Would you like to enjoy the variety of the most delicious specialties? Armenia is the perfect country for it. The cuisine is part of the culture, the preparation of the food is a kind of ceremony and art. For the Armenian women, it is very important to have a well-prepared table. If you are visiting someone, you will never go home hungry.
Armenian cuisine is also one of the oldest in the Transcaucasus - was originated 2000 years ago. Armenians use a lot of meat and dairy products.
Let us introduce you some typical Armenian dishes!
One of the best-known specialties is “khorovats”, Armenian Barbecue. Large pieces of meat are placed on the skewers and then grilled. It can be made with lamb, pork, beef, chicken.
Together with the meat, various kinds of vegetables (tomatoes, eggplants, peppers) are roasted on the fire.
The next thing you should definitely try is the Armenian bread “lavash”. This is a very thin, wide and one-meter long flatbread baked in "tonir". Lavash is inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Lavash is not just a bread, lavash is part of the culture.
The next, very popular dish is, of course, “dolma”: grape leaves stuffed with beef and rice. Dolma can also be tasted in other Caucasian countries. Armenians have more than 50 types of traditional dolma. You can also prepare dolma with cabbage leaves or, for example, without meat.
“Khash” is another typical Armenian dish. It is made of cow feet. Some people also use other body parts of the cow, such as the brain. It is common to drink vodka with “khash” and eat it only early in the morning. Preparing “khash” takes many hours and a complete dedication.
The sweets are an important part of the Armenian cuisine. “Gata” is a typical Armenian pastry. Every province or city has its own kind of gata. It is about different sizes, shapes and recipes.
Armenians also like to drink alcohol. Toasts are an integral part of the typical Armenian table. There is always someone responsible for interesting toasts. This person is called “tamada”. Usually, it is the landlord or person who does that well. Most of all, Armenians drink vodka, wine, cognac and beer.
Armenian brandy is especially popular. It is said that Armenian Cognac "Dvin" was the favorite beverage of Winston Churchill.
The Armenian cuisine is too rich to name just a few dishes. Take your time and enjoy the most delicious specialties during your tour in Armenia. Traditional Armenian restaurants are everywhere in the country.
