🧑🤝🧑 Georgians
Also known as: Kartvelians
Matsoni is an everyday fermented milk product.
Georgia is a mountainous country with long herding traditions: cows, water buffalo, sheep and goats graze in the valleys and on high summer pastures. Dairy is an everyday part of Georgian cuisine.
Matsoni, a thick sour milk, is eaten for breakfast with honey or bread, added to soups and sauces, and considered light, wholesome food. The starter is passed from batch to batch, and studies show that the microbial makeup of homemade matsoni varies from area to area. Matsoni is shared by Georgia and Armenia.
Georgia is also known for its cheeses: brined Imeruli and sulguni are the basis of khachapuri, cheese-filled breads. In the mountains of Tusheti, an aged sheep’s cheese called guda is made in sheepskins. Bread, cheese and herbs are the usual start of a Georgian feast.
What it includes
How it connects to milk
🧑🤝🧑 Georgians ← among ← 🧀 Matsoni → made from → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Where they live
- 🌍 Caucasus
- Traditional products
- 🧀 Matsoni, 🧀 Sulguni
- Wine and milk
- 🍷 Qvevri, 🍷 Georgian supra, 🍷 Tamada, 🍷 Rtveli
Frequently asked questions
What is matsoni?
A thick sour milk traditional in Georgia and Armenia; it is eaten for breakfast and used in cooking.
What cheese is used in khachapuri?
Most often Imeruli or sulguni, brined cheeses made from cow’s or buffalo milk.
What is the difference between matsoni and yogurt?
They are related products; matsoni is made with local starters, and its taste depends on the area.