Gastronomy – Republic of Armenia

What do you know about the national fruit of Armenia?

The Armenian Apricot, called tsiran in Armenian, has soft, juicy, plump pulp encased in velvety skin surrounding a stone with an edible kernel inside. The Armenian Apricot is praised as the national fruit of the country and owes its exquisite, honey-like sweetness, pleasant flavour and fragrance to Armenia’s volcanic soil, mild climate and the abundance of sunshine it receives throughout the year.

The apricot is defined by its distinctive yellowish-orange colour, known as tsiranaguyn in Armenian. This colour features on the Armenian national flag and was also the colour of the tsirani, the unique ornaments worn by Armenian kings and knights in the past.

Armenians currently cultivate around fifty varieties of apricot, which are typically harvested from mid-June to late August. Known as “the golden fruit of Armenia”, apricots and all the specialities made from them are celebrated during the annual Apricot Festival held in July in the capital city.

Did you know that there is a vodka made from apricots?

In Armenia, apricots are consumed fresh or dried, and a wide variety of delicacies are prepared with them, including marmalades, jams, preserves, juices, desserts, apricot vodka, apricot leather wraps and various meat dishes. Apricots grown in the Ararat Valley and Meghri region are widely considered to be the best in the country.

Sources and photographs taken from: https://www.tasteatlas.com/armenianapricot

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