What will we drink? Georgian drinks - wines and more. Georgian feast - a traditional feast

Before proceeding directly to the topic of the article indicated in the title, I want to put an end to the issue once and for all, which worries me (and not only me) extremely. Recently, the citizens of Russia, succumbing to the influence of the media, pursuing, it seems to me, one goal - to “zombify” viewers, listeners and readers, have formed a negative opinion about such a legendary country with a great history as Georgia, and in general about the Georgian people. And these are not just my guesses, but the data of a mini-survey, which I personally conducted among my colleagues, friends, relatives and acquaintances. We will not go into the numerous political disagreements between Georgia and Russia, but take a look at least at relatively recent events related to the alcohol industry. Of course, the famous Wine scandal of 2006, the consequences of which we, civilians, are still disentangling, could not help but be reflected on our idea of ​​Georgia, and even the media add fuel to the fire, and endless political conflicts do not allow us to live in peace. Let's finally leave the dirty political games aside, turn off the "zombie" and look at this amazingly beautiful, proud country without prejudice. I will tell you something about Georgia that you will not read in any guidebook around the country. Therefore, if you are going to visit this state in the future, then look and try everything, starting from this unfortunate Borjomi, which, figuratively speaking, has already been “dragged through the courts”, and ending with the famous Georgian wine, which has been denied access to Russia for more than six years old. And what is the cuisine in Georgia! Real jam!

Georgia is a country-legend
First of all, let's take a look at the map to get a general idea of ​​the state's location. Georgia (the capital is the city of Tbilisi) is located in Western Asia and the Middle East, in the western part of Transcaucasia, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, and borders on Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Russia. It seems that there is no better place for a country on the entire globe. By the way, the Georgian people have a legend about this, which they proudly pass on from generation to generation. What first of all catches the eye of foreign tourists in Georgian culture is a huge number of ancient folk myths and legends. It seems that any object, any event in Georgia is connected with some mysterious story. The very emergence of the country is interpreted by Georgians as follows: having created the land and people, God began to distribute all the territories among the existing peoples. However, at that time the Georgians were very busy with a wide feast on the occasion of the creation of the world. Having passed a cup, and then one more, raising toasts, the Georgians nevertheless came to God, however, already “drunk” and very late. All the lands have already been snapped up by more agile peoples. To the strict question of God “where have you been wandering since you were late for such an important ceremony?”, the resilient Georgian people answered in their signature spirit: “Sorry, dear! We're late! Drink to your health! God frowned at first, and then thought and thought and said: “I saved here for myself one beautiful piece of land, small, but truly magical. And for your directness and spontaneity, I will give it to you. But remember that this land is incredibly beautiful and rich, and people will envy you for centuries, admire your riches and admire your nature!” God said, God did. And for many centuries in a row, all the people of the globe have bowed to the unforgettable beauty of this small, but surprisingly proud and beautiful country. Let this be just a beautiful legend, but how else to explain the beauty and divine charm of the Georgian lands, if not by the will of the Almighty!
The history of Georgia is a series of rises and falls of empires, violence and wars, the invasion of external enemies. However, despite all the hardships of life, this state has and reverently preserves a huge cultural heritage and great traditions. Many unusual, significant events have taken place and are taking place on the territory of this country. For example, in 1991, it was on the territory of Georgia (in Dmanisi) that archaeologists found the first remains of representatives of the human race, who lived about 1 million 770 thousand years ago. Georgia is an exotic and very colorful country in which centuries-old traditions are very neatly and subtly intertwined with modern trends. The most ancient monuments of architecture - the pride of Georgians - are here almost in their original state and are ready to delight all tourists with their grandeur and beauty. Once having visited this sunny country, you will fall in love with it, and you will not want to leave it. So, what to do in Georgia and what to see here? For those readers who have never been to this country, I offer a small "tour" of the main attractions of Georgia. First of all, go to Tbilisi, to the old part of the city with its tiled roofs, narrow cobbled streets and carved terraces, look at the "Bridge of Peace", at the Narikala Fortress. On the right bank of the Chkheri River stands the Gergeti fortress built in the 14th century. According to legend, in difficult times for the country, all the innumerable treasures from Mtskheta were transported to this shrine. Majestic architectural monuments dating back to the 9th-12th centuries, and the most magnificent mountain landscapes of Upper Svaneti are included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The largest square in Tbilisi - Freedom Square - was originally named after the Russian general Ivan Paskevich, who conquered Yerevan. In 1991, the statue of Lenin, located in the center of the square, was demolished and replaced with a statue of St. George. The cave city-fortress Uplistsikhe, located on the left bank of the Kura River, was built in the 9th-11th centuries, and was later conquered by the Mongols. Today Uplistsikhe is the greatest monument of history. An amazing legend describes the history of the Khertvisi fortress, built between the 10th and 14th centuries. Queen Tamara organized a competition for the best tower. An enormous rivalry broke out between the master and his student, who had surpassed his teacher. The master could not bear the shame and out of grief jumped to the edge of the tower and pierced himself with a knife. In the eastern part of the fortress there are two long tunnels that lead to the river. One tunnel is for transmission, the second is for water supply.
It is impossible to describe all the sights of Georgia, this country strives to become a tourist Mecca for the whole world. After a long and incredibly interesting journey through the historical places of the country, which are mainly concentrated near the city of Tbilisi, you can also relax. The best way to do this is in the company of amazing alcoholic drinks of Georgia, which are of great cultural significance and are no less important “sights” of the state than ancient architectural monuments. As you know, the cultural component of the country is incredibly interesting, and all the customs associated with the use of national alcoholic beverages are surprisingly strong. The Georgian feast strikes with an abundance of dishes and strong drinks, and the main person at the table is the toastmaster. According to ancient customs, the toastmaster is either the host himself or one of the guests (usually the most respected person), whom the host personally chooses. Please note that in no case should the toastmaster be interrupted, and his word is the law! It is also no secret that toasts during a Georgian feast are sacred! No one can drink a glass of wine if before that all the older people participating in the feast do not make toasts in turn.
Ah, this wedding! Georgian wedding is an amazing celebration. In some regions of the country, the custom of stealing brides by mutual consent of a girl and a young man is still preserved. At the wedding, wine and chacha flow like water, and if one of the invitees does not come to the wedding, then he will greatly offend the newlyweds. Georgians have another interesting custom that would certainly please all the women of the world. All relatives of the groom before the wedding should present the bride with gold. And God forbid if one of the relatives forgets or refuses to do it! In a word, visiting this country, you will see how strong the ancient cultural traditions that have been formed over many centuries can be. It is worth coming here not only to look at the endless historical monuments and sights, but also personally taste the alcoholic drinks of the people of Georgia. So you will understand once and for all why this country deserves the title of the undisputed leader in the creation of alcoholic beverages. And do not dare to think that I am exaggerating - real Georgian alcohol cannot but conquer from the first sip, no matter what representatives of the Russian media say. “Alcohol tourism”, and in particular “wine tourism”, is no less popular in Georgia than architectural, water or mountain tourism. And any tourist can easily see this. Grape "nectar"
The Georgian sages say this about their main alcoholic drink: “Grape wine is that eternal that is the basis of the economy, everyday life, worldview and character of the Georgian people.” And this is true! From the first glance at this country, it becomes clear that the mountains and valleys of Georgia are full of ancient historical monuments that belong to both the pre-Christian and Christ eras. On the gray stone walls of all ancient structures and buildings, carved images ... of a vine attract attention. Surprisingly, the same "grape" motif is surprisingly clearly present in Georgian folklore. And the admiration for this plant is obvious from some stable expressions of the Georgian language: “You are my vineyard ...” or “Vine cherished like a child ...” and so on. So, for example, if a guest in distant mountainous regions greets a local resident, first of all, with the words: “How is your flock?”, And only then inquires about the health of the host and his family members, then in the valleys of Georgia, the guest’s first question is: “It didn’t happen is there anything wrong with your vine?”. As the Lord himself prophesied after he brought amazing lands as a gift to the Georgians, throughout the history of Georgia, envious conquerors who came here sought to destroy the beauty of these places and, first of all, wanted to wipe grapes from the face of the earth. plantations. In the 1st century BC. the Assyrians who uprooted the vine from the root, and in the 14th century, after the invasion of Tamerlane, only scorched plots of land remained in the place of the grape valleys. It took centuries for winegrowers to recuperate.Ra
The heyday of Georgian winemaking fell precisely on the Soviet period of the country's history. Until 1985, progress in the field of the alcohol industry was evident, which cannot be said about the Gorbachev period of the “dry law”, when the production of Georgian wines decreased by almost 10 times. Currently, Georgian winemakers are taking all measures to ensure that their drinks are recognized as meeting EU standards. However, the spirits of the people of Georgia, including wines, are completely separate and distinctive elements of the alcohol market, which are very different from all similar products. This is due both to the peculiarities of the vine growing on the territory of the country and the technological methods for the production of Georgian wines. As for production methods, Georgians have them unique and special. For example, Georgian wine is sometimes fermented in special earthenware vats along with seeds and twigs, which is contrary to the standards of French winemaking. Perhaps some winemaker from France would faint if he took part in the creation of Georgian products, as here the masters use their special traditions that have developed over thousands of years. It is for this reason that connoisseurs around the world love Georgian alcoholic drinks. You will not find another such wine anywhere on the planet! Georgia is rich in its vineyards, and the number of varieties of this crop reaches 500 varieties, of which about 30 different varieties are used for wine. Accordingly, alcoholic beverages produced from them are characterized by unique, inimitable features. The whole of Georgia is divided into four wine regions, within which there are so-called micro-zones, somewhat reminiscent of French appellations. We will not go into the details of the Georgian law “On Vine and Wine”, we will only note that in the aforementioned microzones, Georgian masters create drinks with names controlled by origin. In general, everything is serious. No worse than the French! As for the flavor of Georgian alcoholic beverages, it is impossible to describe it in a nutshell. All wines have their own distinctive characteristics: some have a special tartness, others have a pleasant varietal aroma, but all of them are united by high quality. They were created according to ancient Georgian methods, the age of which is measured by all historians in whole millennia.

The famous wine region of western Georgia called Imereti is a real paradise for winemakers. The famous public figure Prince Alexander Chavchavadze, the son of the first Georgian ambassador to Russia, once lived here. Lermontov, Pushkin, Odoevsky, Griboedov, the Bestuzhev brothers, who, as you know, knew a lot about excellent alcohol, often visited the prince. And next to the prince's house was the largest winery for those times, which later grew into the Tsinandal winery - the center of Georgian winemaking. In my opinion, Georgian wines, made according to ancient traditions, are special historical “objects” through which we can come into contact with the world of late antiquity. However, let's be objective and admit that today Georgian alcoholic drinks are 80% modern phenomena, because under the influence of external "catalysts", such as the emergence of new grape varieties and the introduction of new technologies, these products have been greatly transformed. But the essence of Georgian wines has remained unchanged: they can surprise with their unique bouquets, different from the bouquets of European “mainstream” wines, and please those connoisseurs who are able to truly understand them. "Young" old drink
Who does not know (or at least has never heard of) such an alcoholic drink as Georgian chacha? It is worth recognizing that in the former USSR almost everyone knew about chacha. This strong, to say the least, alcohol has been prepared for centuries in Georgia, which elevated chacha to the rank of its national products. Stalin himself proudly presented Chacha to Churchill and Roosevelt at the Yalta Conference. However, at the same time, the “leader of the peoples” joked, they say, I don’t drink such strong drinks myself, but I highly recommend it, since this is the best of all types of vodka. In general, this Georgian national drink is difficult to describe, all the characteristic features of the national mentality are concentrated in it, but until recently it was considered just a simple moonshine. He was driven in tiny cellars from everything that came to hand: grape skins, seeds, stalks, that is, from grape pomace - "leftovers" left after squeezing juice for wine. However, to this day, the raw materials for chacha have not changed. The most famous analogue of this Georgian drink is grappa, produced in Italy from the same grape pomace, which economical Italians have found use for. However, in Italy, a drink made from "waste" is very popular and is considered good alcohol. The Georgians thought and thought, looked at the Italians and decided - “why are we worse?” Then, in 2001, the Georgian authorities officially recognized chacha as their national drink and launched its industrial production. At this point, the process of creating a drink has become more organized, and the quality of the finished product has improved significantly - the content of fusel oils, methyl alcohol and other undesirable components has decreased. Naturally, the traditional production methods developed over the years have not been forgotten, but now the technological process itself is carried out on more modern devices using sterile membrane filters. So, the wine material obtained from grape pomace undergoes a distillation process, as a result of which an original crystal clear drink with a strength of at least 45 degrees with a grape aroma and a pleasant taste is born. Looking at the work of their European colleagues involved in the manufacture of various brandies, Georgian masters since 2004 began to age their drinks in barrels, where they acquire an exquisite taste and rich color. And in 2011, the Georgian authorities filed a patent for chacha, finally securing the title of national treasure for it. Thus, it turns out that this strong drink is one of the oldest alcoholic products of Georgia, known since ancient times, but at the same time it can be called the youngest drink of the hardworking Georgian people.

It is noteworthy that not only stern Georgian men, but also fragile ladies find joy in chacha, made in a modern industrial way, thanks to its mild taste. If you want to experience the effect of a truly Georgian drink, which people dabbled in ancient times, then go to the traditional folk festival Zaodobu, which takes place in Georgian villages after the grapes are harvested and young wine is made. At this holiday, all local producers exhibit their chacha for testing, and each of the masters has his own tricks and secrets of creating an alcoholic legend of Georgia. Right there, during the festivities, a kind of competition is held for the best chacha, prepared in an artisanal way. All inquisitive gourmets will be able to bring mugs directly to the coil of the moonshine still, from which a hot liquid flows out, exuding a strong aroma and promising pleasant sensations of fiery bliss throughout the body. However, despite the assurances of the creators that there is no hangover from chacha, I advise you to be careful when tasting this fiery liquid. Georgians themselves are not afraid to get drunk. In October 2012, an unusual fountain was opened in the Georgian city of Batumi, in which alcohol is poured instead of water. This new attraction bears the pretentious name "Chacha Tower". The local authorities spared neither effort nor money: the construction of the 25-meter tower took half a million dollars. The fountain has a special sensor system that directs the jet directly into the glass. However, you can not treat yourself to a grape drink around the clock - but only 10-15 minutes a day, when the drink is fed into the pumps. Well, such foresight is not at all superfluous, especially considering that the fountain will become an obligatory item on many excursion programs. I have already imagined a picture if a similar fountain, only with vodka, was installed, say, in Moscow: crowds of drunkards with mugs, glasses, flasks, buckets, etc. queue up waiting for these ten minutes of “happiness” to to get drunk after yesterday's "excursion" to the fountain. And imagine what will happen to the airborne troops, who, with a cry of "for the airborne forces," according to tradition, will jump into such a fountain at the very height of the holiday! Grape Pride of Georgia
There is another alcoholic pride in Georgia - Georgian cognac, the fame of which has thundered almost all over the world. I’ll make a reservation right away that Georgian grape brandy, like the local wines, is a very peculiar drink that is liked by people with good taste who are able to understand it. Perhaps that is why I often hear that Georgian cognacs are products “for an amateur”. I can say with confidence that there is probably no more “Georgian” drink than cognac in this country. If we talk about the popularity of Georgian alcoholic drinks, I don’t even know what to put in the first place - chacha, wine or cognac. All these products have a huge history behind them, which developed separately, away from European trends. The result is there!
In short, I will probably leave the lecture about who David Sarajishvili is and why without him there would be neither Georgian, nor Moldovan, nor Dagestan brandy for later. And all fans of this grape brandy have known about this man for a long time. Let me just remind you that the Georgian cognac-making is indebted to this man who, in a short time, managed to create a real cognac empire by building factories not only in Kutaisi (a city in western Georgia), but also in Yerevan, Baku, Bessarabia. In 1913, Sarajishvili's products received the official title of "Georgian cognac". The tradition of the Georgian art of winemaking, founded by the great masters of the past, today has become a guarantor of the quality of Georgian cognacs. Among the general range of drinks, three-, four- and five-star brandies come to the fore. I highly recommend! The price is especially pleasant. In a word, if you are a true connoisseur of high-quality alcohol, then Georgia is for you. To the country of great traditions, rich culture and excellent alcohol! What personally has always surprised me to the depths of my soul is how passionately and in what quantity the Georgians themselves drink alcohol. And they drink a lot! But somehow they never get drunk. During a feast, you will never see a drunken Georgian lying down to take a nap with his face in a salad. Let's try to unravel the secret of this people!

There are legends about Georgian feasts. And not in vain. The culture of drinking wine has been formed over the centuries and has become a culture. And the culture of drinking wine and wine drinks for a good snack.

If you have beer or water in your glass, do not clink glasses. Toasts are raised exclusively with a holy drink - with Georgian wine. Or strong alcohol.

At the right feast, whether it be Georgia in general, there is always tamAda - a respected person and commander-in-chief of the evening. The noisy clown, whom we call Tamada, has nothing to do with Tamada.

In general, the word toastmaster is one of the many Georgian words that have become international. It is used differently in different countries, but the classic toastmaster is a toastmaster in the Georgian sense of the word)

Tamada is the head of the table.

His task is to lead the general outline of the conversation. At Georgian feasts, you will not see groups of people talking or a couple who are talking about their own separately from everyone else. Georgian feasts are a common thing. No one interrupts anyone, but at the same time everyone can speak.

How does this happen? Thanks for the toast. Toasts are spoken exclusively by the toastmaster. There are obligatory toasts - you need to start with them.

The first toast is traditionally for peace.

It turns out that earlier people from different regions gathered at the table - the Imeretians sat next to the Mingrelians, the Svans next to the Abkhazians, the Kakhetians next to the Kartlians. And since the neighbors often had controversial issues with each other, the feast could simply end in a fight. Innate diplomacy and a sense of respect for a neighbor helped the Georgians avoid such problems at the table, announcing a moratorium on showdowns as the first toast)

The second toast is for the reason for the feast.

It could be a wedding, a birthday, or a guest of honor. Tamada raises his glass.

Then comes a series of the following obligatory toasts - for parents, for the departed, for those present, for friendship, for children and the future, for the friendship of peoples, for love, for the owner of the house. There are many obligatory toasts, they touch upon a variety of topics and, as the Georgians say, a good toastmaster is one who sleeps well at night. Because he has not forgotten a single toast and he is not ashamed)

There is one more obligatory toast - for women. As a rule, it begins with a toast to the women present and, in the person of those present, develops into honoring mothers, grandmothers, daughters and all the women of the world.

Interestingly, there is no obligatory toast to men. Moreover, optional - too. A toast to men is bad manners. For men, they can drink exclusively in a male company and already fairly at the end. And it will sound "for us."

A prerequisite for a feast in Georgia is that toasts are spoken exclusively by the toastmaster. But. There is a beautiful “but” named “Alaverdi”. The tamada voices the toast, develops it into a beautiful story and passes the alaverdi to any of those present.

The one who has taken Alaverdi supplements the toast. But - it is within the framework of a given topic. If desired, other guests can ask for alaverdi too. But this is already fraught with jokes “What, I said so badly that you all want to talk more??!))”

If the toastmaster does not give the guest the floor, you can ask for the right to say a toast. And the toastmaster will give you the opportunity to speak on any topic, perhaps after a few toasts, but he will definitely give it.

At the end of the feast, a glass is raised for the toastmaster and for the owners of the house.

There is another difference from the Slavic traditions. For the departed in Georgia they drink clinking glasses. And they drink with tears in their eyes, but with a smile on their face. The toast is: "May their jar always be full." Because the better a person was, the more and warmer they remember him after life. And in heaven, his jug is filled with this warmth.

In general, very warm and sincere people live in Georgia. And the toast, whether mandatory or not, must come from the heart. And there is not a single memorized toast - after all, the topics about peace, love and friendship are endless. And each toast is unique, like a star in the sky, like a drop in a glass, like a Georgian smile.

Many people know that each country has its own feast traditions. But not everyone suspects how different and unusual they can be. Even such an action as drinking wine is strikingly different in Russia, Georgia and the same France.

Russian people for a long time treated wine as a simple variety of alcoholic beverages and consumed it like vodka or beer, often drinking a whole glass in one gulp. Quite recently in Russia they began to learn how to drink wine correctly and understand it.

Greek customs

One of the most ancient traditions of wine drinking was born in Greece. Even the ancient Greeks considered this drink to be the main one on the table, comparing good wine with nectar donated by the gods. Wine in those distant times was necessarily diluted with water so as not to get drunk.

The high-born Greeks considered the state of intoxication and drunken riot to be shameful. In order to teach their children to drink wine moderately, they specially soldered one of the slave servants and, using his example, demonstrated what kind of animal a person turns into in hops.

Few people know that it was in Greece that the tradition swarming to pronounce a toast “For health!” (or "To your health!"). Several thousand years ago, the practice of poisoning was very common. If some unfortunate, without knowing it, found himself at the same table with his sworn enemy, he had every chance to drink wine with hemlock during the meal.

The hospitable host was obliged to be the first to taste the wine in order to show the guests that it was not poisoned. During this action, the toast "For your health!" Only after that the Greeks began to treat themselves and drink the offered drinks.

The French and the Art of Drinking Wine

In France, vineyards are considered the main decoration of the land, and the French art of winemaking is famous throughout the world. The inhabitants of this country for many centuries have created a lot of feast rituals and really turned the process of drinking wine into a true art.

Everything starts with a choice. The year, the harvest and the best compatibility of a particular type of wine with the dishes that will be served on the table matter. The rule is to drink white wine with fish dishes, and red wine with meat dishes. It was the French who invented it. With their light hand, now all over the world they roll in a glass for a long time, inhale the aroma and taste this magical drink, paying tribute to the winemaker and the masterpiece he created.

In France, they like to drink wine with different types of cheese and other gourmet snacks. In addition, this drink does not always appear at the banquet table. A rare Frenchman will deny himself the pleasure of sitting at sunset with a glass of wine and just admiring the landscape, feeling a blissful state of intoxication. In France, they drink a lot and every time they turn this process into a beautiful ceremony.

Georgian wine drinking traditions

In Georgia, there is no such thing as just sitting down and drinking wine until you pass out. In this country, wine drinking is inextricably linked with a feast and plentiful refreshments. Georgians adore guests and always set a chic table for them. Even a friend living nearby, who just came to fix the TV, runs the risk of running into a real feast.

The hostess of the house will cook a lot of delicious Georgian dishes, the owner will get a couple of bottles of wine from the cellar, and the ubiquitous neighbors will immediately pull themselves up to the light. The feast will last more than one hour.

In Georgia, it is generally accepted that any feast is a kind of continuation of the church service. Wine at the same time symbolizes the blood of Christ, so the attitude towards the drink is respectful and even reverent. Georgians do not drink to get drunk and get away from everyday problems. They drink wine to prolong their lives.

There is a long-standing belief in this country that during a feast, human life seems to stop and the time lived is not counted. Any guest who served as the reason for the feast automatically prolongs the life of the owners of the house. For this, guests are especially loved and revered.

For the same reason, Georgians feast for a long time and with taste, enjoying every moment of the “gifted” and so wonderfully spent life. Lunch in a Georgian house can last two or three, and if guests come, then it can drag on until the evening.

Georgian toasts

Wine is always drunk here with beautiful toasts. There is no toastmaster profession in Georgia. Holding feasts is considered a vocation, and a person capable of this always pleases guests with his skill for free. Each toast at the table is pronounced slowly. The toastmaster always re-creates it, as it were, bringing a piece of his own life experience into the classical scheme of wishes.

At the table in this country you will definitely hear the toasts “For the Motherland!”, “For those who are no longer with us!” and "For God!" In these cases, the wine must be drunk to the bottom. In all the rest, it is only allowed to sip. Georgians, like the ancient Greeks, do not like ugly drunkenness and consider it shameful.

After drinking some wine, the participants of the feast begin to have a good snack, sing songs and chat. It is very important to feel your limit so as not to overdo it and not lose your human appearance.

Snacks and tableware

Georgian housewives do not adhere to the French etiquette of serving dishes according to the color of the wine. Here on the table you can see a variety of wines and national dishes that the locals simply adore. Among the most beloved are satsivi, lobio, khachapuri, kebab, pita bread, khinkali and, of course, shish kebab. There is always a lot of fried meat, spicy dishes and fresh herbs on the table in a Georgian house.

Another moment in which no one can compete with the Georgians is the dishes for drinking wine. If in France it is traditionally drunk from glasses, then in Georgia - from vessels of various shapes. In old films, you can often see how a handsome horseman with a mustache raises a horn (khantsi) filled with wine in his hand. In fact, there are many devices for drinking wine in Georgia:

Azarpeshi (round cup, similar to a scoop);
chinchila (a miniature earthenware jug in which exactly a glass of drink is placed);
tasi (a metal cup without handles, resembling a bowl);
karkara (skillfully decorated metal jug with three narrow, twisted necks);
aquani (a voluminous earthenware vessel in the shape of a baby's cradle), etc.

This diversity also reflects the special attitude of this people to the feast and the use of excellent local wines. And in Georgia, they believe that it is not a person who creates wine - God gives it. People simply accept the gift and gratefully eat it, enjoying life.

Wine was born in Georgia, because without it a Georgian feast is unthinkable. These two concepts are inextricably linked with each other.
In order to feel the etiquette and energy of this process, which cannot be called lunch or dinner, because during the Georgian feast they don’t eat - rather they talk and drink, then they sing and drink, and then they dance and drink ...
In general - go to the village. in Kakheti.
There you will learn what Georgian hospitality and Georgian feast are.

To do this, you will need a person who lives in Tbilisi and has a car. The fact that he has relatives in the village is about 90%.
Despite the fact that in Georgia the predominance of commerce over sincerity has become noticeable, it is still possible to find families and homes where you will be so happy that it will be difficult for you to escape from the disinterested embrace of the owners, who are discouraged by the fact that you are leaving their home they will give you wine, chacha, food on the road and will wave after the departing car, taking you drunk and happy to the hotel.

And now I’ll tell you how they solder tourists in Georgia.

Do you know what Alaverdi is? - This is a return action as a token of gratitude.
During the feast, the head of the family makes a toast. Everyone drinks. The glasses are filled again and the guest must make alaverdi - an action in gratitude.
Do you understand what the guest does?
Yes, he raises his glass and makes a return toast.
Glasses are refilled.
Guess what the owner of the family does? - Yes, of course - he makes alaverdi: he raises his glass and makes a toast in return. Everyone drinks and so on ad infinitum

The break is not big.
As a rule, at the moment when the guest starts to crawl under the table, a bottle of homemade chacha appears on the table.
Alaverdy... They don't drive tea away...
In general, the guest wakes up in an unfamiliar place and for a long time cannot understand where he is.
But the main thing - the head does not hurt. There is dryness, but the body as a whole feels good.

This is what a real Georgian feast is.
But if the guest can outdrink the host, then after chacha they begin to sing.
They sing with their heads in their hands and looking at the plate in front of them. Songs are interrupted by alaverdy ...
If the guest has not fallen yet, dancing begins. But I didn't live up to it. Looks like I need to practice

5 /5 (6 )

Tbilisi is an amazing city, hospitable and cordial, it is always ready and waiting for guests. There are always hot khachapuri, fresh vegetables and homemade wine on the table. Everything is subordinated to the main event - the arrival of a guest in the house, even the layout of the house corresponds - in each apartment, regardless of its size, there is a living room. Most often, the apartment has small bedrooms for the owners, but a large hall for guests. For me, Muscovites, it was surprising - we only have very rich people have living rooms, and many people use the kitchen for this purpose - they cook and eat there, they receive guests there. I will note one more feature - in Tbilisi, at the entrance to the house, it is not customary to take off your shoes.

They visit Tbilisi all the time: planned or spontaneous, preparing a table for 5 hours or quickly running into the store for khachapuri and cakes, with or without an invitation - it's not all that important. The main thing is open doors and hearts.

In the Georgian feast, one of the main figures is the toastmaster. To lead a feast correctly and beautifully is a vocation and a real art, which is almost impossible to learn. But the majority of Georgians at certain feasts play the role of toastmaster - and, of course, learn to be one. An ideal Georgian toastmaster should know all the traditions and history of his country, be able to read a poem or sing a song beautifully and appropriately (!). And, of course, don't get drunk. From myself, I will add - the toastmaster should not be too verbose and turn the feast into a theater of one actor. He must think about all those present and about each guest separately, feel at what moment his words will be appropriate, and at what not. To speak figuratively, beautifully, bitingly, to the point, and also have a sparkling sense of humor.

By the way, although this looks like PR, let the rest not be offended, but my favorite toastmaster is Dmitry Aleksidze. He has all the qualities that I have listed above, I will add to everything - he can lead a feast in 4 languages ​​​​- Georgian, Russian, English and Greek.

So, the guests sat down and toasts begin, in the Georgian feast there is even a mandatory sequence: the first toast is for God, the second for the Motherland, the third for faith (they used to drink the third toast for the king). Next comes a toast to the dead. It is noteworthy that, unlike the Russian tradition, in the Georgian tradition, when a toast is made to the dead, they clink glasses and drink as if they were alive. Explaining it this way: while we are alive, our memory of those who left this world is also alive. This toast should not be the last - after it they immediately drink for health and for children. And recently, Catholicos-Patriarch of All Georgia Ilya II proposed that after the toast to the dead, the toast to the Patriarch should follow. Then there are toasts on various topics: for children, for parents, for women and for love, for friendship and for friends, as well as for all those who join the feast and who leave it (if you have to leave, notify the toastmaster). The last toast is for All Saints.

By the way, the toastmaster never pours for himself, and after he has said a toast, the rest also raise their glasses and take turns talking on a given topic. If one of those present wants to say a toast, he must ask permission from the toastmaster. And sometimes the toastmaster himself chooses one of the guests who will speak after him - “alaverdi”. In Georgia, the norm for a toastmaster is 20-30 glasses of wine, and the record is 45 glasses of wine and a 3-liter horn drunk for one feast. But the real test for a toastmaster is to conduct a wedding, because at an ordinary Georgian wedding there are 200-300 guests, and sometimes all 500. Therefore, most often at weddings there are two toastmasters - from the side of the groom and from the side of the bride, or two people, representing two generations - young and old. Thus, there is a kind of competition between these two toastmasters - they compete in eloquence and, of course, in who will outdrink whom.

In Georgia, it is not customary to leave empty tables, and even more so to take uneaten food home (in many countries this is a common thing). Therefore, they order and set so that the tables sag from the amount of food, and the dishes are placed on top of each other, forming a whole pyramid. And of course, you all know that in Georgia there is no such thing as a “German account”, here they fight at the expense in the truest sense of the word, but about the guest paying for something during his visit to Georgia, and there is no question, it will offend the owner.