Caravan-Serai Tours

Handbook

Cuisine and Liquor

A culinary renaissance is now taking place throughout Armenia, where the food reflects a healthy combination of the ancient and the modern. Armenian cuisine is far more sophisticated than it used to be. Creative young chefs are adding new chapters to traditional cooking.The best way to explore the various flavors and combinations of the region's cooking is to begin with its history.

The origins of Armenian cuisine date back to pagan times. This area was one of the world's ancient largest agricultural centers according to archaeological evidence. It is known that in the time of Urartu (782B.C.), wine-making in Armenia had a high quality and had reached a large production scale. There were special storehouses named maran for harvested wine, grapes, for making wine which were pressed in a huge wooden vat.

A very interesting component of old Armenian cuisine is a kind of bread called "Lavash". It was prepared in a special cylinder called a tonir made of clay and buried in the ground. During our trips to the oldest regions, you will have a unique opportunity to learn about the bread baking ceremony

Spiciness is one of the characteristics of Armenian dishes. pepper, garlic, chaman. Conditions of Armenia's climate and mountain flora give a specific flavor to the cuisine.

Armenia is also known as "tamada country". No Armenian meal starts without a tamada toast, which is a speech rich with philosophy and wisdom. The real Armenian character and tradition is expressed in toasts.

Armenia is home to some of the finest recipes you can find. The Armenian barbecue has distinct flavors from its special marinades. The marinated meat is put on skewers (shampours) and roasted over hot coals with no flame. Eating of the other national meal (khash) is a real ceremony for Armenians. It starts early in the morning and what is really interesting, no toasts must be given while eating khash.

Here is a list of some dishes you might try: kebab, tolma (vegetable, grape leaves and lentils), piti, Spas soup, ghapama, ghavourma, harisa, lahmaju, tabule and houmous salads, Iskhan, Siga and other fish dishes, bastourma and soujoukh sausages, lavash, hashlama, shavourma, kjufta and so on. The staffs at restaurants are waiting to satisfy your appetite!

No visit to Armenia is complete without tasting a true Armenian meal called Ghapama (Armenian pumpkin stew). The main ingredients are boiled rice, raisins, apples, sugar and ground cinnamon. All these are mixed and placed inside a pumpkin. A Ghapama's appearance is very impressive.

Meals are offered in the best restaurants and cafes at each of our destinations. Continental breakfast, lunch and dinner, which are usually a combination of traditional European and local national dishes, will be also available. Different ethnic restaurants such as Italian, Chinese, French, Syrian, Lebanese, Indian, Mexican, and Russian are available in Yerevan. If you are one of those people who love to discover culinary adventures, Armenia is the place!

Armenian Liquor

Winemaking is a part of the Armenian culture. Armenian brandy and various wines are of the highest quality. Brandy and vodka are made of mulberry and cornel*. F ruit, spices, the generous sun of the Ararat Valley, the fertile land, and good quality water gives the Armenian brandy its golden color and extraordinary taste. Many exotic delicacies are prepared from grape juice. One of them is Sharots (Sujukh). This is made by cooking a dark cherry-colored syrup called doshab. A thick floury jell is made from Doshab which is combined with a variety of spices, followed by a picturesque ceremony. Pieces of walnut threaded on a string are dipped in the jelly. The strings are hung to dry. Villagers preserve these strings for winter.

Winston Churchill, the former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, preferred Armenian brandy, "Dvin" to all other alcoholic drinks. The most popular Armenian beers are Kotayk and Kilikia. During your visit to Armenia you will have a unique chance to taste the famous Armenian wines, beers and brandies.

*Any of various plants of the genus Cornus, which includes the bunchberry and dogwoods