Working with the Caucasian Spice Box, based in Reading, has been wonderful. Keti Maghlakelze and I first met via facebook when she liked some of my posts about Georgia and it was soon clear that she held a deep but realistic passion about the country of her birth. This passion transformes itself into a street food venue that provides a truly authentic culinary experience for the people of Reading every week.
When I first started to put the launch of Nino’s Song together, some months ago now, Keti volunteered to come all the way up to Yorkshire just to enhance the event with her wonderful Georgian food. I have found this kind of enthusiasm and commitment to my crazy Georgian Projects from the Georgian community, time and time again. The generosity of Georgian people when it comes to supporting non-Georgians, can be overwhelming sometimes but, because I feel I have lots of experience in managing these different kinds of situations AND my own emotional responses to them, I don’t feel so hijacked anymore at the prospect of every Georgian person who currently lives north of Watford, landing in for a ‘big book’ launch party. They usually bring wine and food and often there is impromptu singing and dancing. It’s best just to go with it and enjoy the moment.
As part of the madness that will be the launch of Nino’s Song, several Georgian dishes will be available to buy from The Caucasian Spice Box including:
Georgian Aubergine parcels with Crushed Walnuts
There will also be:
Khachapuri – which is a flat cheese bread and NOTHING LIKE PIZZA. For those interested enough to click on this link, you can see for yourself how it is NOTHING LIKE PIZZA.
The traditional way of making Khachapuri
As if all this is not enough, you can also buy the Caucasian Spice Box Style Adjika Chicken.
Throughout the whole evening you will be able to buy and make (very hands on, on-gong workshop) the famous Khinkhali dish AND learn how to eat it in a very special way!
The outstanding Georgian Baklava Cake will also be available.
You can wash all this down with Eastern Tea and Coffee brewed in a traditional Samuv
ar
as well as enjoy (glass by donation – suggested amount £3 per glass) the outstanding Georgian Wine – Saperavi.
In true Georgian form, a lovely chap called Vako Gamtkitsulashvili, who is suddenly and rather unexpectly going to be at the launch, will be available to chat with about Georgian Wine. Vako is the son of the Twins Wine Company in Georgia, a BBC piece about the company can be seen here: Georgian Twins Wine
By the time Wednesday 30th March arrives – who knows what other food and wine opportunities might have presented themselves. I know that I , for one, am very happy for the launch Nino’s Song to be a celebration for this extraordinary food and wine and want to give a huge thank you to Keti Maghlakelidze from Caucasian Spice Box for this opportunity.
Sarah Leah Cobham 