The problem with sisters

Let it be known . . .

... we eat well in Georgia. Do not be fooled by the ramshackle nature of this bytheway fruit stand. These curbside clusters of boxed produce, ubiquitous throughout Tbilisi, are the unwitting source of the best tomatoes, cucumbers, and potatoes you've ever tasted. Year round. That is, if you know the right guy. And we do.

This collection of goods used to be our next door neighbor before we moved to an apartment. It's the only thing we really miss.

An artful collection of orchard-fresh cherries. They sell these by the bundle, almost too pretty to eat. Almost . . .

This golden honey (which, incidentally, my husband picked up in Armenia) glows as if from within. It tasted, literally, like a field of wild flowers. Amazing.

I don't know if I ever bought a pomegranate in my life before moving here. Now they've become a regular staple.

Aforementioned honey, fresh-picked raspberries, and (gasp!) walnuts over matsoni, a Georgian variety of tart yogurt. I've always been allergic to walnuts, but following the Nourishing Traditions method, I soaked and dried the walnuts and found them not only palatable, but irresistible.

Soaked oatmeal with milk, cinnamon, butter, and Georgian honey.

We've also started eating buckwheat, they call it 'gretchka' here. When prepared correctly it's amazing. In fact I didn't have any cooked example at the time of publication because my kids consume it tout de suite.

We also attempted a vanilla spice cake with some late-season peaches. Made for excellent midnight snacking.

There is a wonderful earthiness to the quality of the food here. For the most part the produce has not been tampered with genetically. It's mostly local, and we get all sorts of odd unexportable fruit that I've never even heard of, much less seen, like quince, buckthorn, and persimmon. Be prepared for many future food-themed posts.