Supra and Food

I had the most amazing time at a traditional Supra in a Georgian house with our US/Georgian connection Tiko Vardidze. She has been coordinating our time in Tbilisi. She also lives in Akhaltsikhe where I am staying. She took us to her village and showed us her farm house.

First, we went to her house where she stays with her mother and father-in-law. In Georgian culture, women are expected to live with their husbands parents. This was the first meal that was prepared for us.

Tiko and her awesome son. He can count to 10 in Georgian and English.

This is part one of our meal. At 6:00 were made to eat delicious foods. I especially love the mushrooms.  I also like  the lobio, Georgian beans. Keep in mind, all this food was just the first part of our meal.  I also had some Turkish coffee which was the first coffee I ever had.

Then we went to Tiko's house on the outskirts of town. She told us that all houses have two stories. The first one is for cattle: cows, sheeps, and/or pigs. The second floor is for living. Her family also grew potatoes and grapes. They sold the potatoes for whole sale at markets. The grapes they turned into wine. They keep half the potatoes for seed and the other half they sell. They only keep the smaller potatoes for food.

Grape vines. They cut the vines in the spring. I should remember this for the grapes I grow in my yard.

Wine casks in the basement of the house

The wine maker

Potatoes for food.

Potatoes for seed.

Pouring of wine.

The vehicle for digging up the potatoes.

The tools for digging up the potatoes.

At the Supra, there is tons of food. Your plate is never empty and they keep on feeding you. This is like a Thanksgiving times 10. I have never eaten so much food. All of the food is organic and they grow most of it themselves. They told me they do not use chemicals because they feed it to their children. During the Supra, the Tamada (the Georgian Toast Master)  first makes a toast to God. Then he toasts his family, then he toasts the loved ones who have passed onto the afterlife, the toasts the guests, the families, etc. He ends the evening with a toast to God. It is impolite to drink the wine except when toasted.  These toasts happen sporadically throughout the meal, and after each toast you are expected to eat some more food.

Despite this traditional feel they were watching the TV and checking their cell phones. I even got to see this American classic dubbed in Georgian:

Do you recognize it?

This is the family I got to share this wonderful time with:

The family

The daughter playing video games.

The best homemade child swing ever.

Georgian culture is very hospitable and I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to spend some time here. I am hoping to forge everlasting connections between Georgia and Milton.

And this is Rabati Castle on the way back. Absolutely beautiful.