Armenia is known as the motherland of viticulture and
winemaking.
The legend tells that Noah planted the first vineyard in the
plateau of Ararat. Burning sun, rich land and the hard work of the peasant have
given Armenian wine its unique for odour boquet. Ancient wine vessels, sometimes
with condensed antique wine, are found in many historical places.
The
programs, which include wine testing, are very popular. The tourists who pass
through Vayots Dzor region always taste the different bouquet of wines in small
wineries.
Many of their labels show the gold medals awarded at
international exhibitions.
The history of Armenian brandy starts from the
vineyards of the Shustovs from the beginning of XIX century.
According to a legend, after adopting Christianity as a state religion, the relics of the saints were transported to Armenia and in the places where the ceremony stopped, the springs of mineral water burst out. Dozens and dozens of unique fresh-water and mineral springs of various physic-chemical compositions are found in different parts of this sacred land. Stone baths, dating from the1st century, were discovered almost in all regions of Armenia.
Armenian fruit and vegetables
Armenians are fond of their fruit and vegetables and
widely use with in the national cuisine.
Some Armenian varieties of
apricots, peaches, pomegranates, walnuts and quince are superior to the world's
best grades. As early as the 4th century BC Alexander the Great brought apricot
trees from Armenia to Greece whence they found their way to Rome.
A selection of Armenian cuisine
Food in Armenia is one of the chief attractions.
Each region has its own unique cuisine with its own special flavour. For
gourmands the long list of delicious local dishes is provided: kololak,
khaplama, tolma, basturma...
Lavash - the national thin, paper like bread of Armenians. It is baked in tonyr and they are so transparent that the sunrays pass through them. Armenians use it also as a plate, a saucepan, and a spoon. Many dishes are cooked on mild fire, covered with lavash. Traditionally Armenians eat their food folded in lavash.
Basturma is pressed and dried slices of lean beef, previosly soaked in salt and coated with a spicy mash. Spas-egg and flour pulp is stirred into matsoun (yogurt) diluted with water and boiled together with stewed rice or crushed wheat. Tolma-the filling is a mix of ground meet, rice and greens wrapped in grape leaves, immersed in water or stock and boiled over low fire. Harissa-is a kind of homogeneous porridge made of previously stewed and boned chicken and coarsely ground soaked wheat. Khorovats (barbecue)-the peculiarity of Armenian khorovats is the preparatory maarination of meat, that is the making of bastourma. The meat cubes are salted, sprinkled with black pepper and choped onions.