Once the food of the country’s poor, like so many dishes around the world, khash has become a food that’s enjoyed by pretty much everyone in Armenia, if you can stomach it. Making khash his simple, but time consuming. Gelatinous cows’ feet are cleaned meticulously of hair and soaked in water, or left under running water, for a full day to remove any impurities. Then, the trotters are placed in large pots to boil overnight (some recipes call for at least eight hours of boiling) with hourly check-ins to make sure the fatty broth doesn’t boil over or that the pot doesn’t dry out.

Meanwhile, in the early morning hours (if not the night before), preparation for what usually ends up being a day-long celebration of life begins. The main toppings for the khash are prepared, usually minced garlic (lots of it), fresh and dry lavash bread, salt, and sometimes lemon, along with lots of other local side dishes to munch on during the party. Think fried greens, egg dishes like omelets, pickled vegetables, cheeses, wild fresh herbs, different types of bread, and of course, fruit distillates (called oghi in Armenian) of every kind: mulberry, apricot, peach, grape, pear, apple, seabuckthorn, even almond. If it grows in Armenia, local people will make spirits out of it.

Once you’re settled at the table, you’re free to prepare your personal bowl of khash as you wish. You may be asked whether you want a piece of cow gelatin in your bowl, or if you prefer just the broth. The choice is yours. Add as much garlic and salt as you like, crumble enough dried lavash bread into your bowl to soak up most of the broth, and use the fresh lavash bread to scoop up the porridge-like mixture before you by hand, and enjoy.

Here are 6 tips to make the most out of your khash experience in Armenia:

1. Cancel all other plans the day you go for khash

Local people typically gather around 9 or 10am to eat khash with family and friends, and the merriment tends to go on all day long. That’s no exaggeration. Some people eat and drink so much that they don’t have energy to do much else but continue enjoying each other’s company around the table for the rest of the day. And after the khash, traditional Armenian BBQ, called khorovats, is usually on the menu.

2. Choose your company wisely

Khash parties are all about connecting or re-connecting with family and friends, old or new. It’s a time when people recall memories and experiences, share ideas, reflect on the year that’s passed, and look ahead to the future, together. Sharing a meal is an intimate and personal experience in any country. Add lots and lots of fruit spirits, and it can become even more intimate, in an emotional sense, at least. Choose who you share that experience with wisely. If you do get invited to a local person’s home for khash, don’t skip the offer, and take a bottle of oghi or vodka with you. A true local experience awaits. It just may happen – hospitality in these parts is genuine.

3. Don’t skip on homemade fruit spirits

Speaking of fruit spirits, if you have the opportunity to have homemade oghi during your khash experience, definitely try it. Every local family or friend group has that one uncle or buddy who distills the best fruit spirits in his cellar or backyard, and local people generally believe that khash should be paired with homemade oghi, and not factory made. Drink responsibly, and if you can, have a designated driver or travel by taxi on the day of your khash experience.

4. Be liberal with the garlic and salt

Boiled cows’ feet stew has a very specific taste, and everyone has their own broth to bread ratio that they prefer. But what many local people seem to agree on is that lots of garlic and salt are the key to a tasty khash. Keep adding both ingredients to your personal bowl until you find the right amount that fits your palette, and don’t be shy to ask those at the table with you how they prefer their khash.

5. Enjoy the side dishes and khorovatstoo

Khash is, of course, the reason why you’ve gathered for a day of celebration and fun, but leave some room to enjoy the other dishes that will accompany your fatty bowl of soup. It’s an opportunity to get to know typical local dishes that are eaten across the country, especially foods like fried greens, cheese and wild edible herb wraps, and if you make it to BBQ time, khorovats. For those who want to skip khash altogether, which is totally understandable, harissa is a typical substitute – a hearty porridge made with tender chicken, wheat, and butter.

6. Be prepared to make a toast

Toasts, called kenats in Armenia, are typical of any gathering, and that’s especially true for khash parties. As khash all about connecting with loved ones, local people take the opportunity to express their thoughts, emotions, and heart-felt wishes for those at the table with them, as well as those who aren’t at the table. Don’t be surprised if your new local friends urge you to make a toast yourself. Take your time thinking about what you want to say, and if all else fails, let the fruit spirits do the talking for you.

Read more about the origins of khash here. Not sure where to get khash in Yerevan? We recommend these restaurants:

Yasaman Restaurant
1/1 Yekmalyan Street, Yerevan
facebook.com/YasamanYVN

Yerevan Pandok
91 Teryan Street, Yerevan
facebook.com/PandokYerTeryan

Kamancha Restaurant
23 Tumanyan, Yerevan
facebook.com/kamancharest

Tsirani Garden Restaurant
3rd Street, N1, Babajanyan Block, Arinj, Kotayk
facebook.com/TsiraniGardenRestaurant