Of Armenian Food and Wine

When you think of the consumer wine industry, what countries and/or areas come to mind? You've probably thought of California's Napa Valley, Italy, France and even the US Pacific Northwest. Tonia's Kitchen wants to introduce you to Armenian Wines, an up and comer in the wine world that's really making a splash. 

Aimee Keushguerian, who's the Chief Operating Office at Zulal Wines stopped by to talk about her winery's offerings and what makes them stand out. Armenian wine and cuisines are noted for their purity and cleanliness. In fact, that's what the translation of Zulal means, pure! The wines themselves are made from pure Armenian grapes that are indigenous to that country, and offer a pleasing, unique taste you won't find anywhere else. And when goes great with Armenian wine? Armenian food of course. Aimee told Tonia she suggests Ghapama, a flavorful, earthy dish that really brings out the flavor in any setting! One note about this kind of cuisine, Aimee noted you won't find a lot of spiciness, but what you will pick up are the clean, mountain green herbs that are prevalent in the Armenian diet, like dill and parsley. It's an authentic taste that takes you to another part of the world.

• 1whole 5–6 kg (11–13 lb) Jacko pumpkin (basketball-sized) (see Note)
• 1–1.5 kg(2 lb 3 oz–3 lb 5 oz) half-boiled long-grain white rice (jasmine rice works nicely)
• 250 g(9 oz/2 cups) sultanas
• 360 g(12½ oz/2 cups) dried apricots, chopped
  
• 150 g(5½ oz/2 cups) dried apples, chopped
• 525 g(1 lb 3 oz/1.5 cups) honey
• 250 g(9 oz) butter, melted

Light a fire in the tonir and preheat for about an hour (until the wood has become coals).

Carefully slice the pumpkin in a circle close to the top (retaining the lid) and spoon out the seeds and fibrous material inside.

In a big bowl, mix the half-boiled rice with the dried fruit.

Spoon the rice and dried fruit mixture into the pumpkin. When the pumpki  is about half full, pour in 175 g (6 oz/ ½ cup) of honey and 125 g (4½ oz) of melted butter so that it’s evenly distributed over the rice mixture.

Continue to fill the pumpkin with the rice and dried fruit mixture. Once the mixture is almost full to the top, pour in the remaining honey and melted butter – again, so it’s evenly distributed over the mixture.

Put the top on the pumpkin.

Lower the pumpkin into the tonir, put the lid on and bake for about an hour.

(Check the pumpkin after 30 minutes. When the pumpkin is brown and soft, the Ghapama is ready.)