Georgia the northernmost country of the Caucasus, shares with its neighbours (turkey, armenia, azerbaijan) a Mediterranean-type climate. Geographically, it can be divided into W. and E. Georgia, with the Suram Gorge marking the division. So far as food is concerned, Turkish influence prevails to the west and Persian to the east. Pokhlebkin (1984) points out that maize flour bread is eaten in W. Georgia, whereas wheaten bread is preferred in E. Georgia; and there are other differences, e.g. in the choice of animal foods. Taken as a whole, Georgia is perceived as having had a significant and beneficial influence on the food and cookery in russia. It was for long part of the Russian Empire, and then of the Soviet Union.
