Georgian cuisine 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.

The Georgian Palate


Variables aside, there are certain dishes you shouldn't leave Georgia (or a Georgian restaurant) without tasting. These are the non-negotiables—the unforgettable bites that keep Georgia on my mind, and in my kitchen.

Khachapuri Adjaruli


Adjaruli khachaouri is shaped like a boat and filled with melted cheese, a raw egg, and a slab or two of butter. It’s served piping hot and you whisk the cheese, egg, and butter with a fork before ripping off the horns and edges and dipping them into the cheesy mixture.

Imeruli khachapuri



Imeruli khachapuri is circular and has cheese on the inside.

Nadugi



Nadugi is a Georgian appetizer consisting of fresh cheese mixed with mint and wrapped, cone-like, in a thin layer of Sulguni cheese. At first I thought it was cheese wrapped in a crepe rather than in more cheese.

Lobio 



Another common side dish is beans, called lobio, made with beans, onions, and herbs. Each recipe we tried was a little different. Some are thick and creamy (our favorite). Some are soupy. Lobio is usually served in a traditional small clay jar.

Khinkali



They say you can judge a good khinkali, or Georgian soup dumpling, by how many folds it has: Tradition dictates that fewer than 20 is amateurish. But when a platter of pepper-flecked khinkali hits the table, counting pleats is never anyone's first priority. Eating the khinkali is, and it requires urgency and exacting technique; without learning the latter, you risk being teased if you're in Georgian company. First and foremost, khinkali is finger food: Make a claw with your fingers and grab onto the dumpling from its topknot. Then, biting a small hole in the side, tilt your head back to slurp out the broth before sinking your teeth into the filling. Discard the topknot, take a swig or two of beer, sigh with pleasure, and repeat.

Mtsvadi



Mtsvadi is Georgia's catchall name for meat impaled on a stick and cooked over an open flame. Variations on this theme abound in the region, but, in contrast with Turks and Armenians, Georgian cooks tend to be purists, eschewing elaborate marinades and rubs in favor of a liberal dose of salt. The preferred protein here is beef or lamb, cut into chunks and threaded onto a skewer, either on its own or with alternating slices of vegetables. But let me be clear—mtsvadi are anything but bland, especially when accompanied by tkemali, the sour plum condiment that Georgians pour over everything, from potatoes to bread to fried chicken.

Churchkhela

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If you watched The Amazing Race this season, then you’ve seen churchkhela. One of the challenges involved teams making churchkhela, a lar Georgian candy. Toasted nuts, walnuts in the east and hazelnuts in the west, are strung on a string and dipped into a flour, sugar, and grape juice mixture. The result is a reddish or brownish sausage-shaped candy with a pointy end.

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