Cuisine Of Abkhazia

Features of the cuisine of Abkhazia

The national cuisine of the Abkhazians was formed for several centuries. It was significantly influenced by the peculiarities of life and the climate of this country. Favorable conditions for raising livestock, growing fruits, vegetables, melons and nuts contributed to the inclusion in the daily diet of this Caucasian people dishes from corn, tomatoes, beans, eggplants, walnuts, figs, meat, as well as all kinds of dairy products, the most popular of which is cheese. Also, the neighborhood with Georgia had a great influence on the cuisine of Abkhazia, as a result, many traditional dishes of these peoples are similar or even identical.

Those who for the first time tried traditional dishes of Abkhazian cuisine, note their sharpness. The passion of the inhabitants of Abkhazia for spicy and spicy gave the world such a seasoning as adjika. Prepare it from red pepper, garlic, a mixture of spices and salt. Adjika is an indispensable addition to meat dishes.

The most popular meat dishes in Abkhazia are beef kebabs, Kuch-Machi, fried and smoked chicken or chicken carcasses on a spit. Often pieces of meat are simply boiled and served with vegetables and seasonings. Pork, turkey and Goose are rare guests on the table of Abkhazians, the same can be said about fish dishes.

A special place in the diet of all Caucasians is hominy – a dish of corn flour, similar to thick porridge, but served as a substitute for bread. They eat hominy with nut butter, honey, sometimes with meat.

Beans are the main ingredient in such popular Abkhazian dishes as AKUD (soup in meat broth with beans and spices) and achapa (green bean salad).

The pride of Abkhazia are all kinds of cheeses – suluguni (sour milk), ashvchapan (sour milk with the addition of mint and hot sauce), achayur (pasty cheese), akhacha (curd mass).

Where to eat in Abkhazia

Coming to rest in Abkhazia, many are wondering whether it is worth cooking on your own, or it is more correct to eat in public catering establishments.

If there is an opportunity to cook food yourself (there is a stove, necessary utensils, as well as strength and desire), then you can always buy locally produced products from the locals, from which you can prepare a nutritious lunch. But in this case it is unlikely to be possible to appreciate the unique tastes of traditional cuisine.

In order to fully enjoy real Abkhazian kebabs, bean soups, sweets based on honey and nuts, you should arrange a meal in an ordinary dining room, which is preferred by local residents.

Cafes and restaurants, as a rule, earn exclusively on tourists, so their main goal is not to feed visitors deliciously so that they return again, but a banal increase in their own income by saving on the quality of products and dishes obtained from them.

Many restaurants of national cuisine, called apatskhi or patskhi, are happy to offer guests food prepared according to traditional recipes of Abkhazians. When choosing such institutions, it makes sense to ask local residents where they would advise to go.

Alcoholic beverages in Abkhazia

In Abkhazia, there are no restrictions on the purchase and use of alcoholic beverages, except for the Prohibition of the sale of alcohol to minors. You can buy any alcohol that is sold in most countries of Europe and Russia. But, of course, the greatest interest among tourists is caused by local alcoholic beverages.

Many tourists know that resting in Abkhazia, the first thing from all the variety of alcoholic beverages is to try local wines. They are prepared in this country both in wineries and in home kitchens from hand-grown red and white grapes. The most popular types of wines are: "Apsny", "bouquet of Abkhazia", "Psou", "Lykhny", "Anakopia", "Amra", "Dioskuria". Any wine drink should be bought only from trusted manufacturers, but at the same time do not chase the high price – the locals themselves grow grapes and produce wine with minimal costs, the cost of such a home product is several times lower than the factory.

Local residents can almost always buy Chacha-grape vodka. This drink is not produced in factories, it is made exclusively in an artisanal way, but you can not worry about the quality. The taste of Chacha is soft, but the degree is high – no less than in ordinary Russian vodka.

Cognac drinks in Abkhazia are often tried to pass off as cognac. But real connoisseurs of expensive alcohol understand that Cognac is produced only in the eponymous region of France. Abkhazian "cognac" is rather a tincture on all kinds of fruits, berries or nuts with a pleasant taste.

Beer produced in Sukhumi also deserves attention, although it is consumed much less than wine or cognac drinks. This is a light alcoholic drink with a pleasant and mild taste.

Alcohol in Abkhazia is not just a means to raise the mood or a table drink. It is also an integral part of every meal. There is a whole culture of wine and Chacha consumption. For example, Abkhazians do not drink alcohol alone or more than two glasses at a time, if we are talking about a regular lunch or dinner. Every glass of wine is necessarily accompanied by a long toast – this tradition is inherent in all Caucasians.