ARMENIAN FOOD Fact, Fiction & Folklore

[Arpa]

ԽԻՆԿԱԼԻ- KHINKALI

Who knows what Khinkali is? I didn’t.

See the whole story here starting on page 100;

http://books.google.com/books?id=0oXYX9Qzx9oC&printsec=frontcover&dq=armenian+food+petrosian&source=bl&ots=f4Xu6lI1N1&sig=HeyAwez0VLLMyZ0EEjqIaVpk0C8&hl=en&ei=KY8aTabmD4us8AaK9InsBw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&sqi=2&ved=0CBMQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

 

Yet another culinary war?

Seems like to the Georgians khinkali is as khash is to the Armenians. The Georgians would go to all out war to claim their ownership, just as we would go to war over the ownership of KHASH..

In Yerevan the delicacy is known as;

Khinkali;

http://tomgpalmer.com/wp-content/uploads/legacy-images/Khinkali.jpg

 

While in the west it is known as …

Manti;

http://amershon.edublogs.org/files/2009/12/manti.jpg

 

Judging from the pictures and description there seems to be very subtle differences, like what kind of meat is used as stuffing.

Both are known in the west as “dumplings”

 

For those who cannot see the above URL /Book,

It is assumed that Khinkali was introduced by the Mongols** during their occupation of our lands. The authors say that the dish is known in west Asia and east Europe, all the way from Russia to the turkic countries, where it may be known by a variety of names like -”khankial, khan-kal” which some interpret to mean “khan’s head”. The authors don’t say this, let me add. Judging from the present name of the dish, it sounds like Georgian with the obligatory “I” ending*** That Armenians don’t have any folklore or stories about the food but the Georgians do.

I don’t remember this. It is narrated that Pres. G W Bush during his 2005 visit to Georgia had declared that- “He favored Khinkali over all other dishes“. And that this news was totally ignored by the Armenian media.

 

** Hey Sip! Dos the Mongolian buffet feature khinkali?

***Like Stalin’s Georgian name was Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili.

----

PS. Let me add my yerkou luma. To me the word “manti” is reminiscent of the Italian “manicotti” (hand baked).

http://www.brandnamerecipe.com/food_shots/0/092/09293.jpg

[Arpa]

name='Ashot' date='15 January 2011 - 11:47 AM' Սիրելի Արփա, - now you know what cilantro is!

Dear Ashot, some day you will know me better.

That my style is TIC-Tongue in Cheek, a mild form of sarcasm when I said I did not know what cilantro is. Of course I do. My comment was about those in Yerevan who don't know the difference between cilantro (they call it համեմ) and parsley/ազատքեղ, known as "petrosilinum" in Latin and "maytanos" in furkish. "Not maghtanos please!!! Here in the west we call it "azatqegh/ազատքեղ".

Hey Azat! Where are you?

BTW. Do you know the Armenian word for Watercress? Some may know it by its furkish name "tere".

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_kd5qFZrB59I/TLHuWpvN2jI/AAAAAAAACNk/-XeGeYiJjWI/s1600/watercress.jpg

Edited January 15, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

BTW. Do you know the Armenian word for Watercress? Some may know it by its furkish name "tere".

Սիրելի Արպա, the garden cress, as we all know it, is called "Կոտեմ". Therefore, the name for the water-cress must be "Ջրի Կոտեմ".

[Arpa]

ԿՉՈՒՉ-KCHOOCH

Who knows what Kchooch is?

----

Is this an Armenian word? I cannot locate any reference except that most internet sites point to Russian where the main ingredient is fish.

----

There is not much to go about its definition and the English counterpart, It seems like it is some kind of a stew. See about it on page 110 in the above book. BTW. Even though the authors spell it as “kchooch” the internet will respond to “kchuch”, where most of the recipes will point to a mixture of vegetables and FISH. It is hinted that the dish is also known in other cultures like Bulgaria and that other country as “guvech”. Another hint is that the delicacy is named so because it is slow cooked in an earthen pot.

Much like the Spanish-

Olla;

http://www.expertosenelcamino.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/puchero.jpg

 

An Olla is a ceramic jar, often unglazed, used for cooking stews or soups, for the storage of water or dry foods, or for other purposes. Ollas have a short wide neck and a wider belly, resembling beanpots or handis.

Dos the English word “olio” to mean “mixture/mishmash/hodgepodge” come from “olla”?

See;

Definition of OLLA PODRIDA

1 : a rich highly seasoned stew of meat and vegetables usually including sausage and chick-peas that is slowly simmered and is a traditional Spanish and Latin-American dish

2 : hodgepodge

http://www.crosswordese.com/Images/olla_podrida.jpg

 

There are several recipes of Kchuch which may differ somehow, here is the recipe from the above book;

 

Kchooch

 

3 pounds mutton chops

6 small eggplants

3 large potatoes, peeled and sliced

3 medium onions, sliced

6 small tomatoes, peeled and sliced

¾ cup tomato juice

3 tablsp lemon juice

3 tbldp chopped parsley

3 tbsp chopped cilantro

2 tsp paprika

½ tsp dried red peppers

G8 peppercorns

Salt and pepper to taste.

 

Remove all fat from the meat, slow cook in a preheated earthenware casserole. ….and more

Btw. That earthenware pot is also know as “պտուկ/ptuk”

[Ashot]

Կճուճ = Pot

[Arpa]

Կճուճ = Pot

Thank you Ashot,

You’re as good (gold)and firm as Steel- Աշոտ Երկաթ: **

Me? Stupid!!

How come I did not realize that in some places the Կ is pronounced as K and the Ճ as CH. Like where ՃԱՆՃ is “chanch” just as ՃԵՆԱՑ as “chenats” from where our house “village idiot” historian- mistorian interprets it as “Chinats/Chinese /Ճինաց/chinats”. As if they know that “ՃԵնաց/chenats” ՃԻՆաց is not a typo, I.e the E is not meant to be an I.

---

Seems like I was not too farfetched comparing it to the Spanish Olla.

The only place I can find the word is in Soukiasian’s Հոմանիշների Բառարան

ԿՃՈՒՃ= կարաս, կճուճիկ, բղուղ, բղուկ, բղիկ, խավեկ, պուլիկ, պուտուկ, խժիժ, կճիճ, կճիկ, ճետիկ, փուչուկ, ճլոր, կատալա, խժուժ:

Obviously the following is a smaller version.

ԿՃՈՒՃԻԿ= Կճուճ, պուլիկ, պուտոււկ, բղիկ, բղուկ:

 

**Shall we rename you Ashot “Stalin“?

PS. And now dear Ashot you owe us a debt, to tell us about ԱՇՈՏ ԵՐԿԱԹ/Ashot Yerkath.

I just found out why Աշոտ Մսակեր] /Ashot the Carnivore was named so. We will come to that. You may not like it. Hint? He did not observe the "no meat" lent rules.

Edited January 16, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

**Shall we rename you Ashot “Stalin“?

PS. And now dear Ashot you owe us a debt, to tell us about ԱՇՈՏ ԵՐԿԱԹ/Ashot Yerkath.

I just found out why Աշոտ Մսակեր] /Ashot the Carnivore was named so. We will come to that. You may not like it. Hint? He did not observe the "no meat" lent rules.

No Dear Arpa, Stalin is too harsh for me, I hate the guy, but Iron Ashot I can deal with. Better yet I like the style - Աշոտ Պողպատ.

 

Ashot Carnivore was a wise man - when people used to eat pomegranate and grass he was the first to realize that meat tastes better! haha, I love eating խորոված.

[Arpa]

No Dear Arpa, Stalin is too harsh for me, I hate the guy, but Iron Ashot I can deal with. Better yet I like the style - Աշոտ Պողպատ.

 

Ashot Carnivore was a wise man - when people used to eat pomegranate and grass he was the first to realize that meat tastes better! haha, I love eating խորոված.

Yes dear ԽՈՐՈՒԱԾ -ա -ՄՈԼ/khorwats-a- mol-addict Ashot, you get my drift. From now oen your nickname will be ԱՇՈՏ ՊՈՂՊԱՏ.

As to ԱՇՈՏ ՄՍԱԿԵՐ. I will explain as soon as reread and contract it. As I mentioned before, some of us may not like it as it is somewhat (anti obligatory Armenian histriography) "anti-clerical".

Edited January 16, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

Սիրելի Արփա, խորոված ասացիր հիշեցի... - http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=17913&st=0&p=224804&hl=ashot%20erkat&fromsearch=1entry224804

[Arpa]

Dear Ashot, since our soulmate Johannes decided to remain silent, you are a new soulmate who thinks with his head.

----

These guys sound like they are graduates of my "School of Skepticism".

And, as intimated in another post, some of us who may not like this, who still insist that our very biased and prejudicial “history” written by our “monk historians" is the Gospel Truth- Աւետարանական Ճշմարտունք/ Avetaranakan Chshmartounk.

---

The following is kind of a footnote in the chapter beginning on page 176;

 

RITUALS, TRADITIONS AND ETIQUETTE

 

Where subjects like , feasts , toasts , mataghs, and holiday table spreads as well as Lenten menus.

--

On page 213 we read; (Mainly highlights as the article is too long for me to type).

----

“Why Was an Armenian Prince Called the Carnivorous”

 

“A popular theory explaining Ashot‘s name is that priests gave him such an onerous moniker because he refused to stop eating roast meat durin religious feasts, and wasn’t a very devout Chrsitian. But, perhaps, that was an interpretation of early historians who would have evaluated everything in a strictly Christian context. Remember that much of Armenian history was maintained by clerical scribes. Monk after monk wrote and rewrote the chronicles of times with little or no basis of reliable information. Their journals often describes histories that owed much more to their imagination than to any correlation with reality. Oftentimes we are left only with reports of what the ancient world looked like through the eyes of a cleric.

In the Christian context, spirituality was connected to abstinence from food. Just as the faithful should consider sex to be only for procreation, food was solely for relief from hunger, not pleasure.

But the main focus of the Armenian aristocracy’s dietary code was the desire to eat and drink as much as possible, whenever possible. Islam celebrated the senses and rejoiced in the physical, sensual, and poetic enjoyment of food. Thus, Armenian nobles who lived in a Muslim environment had to find an equilibrium, a compromise between Islamic emphasis on the sensual pleasures of eating and the Christian counterpoint ideal of an ascetic life. In matters of food and the enjoyment of life, Armenian nobles of the olden times were more amenable to the Islamic ideas.

Thus, ancient Armenian descriptions of good Armenian kings and princes always include a line stressing that they were ‘moderate in drinking and eating’(Ain chap kuten vor petk e kshtanalu, ev kmpen vorchap bavakan e parkesht mardkants). All the same, we are not convinced that this was a true reflection of reality. Maybe it was just a wishful thinking on the part of clerics.

(And here is the “Երկու Լումա-two cent opinion” by the authors.)

We dare to offer an explanation for Ashot’s nickname that is somewhat different traditional religious approach. What if the title ‘The Meat Eater’ was actually a compliment of sorts, an expression of admiration?

Meat was a symbol of strength and vitality. The concept of strength derives from eating meat was enhanced by the military techniques that the nobles practiced to obtain. In the Persian manner, medieval Armenian nobles maintained special animal preserves and hunting parks known as ’paradises’, enclosed areas stocked with game animals**. They devoted themselves to the martial arts and hunting, which also served as training for war. At times when there was no war, there were always rumors of war .“

---

I will stop here, as the rest of the article has little relevance to the subject at hand.

**See Khosrov Argenalots.

Edited January 17, 2011 by Arpa

[Arpa]

On page 216 we read this. (It does not appear on the internet version.)

 

"Did the Nobles Drink Too Much?"

 

“For those who are interested in the eating habits of Armenian princes and kings, a good source of information is Vardan Hatsuni’s book ]b]“Dishes and Feasts in Ancient Armenia[/b], published in 1912. It is available in the Matenadaran…Hatsuni gives an interesting insight into drinking rituals of medieval nobles.

Armenian nobles from rhytons*** that had two openings, a large spout at the top, and a small hole underneath. The drinker would hold the cup in the air and, as the servant poured wine into the top, the drinker would catch it in his mouth as it poured out of the smaller hole. The Armenian word for “drunk” is “

 

The time for drinking was after they had dined. Like in many ancient cultures, they consulted while they were drinking, which means they deliberated when they were not able to deceieve, and made resolutions only when they were sober.

Guests were seated in places determined by their status. All nobles wore “pativs”, ornamental ribbonned headbands indicating their status and place at the table. The modern Armenian expression “pativ tal” to treat, to honor, goes back to medieval Armenian banquets and actually mean “show respect according to status”.

…Though Hatsuni’s book offers many valuable excerpts from ancient Armenian sources, it also contains a heavily opinionated layer. The author was a Catholic monk at the Armenian Monastery at St. Lazzarro. Hatsuni does not hesitate to color all quotes from historical accounts with his own righteous indignation. He spares no words in calling Armenian nobles “drunkards”, and describe their gross indulgences as wasteful gluttony.

Even King Gagik Artsrouni of Vaspurakan was not spared the monk’s pious wrath. The king’s likeness is carved on the wall of the Church Holy Cross at Aghtamar. The relief shows the king in the vieneyard, holding a cup filled with divine wine….Hatsuni notes that King Gagik not only spent time, as historical evidence shows, on extended drinking binges , but that he dared to leave his drunken image to posterity. Hatsuni’s wrath is one example of how touchy the issue of wine drinking can be to Christian culture…..

There is more about it, but my reaction is “Oh Yeah!!! How about that ritual symbolic wine at Holy Communion, when the faithful drink a sip or two from thimbles and the rest is drunk from the bottle by the clergy behind the altar.”???

Just who is that monk Hatsuni? We will see in another post.

Aside the common usage to mean “honor, “adoration” and “respect”.

ՊԱՏԻՒ Patiw/Badiv.**

փառք, պարծանք, մեծ անուն, եւ աստիճան***

 

It is basically and the etymologically the band of class and respect around one’s head or chest.

Like this geisha obi/sash/ribbon;

 

http://www.risingsunimports.com/articles/howtotieobi/dressing9d.jpg

 

http://www.fotosearch.com/bigcomp.asp?path=DEX/DEX155/PH050_006.jpg

 

http://www.binbin.net/photos/smiffys/hen/hen-night-sash.jpg

 

Or like this?

http://www.menqhayenq.am/images/candidates_2/2611255525923.jpg

 

Or this. goatskin bottle;

http://themensgiftguide.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/gc747-300x300.jpg

 

**In the Armenian “ՊԱՏԵԼ/patel” means to surround/to wall. Then, what does Պատուելի/Patveli/Reverend mean?

***(Social) Class.“ginarbouq”/”wine taken“(sic?)?

See Daniel Varuzhan ‘s Գինարբուքեն Վերջ/After the Winefest here;

http://hyeforum.com/index.php?showtopic=19493&pid=254763&st=0entry254763

Is this what a Rhyton is?;

*** http://www.spentaproductions.com/images/achaemenian_rhyton_1.jpg

****Let me repeat. I wish the authors would have consulted linguists rather than go by amateurs. Just as, previously we spoke about how they interpreted “apukht” as “smoked , when we know it means uncooked. We know that “գինարբուք ginarbouk” is based on “ արբենալ/arbenal”, to be inebriated. They are interpreting the “ar” in “gin-ar” as “ առ/ առնել “, to take. Can we have someone who knows the Armenian language to write about Armenian culture!!!

Edited January 22, 2011 by Arpa

[Arpa]

Above I promised to find out who this monk Vardan Hatsuni is.

My assumption that his family name may have been “Ekmek-ji-ian”, Akmak-ji-ian, Akhmakh-fool-ian.Idiot-ian was close. It turns out it was “Somoun-ji-ian”.

Some day I will find out what that furkish “somoun” **means

** French bread;

http://comps.fotosearch.com/comp/FDS/FDS101/french-bread-single_~French-Bread-Single.jpg

 

http://hy.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%8E%D5%A1%D6%80%D5%A4%D5%A1%D5%B6_%D5%80%D5%A1%D6%81%D5%B8%D6%82%D5%B6%D5%AB

 

The above quote is from this;

"Ճաշեր և Խնջոյք հին Հայաստանի մէջ", Վենետիկ 1912։

Edited January 22, 2011 by Arpa

[Arpa]

Tomatoes and Cucumber

This is from page 123 which is not shown in the internet version.

 

(First the Cucumber, then the Tomato which is more fun).

 

“Cucumbers and tomatoes are most always eaten raw, savored like choice fruits**. We saw children eating sliced , raw cucumber with the same pleasure that they devour watermelon. And, here, no fast food business has rendered the tomato into a color-but-tasteless component of some big , greasy sandwich. Actually, if you take it in scientific, botanical terms, the tomato is afruit. So Armenians arw quite correct in treating it a such.

We searched the Armenian ‘bazaars‘ for the long , snake-like cucumber known in the west as the ’burpless variety, or the Armenian Cucumber. Actually this strain , Cucumis melo, is related to the muskmelon, but its name came from Armenian immigrants who first grew them in the US ”

-----

Armenian Cucumber;

 

 

http://www.cookhereandnow.com/cookhereandnow/images/2007/07/08/armenian_cucumber.jpg

 

 

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armenian_cucumber

 

The Armenian cucumber, Cucumis melo var. flexuosus, is a type of long, slender fruit which tastes like a cucumber and looks somewhat like a cucumber inside. It is actually a variety of melon (C. melo) closest relative to the cucumber (C. sativus). It is also known as the yard-long cucumber, snake cucumber, snake melon, and uri. It should not be confused with the snake gourds (Trichosanthes spp.). The skin is very thin, light green, and bumpless. It has no bitterness and the fruit is almost always used without peeling…

 

**I do remember the days when we would have "varoung, hats ou panir" for lunch.

Edited January 25, 2011 by Arpa

[nairi]

Can we talk about խաշլամա?

[Nané]

Հատկապես պոչով խաշլամա չէ՞

[nairi]

Հատկապես պոչով խաշլամա չէ՞

 

[Arpa]

Can we talk about խաշլամա?

 

I had always had the feeling that “khash-la-ma” was a furkified verb of the Armenian “khash/kharsh”**

I was kind of right.

Ajarian corroborates this in his monograph of “khash/kharsh”, that the furks use the verb as “khash-la-mak”, or is it the furkish speaking Armmenians? i.e to “boil”. I know you will kill me, go ahead shoot, ***

 

http://us.123rf.com/400wm/400/400/anyka/anyka0811/anyka081100126/3900152-hands-of-a-woman-holding-a-gun-against-a-skull.jpg

 

when I say that khashlama is the second most primitive dish next only to “khorwats”, or, maybe visa versa. When I first saw khashlama in Yerevan on several occasions, I, who has a stomach of steel, but eyes of glass would not touch it. Basically khashlama is what it literally means “BOILED”.

**I’m sure we have spoken about this before. I will refresh our memory again at some other time..

***I personally know this, when our ancestors, on Saturday, the laundry day would say “khashlamak” when they boiled the laundry in large copper pots.*** A poor man’s washing machine?

http://www.oldewash.com/cf/images/IMAGES/256.jpg

 

 

Khashlama?

 

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2167/2323297557_5e325dd6a1.jpg

 

http://www.cartoonstock.com/newscartoons/cartoonists/rma/lowres/rman11781l.jpg

 

***Remember the anecdote of Tumanian about "khash" the delicacy and "khash" laundry"?

Edited January 25, 2011 by Arpa

[Arpa]

Before we proceed next about tomatoes, please allow me to vent a little and get this off my chest.

Yes, we know that this book is titled .”… fun, facts and FOLKLORE”, and we learn many “fun facts”, yet I would have expected them to be a little serious in their linguistic research and tell us what the real Armenian names of those fruits and vegetables are beside telling us that the cucumber is known as “khiyar”(OH yeah! Khiyar up their noses,even the furks don't use that word as it is a euphemisn of you know-what), the tomato as “pomidor”, the potato -“kartofil”, the parsley -“maydanoz/maghtanos”, the carrot- “gazar”.

Where are “varoung”, “lolik”, “getnakhndzor”, “stepghin“ and “azatkegh“?”

I’m sure I have missed many other NOT SO FUNNY “fun facts”.**

I know some of us here will tell us that “kartofil, pomidor and lobi “ are Russian/Georgian words…

We will see in the next installment about “LOLIK“.

Caveat emptor (Hi Gamavor , buyer/reader beware. Below they say that "lolik" is of Urartuan origin. The (old)world did not know of tomatoes for another 3,000 years until it was brought to Europe from Central America.

 

** This may all be explained by reading who the authors are..

“Irina Petrosian, a native of Armenia, is a professional journalist** who has written for Russian, Armenian, and US based newspapers. Her interest in the food culture of Armenia was partly inspired by the many questions asked by her husband David Underwood…. an Indiana, newspaper staff he is also a computer engineer…”

**OH! Yeah! Who certified her as a "journalist"? Lenin, Stalin or mehmet? Does she speak real Armenian beside armianski/tajka/russa/pers-arabo hayeren?

---

On can only wish that Irina and many other Irina-s would learn the real Armenian language in addition to what their Arabo-Perso-turko-Russso grandmothers told them .

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/%D5%AC%D5%B8%D5%AC%D5%AB%D5%AF

 

Why do we in the west call tomatoes “lolik”? I can’t find what Ajarian et al may have said about the origin of ‘lolik’, they are silent, but the following is funny. Please don’t remind me of that “all Armenian’ name ‘lilith/lilik/lolik’. Yes, even in the English at times "tomato", short of getting garphic, is used in refernce to attractive but loose women.

----

1. Lolik, in accordance to the ancient Urartian (present day Armenian) language, means Tomato.

 

2. Through the 2nd century BC, Lolik became a very popular name among people which communicated by noise or extraordinary sounds. As a result people started referring to them as “Singing Tomatos” which in Armenian is pronounced “Pamidorik or Tomatik”.

 

3. During the rule of the Haysa (5th century AD),” Lolik” became associated with clumsy girls/women.

1. 'He/She is as red as Lolik'

2. 'Can you hear that?...What?...The weird noise.... Oh, be careful, I think there is a Lolik nearby.

 

3. 'Did she fall of the chair again?...No I think she walked into that door....!! Oh god she is such a Lolik

tomato mophead tomatik lolita lolitka

 

Some of us may want to make us believe that “pomidor’ is a Russian word.

Green Tomatoes;

To refresh our memory, the Tomato Was imported from America and it was not red, but golden, the reason why it was called “pomidor/ pomme d‘or./golden apple”***

http://fromthebattery.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/tomato_1_bg_052804.jpg

Golden Tomatoes;

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/vegetables/sun_gold_tomato2.jpg

http://img4.sunset.com/i/2000/02/sun-gold-tomato-l.jpg?400:400

 

Tomatoes and cucumbers are fruits, technically speaking. This is Vegetable, Banjar, Swiss chard;

 

http://www.all-creatures.org/recipes/images/i-chard.jpg[/im g]</p><p> </p><p>***Of course now we know that Golden Apple is this;</p><p> </p><p>[img]http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/teachingawards/goldenApple.jpg

And a Golden Plum is this- Tsiran;

 

http://www.defeatdiabetes.org/resource/dynamic/global/food_-_apricot.jpg

:clap:

 

Ծափիկ ծափիկ Ծիրանի

Կարմիր խնձոր կը նմանի

Ոսկի թէլ թէլ մազերը****

Հովը առեր կը տանի

 

**** Yes Nairi, it is «Ոսկի գանգուր ծամերը...…քամին…»:

Edited January 26, 2011 by Arpa

[Arpa]

LOLIK, Tomato, Pomidor..

I still don’t know the origin and the etymology of “lolik”. The Arabs call it “banadora” as there is no P in their language. Others call it “domates”.

 

http://fromthebattery.files.wordpress.com/2010/07/tomato_1_bg_052804.jpg

 

Golden Tomatoes, why it was called “pomidor/golden apple;

http://www.tradewindsfruit.com/vegetables/sun_gold_tomato2.jpg

 

http://img4.sunset.com/i/2000/02/sun-gold-tomato-l.jpg?400:400

 

Armenians did not readily take to tomatoes, thezy would only use the green ones for pickling.

Pickled green tomatoes;

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_qcWtj3JVg3w/TI_nO2HKlwI/AAAAAAAAApI/UtuouyODUiM/s1600/Green+Tomato+Pickles.JPG

 

Page 122

--

“Unlike the cucumber, which originated in the Near East, the tomato is a late arrival. Up until the end of 19th c. , villagers did not fully accept tomatoes. Only green tomatoes were used for pickling or eaten as an appetizer.

Ciry dwellers received the tomato with more enthusiasm. They realized that it gave more color and flavor to stew. And , to make it available all year around , they used the old and time honored tradition of preserving fruits by making mats(?). They would boil tomatoes , stir them well, strain into a thick paste, and dry it under the sun.**The sheets of dry pulp ‘rollup’ were called ‘tomato lavash’, and were used for winter cooking.

**I am personally familiar with this process, except the “rollup” part. Sometime ago on could not buy canned tomato paste at the supermarket, it Was made at home. In season, every household would diligently engage in the process, sometime several houses would join and work together."

---

Here is where the fun begins. See Anastas Mikoyan below. Whether this is historically corroborated or it is a mere “urban legend”???

-----

“Tomatoes gained major status in the Soviet era thanks to the efforts of Anastas Mikoyan. Born the son of an illiterate carpenter in 1895 in the remote northern Armenian village Sanahin, Mikoyan rose to the top of the Soviet political hierarchy. The entire USSR food industry and trade were under his supervision for more than 30 years.

As minister of food production he introduced many new food concepts, and is cited in many cook books from that era. (A simple memorial to his achievements is the sausage shop in Yerevan named Mikoyan. It is said that even the Soviet word for food store ‘gastronom’ was first coined by him.)

In the mid 1930’s , delegations of Soviet experts were sent abroad to learn from economically advanced countries. Mikoyan , among many visited the US for two months in the summer of 1936 He was impressed at how fruit (orange) and vegetable juices were marketed as health promoting nourishment for the American ‘workers’….. When he returned , he put an emphasis on tomato juice production, since oranges were not widely available,,,,, Armenia reaped great benefits from Mikoyan’s decision since it was one of the main tomato-growing areas. Tomato cultivation was ramped up throughout the country. A special variety of juicy tomato called ‘Anahit’ was cultivated.

Tomato juice became a popular beverage all over the SU…."

[Arpa]

This is not an idle question, this is not a joke, I am not trying to be funny, I mean it seriously

What is the Armenian word for “pickle”. Do we really have a word for it?

What do Yerevanites call it?

Did we know the art of preserving vegatables in vinegar or brine in classical times? What did we call it?

Please, don’t tell me it is “turshi”. That is a Persian word ترشى

which the dictionary defines as “sour/ԹԹՈՒ”.

Only one source suggests ԹԹՈՒԱՇ/թթվաշ/ttwash.

Does it not sound like “թթու-աշ/ttou-ash/sour soup?

Ajarian does not say much about it except under ԹԹՈՒ/sour, that the Arabic speaking Christians of Սղերդ/Sgherd use «թուրշի» to mean pickled cabbage, cucumbers and other vegetables.**

http://www.faqs.org/photo-dict/photofiles/list/5299/6954pickled_cucumbers.jpg

 

**

One source says that the Arabs also call it “torshi”, and another suggests the classical Arabic “mukhallal”.

مخلل

 

حنه یا حنا لما سبقتنی

Edited January 26, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

Dear Arpa - the word for pickle is - թթու վարունգ կամ թթու խիար - whichever you prefer the most!

[Arpa]

Dear Arpa - the word for pickle is - թթու վարունգ կամ թթու խիար - whichever you prefer the most!

Dear Ashot, thank you for your response.

I already said about "ttou" to mean "sour", it does not answer my question about "pickle" . Is the English word for "pickle" "sour"?

Another English word for the process is "brine", salt water. Do we use "ԱՂ ՋՈՒՐ/agh jour"?

As to "khiyar" UP THEIR.... NOSES!! That is an Arabic word.

Some Armenians use that word as a mild insult to mean "stupid" as in "khikar".**

Dear Ashot. No offence! As you can see I know that cursed language, in addition to Arabic and among others (some)Persian.

Please allow me to repeat. What is the Armenian word for PICKLE? What did we call it 3000 years ago? ARENI??

 

ԹԹՈՒԱԾ??

 

That in time turned to ԹԹՈՒԱՇ?

 

**BTW. The furks don't use that word in civilized circles, only in whisper, as it has evolved to mean a euphemism for a certain anatomical appendage. Instead they use "salatalugh". Search and see.

Edited January 26, 2011 by Arpa

[Ashot]

In that case Dear Arpa take a pick in the following. You will know better then me which one was used in the older days.

 

աղաջուր, ծովաջուր, աղել, աղի ջուր - all of these will work for brine.

[Arpa]

ՔԱՑԱԽ

No where in the book this subject is treated, at least I cannot find it.

 

Vinegar

In another post I posed the serious question if there in fact an Armenian word for “pickle”.

I was not joking, neither am I now. Let me ask again. WHAT IS THE ARMENIAN WORD FOR PICKLE?

Please don’t tell us it is “turshi”. That is a furko-Persian word meaning “sour”.

What do Yerevanites call the “pickle”?

 

Pickles. See how many fruits and vegetables you can identify in the following picture;

 

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_KbcHLzKf0Ng/TFRNtCzURkI/AAAAAAAAANs/xKBo_gtBsLE/s1600/Blog+002.JPG

 

Vinegar is when the wine making process goes awry and it turns to sour-vinegar..

Origin of VINEGAR

Middle English vinegre, from Anglo-French vin egre, from vin wine (from Latin vinum) + egre keen, sour

First Known Use: 13th century

 

We know that the Armenian word for vinegar is “քացախ/qatsakh”. I cannot find a convincing explanation of its origin or etymology, except when some will say “քացխել/քացախել/qatskhel” means “թթուել/ttvel” to mean to turn sour. Or, if you will, to leaven as in “թթխմոր/ttkhmor”.

---

And, the most disgusting of all that I have not had the stomach to try pickled- pig- feet;

http://afeatheradrift.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/pickled_pigs_feet.jpg

[Arpa]

ԿԵՆԱՑ

Toasting

See also Rick Ney;

http://www.tacentral.com/notes_story.asp?story_no=13

--

Page 196, cannot be seen in the internet version.

 

TOASTING

ԿԵՆԱՑ

ԲԱԺԱԿԱՃԱՌ**

 

How many other (foreign) words do we know?****

 

“Armenian toasting is the triumph of life with all its complexity and mystery, its joys and grief, its births and deaths, and everything in between.

Armenians toast when they celebrate their joys, dampen their sorroews, and assuage their struggles. KENATS means ‘cheers‘ in Armenian, literally ‘ to life‘”.

…

Further after long diversions as how, at times the toast is directed to pregnant women (life), and in general to women they talk about the word “kenats” from “kyanq”-life, that it is relative to the Latin “gen/gyn” as in “genesis’ and gyn-կին-woman..

Here is the fun part.

At times the toaster will pronounce the word “kenats” as “kinats”-to the women.

How about “գինաց/ginats” to the wines? ***

Just like “anoosh lini”/ Who is that “Anush”? Gohar Gasparian?

 

**We will see what that means in another post. Glass-oration?

*** Where is hagarag to tell us that “chEnats” in fact mean “chInats” and “kEnats“ means “kInats“.

Clinking;

http://beautycharmandstyle.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/champagne_toast-268x300.jpg

 

****

http://www.awa.dk/glosary/slainte.htm

Edited January 27, 2011 by Arpa