About Armenian cuisine: in search of the best hash in the country

Despite the beginning of May, Yerevan was already melting from the heat. The length of women's skirts was literally shortened before our eyes, young people, walking along the street, pulled in their stomachs and strained their muscles, and the smoking woman languidly spread her naked roundness right in the middle of Cascade. For some reason, I really wanted something unexpected and strange. For example, aspic.

Wake up, friend! Are you in Armenia, what other jellied meat? Here you can really want only a hash!

Google said that hash is a very popular national Armenian dish. Such jellied beef legs, only in hot form. And he also said that being in Armenia and not trying the right hash is almost a crime.

Solved! We are going to look for the most correct hash in the country.

Khash is a winter dish that can be eaten only in those months in the name of which is the letter "P". Not finding the letter "P" in the month of May, we decided to find at least winter in the middle of the beginning summer. And where can I find winter in the summer? In the mountains, of course. In summer, the most correct hash can be tasted only on the slopes of the highest peak in Armenia - Mount Aragats.

On the way we drop in to the monument to the Armenian alphabet created by Mesrop Mashtots in 405.

Well I do not know. 39 letters carved from red tuff exactly to the 1600th anniversary of the Armenian alphabet. I read a lot of rave reviews online, but for some reason I was not impressed. At the same time, I do not question the importance of national writing for the Armenian Apostolic Church and for the country as a whole.

We move further, unsuccessfully trying to scare away a flock of sheep.

By the way, in almost every flock we met along the way, one could see the horns of one or more old goats. Literally. It turns out that modern science has not yet found the mind inside the sheep. That is, they are so stupid that in order to facilitate the management of this herd, it is required to introduce an old and wise goat, distinguished by logical behavior, as a leader.

Views around - sway! Someone feudal castle on the cape, bounded by two deep gorges.

This is Amberd Fortress, a real feudal nest - a harsh, without any decorations, in a place protected by nature, with a water supply system in case of siege and several underground passages leading to the bottom of the gorge. Try to pick out the feudal lord.

Have tried. And they picked it out. Several times the fortress passed from hand to hand and was finally destroyed by the forces of Tamerlane at the end of the 14th century. But the former formidable greatness is still felt in this place.

Just now, while preparing this post, I read about several hiking trails starting from this place. I look at the picture and almost to my elbows I bit my hands in frustration.

Hanging out near the fortress and imagining ourselves as feudal lords in the prime of life, we set off further. Khash, he beckons, yes ... This old Mercedes is one of two cars we met along the way, after the exit from the main highway.

Finally, snowfields appear. My daughter begins to hope that the promised winter will still be and it will turn out to touch the snow with her hands.

Somewhere at the very beginning of the snow, a man on a crossover came across. He stopped beside me and very emotionally told me that everything was next. Well, that's all. Trains do not fly, planes do not fly, and the road is covered with snow. Even he did not break through and turned around.

This highway is "everything." When we were leaving, some desperate peppers actually brought on their hands rolling Nissan Micra on bald summer tires.

Glacial Lake Kari, on the banks of which they prepare the most correct May hash in Armenia. Yeah, we got! The grader hit the road just a few days ago. And the restaurant has already opened after the winter. And the products all delivered recently. Well, everything is on our side, and now for sure no one can leave without trying the correct hash.

But then trouble came, from where they did not wait. The fact is that Yerevan is located at an altitude of about 1000 meters above sea level, and Lake Kari is at an altitude of 3200. And this is a climb of 2200 vertical meters, for a minute. In a few hours! And these two and a half vertical kilometers cut down my entire crew. They all slept and refused to wake up flatly.

I talked about the hash and about the fact that not trying it is a crime. I talked about snow and gorgeous views. I was eloquent and convincing, like female logic. But nothing helped. The maximum that I was able to achieve was a sleepy phrase - say, go, eat your hot aspic and go down.

I had to go alone.

Khash is served very hot, in clay pots, standing on a bowl with red coals, supporting our dish in the correct burning condition. Crushed fresh garlic and coarse salt are separately served. Before use, a lot of dried pita bread is crushed into the broth. It was traditionally considered a dish of the poor, who ate it early in the morning and had enough charge for the whole day. Very hearty dish. And self-sufficient - in addition to pita bread, garlic and salt, only one secret ingredient is urgently needed. A glass of cold vodka.

If the topic has already come up about food, I will tell you about other dishes that turned out to be tasted in Armenia. First of all, I note a thick soup called chikhirtma, which was mainly eaten by the youngest child.

The divine thing and, apparently, one of the right remedies for a hangover.

Tzhvzhik! An offal dish that is worth a try even just because of the name. Very tasty.

This thing was designated to us as adana, although now the search engine speaks of Turkish spicy minced meat grilled on a spit. In fact - chicken kebab with vegetables. More daughter leaned on him.

Kufta - such meatballs. Somehow not very impressed. The case when outwardly looks better than it tastes.

The menu was marked as gonio - an incredible good thing made of meat, mushrooms, potatoes and suluguni. And best of all, pita bread with greens comes on an empty stomach, which is visible on the left.

That's it, I finish the gastronomic minute in this post, inspired by the picture of a hot hash, and turn the car in the opposite direction.

The crew comes to life in front of our eyes, with each dropped a hundred vertical meters. Hungry everyone, horror! And only I steer satisfied and well-fed. And I smell strongly of garlic.