Echmiadzin is a city near Yerevan and the center of the Armenian Church. There among pathways turning to roads lays the cathedral and three other churches, all sharing the same architectural type. Armenian churches are welcoming in their simplicity, the walls are plain, some paintings, almost no sculptured figures nor golden or wood ornaments. The churches were named after some nuns that came to Armenia running away from the Roman empire but even so were tortured and killed in Armenian land. Short afterwards Armenia became christian. Ancient christianity is always related in some way to martyrdom. Now the churches remain there, the doors open to whoever wants to enter, light a thin candle and pray. Tradition demands you to buy your own candle, you should not light a candle bought by others. It’s part of the process, aquiring your own light.

Tomorrow we’re going to Ijevan, a 120 km drive by marshutka that I guess will take us some time. In our way we’ll pass by Sevan lake, another of Armenia’s ex-libris, along with Ararat mountain. But Sevan remains in Armenian soil, as it must, otherwise the country wouldn’t exist. Sevan is the largest water reserve in Armenia, the place people look for in the middle of summer’s dryness.

In Yerevan you can find supermarkets 24 hour open and I still didn’t realize what are the opening and closing hours of stores, as I always find them open anytime I need. The Armenian minimum wage lyes under 100 Euro but at the same time stores are always up and ready for you to buy something. Something with estragon, perhaps. Armenians love estragon, according to my supermarket research, as all thge salads and ready made food is seasoned with it and there is even a drink flavoured with estragon. Estragon is something I don’t really like but i’ve been eating a lot. I like coriander and I’m happy ’cause that I can easily find around these parts. As well as parsley. Then there is a lot of tomatos, cucumbers, apples and peaches. And apricots, the Armenian song that run Eurovision was named after this popular fruit. The other day I bought some small prunes in the market and that was a really nice surprise. The limited variety of vegetables and fruits might be connected to an agricultures limited by empoverished and dry soil, as well as with having closed borders with two of the neighbouring countries.

I’ve been proudly showing a friend the variety and complexity (and awkwardness – I showed her ‘arroz de cabidela’) of portuguese gastronomy. But not even my stomach betrays me, I’m completely focused on Armenia. Borders play an essencial role in the way we are allowed to live our lives and the richness that can be found in Portuguese food has much to do with all the time Portuguese have been beyond borders, be it Africa or Brazil. Armenians have a strong national identity, closely connected with religion and ethinicity. I don’t but I realize the portugueseness in me as I carry the ocean inside and can’t wait to cross borders.

(15th August 2010)

POMEGRANATE MARGARITA

INGREDIENTS:

1 Pomegranate, seeded and juiced, (or ½ cup of pomegranate j…uice)
Juice of 5 limes, reserving 1 small wedge to moisten glasses
Kosher salt, for rims of glasses
3 ounces gold tequila (90 ml)
1 ounce orange-flavoured liqueur, like Cointreau or Grand Marnier (30 ml)
1 teaspoon powdered sugar (5 ml)
Ice cubes
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish

PREPARATION:

Chill two long-stemmed glasses.
Juice the pomegranate by rolling it under the heel of your hand, using enough pressure to soften the fruit. Carefully cut a 1-inch slit in the skin (if you do it under running water the juice won’t splatter.) Over a wide-mouthed glass, squeeze out as much juice as possible. Split the fruit apart and remove the seeds, reserving about 2 tbsp. of intact seeds for garnish.
Place the seeds in a large resealable plastic bag, and press down on the seeds with the heel of your hand to extract the rest of the juice. Strain out the seeds. All together, you should have about ½ cup of pomegranate juice.
Salt the rims of the glasses by rubbing the reserved lime wedge around them, then dipping them in kosher salt.
Combine the pomegranate juice, tequila, liqueur, lime juice, sugar, and a handful of ice cubes in a cocktail shaker, and a shake vigorously until it’s all frothy.
Strain into glasses, and garnish with the reserved pomegranate seeds.

SERVES 2

(from THE ART OF ARMENIAN & MIDDLE EASTERN COOKING)