Rus-Georgian Cuisine: A Primer of Georgian Foods and Cuisines - Page 5

Love, life, friendship and other abstract notions are subjects of eloquent toasts at the Georgian table. Every speaker tries to express his personal understanding of these notions. When a person is toasting, the rest are listening to him with great attention and respect. The revelry never grows into an unrestrained drinking-bout.

Wine, it has been always been considered by Georgians as a symbol of strength & beauty, keeping our spiritual balance thus always filling us with stamina. Georgia is rich in wines & it has been the pride of Georgian people cultivating it for centuries as well as loving it as they love their own children.

Since we discussed toasts made by ther tamada & others as part of the ritual we need to know about these toasts. Here are few really good & humorous Georgian toasts:

A young woman married a well-to-do old man. As she lay in bed by herself she thought, "I will take myself three lovers, and live a long..." At that moment, there was a knock on the door and into the room shuffled her old husband in nightshirt and cap. He bleated in a goatish tenor, "I have come to fulfill my marital obligation!" "Well, ok", she said. "Do it." He did and left. The young woman thought to herself, "No, perhaps three is too many. I'll take two lovwrs, in addition to my husband". Again there came a knock on the door and the old man shuffled in his slippers. "I have come to fulfill my material obligation!" Surprised, she said, "Well, ok, then". He did his duty and left. "Hmmm", she thought. "Maybe just one lover will be enough." Again came a knock on the door. "Come in!", she shouted. "I have come to fulfill my Marital obligation!" "Do it, since you have come!" When she was alone again, she reflected to herself. "How will I be able to have any lovers when my husband is at me all night!" Again a knock on the door. "I have come to fulfill my..." She cried, "How many times can you have me in one night?! I can't do it anymore! "What?", the old man said. "Have I already done my duty?" And he struck himself on the forehead with vexation. So let us drink in hopes that medicine will never find the cure for sclerosis!

In the forest lived a pack of wolves. The leader of the pack was already old and very experienced. Once, when the pack got ready to hunt, the old wolf said that he was not in a condition to lead this time. A young and strong wolf came to him and asked to lead the pack. The old wolf agreed. Not long after, the pack returned with prey. The young wolf told the old one how they had come upon seven hunters and easily torn them to pieces. The time to hunt again soon came. And again the young wolf led the pack. They were gone a long time, and then the young wolf appeared covered with blood. He told the lead how the pack had come upon three hunters, and of the entire pack only he survived. The old leader asked, "On the first hunt, the pack handled seven hunters and even returned with prey. What happened this time?" The young wolf replied, "That time we came upon seven hunters, but this time it was three best friends." Let us drink to friendship!