Lamajun

Not many people travel to Armenia. I count myself as one of the lucky few, having visited three times. Armenia is a beautiful country with a rich history dating back centuries, to the 8^th century B.C.

There are many interesting things to do in the capitol city of Yerevan itself. Here are a few of my favorites that I’m sure Miss Kardashian—who is of Armenian descent–would enjoy.

1. Shop. “Well, duh.“

Designer clothing shops line the streets of Yerevan. You can buy Armani in Armenia. Most of the women you see—in the city–are fashionably decked out in sky-high heels and short, form-fitting dresses.

My favorite place to shop for jewelry and handcrafted treasures is Vernissage, the immense outdoor market near Republic Square that is open every Saturday and Sunday throughout the year. Part craft market, part thrift, people set up tables and also lay out their wares on the grass. It’s an eclectic mix: you can just as easily find surplus military gear and antique silver spoons as you can ceramics, dolls, knick-knacks and beautiful chess sets.

Another fun spot to find local color—and by this I mean art– is the outdoor Paintings Market. This market is across from Opera Square near the statue of Saryan. There are some real gems that can be found at negotiable prices. Purchases are made from both dealers and the artists themselves.

2. See and be seen at an outdoor café. “Khloe, are we in Paris?”

Social life in Yerevan centers on the multitude of cafes with European ambiance that dot the city’s interior. People spend hours sitting, eating, chatting and watching the throngs pass by.

And the food–be still my stomach—the food is out of this world: barbeque, kabobs, sandwiches, dolma and lamajun (Armenian pizza). You can’t go wrong with any choice you make. The only problem you’ll encounter is which café to dine at and which menu items to select!

3. Stay bootylicious by climbing the steps of the Cascade. “Oh-my-gawd-Kourtney, my buns are killing me.”

Feeling like you need to work off that extra piece of baklava? Then head to the Cascade, a behemoth stairwell with 572 steps that was built during the 1970s into a hillside in the center of the city. Water fountains abound, symbolizing a natural “cascade” in a river or stream (hence the name). On a clear day you can see famous Mt. Ararat (now in Turkey), where Noah’s Ark is supposed to have landed.

Although its original intent was as a monument, beginning in the 1990s the Cascade emerged as one of the focal points in Yerevan, similar to the Republic Square. It offers spectacular views of Mount Ararat and the city center. If you’re not up for the stairs, there is an elevator available to take you to the top.

4. Visit the Children’s Art Gallery. “Can you believe all these freakin’ adorable paintings?”

Located on Abovyan Street, the Children’s Art Gallery is an internationally recognized museum with both rotating exhibits by adult artists as well as a permanent collection of children’s paintings from around the world. These paintings are pure magic, many of them depicting scenes from the children’s homelands.

5. Pay homage to Armenia’s history at the Genocide Memorial.

Every year on April 24, hundreds of thousands of Armenians gather here to remember the victims of the 1915 Armenian Genocide. It is hard not to be moved by the eternal flame commemorating thousands of Armenian citizens who perished. The memorial and a small museum are located on a hillside overlooking Yerevan.

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!