Gluttonous In Georgia
National Geographic Traveller India|September 2018

Eating through this Eurasian nation brings surprises with every plate, and a glass of wine is always nearby

Prathap Nair
Gluttonous In Georgia

The bowl of soup in front of me wasn’t much to look at—dense yellow egg-and-chicken broth garnished with bits of roughly chopped wild mint. It looks more like whisked eggs ready to be made into an omelette. But looks can be deceptive for the chikhirtma. The popular Georgian dish has a creamy richness and hearty flavours of meat, and a tangy kick of lemon and mint in the end.

A meal of chikhirtma, served with a side of pan-fried cornbread called mchadi and pickled vegetables including carrots, beet and seasonal wild garlic, was my introduction to Georgian cuisine. Over the next 10 days that I spent in the Georgian capital Tbilisi, and the coastal city of Batumi, I ate meal after meal guided not by online reviews but only my hunger pangs. Though rich in dairy and meat, it features a vast selection of local legumes and vegetables that are foraged seasonally, pickled, or freshly cooked. The flavours and ingredients of Georgian food, along with a wine culture and an industry that is slowly making a mark globally, reflect its geography—straddling Asia and the Mediterranean, squeezed between Russia, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and the Black Sea.

The tiny Eurasian country of about four million people has managed to preserve its provincial food culture despite being under Soviet occupation for close to 70 years. By design, Georgia has largely escaped the clutches of industrial food production because scaling up is simply unviable to support the country’s tiny population and its unique food culture. Georgians are proud of the fact that their food is natural and organic.

This story is from the September 2018 edition of National Geographic Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the September 2018 edition of National Geographic Traveller India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER INDIAView All
Best Of The World 2023
National Geographic Traveller India

Best Of The World 2023

Travel inspiration is everywhere. The question is where to go next. Here's our annual list of enlightened destinations for the year aheadplaces filled with wonder, rewarding to travellers of all ages, and supportive of local communities and ecosystems. Framed by five categories (Community, Nature, Culture, Family, Adventure), these destinations are under the radar, ahead of the curve, and ready for you to start exploring.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December 2022
Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS
National Geographic Traveller India

Α ΗΟΜΕ IN THE HILLS

Skyview by Empyrean is a onestop destination for adventure and leisure in Jammu

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2022
ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD
National Geographic Traveller India

ENTER THE PICTURE POSTCARD

A stylish luxury hotel in Thimphu's northern outskirts is where illustrious Bhutanese and travellers alike are finding their happy place

time-read
6 mins  |
November - December 2022
48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way
National Geographic Traveller India

48 Hours : Seattle Leads The Way

The jewel of the Pacific Northwest is one of America’s greenest and grooviest culture capitals

time-read
8 mins  |
November - December 2022
BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND
National Geographic Traveller India

BIG BINGE: DUBAI FOR THE JET-SETTING GOURMAND

Delightful degustation menus, French brasseries with art-inspired menus and Japanese diners excelling at nostalgia—the Dubai Food Festival 2022 justified the city’s status as one of the world’s premier food capitals

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2022
CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN
National Geographic Traveller India

CULTURE COOL - UNDER THE EMIRATI SUN

Home to one of the world’s grandest mosques, an exciting emerging arts district on Saadiyat Island and an entertainment hub promising genuine thrills, Abu Dhabi has arrived in the league of extraordinary family destinations

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2022
ONLY IN OTTAWA
National Geographic Traveller India

ONLY IN OTTAWA

ACTIVE ADVENTURES, BUZZY BREWERIES AND NEIGHBOURHOODS THRIVING WITH BARS AND BOUTIQUES— CANADA'S BIJOU CAPITAL HAS PLENTY TO DISCOVER BEYOND THE HALLS OF PARLIAMENT

time-read
2 mins  |
November - December 2022
OF FRENCH FINESSE
National Geographic Traveller India

OF FRENCH FINESSE

QUENELLE DE BROCHET IS A REGIONAL LEGACY DISH HAILING FROM LYON. THE OVAL, POACHED PIKE DUMPLINGS ARE BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN INVENTED BY A PASTRY CHEF TO REGULATE FISH OVERPOPULATION

time-read
2 mins  |
November - December 2022
Coorg: A WILD ROAST
National Geographic Traveller India

Coorg: A WILD ROAST

Back in another timber den of Karnataka, native wildlife and humble stories surprise Suhas Dwarkanath as he sips on a bold cup of robusta.

time-read
10+ mins  |
November - December 2022
DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH
National Geographic Traveller India

DIVING INTO RAS AL KHAIMAH

THE U.A.E'S NORTHERNMOST EMIRATE IS ALL ABOUT ENJOYING NATURAL TREASURES, FROM SOARING OVER THE AL-HAJAR MOUNTAINS ON THE WORLD'S LONGEST ZIPLINE TO PERUSING PRECIOUS PEARLS BY THE SEASHORE

time-read
6 mins  |
September - October 2022