Book Description

“The definitive cookbook on Europe’s great unsung cuisines… Carla Capalbo’s Tasting Georgia shows off the culinary gem of the Caucasus… [It] is without question the best book ever written in English about Georgian food and wine… Every dish is brought to life by colorful, intimate photography.” –Saveur “This food-, culture-, and history-centric travelogue will make readers yearn to visit the independent democracy of Georgia. Capalbo, an American journalist based in Europe, knows her subject intimately. In addition to the brilliant photographs and 65-plus recipes, Capalbo introduces the warm hospitality and amazing wine regions of this country the size of Scotland…. Everything’s showcased against Capalbo’s realistic pictures of people and scenery, along with good historical bytes. Georgia peaches in a whole different light.” –Booklist, Starred Review “The book is fantastic—beautiful, fascinating and also moving, important and written from the heart.” —Claudia Roden “The latest of Carla Capalbo’s dozen-plus regional books that expansively cover the culture of food and wine production—chefs, farmers, winemakers, grape growers, recipes, in-depth historical detail, and high-quality photography … An agricultural country of stunning beauty far removed from the bustle of tourism-weary Western Europe, Capalbo has done the great service of bringing the country’s treasures within reach of any visitor through the use of maps, listings of hundreds of places of interest, and suggested itineraries.”—Foreword Magazine “With characteristic empathy and engagement, Carla has documented Georgia’s unique gastronomic traditions and the people who have fought so hard to preserve them.” –Carlo Petrini, Founder of Slow Food “A book that shows the world perhaps one of the last undiscovered great food cultures of Europe.” –Rene Redzepi, noma "The best book ever written in English about Georgian food and wine" —Saveur Winner Guild of Food Writers Food and Travel Award 2018 Winner Best Food Book of 2017 Gourmand Cookbook Awards Shortlisted for the Art of Eating Book Award Shortlisted for the IACP Culinary Travel Book Award The Atlantic 9 Best Cookbooks of 2017 NPR Best Cookbooks 2017 Nestled between the Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea, and with a climate similar to the Mediterranean's, Georgia has colorful, delicious food. Vegetables blended with walnuts and vibrant herbs, subtly spiced meat stews and home-baked pies like the irresistible cheese-filled khachapuri are served at generous tables all over the country. Georgia is also one of the world's oldest winemaking areas, with wines traditionally made in qvevri: large clay jars buried in the ground. Award-winning food writer and photographer Capalbo has traveled around Georgia collecting recipes and gathering stories from food and winemakers in this stunning but little-known country. The beautifully illustrated book is both a cookbook and a cultural guide to the personal, artisan-made foods and wines that make Georgia such a special place on the world's gastronomic map.