Black pudding after being cooked together with lingonberry sauce
Traditional Estonian cuisine has substantially been based on meat and potatoes, and on fish in coastal and lakeside areas, but now bears influence from many other cuisines, including a variety of international foods and dishes, with a number of contributions from the traditions of nearby countries. Scandinavian, German, Russian and other influences have played their part. The most typical foods in Estonia have been rye bread, pork, potatoes and dairy products.Estonian eating habits have historically been closely linked to the seasons. In terms of staples, Estonia belongs firmly to the beer, vodka, rye bread and pork "belt" of Europe.
Cold table
The first course in traditional Estonian cuisine is based on cold dishes - a selection of meats and sausages served with potato salad or rosolje, an Estonian signature dish, almost identical to Swedish sillsallad, based on beetroot, potatoes and herring. Small pastries called pirukad ("pirukas" in the singular) - a relative of the pirozhki - filled with meat, cabbage, carrots, rice and other fillings or mixtures are also popular, and are often served with bouillon. Herring is common among other fish as a part of the Estonian cold table. Smoked or marinated eel, crayfish dishes, and imported crabs and shrimps are considered delicacies. One of Estonia's national dishes is räim (Baltic dwarf herring), along with sprats. Flounder, perch and pike-perch are also popular.
In choosing quality and savoury ingredients for the Estonian kitchen, we greatly value what Mother Nature seasonally provides us with. Here, in Estonia, we have the special privilege of being able to enjoy a unique form of synergy, which derives its strength from both the pristine nature that surrounds us and the appreciation that Estonian farmers are developing for the principles of organic farming.
Soups
Soups may be eaten before the main course, but traditionally form the main meal and most often are made of meat or chicken stock mixed with a variety of vegetables. Soups are also blended with sour cream, milk and yogurt. A unique form of Estonian soup is leivasupp, which is a type of sweet soup that is made of black bread and apples, normally served with sour cream or whipped cream, often seasoned with cinnamon and sugar.
This is a vision, which, hopefully, will help to shape the continually developing New Estonian Cuisine, in which local rustic cooking is blended with the world’s chic culinary trends. As all the other fields of activity, which, in a country bursting with renewed energy, have to realign their priorities, the Estonian culinary world is now facing the enjoyable challenge of presenting the best creations that it possibly can. Estonian culinary specialists are gladly accepting this challenge, in order to create one of the most colourful and striking segments of the bright and aesthetically pleasing mosaic known as Estonia.
Main course
Black rye bread accompanies almost every savory food in Estonia. Instead of wishing "bon appetit", Estonians are prone to say jätku leiba ("may your bread last"). Estonians continue to value their varieties of black rye-based bread. Estonia has not been a land of plenty. If a piece of bread was dropped on the floor, it was good form to pick it up, kiss it to show respect, and eat it.
We are used to countries using their cuisine as a calling card and in many cases, even as a symbolic emissary. Most people are not indifferent to matters concerning food in an ever more globalising world, however cuisine art remains one of the most neutral and pleasing impulses in culture today. I would like to believe that a people’s eating habits along with their knowledge of natural, local produce can be a distinguishing feature, which helps to present to the rest of the world that nation’s traditions, present values and visions of the future.
Desserts
Specific desserts include kissel, curd snack and kama. Other common Estonian desserts are mannavaht (a cream made of semoline and juice or fruit), kohupiimakreem (creamy curd) or kompott. Rhubarb pies are also a favorite. Another popular dessert is kringle (Estonian: kringel), a sweet yeast bread often flavored with cardamom.
Throughout history, the cuisine of many other nations has influenced Estonian cooking. This has been beneficial in many ways. Among other things, it has strengthened the Estonians’ determination to retain their own unique cooking and eating traditions, keeping only that, which has stood the test of time and of quality. Life is in a constant flux, as are the culinary demands of contemporary society. Therefore, it seems that the appreciation and retaining of culinary traditions can not only have a stabilising effect, but can also be a source of strength for any nation.
At the same time, it is essential to discover the creative culinary possibilities that each day has to offer. This makes it possible to make maximum use of the wonderful and unique ingredients that can be found in Estonia.
Drinks
A traditionally popular drink called kali - similar to Russian kvass - is becoming more popular again. Mead or mõdu, the drink that was most popular in ancient times, has almost completely disappeared. Nowadays, locally brewed beer is the number one choice to accompany food, different juices or simply water being the main non-alcoholic choice. Wine is widely drunk, and although it is still not as popular as beer, it is becoming all the more common. There are also Estonian fruit wines made of apples or different berries. Milk is also widely drunk by children as well as adults. Estonians are also proud of their vodka and other spirits, such as the herbal liquer Vana Tallinn. Two of Estonia's oldest breweries are A. Le Coq, founded in 1807, and Saku Brewery, founded in 1820.
Other dairy products besides milk (Estonian: piim) include keefir and also hapupiim and pett, which are variations on the theme of buttermilk.
Summer and spring
Traditionally in summer and spring, Estonians like to eat everything fresh - berries, herbs, vegetables and everything else that comes straight from the garden. Hunting and fishing were common in the history. Nowadays, they have remained as popular pastimes. It is popular to barbecue in the summer.
Winter and Christmas
During the winter months, jam, preserves and pickles are brought to the table. During the past, when the economy was largely agricultural, the gathering and conserving of fruits, mushrooms and vegetables for winter was essential. Today, gathering and conserving is less common because almost everything can be bought from stores, but preparing food for winter is still very popular in the countryside and continues to retain its charm for many, as opposed to the commercialization of eating habits. Upholding of traditions is important to many.
Black pudding (Estonian: verivorst), head cheese (Estonian: sült), and sauerkraut (Estonian: hapukapsas) with over-roasted potatoes have been part of the traditional Estonian menu that nowadays are mostly Christmas specialties. Also, typical Christmas treats have been apples, Mandarin oranges and gingerbread.
Spring, the beginning of which is always greatly longed for, returns with spring lamb and veal; goat’s cheese, rhubarb, wild leek, and fresh sorrel; and perch from our clean inland waters.
With the arrival of the energy boosting and flourishing summer, comes time to enjoy all the wildest, headiest flavours imaginable. There are herbs, berries from the garden and the forest, chanterelles and new potatoes; and our ever-popular fresh perch, eel, and crayfish. These all play the lead in Estonia’s midsummer symphony.
When autumn arrives, there are opportunities galore to make what is good even better. From bushes and fruit trees come wild cranberries and boysenberries, hazelnuts and the black salcify. From the farmer’s barnyard comes the traditional goose and fish lovers can choose from lamprey, dwarf herring, and plaice. The best part of autumn is, however, the hunting season. It is hard not to be impressed by the variety of game available in our primeval forests and on our coastal islands: pheasant, elk, boar, and wild goat all enrich the Estonian dining table.
During the dark and seemingly endless series of short days, which constitutes our sombre winter, it’s invigorating to eat smoked meat with sauerkraut, roasted roe deer, the traditional black pudding, and Christmas blood sausage; and to drink mulled wine and nibble gingerbread.
I sincerely hope that I have been able to transmit the notion of synergy with the above descriptions of our immensely enjoyable dishes, so as to lucidly demonstrate the ultimate Estonian culinary creation as a whole. Nowadays, it is important for food to do more than merely fill our stomachs. The desire to achieve every nuance of taste and harmony of ingredients must be kept in balance. Less is more - the world is full of brilliant examples of this, where the blending of just a few right ingredients can result in a small miracle.
It is essential to recognise both the ingredients offered to us by our environment and the culinary creativity given to us by the muses. With the help of the concept of a comprehensible whole, one has to search for essential additional nuances and innovations, which will lend added value to the raw ingredients in the New Estonian Cuisine. It is important that these complement one another. Not to mention the aesthetics involved. It is wonderful to see the earnest aspiration to offer the best meal, coupled with the desire to ensure that Estonia’s culinary future will offer all of us unique and enriching sensations for the many years to come.
The Estonian cuisine is pure and has a long tradition – the customary black bread and kama (a mixture of rye, oat, barley and pea flour), for example, are certainly remarkable phenomena. The mixture of Russian, German, coastal,forest and country cuisine is interesting and fascinating. Traditional Estonian cuisine relies heavily on pork, potatoes and a variety of garden vegetables. The main culinary and gourmet cooking traditions were historically influenced by Germans, who ruled over Estonians for many centuries. Estonian cuisine is historically rather limited – the typical ingredients are black bread, pork, fish, cabbage soup, potatoes, vegetables and various dairy products.
However nowadays, Estonian gourmet cuisine has emerged together with foreign influenced fusion cooking styles and more foodies are falling in love with it every day. What is positively surprising about Estonian food is its wholesomeness, universality and the freshness of the tastes that have stood the test of time.
Try some traditional Estonian dishes whilst you are here, for example, the Silgusoust (Baltic sprats with bacon and cream), Mulgikapsad (pork with sauerkraut and boiled potatoes), Verivorst (blood sausage and barley), Sült (boiled pork in aspic jelly), and suitsulõhe (smoked salmon). Kissell (a sweet made of juice sweetened or milk at the taste of berries, strawberries, etc..), rhubarb cake and kama are some of the most popular traditional desserts.
True to the Food - Estonian cuisine
Estonians like to know where their food comes from. For this reason, many savvy city dwellers take the time to work the fields and enjoy the fruit of their labour throughout the year. This amount of passion has greatly inspired Estonian restaurants to be creative and use local produce.
A spoonful of Nordic with a twist
Similarly to Estonian culture, the local taste palate has been infused with the best of our neighbouring countries. Here you'll find traces of Scandinavian, Russian and German kitchens, not to mention other mainstream international influencers such as the French nouvelle cuisine.
An ode to the pure, fresh and seasonal
Estonian chefs, food establishments and retailers have a similar understanding of the nature and future of Estonian cuisine, manifesting loyalty to healthy ingredients cooked into simple dishes that reflect the mastery of Nordic culinary traditions.
Estonian bread – black, white and wholemeal
Bread has at least three different names in Estonian – that's how serious we are about the loaf. Black rye bread with a thin crispy crust is a healthy and very original gift to bring back from your trip to Estonia. You'll find a range of different options in all shapes and sizes from your local supermarket or speciality grocery store with many restaurants also serving freshly baked bread rolls using their own secret recipes. With a spread of Estonia's famous full-fat salty butter, the local bread is sure to tingle your taste buds.
Affordable gourmet food
International and fusion gourmet food can be enjoyed very inexpensively in Estonia, making this a desired destination for foodies. A true five course gourmet feast in Tallinn can cost half the price of a dinner you'd get in most European capitals. Oh, and don't forget the medieval food - have you tried roast bear recently, or maybe a wild boar?
For vegetarians and vegans
Vegetarian and vegan-friendly gourmet joints spring up in Estonia's larger cities like mushrooms after the rain, and while on the topic: have you tried Estonian chanterelles? This woodland mushroom, often considered a delicatessen in Western Europe, comes fresh and inexpensive in Estonia's grocery stores and markets.
Food to try in Estonia
Black bread – look for fresh, handmade loaves baked in Estonia's many organic farms.
Smoked meat and fish – alder wood gives Estonian ham, sausages and meat products a natural and flavourful taste.
Dairy products – have you ever seen such long winding dairy aisles as they exist in Estonian supermarkets? Browse the shops for cheese, curd puddings and chocolate-covered curd bars called "kohuke", as well as yoghurt and sour cream. Some supermarkets even stock up on fresh, unpasteurised milk. Most popular Estonian cheeses are usually either pure-tasting, dense and curdy, or smoked and bold-flavoured.
The great old sauerkraut and black pudding is a vital part of every Christmas dinner in Estonia. The soft and juicy fermented cabbage compliments the spiced sausages topped with cowberry jam. Estonian traditional dessert kama could be considered an acquired taste by some...and a tasty treat by others. This hearty dish is sweet and filling, made of cooked, dried and ground rye, barley and peas, and is best enjoyed with fermented milk, with an optional sweetener of your choice.
Liqueurs – Vana Tallinn spiced rum liqueur is the absolute favourite of locals and visitors alike. You'll also find a range of very unique juniper and caraway-flavoured spirits such as Kännu Kukk.
Kalev chocolates & marzipan – did you know that according to a medieval legend, marzipan was first made in Tallinn as a pharmaceutical experiment? Try it and we bet you'll wish all medicine tasted like Estonian marzipan.
Preserves & cakes – Estonian grandmothers truly are the world champions in jam making and cake baking. Want to taste it for yourself? Well, head to the country or to your local outdoor market for jars of blackcurrant, blueberry or buckthorn jams and pickled vegetables, and try the friendly downtown bakery for fluffy cakes, crumbles and pies. De-licious!
Medieval spirits and modern brews
A glass of rye ale to complement your gourmet outing? Then maybe a drop of an award-winning liqueur by a cosy fireplace to finish off the night... A rainbow of flavours and taste sensations, from fruity and crisp to full-bodied and spicy are served up in venues across Estonia.
Beer brewing tradition in today's Estonia is very much alive and kicking. The emerging success of the many microbreweries means that the age-old Estonian brewing tradition is brought from market stalls to supermarket isles and pub taps, with many Estonian beer houses and restaurants including Leib Resto ja Aed, Moon, Põhjaka and Alexander serving up their own speciality beers.
The many ways of Estonian beer
While the most common commercial brews you'll find stacked in Estonian mainstream supermarkets tend to be light and refreshing lager type beers, you can also find speciality ales such as Eesti Rukki Eil by Õllenaut, Virmalised by Põhjala and Vormsi Hele Eil by Vormsi island brewery (Vormsi Pruulikoda). On a warm summer's day, after a hot sauna or for a casual pint at the nearby pub, try Wiru juniper beer and a range of other barley beers on offer produced by the largest Estonian breweries Puls, Saku and A. Le Coq.
The best liqueurs around
Estonia is a gold mine for cocktail enthusiasts looking to mix or order up something truly adventurous. Here you can taste a range of award-winning flavours from sharp buckthorn to creamy chocolate. Vana Tallinn liqueur is the signature local drink and one of the most popular gifts to bring back home. This spiced citrucy liqueur balanced with cinnamon and smoothing vanilla is where medieval and modern taste palates meet. No surprise then that Vana Tallinn has won the highest awards at the prestigious Wine and Spirit Competition in London.
If you wish to explore Estonian spirits a little further, have a sip of the legendary local liqueur Kännu Kukk, which in itself is a tourist attraction. This strong, caraway-flavoured spirit boasts a unique life cycle and you can almost see the sugar crystals as they form in the bottom of the retro-themed bottle.
On the edge of the scenic Toompea hill overlooking medieval Tallinn, you'll find the former Luscher & Matiesen winery which has been brought back to life by some local wine enthusiasts and now operates as the Museum of Estonian Drink Culture. Entertaining legends from the prewar Estonia combined with wine tasting makes for a great introduction to Estonian drink culture.
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