A Flavour of Armenia

Trees of glass at the Cafesjian Museum of Art in Yerevan where we stayed for the first few days with my husband's dear cousin and his gorgeous wife and two year old daughter.

The real thing - one of many cherry trees on the slopes at the family home in the Mountains near Garni.

A more rare white variety -  and our view from the terrace every day.

These ones were picked by the local villagers before we arrived and were off to market the next day.

We picked these ourselves with the help of a very sweet little person.

Unbelievably delicious....

These ones came from the trees near the bees making honey in their hives from meadows of wild flowers.

Black mulberries - taking me back to my African childhood and the tree we had outside the back door, our fingers (and the soles of our feet) always stained purple like this.

White mulberries and apricots just picked off the tree in the family garden in Yerevan.

Little green apples and rose petals for sale at the fruit and veg stall at the side of the road in the village.

Purple basil and parsley and green onions all sold together in a big fresh fragrant bunch.

You roll them up in the local bread (like a soft tortilla) called Lavash, with  slices of curd cheese (a bit like Feta) and a slick of sour cream, into a long parcel of heaven.

Breakfast - our hosts fed us magnificently -  French toast with the most yellow gold eggs I've ever seen, laid that morning and collected from the farm next door.

Pimms on the terrace ....Babaganoush (smoked aubergine pate) bruschetta, fried rounds of courgette and garlic drenched in sour cream and yogurt, green speckly beans and a herby potato salad -  all to go with her speciality - a fabulous tomatoey fish stew - giant trout bought from the fish farm down the track. 

More flavours tomorrow - the fascinating process of making Lavash......