What’s the food like in Armenia? Is it good? Is it the same as America? Is it drastically different? Let’s see if pictures can help tell the story thus far of my food adventures, including typical Armenian food, and things I have introduced to my host family.
This is how my host mom makes lavash. She prepares the dough, rolls it out, stretches it onto a "cradle," which she uses to transfer the dough to the grill, pictured. She flips it once, and when done lays it on the blanket on the ground to cool.
Here is one of my typical meals here. A pile of lavash on the table, fried potatoes on my plate, cheese, tomatoes, and greens.
I made my mom's chocolate "Wowie Cake" recipe for my youngest host sister's birthday. Everyone really liked it.
My host mom made my chocolate cake recipe several weeks later, but did not have cocoa so she made it without. It tasted okay, but I do not think we should call it chocolate cake... Maybe vanilla?
You can read fortunes in an Armenian coffee cup. Wonder what mine says?
Muraba is a runny jam with whole fruit in it. This is blackberry muraba being made by my host mom -- basically sugar and blackberries that boil on the stove.
I made pasty for myself, my family, and the other volunteers in my village! This is shown with two different types of ketchup, and homemade butter in the foreground.
My host mom and I made lemon pie together: a first for both of us with this recipe I happened to have on my computer. The oven quit working halfway through, so she baked the rest of it on the stove top! Ingenious!
It doesn't look like much, but when you consider the circumstances, and actually taste a piece, it was pretty good, and you should be proud of me.
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Barev Ev Jan! This is what you coffee-cup says: You see the ‘coffee cup fairy’ on the left side, sitting at one side of a long bench, her two hands are half raised, she has a long hair, her body while sitting is clearly visible sideway. She is trying to tell you that you should have finished the construction of the bench at the bus or marchrutni stop. It does not need to be a complicated one, just a long bench sitting some five made of mortar or large bricks, no shading canopy needed, just the bench you see in the coffee cup upon which the fairy is sitting. I know you people already run out of time but a group of you can pool about $50 and entrust the construction of the stone bench to the local crew of Armenians and its one days’ job. En front of the ‘coffee cup fairy’ you see some black matter that is the discomfort you will feel in the future because of the unfinished bench job in your mind (it will keep bugging you); once the bench is done white matter will follow the black one as you see in the cup signifying a finished good job that gives you a satisfactory feeling.
And as the local do, both me and the fairy send you two kisses; mine on your left cheek and hers upon the your right cheek with best wishes of Joy & happiness!
From more an optimistic view the girl sitting at the bench is you Ev Jan, at your temporary stay village, half raising your hands; during your training and initial adjustment period to Armenia you have met some frustrations and hardship symbolized by the black color en front of you, there are some white cloudy stripes in them meaning all was not gloomy and there were some fun and excitement. After that period is over white color is shown meaning the coming next period in the permanent site which is going to be excellent and satisfactory symbolized by white creamy & honey color. Another kiss for you rosy cheek!
The benches are finished. Two of them, by the mayor’s office, for the bus stop. They are very sustainable, and are being sat on by many people from my village. I will post pictures soon.
Ev, I was bummed I missed your call the other night. I was working. I mostly work nights, but will be working days and nights in a few weeks. If you happen to catch me when I’m not working, I would love to hear more about your adventures!
O, and the food looks delicious. I’m impressed.