Friendship, food, and dancing, Georgian style

The connections my family re-kindled and made while in Georgia were filled with warmth, dancing, singing, wine and long toasts of appreciation. I want to use this post to share about Georgian food, friendship, and dancing through photos and videos. Every night our hosts in every city treated us to all of the Georgian food there is and taught us how to dance. We drank wine and chacha! I haven't even mentioned chacha yet?! Chacha is a brandy which is also called "grape vodka" and we were offered shots of this everywhere we went. Georgians love their cheese and bread, too. Eggplant and pomegranate seeds also make it into many dishes. The best way to eat at the table is for the plates to keep stacking on top of each other for everyone to see just how much food the table has eaten! And of course, the whole night is devoted to making long toasts led by a toast master.

Remember how everyone has their own wine?
Valeriy called his first wine #1 for his first grandson. Roma.

First lunch complete with Georgian cheese, salad, bread. Reminds you of Turkish breakfast, no?

on the left: Soup Kharcho which was my favorite - a lamb soup.
on the right: Khashi soup - a tripe soup

I love pickled cabbage.

Savva drinking chacha and wine with locals at the Dry Bridge Bazaar.

Nothing like day time chacha shots with strangers who welcome you quickly.

That time we drank wine and ate cake at a dental office.

Beka's mom, me, Eteri, my mom, Tamara (Tamara's daughter)

You won't understand it, but we are the Tverskiye Gruzini.

Churchkhela is a traditional Georgian sausage-shaped candy.
The main ingredients are grape must, nuts, and flour.

Churchkhela and fruits sold in Tbilisi

First dinner with the Russians and Georgians.
Valeriy and Eteri really took great care of us.

The danced, sang, and ate together 30 years ago, now for a repeat.

Learn to dance in Tbilisi

Delicious eggplant rolls with walnuts sprinkled with pieces of pomegranate.
Badridzhani nigvsit

Every night is a night to celebrate friendship, love, and Georgia!

Cornmeal producing mechanism

Nothing like a private tour of this Georgian restaurant in Tbilisi

Khinkali - Georgian dumplings. They are huge!

Masha and Savva!

When all the kids went out together and the parents cried from joy.

Long lost sisters. Tamara and Dasha.

Fun times on the Bridge of Peace

Savva and Eteri getting ready to dig into khachapuri in the Ajarian style.
Bread. Cheese. Egg. Dig in.

Khachapuri in the Megruli style

Meat was a rarity at the table. 

This is elarji a cornmeal/Sulgani cheese dish. It is delicious.

Wine, tarragon drink, and Georgian food in Ankalia.

Masha playing with elarji.

Toasts with the drinking horn

Vepha drinking white wine like a boss.

Women do not drink from the horn.

The dancing begins!

Vepha gave me a run for my money with his dance moves!

Below are photos and videos of the Erisioni Ensemble and Choir performing at the Tbilisi Concert Hall. Enjoy they costumes and how the men jump and dance with swords, while the women exude elegance and poise with every movement.