Estonian cuisine

TraditionalEstonian cuisinehas substantially been based onmeatandpotatoes, and onfishin coastal and lakeside areas. However, it now shows influences from a variety of international cuisines and ingredients, with a number of contributions from the traditions of nearby countries.German,Swedish,Russian,Finnishand other influences have played their part. The most typical foods in Estonia have beenrye bread,barley,pork, fish, potatoes andcowdairy products.In terms ofstaple food, Estonia is similar to other countries in theBaltic Searegion.
The first course in traditional Estonian cuisine is based on cold dishes — a selection ofpickles, meats andsausages(vorst) served withpotato salad(kartulisalat),cottage cheese(kodujuust), orrosolje, an Estonian signature dish almost identical to Swedishsillsallad, based onbeetroot, potatoes andherring.Pirukad(small salty pastries filled with meat, fish,cabbage,carrots, cheese, or other fillings) are also popular, and are often served withpuljong(bouillon broth).
Herringis common among other fish as a part of the Estonian cold table. Smoked or marinatedeel, as well ascrayfish, are considered delicacies. One of Estonia's national dishes is the diminutiveBaltic herring(räim), the national fish of the country, along with thesprat(kilu). Spiced salted sprats with a slice of boiled egg on anopen sandwich(kiluvõileib) have been popularised as a distinctive Estonian appetiser.
Soupstraditionally formed a main meal option and nowadays are more often eaten as first course. Soups are typically made of meat orchicken stockmixed with a variety of vegetables,peas, eggs, pork or fish. Soups are also blended withsour cream, or milk.
Lõhesupp, a creamy soup which seems to lean more towards localhaute cuisine, is made withsalmon, potatoes andcream.Hernesupp(pea soup) is also quite popular.Käkisuppis balls of fried pork with lard, mixed with barley flour, cooked into soup.
Soups are still popular and are sold en masse in cans in grocery stores as quick everyday meals.
Black breadleib(orrukkileib, i.e "rye bread") accompanies almost every savory food in Estonia. Estonians continue to value their varieties of black rye-based bread.
Mulgikapsad(sauerkrautwith pork andpearl barley) is one food that is added in the list of the Estonian cultural heritageand can be considered to be Estonian national food.
Mulgipuderis the only Estonian national food that is in theUNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
The main dishes are probably the most eclectic part of modern Estonian cuisine, because many different dishes are tried.
Typical Estonian desserts include variants ofkohupiim(quark),kohupiimakreem(creamycurd),jäätis(ice cream),kama(acerealandlegumeflour eaten mixed with milk,buttermilk, orjogurt),mannavaht(a foamy cream made ofsemolinaand juice or fruit),kompott, andleivasupplit.'bread soup', a traditional sweet soup made of black bread andapples, served withsour creamorwhipped cream, almost identical to theLatviandishmaizes supa.
Pastriesor pies like thecinnamon bun,cardamom bunand differentcurdbuns are also eaten, mostly accompanied by coffee.Rhubarbpies are also a favorite. Another popular dessert iskringel(kringle), a sweet yeast bread often flavored withcardamom.Pancakes(pannkook) are also traditional, common and popular.Vastlakukkel, a cardamom-spiced bread roll with whipped cream is a traditional Estoniansweet roll, it is eaten during the festivities ofvastlapäev.
Mulgikorpis small round flatbreads or pastries covered with semolina or cottage cheese.
Nowadays,locally brewedbeeris the number one choice to accompany food;coffee, different juices or simply water being the main non-alcoholic choice. Tea and herbal teas are also drunk.Wineis the second most widely drunk alcoholic beverage, however the wine consumption volume in Estonia is overshadowed by that of beer — roughly five times more beer alone is being drunk than all the harder alcoholic beverages (including wine anddistilled spirits) counted together.There are also Estonian fruit wines made of apples or different berries. Estonia is also known for locally producedviin(vodka) and other kinds ofhard liquor.
Mead(mõdu), the alcoholic drink made ofhoneythat was most popular in ancient times, has almost completely disappeared.Hapurokk, an ancient drink made of fermented rye, is now produced only on the island ofKihnu.
Some other drinks whose popularity peaked in the 20th century, however are still consumed by some Estonians, includekali(similar tokvass) andbirch sap(kasemahl) beverages.
Besides milk (piim) other widely consumed dairy products includekeefirand alsohapupiim("sour milk") andpett, which are variations on the theme ofbuttermilk.
Yogurt, which was not produced in Estonia before the restoration of independence, has become a very popular everyday food, which is mostly sold sweetened and in both a liquid form and a creamier version.
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 history. Nowadays, they have remained as popular pastimes. It is popular tobarbecuein the summer.Eggs are painted and eaten duringEaster.
During the winter months,jam, preserves andpicklesare brought to the table. In the not so distant past, the gathering and conserving of fruits,edible mushroomsand vegetables for winter was more common, nowadays it is less so as almost everything can be bought from stores. However, preparing food for winter is still popular in the countryside and continues to retain its charm for many, as opposed to the commercialization of eating habits.
Oven-grilled pork,blood sausage(verivorst),roast goose(jõuluhani),jellied pork(sült),sauerkraut(hapukapsas) with oven-roasted potatoes, andmulled wine(hõõgvein, orglögi) have been part of the traditional Estonian menu that nowadays are mostly Christmas specialties. Also, typical Christmas treats have been apples,mandarin oranges,gingerbread, pickled pumpkin (kõrvitsasalat), andlingonberry jam.
After hunting and fishing, farming (in Estonia, since over 4000 years ago) became another important source of nutrients, especially food made fromcereals(e.g.,puder(porridge),rokk,leem, etc.) The oldest types of cereal grown in Estonia arebarleyandwheat.The most important turned out to be dark rye bread made from leavened dough, that started to be baked about a thousand years ago and became synonymous with food in the figurative sense.In addition to bread, a dish made from unleavened barley dough was baked calledkarask, in later timessepikwas also made from wheat flour, and a white wheat breadsaiwas served on holidays. Turnip was also staple food in Estonia before potato and among other vegetables, cabbage andswedewere well-known for a long time.
Potato cultivation started in Estonia in the middle of the 18th century, and starting from the end of the 19th century it became a dominant part of the daily Estonian diet.By the first half of the 20th century, Estonia was either the first (or second after Poland) in the world in terms of potato production per capita.
Until the 20th century, meat was not a frequent item on the menu of Estonian commoners. Farmers would slaughter animals in the autumn and the pig's head and legs were cooked into a dish calledsült.Silk(Baltic herring) was a fish dish that was eaten salted and appeared much more often on the common people's table. Fresh fish was usually available on the sea coast and by larger lakes. The food selection of the rural population was influenced by the cuisine of the localBaltic Germanlandowners and the wealthier urban class, which was more diverse.
There are still some differences between the cuisines of the two historical regions of Estonia. In Southern Estonia, the farmers grew somewhat more prosperous in the 19th century, and enjoyed a more diverse cuisine compared to Northern Estonia.For example,kama,kohupiim(quark),sõir(a cooked mixture of milk, cottage cheese and eggs)and various dishes made fromlegumesoriginate from Southern Estonia.
In the second half of the 19th century, along with urbanisation and rapidly changing economic conditions, eating habits in Estonia turned more complex as new ingredients and innovative food preparation methods became available to the general public.Semolina,rice,sugar, coffee andspicesappeared in shops. Along with the evolving international trade, new culinary influences and consumption trends arrived to Estonia: mostly from Germany, and from nearbySaint Petersburg(then capital of theRussian Empire).
In the 1920s and 1930s, a second layer of Estonian cuisine developed in the newly independent country. Since then, such typical dishes in Estonia as thepickledcucumber, pickledpumpkin,liver pâté,cutlets, mashed potatoes,mayonnaisesalads,cabbage rolls,kissell, semolina foam, and flat cakes have become well known.
During the period of Soviet occupation (1944-1991), the Estonian daily diet was markedly influenced by what little ingredients were available in, and also what new culinary ideas arrived from, the USSR:borš,seljanka,rassolnik,pelmeenidetc. arrived in canteens and restaurants, whereasšašlõkkappeared in more private events. At the same time, the limited selection of food and especially condiments was felt. Under the Soviet rule, Estonians "invented" several desserts that would most commonly be eaten during birthdays, e.gkirju koer(cocoa powderandbuttermixed with crumbled cookies andmarmalade, put in the freezer overnight) andkass Artur(softtoffeeand butter mixed with fluffy corn sticks, frozen overnight).
Since the country regained independence in 1991, modern Estonian cuisine has been influenced byglobalization:pizza,pasta,hamburgers,french friesetc. are nowadays as common as rye bread, pork, boiled potatoes and herring as staple foods. In the 21st century, it has been argued that the traditional Estonian cuisine has less importance. However, during the most important holidays and celebrations, and also every day, traditional foods are still preferred in families and among friends.