The Classic Cuisine of Soviet Georgia: History, Traditions, and Recipes

For culinary explorers ever on the watch for new cuisines, the cooking of Soviet Georgia is a delightful find. And Julianne Margvelashvili, a Canadian married to a Soviet Georgian, proves an expert and charming guide to its pleasures in The Classic Cuisine of Soviet Georgia: History, Traditions, and Recipes. Although the pilafs, stuffed grape leaves, baklava, and lamb and eggplant dishes of Georgian food bear a superficial resemblance to their Greek and Middle Eastern counterparts, they are distinguished by complex and unusual seasonings. We can’t reproduce all of the region’s distinctive herbs and cheeses, but with Margvelashvili’s help we can go a way toward approximating them. A