A Postcard from Tbilisi in Georgia
Greetings from Tbilisi in Georgia! I have the usual blog backlog with a couple of recipes to share with you this week – including an aromatic poached chicken (poached with lemongrass, galangal, chilli and such) – and also my mini guide to Gothenburg after last weeks trip. First though, while I am here, I want to share some photos of Tlibisi, the capital of Georgia, where I am spending my weekend.
Highlights? The food market was a huge one, the flea market also, although I resisted buying anything despite the many amazing gems. Having spent the last month sorting items for storage, I had to talk some sense to myself before embarking on the flea market voyage.
Lunch today was also great, featuring giant dumplings similar to my favourite Chinese Xiao Long Bao with soup inside. It turns out that they influence these, as they travelled to Mongolia, who brought similar here. That’s a rough summary, budding food anthropologists, but I just love a little cultural food quirk. Dinner was too, but I’ve not edited the photos yet, I’ll be back with those soon.
Khinkali: beef & pork dumplings with soup inside
Inside the dumpling :)
Lots of delicious walnut bits
Traditional sulphur baths - smell like rotten eggs but apparantly amazing for your skin and lungs
Two old ladies chinwagging by the cathedral, flower in the foreground
This made me smile! Extremely happy sculpture of a Georgian film director
Pomegranate flower
Squash!
Grapes
Pomegranates
Preserved wild yellow Ppums - cooked traditionally with lamb & tarragon
Fresh walnuts
Marigolds and chillies
Pickled garlic
Some lovely friendly locals
Terrific Georgian smoked cheese
Icons watching over the cheeses
Another friendly local who requested that I take his picture :)
Flea Market
Flea Market
Flea Market
Flea Market
Comments
Wow..pickled garlic, smoked cheeses..fresh fall fruits..what gorgeous place it is! Beautiful clicks.
What a beautiful (and delicious!) picture postcard. Those wheels of cheese look heavenly…
Can’t wait to hear more about your trip, and all the food you got a chance to experience. I’m sure your recipes will be lively and travel-inspired! (Those are always the best kind, when you come back from a thrilling trip and are bursting with new flavor ideas.)
Truly wonderful pictures. Can really feel your love with Georgia. Makes me want to go. Well done!
Wonderful pictures! Visiting parts of the former USSR has always intrigued me…I’d love to visit the Ukraine or Georgia but am a bit apprehensive of the language barrier. How did you get on yourself?
Looks amazing! I’ve eaten one of those green ball things before, and it was yummy. Would love to try more Georgian food some time.
The dumplings look like the Shanghai dumplings I had, though think they were just pork but had broth as well. Flea market looks like the sort of place I’d never have got out of!
Georgian food is my favourite. So so love. I’ve always wanted to go (and eat, endlessly) but was unsure how easy it’d be to travel independently without Russian or Georgian language. What’s your experience?
Those pork balls look delicious! Yum!
Looking forward to the poached chicken recipe, sounds delish. I also need those dumplings in my belly right. now.
Dear Niamh, dodn’t want to be mean or anything, but I’m pretty sure it’s Tbilisi…)
Kinds Regards
TYPO! I wrote it at 3am in my defence :) Thanks for spotting.
What a lovely portcard!
Looks like a wonderful trip! And OMG – that flea market looks lke PROP HEAVEN!!