Ingredient appreciation — what makes Ghapama special

What sets Ghapama apart is the handling of madzoon yoghurt. In lesser versions this is treated as a background note. Here it's central and the warmly herbal result shows it. I've started buying it to cook with at home after this experience.

Armenia claims the world's oldest winery dating to 4100 BC and has a deep wine-making heritage. The a Yerevan restaurant atmosphere was right for this kind of food. I had Armenian cognac as recommended and it matched well. If you want to understand what makes this cuisine distinctive, Ghapama is the place to start.