What do you get when a country sits on the border of two mega continents and was once an important part of the Silk Road trade route? Only a cuisine abundant in tantalizing tastes, unique ingredients, and cooking techniques originating from all parts of the world.
And that’s not even mentioning the fact that Georgia has been producing wine since 6000 BC or that it's thought to be one of the first to use wheat and honey. Don’t just take our word for how tasty the food is. Instead, eat your way through the regional dishes and Georgian specialties on our 8 day Georgia Real Food Adventure tour.
Things to try in Georgia:
Khinkali
Not only is this dish a delicious dumpling filled with minced meat, spices, and vegetables, but it’s also an old Georgian offering to the sun, with the 28 folds symbolizing the solar cycles. Found throughout the many regions of Georgia, you’ll likely hear the slurping of this tasty dumpling wherever you go.
Khachapuri
Cheese and bread take on a whole new life in Georgia with one of their favorite dishes, khachapuri, found in every part of the country. There are many versions of the dish to try, from the three cheese varieties to those made with potato or an egg cracked on top. You'll also see a wide array of shapes and cooking techniques, depending on where you are in the country.
Nigvziani badrijani
Nigvziani badrijani is an eggplant and walnut dish that makes for a great light snack or appetizer, especially for vegetarians and vegans. Eggplants are a prominent vegetable in Georgia and are grown in every region of the country. Nigvziani badrijani can be prepared in different ways with some frying, grilling or baking the eggplant and combining it with the flavored walnut spread.
Churchkhela
Churchkhela may look like candlewax, but in actuality, it’s a sweet treat of nuts and dried fruit threaded on a string and dipped in a mixture of grape juice, sugar, and flour. After a good build-up of the grape mixture, the dish is left to air-dry. This gives the treat a lengthy shelf life, which came in handy when it was used for sustenance by Georgian soldiers of old.
Georgian wine
Evidence suggests wine has long been produced in and around Georgia since as early as 6000 BC. With such a lengthy amount of time winemaking, the Georgians can definitley create an aromatic glass of vino. Georgia also has around 500 varieties of indigenously grown grapes. When in town, you may be able to see how wine was made in a qvevri during ancient times.