Armenian Recipes

[Pedro Xaramillo]

Lol, dunno bro. Maybe I was switched at the hospital lol.
My family isn't vegetarian, I became vegetarian in 2003, mostly for ethical and moral reasons (that and watching Trent Reznor videos, watch Closer and see what I mean).
I stopped eating meet my mom looked at me like I proclaimed my life ambition is to be a ballerina with a pink tutu. And my brother has his "real men eat meat attitude".
When I refuse a steak, they looked like someone died lol.

My favourite memory in vengeful way was with my uncle, who doesn't like me (don't ask he is a bit of a racist and you can imagine wasn't happy with someone at the table of Amerind ancestry) told me he hunts and that a real man eats the liver of the buck because only a few people can stomach that, in short telling me I'm not man enough, so I told him fair enough and gave him a cayenne pepper with some salsa on it to eat.
He and his son were both in tears running to the bathroom, then proceeded to drink water...not knowing it makes it burn worse.

My most favourite chilli experience was with a waitress at a restaurant here, she was curious to see if I could stomach chilli so I proceeded to eat it. Then she dared me to eat it raw and that greatly impressed her cause she was Indian (South Asian) and she never saw someone who wasn't Indian (I'm Indian too...just another kind of Indian) eat chillies like that, we got a little flirty afterwards so that was fun.

[ardakilic]

Arda, do you play nardi?

No, i dont. But if you tell what it is, i can try

[Sako]

Lol, dunno bro. Maybe I was switched at the hospital lol.

Your kidding me.

My family isn't vegetarian, I became vegetarian in 2003, mostly for ethical and moral reasons (that and watching Trent Reznor videos, watch Closer and see what I mean). I stopped eating meet my mom looked at me like I proclaimed my life ambition is to be a ballerina with a pink tutu. And my brother has his "real men eat meat attitude".
When I refuse a steak, they looked like someone died lol.

It explains why you're on this forum which is a treat I'm sure for all of us, Pedro.

A bit about me (maybe more then a bit). My dad became a vegetarian when he was fifteen, I wish I could be 1% of who he is. My grandmother gave him a knife to cut the head off of a chicken (piti morter) since my grandfather wasn't at home and although he ate meat in the past, he didn't exactly like it a lot. Now, he was supposed to be the man of the house since my grandfather wasn't at home and this chicken was for one of the neighbors so he rose to the challenge proudly (its like a privelage here in Armenia). Just when he placed the knife on the chickens soft neck though, the blood seeped out and the chicken began to shake terribly. It was truly a gruesome sight and my dad let it go. He couldn't go on. This was his first time and he felt almost what the bird was feeling. Chickens can't fly properly like normal birds but this chicken flew away madly, rising into the air with the blood pouring slowly from it's neck. Many eat meat but don't realise what the animals go through. Slaughtering and eating are two very different things. After that day, my dad never ate meat again. Of course, he's read A LOT and he's gone through a lot, this decision just like all his other decisions in life weren't simply taken for no reason or because of mere feelings. It's a proven fact that being vegetarian is better then being a non-vegetarian but still of course, I don't look like this or something when I see meat. It's the eaters decision, not mine, I don't feel disgusted. My family has been all over the world, we have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly and my dad has said that if we want to eat meat, we can, but we all have refrained. My mom has an interesting story as to why she hasn't eaten meat after her teen years as well but I think I'm writing a biography here so this is where I'll stop, lol.

There is SO MUCH to eat in this world and simply eating animals which are supposedly "man's friends" is simply pointless. I can prove how its the right thing to do morally, ethically, and with proven facts. Also, our bodies aren't built for eating meat, also proven. I don't eat dead bodies if you don't mind me saying so but don't criticize anyone else either. What you eat doesn't and shouldn't decide who you are, I respect everyone and sit always at the same table and those non-vegetarians feel sometimes better eating with me then with others even. Hitler was a vegetarian but he destroyed the world so eating or not eating isn't the case. It's your stomach, you decide what you want to eat and this is what I decide. Understanding and not eating or doing something is a very bold action and truly shows who you are but simply not doing it without understanding isn't the same thing. I don't eat meat because my family alone is Vegetarian, same goes for my little brother and sister. I understand what I do. No one forces me to do anything. Force never leads to anything good. That's why, if the Turks understand what they did and apologize, that will mean A LOT, it will especially that we can move on, but if they don't understand and apologzie then it's just a waste of time.

So trust me, I know what you've gone through. I've been to Armenian, American, and British Indian school's, not to mention all the countries I've been to and this issue has always come up. No one has been able to prove me wrong yet or make me feel anything other then myself. Instead, many become more or less vegetarian, lol. It was sometimes a bit strange you know, you kinda feel like your an outsider I'm sure you know what I mean, but this only happened the first day. I remember this Armenian kid who was shorter then me, not to mention much less stronger then me (he was my age though if I'm not mistaken) and got the nerve to say, "Saco, if you don't eat meat, you won't have enough energy, you will have health problems ... (etc.)". Well, this kid was a non-vegetarian naturally, he just didn't realise who he was talking to. He ate meat but got sent to the doctor so many times with stomach problems especially, lol. Funny he said I would have health problems. For some reason, when you say your veg. people think you die of hunger, lol. Believe it or not, I'm veg. and I've never been to the hospital my entire life except a few times when I had a few injuries. No one can stand in my face and say being vegetarian makes me weak. I have so many friends, Armenian, Indian, American, Russian, etc. older and younger then me, many even my age, no one even thinks of bringing up that issue and if they do we understand each other in the end and many even feel different when I'm the one who's supposed to feel different. I make sure no one ever feels that way though, it's a terrible feeling and I'll never forgive myself for that. I remember at one school where there were mostly Armenians, I used to get more varities of food then everyone else. In the end I shared with everyone and I ate better then everyone else. Many of the kids that teased me kept asking me how my mom could cook so nicely. They loved her recipes and they couldn't believe that she never used meat. There are so many vegetables that have more vitamins and all then meat and even taste like meat. This veg. issue came up in Armenia a lot too but even here, no one has been able to say anything. It's become normal, many of my friends (many parents even) asked for recipes from me, and everyone feels at home when their around me. Truth is, it all boils down to who you are. No one can change who I am and no one can make me look inferior, only I can do that and what you eat or believe shouldn't make you feel bad. I make the decisions in my life and I stand up for what I say or feel, that's all that matters and what's MOST IMPORTANT is that you are a good person. I can't seem to stress this point enough. It doesn't matter who/what you are, WHERE you are, what position you hold, or what you eat. What matters is that your a proper person and everyone will respect you. Those that don't, well, there will always be people like that, you don't need them around you anyways, no one does. Case closed. Sorry for writing another book guys, lol.

My favourite memory in vengeful way was with my uncle, who doesn't like me (don't ask he is a bit of a racist and you can imagine wasn't happy with someone at the table of Amerind ancestry) told me he hunts and that a real man eats the liver of the buck because only a few people can stomach that, in short telling me I'm not man enough, so I told him fair enough and gave him a cayenne pepper with some salsa on it to eat.
He and his son were both in tears running to the bathroom, then proceeded to drink water...not knowing it makes it burn worse.

The oldest trick in the book, nice. What happened after that?

My most favourite chilli experience was with a waitress at a restaurant here, she was curious to see if I could stomach chilli so I proceeded to eat it. Then she dared me to eat it raw and that greatly impressed her cause she was Indian (South Asian) and she never saw someone who wasn't Indian (I'm Indian too...just another kind of Indian) eat chillies like that, we got a little flirty afterwards so that was fun.

Interesting experience, haha. I've had many like this as well. Believe it or not, one doctor that came to our house (my dad's friend in India) once strictly restricted me from eating chillis or anything hot. Worst six months of life, lol. Another story I remember is when I went to a Russian-Armenian families house, they were one of our new friends (last year). They were comprised of 3 boys and one girl and of course their parents. The guys put some interesting hot souce with large bell peppers mixed in it on the table and warned me that it was very hot. When I took a large pepper, they were waiting in awe to see my reaction. Apparently they hadn't met the Indians, Armenians, and Mexians I talked about in my last post, lol. In the end, I ate the entire bowl and of course, eventually they pitched in to show they could eat some too. *sigh* life goes on, so do we. All the best Pedro and everyone else. My respect for all of you hasn't, doesn't, and never will decrease by even a half percent whether you eat meat or not. Cheers.

[Steph]

Your kidding me.
. My grandmother gave him a knife to cut the head off of a chicken (piti morter) since my grandfather wasn't at home and although he ate meat in the past, he didn't exactly like it a lot. Now, he was supposed to be the man of the house since my grandfather wasn't at home and this chicken was for one of the neighbors so he rose to the challenge proudly (its like a privelage here in Armenia). Just when he placed the knife on the chickens soft neck though, the blood seeped out and the chicken began to shake terribly.

When my children were on the way to be christened, at Geghard, we stopped at the restaurant on the way where the priest was with a black lamb. My children, 6 & 9 yrs old, fed salt to the lamb as it was blessed by the priest. After the service when the whole party were sat down to the celebration banquet, my little boy asked if he could go and see his friend, the lamb. I looked at the table heaving with food, especially the plates of boiled and grilled meat, what could I say?

[Sako]

When my children were on the way to be christened, at Geghard, we stopped at the restaurant on the way where the priest was with a black lamb. My children, 6 & 9 yrs old, fed salt to the lamb as it was blessed by the priest. After the service when the whole party were sat down to the celebration banquet, my little boy asked if he could go and see his friend, the lamb. I looked at the table heaving with food, especially the plates of boiled and grilled meat, what could I say?

Don't know what to say myself, Steph, all I know is you couldn't tell the truth, I completely understand you. Actually, when I first went to school in Texas, the director, the principal, and my teacher came and asked me in a worried tone of voice why I'm not eating what the other kids eat (along with my sister, three years younger then me). Believe it or not, I replied seriously, "In the class rooms, on TV, in the books you give me to read, etc. I hear and read the words, "Animals are our friends. The bears, the rabbits, the deers, the lambs, ... are all our friends." So how can you place the meat of your friends on a plate and eat them? How can we eat our friends?". I won't go too deep into everything I said but no one replied anything at all. Imagine an 8 year old sitting at the faculty table at which the director of the school, a member of the district board, the principal, all the teachers, etc. are present, explaining why he doesn't eat meat. No one said a single word to me and I grabbed my sisters arm and we went and sat at our table after the conversation was over without a smile on our faces, finishing our boxes of orange juice.

The next day, the director (a wonderful women and person, I might add) called my parents and I actually felt bad. I thought, "Damn, I let my sis, my little bro, and my parents down on my first day to school." I was the older brother so I didn't exactly feel great and my parents also talked with me seriously, asking if I said anything wrong, knowing I had a way with words. I didn't know what to say because I only talked facts, I talked in place, I didn't say anything wrong or too mature. At that moment, the director walked out of her room with tears in her eyes and hugged my parents, especially my mom, and said, "I don't promise to never eat meat again, but every time I eat a single peice of meat, I'll remember those two. You have raised two wonderful children." From then on, we got our own food, everyone welcomed us in properly, we began to go to school, and we were the only two Armenians in the entire school which taught about 400-500 children if I'm not mistaken. Our family became close with the school and I was the happiest for knowing that I didn't let down my family.

Tents baner, yekhpayr . Another fun story from my life and another lesson that made me become a better person you can say. Life is the perfect teacher, it gives us the experience and then the lessons and it's those lessons that are most important because in the end, that's all we take with us. Cheers again, no matter what you or anyone else eats . All the best.

[Steph]

No, i dont. But if you tell what it is, i can try

It's sometimes called "long backgammon", using 15 pieces each, each player starts with his/her counters to their right on the opponents side and move all pieces into their home. Everyone counts the dice using Arabic numbers. Why? I don't know, but I've got turkish friends who play the identical way.

[Sako]

This is a great Armenian game, don't know if it's traditionally from Armenia though.

[Pedro Xaramillo]

Sorry I am replying so late, had to repair someone's PC yesterday night, kept me up till 12:00 am.

I first stopped eating pig, then meat altogether, various factors contributed, so it took
about a week max for me stop eating entirely. I just couldn't anymore, I touch the meat and I'd throw up immediately. So after that I knew my conscience couldn't live with me if I continued eating meat.

People ask me for recipes alot too, mostly desserts because thats generally what I cook/bake best. I especially dig making any pastry dishes as they are the most fun to do.

My uncle generally doesn't stay in contact with me, on the few occassions I did see him, he strangely refuses any sauces I offer him

I'll post the churros recipe later today, right now I wanna ask what other Armenian recipes for desserts anyone has here?

Thanks for all your replies on this

[Sako]

Sorry I am replying so late, had to repair someone's PC yesterday night, kept me up till 12:00 am.

No problem bro, we're all still taking in the news that you aced your N+ .

I first stopped eating pig, then meat altogether, various factors contributed, so it took about a week max for me stop eating entirely. I just couldn't anymore, I touch the meat and I'd throw up immediately. So after that I knew my conscience couldn't live with me if I continued eating meat.

And that's what truly being Veg. means. I mean, if your mouth waters and longs for a bite of meat, you shouldn't kill yourself. Whatever you do must be done with understanding. Once you understand, you'll feel disgusted of meat. If you aren't though, your not evil or something but neither are we for not eating meat.

People ask me for recipes alot too, mostly desserts because thats generally what I cook/bake best. I especially dig making any pastry dishes as they are the most fun to do.

Like pies and all? Can you do cakes?

My uncle generally doesn't stay in contact with me, on the few occassions I did see him, he strangely refuses any sauces I offer him

Man, this is a moment I may never forget.

I'll post the churros recipe later today, right now I wanna ask what other Armenian recipes for desserts anyone has here?

I don't remember the desert recipies but I'll tell you my recipe later today as well.

Thanks for all your replies on this

You too, bro, for starting this thread. Listen, do you ever try to make something new and crazy? Without a recipe book.

[Pedro Xaramillo]

You too, bro, for starting this thread. Listen, do you ever try to make something new and crazy? Without a recipe book.

Yeah but then the kitchen burned down...