“YOU’RE GOING TO GEORGIA? The country? Next to Russia? But it has a Safe Travel warning!” said the 18-year-old. I retorted, “It has the same threat warning as France.” And while Georgia’s political unrest and demonstrations are an ongoing and ever-evolving situation with areas to be avoided, I was still keen to visit.

When I started researching a trip to Georgia a couple of food descriptors kept coming up: vegetable-forward, highly seasoned food and plenty of herbs and nuts. Just the kind of food that I really enjoying eating. And what a trip. My knowledge of the area was rudimentary, but the culinary tours run by Wellington hospitality stalwarts Sue Dempsey and Janice Kirkwood of Eating Adventures really appealed with their strong food-and-wine focus.

Supra is not only the name for a tablecloth (like the traditional one featured here) but also a communal feast, the epitome of Georgian hospitality. The sense of generosity is everywhere and the pace of the meal is languid. The supra is a meal without structured courses. It starts with a variety of salads or vegetable dishes, pickles, then later on meats, khinkhal (dumplings), plain and stuffed breads and accompanying sauces. We quickly learnt that moderation is key as just when you think you can’t eat or drink anything else, something more appears at the table or your wine is refilled.

Usually there is a tamada (a toastmaster); not necessarily the host, but someone who is an eloquent speech maker, a poet and someone with the skill to not only guide the toasts (and the pace at which you are drinking) but who also has the ability to finish with positive affirmations. Supra is where the personal becomes political. In a country that has been invaded multiple times, and which lives under the threat of invasion or incursion, it is one way that their national customs and a sense of unity can be openly displayed. So the tamada will include toasts to God, peace, family (those present and those who have passed) and guests.

Dessert is seldom seen, but there is always plenty of fruit and sometimes churchkhela, a confectionery of fresh walnuts or hazelnuts strung into lengths then dipped into a thickened sweet grape juice and dried to a soft and chewy paste.

It was hard to limit the recipes here to just a select few, so I concentrated on a few classic dishes to be shared.