wine and viticulture are entwined with Georgia's national identity. In 2013, UNESCO added the ancient traditional Georgian winemaking method using the Kvevri clay jars to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. The best-known Georgian wine regions are in the country's east, such as Kakheti (further divided into the micro-regions of Telavi and Kvareli) and Kartli, but also in Imereti, Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti, and coastal areas like Adjara and Abkhazia. The roots of Georgian viticulture have been traced back by archeology to when people of the South Caucasus discovered that wild grape juice turned into wine when it was left buried through the winter in a shallow pit. This knowledge was nourished by experience, and from 6000 BC inhabitants of the current Georgia were cultivating grapes and burying clay vessels, kvevris, in which to store their wine ready for serving at ground temperature. When filled with the fermented juice of the harvest, the kvevris are topped with a wooden lid and then covered and sealed with earth. Some may remain entombed for up to 50 years. Due to its diverse and unique microclimate, there are about 500 grape varieties in modern Georgia.

Qisi

Qisi

Qvevri ghvino

Qvevri ghvino

Wine made in large clay jars (qvevris) buried in the ground

Rkatsiteli

Rkatsiteli

Rkatsiteli is a kind of grape used to produce white wine. This ancient vinifera originates in Georgia and is supposed to be one of the oldest grape varieties. Rkatsiteli was the most widely planted grape variety in the Soviet Union and, by 1978, was responsible for 18% of all Soviet wine production. There it was used to make everything from table wine to liqueurs to Sherry-like fortified wine. Before President Gorbachev's vine pull scheme, it was possibly the world's most widely planted white wine grape.

Saperavi

Saperavi

Saperavi is an acidic, teinturier-type grape variety native to the country of Georgia, where it is used to make many of the region's most well-known wines. It is also grown in Russia and in lesser quantities in Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Australia. Saperavi is also known under the synonyms Didi Saperavi, Kleinberiger, Nerki Khagog, Patara Saperavi, Saparavi, Sapeavi de Kakhetie, Saperaibi, Saperavi de Kachet, Saperavi de Kakhetie, Saperavi Patara, Sapeur, Sapperavi, Sapperavy, Scoperawi, and Szaperavi. The berries are medium to large, elliptic or round depending on the type, dark bluish, and thin-skinned; with a maturation period of approximately 5 months and moderate productivity. The leaves are 3-lobed, large, and roundish.

Saperavi

Saperavi

Saperavi is an acidic, teinturier-type grape variety native to the country of Georgia, where it is used to make many of the region's most well-known wines. It is also grown in Russia and in lesser quantities in Armenia, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Australia. Saperavi is also known under the synonyms Didi Saperavi, Kleinberiger, Nerki Khagog, Patara Saperavi, Saparavi, Sapeavi de Kakhetie, Saperaibi, Saperavi de Kachet, Saperavi de Kakhetie, Saperavi Patara, Sapeur, Sapperavi, Sapperavy, Scoperawi, and Szaperavi. The berries are medium to large, elliptic or round depending on the type, dark bluish, and thin-skinned; with a maturation period of approximately 5 months and moderate productivity. The leaves are 3-lobed, large, and roundish.

Shavkapito

Shavkapito

Tavkveri

Tavkveri

Tsinandali

Tsinandali

Tsinandali white wine comes from Georgia. It is made from Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane grapes and comes from the Telavi and Kvareli area of Kakheti. Tsinandali is fermented at cool temperatures and matured for two to three years to bring out the complexity. Tsinandali can be aged for a further five, adopting some nutty bottle-aged characters in the process. It has a pale golden color and a light body. The flavor is light, with a moderate finish. Wine production in Georgia is very long-standing with a history going back at least 8000 years. Its production is also associated with the arrival of Christianity, brought by St. Nino in the fourth century AD. Georgia produces over 50 wine types and is the home of over 500 grape varieties. Production was small scale at first but became increasingly large-scale and standardized until the Soviet era, which placed emphasis on quantity rather than quality and differentiated the industry into three parts, growers, fermenters and bottlers. Since the breakup of the Soviet Union, the industry has been vertically integrated into smaller scale but full-cycle production.

Tsitska

Tsitska

Tsolikouri

Tsolikouri

Tsolikouri is a light yellow-skinned white grape variety grown mainly in western Imereti district of Georgia. It cultivated in Kolkhida Lowland at an altitude of 160 m (520 ft) above sea level. Out of 400 different types of grapes in the country, Tsolikouri is among the most widespread varieties. Nearly 90% of vineyards in western Georgia grow Tsolikauri. This sort usually matures by mid October. Grown in Orzhonikidze vineyards during Soviet rule of Georgia, Tsolikouri was considered one of high-quality grapes along with Chkhaveri and Izabella varieties. It has been used for production of premium dry, semi-sweet and semi-dry wines. Tsolikauri, Kolkheti, Lelo, Tvishi wines are made from Tsolikouri grapes. According to former Soviet statesman Vyacheslav Molotov, Tsolikouri was one of favorite wines of Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin.

Tushuri

Tushuri

Tvishi

Tvishi

Abkhazian style chicken

Abkhazian style chicken

Chicken with ajika sauce

Abkhazura

Abkhazura

Pork and beef meatballs, wrapped in caul fat and pan-fried

Abysta

Abysta

A thick corn flour porridge, typically eaten with goat cheese and adjika, often includes smoked game meat, a traditional shepherd's lunch

Acharuli khachapuri

Acharuli khachapuri

Khachapuri is a traditional Georgian dish of cheese-filled bread. The bread is leavened and allowed to rise, molded into various shapes, and then filled in the center with a mixture of cheese (fresh or aged, most commonly, specialized khachapuri cheese), and sometimes eggs or other ingredients. It is popular in Georgia, both in restaurants and as street food. As a Georgian staple food, the price of making khachapuri is used as a measure of inflation in different Georgian cities by the "khachapuri index", developed by the International School of Economics at Tbilisi State University. It is Georgia's national dish, included in the list of the intangible cultural heritage of Georgia. On the behalf and initiative of the Gastronomic Association of Georgia, the 27th of February was announced as National Khachapuri Day, to celebrate Georgia's signature pastry as well as to promote its recognition internationally. The khachapuri is served hot from the oven, otherwise it loses the taste of its unique cheese mixture and becomes bitter. Specialists are divided regarding the chronology of khachapuri. According to Darra Goldstein, who wrote the book The Georgian Feast about the dish, khachapuri probably dates back to the 12th century when Georgia experienced a period of renaissance, but its specific root remains unclear. Dali Tsatava, former professor at the Georgian Culinary Academy, suggested that khachapuri could be a "cousin of the pizza" as the concept of the dish might have been brought by Roman soldiers who crossed Europe, well before the addition of tomatoes in the 16th century.

Achma

Achma

A baked layered cheese and sheet pasta casserole, similar to lasagna

Ajapsandali

Ajapsandali

Ajapsandali is a traditional Georgian and Armenian dish, also popular in the Northern Caucasus. It consists of onion, eggplant, tomato and bell pepper grilled, stewed, or fried in vegetable oil and seasoned with garlic, basil, coriander leaves, parsley and other seasoning. Sometimes potato, chili pepper and even carrots are added although traditional recipes do not include them. This dish exists under different names in many Caucasian and Turkic-speaking peoples' cuisines.

Amolesili lobio

Amolesili lobio

Stewed red beans and walnuts

Apyrpylchapa

Apyrpylchapa

Marinated sweet peppers filled with a paste made with walnuts, herbs, ajika, garlic, hot peppers, vinegar, salt

Badrijani

Badrijani

Nigvziani badrijani is a Georgian dish made with fried eggplant stuffed with spiced walnut and garlic paste. It is often topped with pomegranate seeds. Salted eggplants are sliced lengthwise, pressed to remove the bitter juice, left to rest. They are then fried in oil and refrigerated. The filling is prepared by blending walnuts, garlic, coriander, cayenne pepper, salt, fenugreek and vinegar with water in a food processor to give a puree, which is then seasoned. The fried eggplants and the stuffing are left to chill separately, and are assembled just a couple of hours before serving. To assemble, a layer of stuffing is placed on each piece of eggplant, which is then rolled up tightly. Badrijani can be garnished with red onions, coriander or pomegranate seed to serve.

Barabuli

Barabuli

The red mullets or surmullets are two species of goatfish, Mullus barbatus and Mullus surmuletus, found in the Mediterranean Sea, east North Atlantic Ocean, and the Black Sea. Both "red mullet" and "surmullet" can also refer to the Mullidae in general. Though they can easily be distinguished—M. surmuletus has a striped first dorsal fin—their common names overlap in many of the languages of the region. In English, M. surmuletus is sometimes called the striped red mullet. Despite the English name "red mullet", these fishes of the goatfish family Mullidae are not closely related to many other species called "mullet", which are members of the grey mullet family Mugilidae. The word "surmullet" comes from the French, and ultimately probably from a Germanic root "sor" 'reddish brown'.

Borano

Borano

Cheese pie, typically made with sulguni cheese

Bozartma

Bozartma

Stewed lamb and vegetables

Chakapuli

Chakapuli

Chakapuli is a Georgian stew. It is considered to be one of the most popular dishes in Georgia. It is made from lamb chops or veal, onions, tarragon leaves, unripe cherry plums or tkemali (cherry plum sauce), dry white wine, mixed fresh herbs (parsley, mint, dill, coriander), onion, garlic, and salt. Chakapuli can also be made with beef or mushrooms instead of lamb. Chopped lamb is boiled with white wine in a deep pan, and then the pan is placed in the oven and cooked slowly for 1.5 hours. After this process, the tkemali sauce is stirred into the lamb, and the chopped greens and garlic are added. The dish is then cooked for another 5 minutes in the oven and finally rested for 5 minutes before serving.

Chakhokhbili

Chakhokhbili

Chakhokhbili is a traditional Georgian dish of stewed chicken and tomato with fresh herbs. The characteristic feature of Chakhokhbili is to dry-fry chicken without adding any kind of oil. Its name comes from the Georgian word ხოხობი (khokhobi) which means "pheasant".

Chanakhi

Chanakhi

Chanakhi is a traditional Georgian dish of lamb stew with tomatoes, aubergines, potatoes, greens, and garlic. Chanakhi is preferably prepared in individual clay pots and served with bread and cheese. The lamb is placed in the pot with the already-melted butter. Onions, eggplants, potatoes, chopped greens, and tomatoes are added in separate layers. After pouring the water, the dish is cooked slowly in the oven for 4.5-5 hours.

Chashushuli

Chashushuli

Chashushuli is a dish of Georgian cuisine. The meat (veal in the original recipe) is fried and then stewed with tomatoes. One of the main meat dishes of Georgian cuisine, it is less known outside Georgia than, for example, Satsivi or Chakhokhbili. The main ingredients of the dish are meat (veal in the classic recipe, but beef is increasingly used; lamb much less often) and tomatoes (or tomato paste). Sweet pepper is also used in a number of recipes, often a combination of yellow and green peppers. Among the necessary components are onions and garlic. In addition to traditional salt and black pepper, ajika, suneli hops, parsley, dill, cilantro, ground coriander and ground hot red pepper can be used as seasonings. The meat is cut into small pieces and fried over high heat in a deep frying pan or stew pan (or in a cauldron according to the classic recipe). After the liquid in the meat has evaporated, diced onions are added. When the onion becomes soft, hot boiled water is added to the container and the dish begins to stew over low heat; water is added as needed.

Chicken tabaka

Chicken tabaka

Chicken tabaka or chicken tapaka (Georgian: წიწილა ტაფაკა tsitsila tapaka) is a traditional Georgian dish of a pan-fried chicken which is also popular in other Caucasian cuisines. It also became a common restaurant dish in the Soviet cuisine and is found nowadays in many restaurants throughout Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The chicken is fried in a traditional frying pan called tapa (Georgian: ტაფა). For frying thoroughly, the chicken is flattened out on the pan and pressed by a weight. In modern cookery, special pan sets with a heavy cover or with a screw press are often used. Chicken tabaka is often seasoned with garlic or dressed with traditional Georgian sauces, such as bazhe, satsivi or tkemali.

Chikhirtma

Chikhirtma

Chicken and egg soup, said to be a hangover cure

Chvishtari

Chvishtari

Corn bread filled with cheese

Eggplant with walnuts and ajika

Eggplant with walnuts and ajika

Sliced eggplant filled with a mixture of walnuts and ajika, a spicy red pepper condiment

Fried beef liver and onions in pomegranate juice

Fried beef liver and onions in pomegranate juice

Fried beef liver in pomegranate juice is a traditional Georgian dish that combines the rich flavors of liver with the sweet and tangy notes of pomegranate juice. It is often served with onions to enhance the overall taste and texture.

Funchoza

Funchoza

Mung bean noodles with beef, chicken, shrimp, julienned vegetables, oil and vinegar

Gogos papa

Gogos papa

Wheat flour porridge with butter, sugar and salt, traditionally prepared to celebrate the birth of a girl

Gomi

Gomi

Coarse cornmeal porridge topped with sulguni cheese and butter

Guruli khachapuri

Guruli khachapuri

Bread filled with cheese and hard boiled eggs, common during Christmas

Gvezeli

Gvezeli

Savory pie filled with meat, potatoes, cabbage, vegetables, cheese, tarragon

Iakhni

Iakhni

Beef stewed with onions, coriander, walnuts, garlic, saffron

Imeruli khachapuri

Imeruli khachapuri

Circular flatbread with cheese on the inside

Kababi

Kababi

Kebabs made with spiced minced meat such as beef, pork, lamb

1
2
3
Next