Story Behind Khachapuri - a First-Timer Experience of Georgia

GUEST WRITER: GURAM MEGRELISHVILI

Once, during a long transfer in the Istanbul Ataturk Airport, I fortunately met a Belarusian, a Lithuanian, and a Norwegian. They were planning a summer trip for the next year, but they could not decide whether to fly to China or to travel from Austria to Turkey by car. When the conversation touched Georgia, they asked for my opinion. They wanted to know why anyone should choose Georgia as a travel destination. “How do you see your country?” They quizzed with their eyes longing for answers.

The question seemed straight forward but I can assure you that anyone in my shoes would have found it difficult to answer. For me, it was even more difficult and I bet only a Georgian could have imagined the difficulty I felt at that moment. I felt special but I was equally perplexed as I wondered how to explain that Georgia is 70,000 square kilometers of rich land but over 23% of it is occupied by the neighboring Russia.

In such instances where I’ve been faced with the need to answer such questions, I usually develop a logical desire and ambition to familiarize my listeners with the genius author, philosopher and statesman, Shota Rustaveli. Following that, I would want to talk about Georgian chants and the authentic nature surrounding them. I would also want to talk in delight about my country’s abundance of flora and fauna, and other marvels of nature which are noticeable all-year round. Georgia has the most beautiful landscapes and despite being a small expanse of land, they are outstanding in many ways.

I certainly believe that if I spoke about Georgia’s iconography and the incredible alphabet of the Georgian language which, is one of the 14 alphabets in the world, my new friends would

become instantly acquainted with Georgia, or if I described Georgian literature which, is one of the most historical pool of literature with prominent feminist texts written as far back as the fourth century. Women have always been strong figures in Georgia and while the rest of the world is catching up with the practice of empowering women today, Georgia had the first female monarch in the world long ago.

Above all of this, I had the desire to talk about Georgia’s recognition as a World Heritage and cradle of wine but even as I wanted to say so much, I felt that my emotionally explosive side would get the better of me and I may not be fully expressive, I requested to tell my new friends about Khachapuri, “Let me tell you about Khachapuri!” I offered.

You see, it is not so easy to talk about Khachapuri because you need to teach the listener the letter “ჭ” (tch) first, then you have to explain that there are about 15 official variations of this dish in the country. It gets more confusing because even among these 15 official variations, there are so many gradations that makes each of the dishes unique. In fact, if you feel very motivated, you cannot find two Khachapuri dishes whose taste are exact. There is something special about this dish.

There are about 250 or more tasty dishes that are native to Georgia, with every region having its own unique rules and customs, with a long history deftly hidden between these habits and tastes.

It is very important for Georgians to own their identity, and a simple way to do this is by identifying the dishes in this country as Georgian. Although, I quite agree with the school of thought that suggests that the secret of Georgian cuisine is that most of them are not identified as Georgian but all of them are really Georgian.

One would wonder what is the source of this identification issue?

Well, Georgia, due to its geopolitical location, was the crossing point of several civilizations. These civilizations brought intersections that were accompanied by their own rules, tastes, habits, and then retreats. In this small land, where culinary culture is an integral part of the culture, there are tastes and variations that were even eliminated over time and they had improved tastes that were better than their original taste from their place of origin.

The impact, fusion, and emergence of Eastern and Western civilizations were warmly accepted in Georgia and have forged to be an important business card for Georgia today. The Georgians have owned the different influences and this has carved a very unique niche for this small country in an outstanding fashion.

Different regions of Georgia have characterized tastes which are distinctive and authentic and many believe this is because of one more interesting secret – Medea, the Princess of Colchis and the founder of medicine is believed to have lived on the territory of Georgia and this could be the reason Georgian cuisine contains a lot of herbs and spices. These herbs and spices provide the unique tastes that set Georgian dishes on a different pedestal.

I watched their eyes brightened as I returned to the subject of Khachapuri again, my friends had been taken on an epic journey about Georgia in their minds.

If you have to name a real Georgian dish, Khachapuri is definitely on this list. This simple dish is made from cheese and dough but it is cooked differently in the East and West, and it tastes differently in the North and South. Interestingly, it is also eaten differently.

The first step to getting acquainted with traditional Georgian Khachapuri is its enticing aroma. In general, love emotions are usually triggered through the sense of smell so, they serve as the foremost form of communication. Khachapuri is usually described by most tourists as a dish whose aroma is inviting just like a “mother’s embrace.” I do not know how the dish can smell like a mother’s love, but so they say and I believe it, because the first thing that a foreigner orders in the restaurant is this amazing food.

For Georgia to be able to tell its own story, perhaps the narrative should start like this:

I, Georgia, have materially pursued the idea of coexisting for centuries with different nations, ethnicities, religions and people.

I, Georgia, have something of a special attraction, because for centuries, all the invaders who came in for conquest have stayed here. This longing, the strange longing for my land, is unexplained. I am furthering a great culture and two ancient civilizations. These started with toasts and wine which were said here over 8,000 years ago too, but let’s start with a small important detail, let’s talk about Khachapuri!