Anoush (pronounced “Ah-noosh”) means sweet in Armenian. The word is used in many ways, one of which is to toast to good health and prosperity, “Anoush…enjoy the sweet life.”

I tasted a bit of the sweet life this past Sunday when I signed myself up for the ‘Armenian Adventure’ cooking class at the PCC (Puget Consumers Coop). The instructor, Lesa Sullivan, is not Armenian though she is married to an Armenian man and had a close relationship with an Armenian family during her younger years.

Sitting next to me, were Eloise and David, a recently married young couple who met in Armenia while serving two years in the Peace Corps. We exchanged email addresses and look forward to sharing photos, stories and cooking Armenian food in the not-too-distant future. Eloise, David and I were the only class attendees who had actually been to Armenia. Even Lesa, our instructor, has never been but hopes to visit one day.

The rest of our classmates said they signed up for the class because they were interested in learning about the melting pot that Mediterranean flavors that make up Armenian cuisine. Greek, Turkish, Jewish, Lebanese, Persian, Georgian and Russian dishes all contribute to Armenian cuisine and, in turn, their cuisines are also influenced by this rich and ancient culture.

There are a few distinctions between Armenian cuisine in Armenia and Armenian cuisine in Diaspora (Armenians who left their homeland due to war and persecution). For Armenians in Diaspora, cooking is influenced by the culture they emigrated to, such as Lebanon, Greece, Brazil or the United States.

In Armenia, most dishes are prepared exactly the same way every time, whereas in the U.S., Diaspora Armenians may feel more inclined to branch out and experiment “on a theme.” Some of the variations in Armenian cooking result from the foods that are available in the region where Armenians now live; new recipes and cultural innovations meld with traditional favorites.

During our class we sipped on S’rj (spiced, sweet stovetop coffee) as Lesa demonstrated (it was, unfortunately, not a hands-on class) how to make Lamajun, (Armenian flatbread “pizza”), Kofta Mishmisheya (lamb meatballs in apricot sauce), Sarma (veggie and rice-stuffed cabbage leaves), and Anoush Aboor (rice pudding with rosewater).

When Big Papa and I were in Armenia we were dined on Dolma (like Sarma but made with grape leaves) and tried tasty Lamajun at a café on Abovian Street in Yerevan. I have to say that eating Armenian food in the U.S. isn’t quite the same as eating it in Armenia. For me, the “flavor” of a cuisine is enhanced when tasting it surrounded by the sound of the language, the aromas of the markets and the sights of the country.

I came home and prepared Mishmisheya for Big Papa that evening. Even though my internet research hinted that the dish was Turkish or Tunisian in origin, it was still pretty darned tasty. And yes, I did vary the theme to include locally grown oven-roasted fingerlings and we sipped on one of our beloved Foxen Syrahs. Just before we took our first bite, we raised our glasses and toasted, “Anoush. To the sweet life.”

Check out the WanderFood Wednesday series for more great food postings!