If you go to the Republic of Georgia, be sure to take your appetite along.

The residents of this Connecticut-size country in the Caucasus are legendary for their hospitality. During a recent visit, we were served giant banquets called supras at lunch and dinner during every day of a recent visit as our hosts tried to honor their guests.

Georgia, which the locals call Sakartvelo, has been in the news due to political unrest in the representative democracy that was once part of the Soviet Union. Let’s hope they sort things out, as the country faces many other problems including two separatist movements that have occupied parts of the country, and a boycott by Russia, once its largest customer.

It would be very difficult to duplicate a supra here, for the event not only includes a vast amount of food, but continuous and traditional toasts moderated by the tamada, who is chosen to lead the party. The event also often includes traditional music and dancing.

The food itself can be superb and varied, though few would want to duplicate the variety we’re told is even served at nightly family dinners.

Georgia is sandwiched between Russia, Turkey, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and its cusine reflects that influence — as well as that of the Persian, Indian and Mongol cultures that have passed through. Like Armenia, Georgia is Christian, however, and wine is very important in its culture and cuisine.

Typically, the table is laden with small dishes ranging from light appetizers to pretty substantial meat, fish and poultry when you sit down to eat. After you’ve tasted all — with many toasts of local wine — and you feel full, the main courses arrive.

Here is a sampling of the dishes offered atone of the supras: eggplant with walnut and garlic sauce (walnuts are a very big feature of Georgia cooking), fried catfish, sautéed mushrooms, cucumber and tomato salad, green salad, baked trout, chicken salad, roast sucking pig, sliced boiled tongue, ham three cheeses, one like a smoked mozzarella, one like strong plain mozzarella and a feta-like salty cheese, green spinach balls, liver paste, a meat casserole, pickles, an offal stew, pork kebabs, wonderful French fries and the best fried chicken I’ve ever had (served with the ubiquitous walnut-garlic sauce). Then there was a pizza-like filled cheese bread, regular bread and a deadly cornmeal cake that would break your toe if it fell on it. These were served with multiple sauces, including a sour plum concoction that is Georgia’s answer to ketchup or salsa, but definitely an acquired taste. At other meals, we got cooked dried beans, green beans, meatloaf, potato salad,

Two especially loved specialties are the broth and meat-filled dumplings, which are tricky to eat, and the kartuli puri bread shaped like a new moon. The long skinny dough batons are stuck to the side of a terracotta oven (toné) similar to a tandoor that looks like an ipended section of large water pipe with a fire in the bottom.

In addition to wine, a local tasty but salty mineral water called Borjoni is served with the meal, along with soft drinks including a truly weird tarragon flavored soda.

Thankfully, we weren’t served real desserts, just sweetened nuts and fruit — but not coffee after meals.

By the way, the Georgian’s ancient language is unlike any other — and their alphabet is equally old and unique. Many words start out with a mouthful of consonants — up to seven — before settling into the vowels.

Badrizhani Mtsvanilit

(bod'-ree-zhan'-ee mts-von-ee'-legit)

Herbed Eggplant Salad

This appetizer is the traditional first bit at the supra. It’s basically a sandwich consisting of a slice of fried eggplant folded over the walnut-garlic and herb filling. This calls for a large eggplant, but we were served slices from slim eggplants like Asian varieties.

1 large (1-1/4 lb) eggplant

1 medium onion, peeled and minced

2 Tbsp. olive oil

Generous 1/2 cup shelled walnuts

2 large garlic cloves, peeled

1/2 tsp. ground coriander seed

1/2 tsp. ground marigold*

1/2 tsp. dried fenugreek

Pinch cayenne

3/4 tsp. salt

3/4 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs (cilantro, celery leaf, parsley, dill)

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Slice the eggplant lengthwise. Sprinkle it with salt and leave it to drain on paper towel for at least 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry. Preheat the oven to 500 F. Place the eggplant pieces cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tender.

Saute the onion in the olive oil until golden. Set aside. Finely grind the walnuts with garlic and spices. Turn out into a bowl and stir in the cooked onions. Add the chopped herbs and the wine vinegar. Let the eggplant cool to lukewarm, then remove the skin and cut the pulp into 1 -inch pieces. Mix the eggplant thoroughly with the nut mixture. Cool to room temperature before serving.

Serves 6

*You can grow marigold from seeds and dry the petals yourself for grinding or you can order powdered marigold from Aphrodisia, 282 Bleecker Street, NewYork, NY 10014. (212) 989-6440.

Khachapuri

(hot-cha-poo'-ree)

Georgian Cheese Bread

This is basically a pizza stuffed with cheese. This recipe calls for Havarti and Muenster, but what we were served often included the salty feta-like cheese, too. This is baked, but we were also served the bread fried, which is very heavy.

2 cups unbleached white flour

1/2 tsp. salt

12 Tbsp. (11/2 sticks) cold butter, cut in pieces

2 eggs

1/4 cup plain yogurt

1-1/4 lbs mixed Muenster and Havarti cheeses

1 egg yolk, beaten

Put the flour and salt in a medium bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Beat 1 egg and stir in the yogurt, then add to the flour mixture. Form into a ball and chill for 1 hour. Grate the cheeses coarsely, beat the other egg and stir it into the cheese. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a large baking sheet. On a floured board, roll the dough to a rectangle about 12 by 17 inches. Trim the edges. Spread the cheese mixture on half the dough and then fold the other half over to enclose it, sealing and crimping the edges.

Transfer the bread to the baking sheet and brush with beaten egg yolk. Bake for 50 minutes or until browned. The bread is best served slightly warm, cut into small squares. Serves 12 to 15

Basturma

(bos-tour-ma')

Marinated Grilled Meat

A kebab with a spicy-sweet flavor. Though this recipe specifies lamb, we were served pork instead. You can also use beef.

2 cups pomegranate juice

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 bay leaf, crushed

2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed

2 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes

One 1-pound eggplant, salted, drained and parboiled (optional)

Mix together the pomegranate juice, olive oil, salt, pepper to taste, bay leaf and garlic. Marinate the lamb overnight in this mixture. The following day, place the meat on skewers, alternating (if desired) with eggplant cubes. Grill over hot coals about 10 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6

Chkmeruli

(ch'k-muh-roo'-lee)

Garlic Fried Chicken

This is a delicious way to prepare fried chicken with a savory, garlic/walnut sauce.

One 3-lb chicken, cut into pieces

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 Tbsp. butter

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil

10 to 12 garlic cloves, peeled

1 cup walnuts

1 cup water

Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil. Brown the chicken over medium high heat for 10 minutes; turn and fry for 10 minutes more. Cover the pan and continue cooking over low heat for 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken is done. Meanwhile, finely grind together the garlic and the walnuts in a blender. When the chicken is done, transfer it to a plate and keep warm. Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of pan drippings. Add the ground garlic and nuts to the fat remaining in the pan, along with the water. Sprinkle on about 1/4 teaspoon more salt. Simmer for 5 minutes. Return the chicken to the pan, turning it to coat well with the sauce. Heat thoroughly before serving.

Serves 3 to 4

Khinkali

(hing-koll'-ee)

Beef and Pork Dumplings

These Georgian dumplings are a perfect blend of East and West, resembling oversize dumplings served as pot stickers. The meat mixture and broth form a “gravy” inside the pasta coating, and they’re eaten by inverting them while holding onto the topknot (which isn’t eaten) and carefully biting into the bottom.

4 cups unbleached white flour

1-1/4 tsp. salt

1-1/4 cups warm water

1 lb. mixed ground beef and pork (not too lean)

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1-1/4 tsp. salt

Pinch cayenne

1/4 tsp. ground caraway seed

3 small onions, peeled

1/2 cup warm water or beef bouillon

Combine the four, salt and warm water to make a firm dough. Knead for 5 minutes, then let sit, covered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Meanwhile, make the filling. Mix the ground meats and spices. Grind the onions and stir them into the meat mixture. With your hands, knead in the water or bouillon. Divide the dough into 25 pieces. On a floured board, roll each piece out to a 6-inch round. Place about 2 tablespoons of filling in the center of each round. Make accordion pleats all the way around the filling by folding the edges of the dough in toward the center. Move in a clockwise direction, allowing each fold of the dough to overlap the previous one, until the filling is completely enclosed in the pleated dough.

Holding the dumpling firmly in one hand, twist the pleats together at the center to seal, cutting off the excess dough at the topknot. Cook the dumplings in salted, boiling water or broth for 12 to 15 minutes. Serve hot.

Variation: For cheese khinkali, make the following filling:

1 lb. farmer cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 eggs

Press the farmer cheese through a sieve into a bowl. Beat in the salt, pepper and eggs, mixing well. Continue as directed above. Makes 25 dumplings.

From Darra Goldstein’s “The Georgian Feast”