In perspective
of upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics CNN has published an interesting
article – ‘Dacha, chacha
and a gay bar: 9 ways Sochi surprises’ portraying different remarkable facts which readers might find original and attracting about Sochi.
GHN reports about the facts referring
to Georgia in this article:
‘It might not be vodka in that shot glass’
Russia's toasting rules are complicated. What, or whom, to toast
changes with each clink, but one constant remains: vodka.
In Sochi, however, vodka is often swapped for its fruitier
Caucasian counterpart, ‘chacha’, a Georgian pomace brandy, often distilled like
moonshine.
Similar to Italian grappa, ‘chacha’ takes on the flavor of the
grape skins and walnut shells often infused with the liquor.
Georgian lore claims chacha has healing qualities, easing earaches
and indigestion.
Just like vodka.
‘The cuisine may be
Armenian and Georgian’
Sochi, which underwent multi-ethnic colonization in the 19th
century, may technically be all-Russian now, but its food remains diverse.
With Armenians accounting for 20% of the city's population, and
close proximity to Georgia, Sochi offers an impressive sampling of cuisine
beyond the dill and sour cream of traditional Russian fare.
Authentic Armenian dishes can be found at kitschy ‘Amshensky Dvor’ part
of the largest private museum of Caucasian artifacts and history. Chefs make
wood-fired lavash bread and clay-pot stews. (Krasnoflotskaya ul. 15, Adler
District; +7 (862) 295 51 21; open daily, year round).
A Georgian favorite is ‘Ne Goryuy’ known for its chakhokhbili -- chicken
in garlic sauce -- and its quiet location off the seashore. (Riversky per.
6-? Sochi Khostinsky District; +7 (918) 406 41 04; open daily, year round).
