The Big Picture: Food in Armenia, Part II
In Armenia, food is not only an integral part of the culture, but of the landscape as well, where you can find the most coveted of edible treasures not in top rated restaurants, but in the streets. From the sweet bread baked in the homes of women with a lifetime of stories to tell, to homemade wine served in Armenian coffee cups on the side of the road in Areni, in Armenia, food is an exhilarating experience. Of course, a few exceptions to the street food rule apply, like the warm doughy pastries known as “ponchiks” from Grand Candy, the Guiness Book of World Record holders of the biggest chocolate bar in the world, that melt in your mouth so wonderfully, it’s impossible to leave the store without having just one. If you’re traveling to Armenia, make sure your appetite (and your suitcase) have lots of room.
Roadside delicacies - fruit rollups with nuts/ © ianyanmag
Dried fruit at the Closed Market, also known as "Pak Shuka," a treat any visitor should bring home./ © ianyanmag
Saffron and curry at the Closed Market/ © ianyanmag
Dried rosehips, also known as "masoor" in Armenian (Special thanks to Adrineh for translation)/ © ianyanmag
Roadside jams, syrups and honey/ © ianyanmag
Ponchiks, a doughy concoction with sugar and even more sugar at Grandy Candy in Yerevan/ © ianyanmag
Homemade wine in sode bottles in Areni/ © ianyanmag
Fruit rollups and other dried delicacies at Geghard Monastery/ © ianyanmag
Gata, a sweetbread made with flour, butter, sugar and in this case, walnuts with homemade honey at a home in Tatev village in Syunik Province in southern Armenia/ © ianyanmag
Roadside wine next to the famous Areni Wine Factory in village in the Vayots Dzor Province of Armenia/ © ianyanmag
All photos by L.Aghajanian/ianynmag
See also: The Big Picture: Food in Armenia
