Alright, so I’ve been on a bit of a baking and tasting kick lately, just trying out new things, you know? And somehow, I ended up diving into Georgian desserts. Wasn’t really planned, just stumbled upon some pictures and got curious. It’s funny how these things happen.
My First Go: The Obvious Choice
First thing that came to mind, or rather, that popped up everywhere when I searched, was peaches. Georgia is the “Peach State,” right? So it made sense that their go-to dessert would be something with peaches. And yup, peach cobbler it was. I thought, okay, this seems like a good starting point. I looked up how to make it, and honestly, it looked pretty straightforward. Found a version that was like, five ingredients, and they said it’d be ready in about fifty minutes. So, I got myself some peaches, some flour, sugar, butter – the usual suspects. Mixed it all up, popped it in the oven. And you know what? It was pretty darn good. Warm, gooey, sweet. Can’t really go wrong with a good cobbler, especially with fresh peaches.
Then Things Got… Interesting
After the cobbler success, I was feeling a bit more adventurous. I started seeing these really unique looking things, kind of long and lumpy, almost like candles. They’re called Churchkhela. Someone even mentioned they’re nicknamed ‘Georgian Snickers,’ which, okay, that definitely got my attention. I had to figure out what these were.
So, I did a bit of digging. Turns out, they’re made by stringing nuts – usually walnuts or hazelnuts – on a thread. Then, you dip this string of nuts repeatedly into thickened grape juice. This juice isn’t just plain juice; it’s cooked down, often with some flour to make it super thick, almost like a caramel but fruitier. They dip it, let it dry a bit, dip it again, over and over until it builds up a thick coating. Making these myself seemed like a massive undertaking, honestly. It’s a whole traditional process. I didn’t attempt that from scratch, I’ll admit. But I did manage to find some to try. And wow, they are… different. Chewy, nutty, and with that distinct grape flavor. Not overly sweet, which was nice. I also read that there are different regional versions, like the Kakhetian and Imeretian ones are supposed to be the best known. Definitely a unique snack, nothing quite like it.
And One More for the Road
I was on a roll, so I thought, what else is out there? And that’s when I came across Medok. This is a Georgian take on a honey cake, kind of like the Russian Medovik, if you’ve ever heard of that. It’s a layered dessert. You’ve got these fairly thin layers of sponge cake, and in between, there’s this rich milk cream. From what I gather, the Georgian version tends to be a bit on the sweeter side compared to the traditional Russian one. Often, they’ll garnish it with crushed nuts or maybe some fruit to make it look all fancy. This one felt more like a celebration cake, something you’d have for a special occasion. I haven’t made this one yet, but it’s definitely on my list. It looks like it takes a bit of patience with all those layers, but I bet it’s worth it.
So yeah, that’s been my little exploration into the world of Georgian desserts so far. Started with something familiar and easy, then got into some really traditional and unique stuff. It’s been a fun little journey, and tasty too!
