The Georgian Feast The Vibrant Culture and Savory Food of the Republic of Georgia, Updated with a New Preface Darra Goldstein
Nestled in the Caucasus mountain range between the Black and Caspian seas, the Republic of Georgia is as beautiful as it is bountiful. The unique geography of the land, which includes both alpine and subtropical zones, has created an enviable culinary tradition.
“Every Georgian dish is a poem.”—Alexander Pushkin
According to Georgian legend, God took a supper break while creating the world. He became so involved with his meal that he inadvertently tripped over the high peaks of the Caucasus, spilling his food onto the land below. The land blessed by Heaven’s table scraps was Georgia.
Nestled in the Caucasus mountain range between the Black and Caspian seas, the Republic of Georgia is as beautiful as it is bountiful. The unique geography of the land, which includes both alpine and subtropical zones, has created an enviable culinary tradition. In The Georgian Feast, Darra Goldstein explores the rich and robust culture of Georgia and offers a variety of tempting recipes.
The book opens with a fifty-page description of the culture and food of Georgia. Next are over one hundred recipes, often accompanied by notes on the history of the dish. Holiday menus, a glossary of Georgian culinary terms, and an annotated bibliography round out the volume.
Darra Goldstein is Willcox and Harriet Adsit Professor of Russian at Williams College and founding editor of Gastronomica: The Journal of Food and Culture. She has consulted for the Council of Europe as part of an international group exploring ways in which food can be used to promote tolerance and diversity and is the author of a number of books, including A Taste of Russia and The Winter Vegetarian.
“If you’ve got Georgia on your mind, then The Georgian Feast is required reading. This superbly written book is part ethnography, part geography, and part cookbook. Ms. Goldstein describes the rugged topography and turbulent history of this region that was once a crossroad of trade between Asia and Europe. These cultural influences, along with a healthy variety of food-producing environments, have led to a rich native cuisine.”
—Anthony Dias Blue, host of Blue Lifestyle
“Nobody writes better about discovering culture in a kitchen than Darra Goldstein, and few are as adventurous or knowledgeable as she in searching out kitchens to explore. What a treat it is to revisit the people and places of a country Darra first revealed to us two decades ago, when our food-culture maps, as well as our geographic ones, were smaller. To join her in celebrating the feasts of Georgia is a very good way to celebrate the art and nature of the human heart, mind and spirit.”
—Betty Fussell, author of Masters of American Cookery
“One part long-simmering history, two parts recipes, The Georgian Feast is an ode to walnuts, pomegranates, yogurt, and fresh herbs, from everyday cheese kneaded with mint to feast-day whole suckling pig.”
—Phyllis Richman, former Washington Post restaurant critic
~ Related Books ~
Leave a Reply