America Tonight: Dr. Carl Augustsson, “Eat Like a Local – The Republic of Georgia”
by ReadersMagnet | May 1, 2025 | radio interview | 0
Dr. Carl Augustsson, author of the highly cultural food guide Eat Like a Local – The Republic of Georgia, appeared on the author segment of “America Tonight with Kate Delaney.”
Eat Like a Local – The Republic of Georgia is one in a series about various local cuisines, with Dr. Augustsson being tapped for the country of Georgia, thanks to his remarkable wealth of experiences. Aside from his four master’s degrees and other incredible works he has written, he has also visited about 125 countries and he was very eager to share a few of the things he’s discovered right on the show.
Traveling to the Republic of Georgia
Dr. Carl first visited Georgia during his time with the Peace Corps in Bulgaria, although the trip was personal and not related to his official duties. He observed a striking contrast between that visit and the present day, noting how much more open the country has become—U.S. and E.U. citizens can now enter visa-free for most of the year.
This increased accessibility led to many new opportunities for him, including the chance to immerse himself in Georgian food and culture. It was also during this trip that he met the Georgian woman who would later become his wife. Today, she holds dual citizenship, while Dr. Carl is a triple citizen.
The Republic’s Hidden Gems
Just like many seasoned travelers, Dr. Carl is familiar with the dilemmas of choosing between the popular tourist spots while still discovering other hidden gems. He has been to the capital of Tbilisi and the cave city complex of Vardzia.
And at the same time, he has also learned that Georgia has its own share of scenic winemaking areas as well as regions with peculiar histories. For instance, the historical region of Svaneti is known to locals for its square, labyrinthine towers, each filled with hidden rooms. It was said that whole families lived in these towers at some point, and each one guarded the knowledge of the hidden rooms quite jealously.
Must-Try Dishes
Among the dishes that he mentions in his book include the famous khinkali, the boiled meat dumpling known for its spicy juiciness. It has become a favorite in his family, and they still make it every time they return the U.S.
He also mentions mtsvadi, the local form of barbecue that uses wine branches for fuel. And from there, Dr. Carl has even gone as far as to try and create his own variations of all the different dishes he’s had.
On Balancing Spontaneity and Structure in Travel
Of course, perhaps the biggest reason why Augustsson took up the project was that he also valued the structure that comes with seeing the stuff that just could not be missed out on, even as many tourists today love a great deal of spontaneity like he does.
It is for that reason that he still looks forward to working similar travel book projects, including ones that are completely his own. Some of these may include his own variation of other famous travel books he’s had. Another book may be an attempt to create a better version of a mainline title he once read.
But in any case, he certainly looks forward to traveling more and sharing his discoveries with another great work.
Other Passions and Projects
As befitting his wide range of knowledge and cultural experiences, Dr. Carl still has plenty other projects already underway (including more content about travel, more linguistics studies and even a possible travel show). But all things considered, his soft spot for the Republic of Georgia will certainly serve a distinct trademark in all of them.
You can check out Eat Like a Local- The Republic of Georgia right now on Amazon!
Amazon: https://a.co/d/9gkc7F5
