Category Archives: Moonshine

On the way out

Posted on February 11, 2019 by Liz Barron

I would hate to believe that my friends in Armenia are marking the days until my departure, but with 3 and a 1/2 months to go, the countdown does seem to be underway. I am constantly being invited to try … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, art, cocktails, Cooking, craft activities, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, eating out, Education, Food, gratitude, Great weekends, Khashil, Local delicacies, Moonshine, textiles, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka, welcome, Yogurt | 2 Comments

In the bleak mid-winter

Posted on December 21, 2018 by Liz Barron

We weren’t off to a good start, which was a shame as I had been looking forward to this day for weeks. I had imagined driving over mountains and through gorges with Ara, stopping here and there to take pictures … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Beauty, Blessings, breakfast, chess, Christmas, Church, cocktails, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Driving, eating out, Education, Food, Goris, gratitude, Happiness, Jingalov hats, joy, kindness, Lonely this Christmas, love, Moonshine, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Peace Corps, Peace Corps Armenia, picnic, singing, Social niceties, Syunik Marz, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, Village life, visitors, Vodka, welcome, work, Youth | 5 Comments

On working with a Poet-in-Residence

Posted on July 22, 2018 by Liz Barron

Sonnet for Damian Gorman “It’s bonkers” wrote the poet, ‘but yes, I’ll come” He packed his bag and caught the first of many planes His eyes were sore, his bum was numb He yawned and asked our students for their … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, creative writing, Cross-cultural understanding, Damian Gorman, Education, Hanna Huntley, Household tips, Language learning, love of words, Marketing, Moonshine, National Poetry Recitation Contest, Poet In Residence, Poetry, red head, story-telling, Summer camp, Teaching, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel, visitors, Wilfred Owen, Writing, Writing Workshop, young women, Youth | 1 Comment

Comfort Food

Posted on November 24, 2017 by Liz Barron

When Hanna died, we crawled to Peace Corps HQ in Yerevan, and huddled together damply in a shocked and miserable heap. Olivia and Hannah, two volunteers a couple of years ahead of our cohort, made mac n’ cheese for all … Continue reading →

Posted in America, American holidays, Armenia, Armenian art, Cooking, drinking, family, Food, friendship, gratitude, Gyumri, joy, Local delicacies, Moonshine, Sisters, Thanksgiving, Things that gladden the heart, Things that make a difference, travel | Leave a comment

Armenia through fresh eyes: Part Two

Posted on October 25, 2017 by Liz Barron

A day out with Ara is bettered only by an evening at home with him and his family.  Thursday was his youngest son’s birthday–8 years old. There was a big party with 16 kids and a  cake in the shape … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, chess, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, family, Food, friendship, Games, Moonshine, Mulberries, Social niceties, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment

So what do you do there anyway?

Posted on July 5, 2017 by Liz Barron

I spent the 4th of July cutting out pictures of hamburger buns, cheese slices and dill pickles. Black and white pictures, because we don’t have a color printer here. I used the pictures to teach an English conversation class about … Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising, Advice, America, Armenia, Caucausus, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, Education, family, Food, Homebrew, Household tips, Language learning, laundry, Marketing, Moonshine, Mulberries, Peace Corps, personal failings, Press, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka, Women, work, Yogurt | 4 Comments

Don’t mess with my Toot Toot.

Posted on July 2, 2017 by Liz Barron

It is time to make toot vodka. Toot is the Armenian name for the mulberry– we have white and dark purple varieties here. The white mulberries, larval-looking but honied in taste, are the most prized. A couple of days ago, … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Capitalism, Caucausus, Cooking, Cross-cultural understanding, drinking, Food, Homebrew, Moonshine, Mulberries, Peace Corps, Syunik Marz, travel, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment

Yank Don’t Tug

Posted on June 10, 2017 by Liz Barron

​​​​ ​​You know it’s a good party when the men start the dancing, the wine is $2 a liter, and there’s a bouncy sheep. All of these were elements of today’s Sheep Shearing Festival in the mountains close to Goris. … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Great weekends, Homebrew, Moonshine, National pride, Peace Corps, Syunik Marz, Things that gladden the heart, travel, Village life, Vodka | 2 Comments

A Still Morning

Posted on April 25, 2017 by Liz Barron

The people across the road have a still and this morning are making 70 liters of grape vodka to sell at the market. I know it is good because after breakfast I went over to test the product. I ran … Continue reading →

Posted in Armenia, Cooking, drinking, Homebrew, Moonshine, Village life, Vodka | Leave a comment