The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have never been among the countries of oversaturation and wealth. Hard life, climatic conditions and not so richly fertile soil have shaped three unique cuisines. They all have a reputation for "difficult" food, but their advantage is fresh, mostly home-grown ingredients. ...
The Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia have never been among the countries of oversaturation and wealth. Hard life, climatic conditions and not so richly fertile soil have shaped three unique cuisines. They all have a reputation for "difficult" food, but their advantage is fresh, mostly home-grown ingredients.
They all come from domestic, local products and from ingredients that can be gathered in the forest and that grow in the field. If we had to highlight a single ingredient, it would definitely be the dark rye bread, which is highly respected in all three countries. Estonians, for example, instead of wishing for a good run before eating, say keep going or "May your bread last". They say that Baltic emigrants around the world miss this bread the most of all the local delicacies. The most popular drinks everywhere are beer, which is produced locally in many places, and vodka.
Potatoes and pork always and everywhere
Although the cuisine of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia should not be thrown in the same basket, they have some common ingredients that are the basis for further creation. These are potatoes, bread, pork and dairy products. Potatoes are very often on the table - boiled, baked, fried and in all forms in between. From it, they create cold potato salad, potato pancakes, potato dumplings with meat, mushrooms or cheese, balls made of grated potatoes... Regarding dairy products, it is interesting that many local people make sour milk at home, but otherwise it is very common to use sour cream, cheeses, yogurt, milk and butter. A special feature of Latvian butter is the frequent addition of poppy seeds. Sour cream goes with meat, fish, pancakes, soups, desserts and salads. Beetroot soup (sometimes mushrooms are added to it) is interesting, which changes to a bright pink color due to the addition of sour cream. From meat, if we exclude fish in coastal areas, pork dominates. In the form of salami for breakfast, baked with meat juice for lunch and in meatloaf or pie for dinner.
Estonia
Today's Estonian cuisine has been influenced by Germany, Russia and Scandinavia. Traditional dishes include blood sausages, marinated eel served as a cold (appetizer), pork gall, sauerkraut with pork and potatoes. Another traditional appetizer is called Rosolje and it is a dish made from beetroot, meat and pickles. The latter are often on the Estonian table. The length of the day has a great influence on what else ends up on it. Long, cold winter evenings are the time for sauerkraut, black pudding, gall, roast and compotes, and in the summer, heavy food is replaced by fruits from the home garden and forest. Soups are popular throughout the year, and can be served cold in the summer. Among them, the most common are beans, cabbage, fish and cucumber.
Lithuania
Lithuanian cuisine has adapted to fruits that grow in this rather cold northern climate, such as barley, potatoes, rye, beets, strawberries, vegetables and mushrooms. Here too, very strong dishes dominate. Traditional are sauerkraut soup with fried bacon, pickles with hot potatoes, potato dumplings, a dessert of dark bread with fruit jam and cakes in the shape of a Christmas tree. Mushroom and blueberry picking is widespread, compotes are made from apples, pears and plums, and gooseberries and currants are turned into jams and jams.
Latvia
In addition to the dishes already listed, such as pork gall and pickle with vegetables, the most traditional in Latvia are a specially prepared cheese called Janu Siers and sour soup, as well as gray peas with bacon, pork ribs and fish cooked in milk with potatoes . Coffee cake has a special place among desserts, they are often sweetened with a cranberry dessert made from egg whites and milk, a dessert made from rye bread crumbs, bread rolls with bacon and apple pie.
Secrets of modern chefs
In particular, the capitals Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius are developing gourmet ideas that go beyond traditional meat and potatoes. The Latvian restaurant Bergs from Riga was ranked 40th in Europe this year. For a taste - the menu includes, among other things, rye pasta with spinach, salmon with hemp seeds and ski fillet with zucchini. In Tallinn, one of the more famous restaurants is Olde Hansa. This restaurant tries to conjure up the feeling of the Middle Ages to its guests. There are wooden benches instead of comfortable chairs, candles instead of lighting, and live musicians instead of music from speakers. On the table there are delicacies according to medieval recipes and preparation, and according to the taste, it is a real experience. And finally, a jump to Vilnius. Domm is that culinary destination that people from all over the world rush to. Smoked eel with apple, venison with wild berries and pumpkin soup with cappuccino are just some of the modern traditional dishes there.
Info
Dom
Didžioji gatvė, Vilnius
+370 686 77707
www.domm.lt
Olde Hansa
Vana turg, Tallinn
+372 62 79020
www.oldehansa.ee
Bergs
Elizabetes iela, Riga
+371 677 70 957
www.hotelbergs.lv