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Culture |
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NEWS Rugby GEORGIA
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 Georgia is at the junction of Europe and Asia, and this has led to a diverse, moderate culture developing over thousands of years. According to ancient tradition, when God was handing out land to the peoples of the planet, the Georgians were too busy eating and drinking and arrived late. God told them that there was no land left, and the Georgians told him that they had been toasting his health. They invited God to join them, and he had such a wonderful time at the Georgians' table that he gave them all the land he had been saving for himself. Truly God's own country. Food in Georgia is one of the biggest attractions for visitors, and is the centrepiece of domestic cultural activity. Part of this family focus, and an unusual phenomenon for foreign visitors, is Georgian meal-time. Complicated ritual relationships are manifested in it. The table is led by tamada, who proposes traditional toasts throughout the meal. To the outsider, it can seem as though nothing is done before everyone drinks to it. It's best not to toast while drinking beer; it's regarded as a subtle insult. During Soviet rule, Georgian restaurants spread through the republic, and are still favourite haunts for discerning foodies throughout Russia and its former states. Each part of Georgia has its unique cuisine with flavours derived from spice combinations, but as a rule, a focus on herbs and garlic predominates. The only difficulty you will experience buying food will be because the locals are so keen to give it away! Cafes and restaurants mostly serve Georgian and more traditional European food, while fast food restaurants offer local dishes such as khinkali, kabab, barbecue and khachapuri. American-style fast food restaurants serve the usual collection of hot-dogs and hamburgers. For a breakfast with a difference, try the khachi, a soup of tripe, cow hoof and lots of garlic. Coke and Fanta are ubiquitous, however traditional Georgian mineral waters and fruit drinks have a well-deserved reputation. They are mostly sold in specialty shops. For thousands of kilometers around, Georgian wines are regarded as the best quality. The country's unique climate and soil quality have made it a major wine-making region for many thousands of years. While surrounding countries use Cyrillic script when writing, Georgia goes it alone. The Georgian alphabet includes 33 symbols (5 vowels and 28 consonants). The shape of the letters is absolutely unique and it cannot be compared to any other existing alphabet. Copyright Lonely Planet Publications © 2003 |