Month: August 2018

Mayonnaise Cookies. Majoneesiküpsised

majoneesikypsis (3)Estonian first University was established in 1632 and The University of Tartu is among the top 2% of the world`s universities and the highest-ranked in the Baltic States.
We are very proud of our educational system.
Estonia, Finland and Canada rank high on PISA tests. The Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) is a triennial international survey which aims to evaluate education systems worldwide by testing the skills and knowledge of 15-year-old students.

Estonia is a digital society.
I need only 5 minutes to fill out a declaration of my income tax or get a doctor prescription or to participate in elections. Because of e- state and e-government.
Estonia has started teaching first graders to code.  And final GoCompare research has revealed Tallinn to be the world best city for millennials starting a business 🙂

September 1 is celebrated as Knowledge Day in Estonia. School Summer Holiday is over and an academic year runs again from 1 September.

Let’s celebrate with us and prepare simple retro Mayonnaise Cookies.
Despite the Mayonnaise, these cookies are sweet.

Continue reading “Mayonnaise Cookies. Majoneesiküpsised” →

Estonian Vegetable Salad. Toome salat

toomesalat1(1)The good child has many names.  This Toome salad has the other name “Pail Salad”.

Word “Toome” has two meanings, as well.

Toome- bird cherry, and Toome as international meaning – “Dom”

It was not a very long time ago when from October until May we have not fresh vegetables and fruits.  Around a year were available only a few: apple, cabbage, onion, cranberries, cowberries, turnip, carrots. And that is all.
To get all others, we made preserves: salted, marinades, jams, compote…

The origin of the  Toome Salad dates back to this time.
In the autumn put all mothers and grandmothers these salad ingredients as layers into the pail. Salad settled overnight, and later, the salad was heated, canned in banks to preserve vitamins for over winter.
Now we have not to need for this. Fresh cucumbers are available around a year and we can make this salad every day.

Continue reading “Estonian Vegetable Salad. Toome salat” →

Potato Skins. Kartulikoored

kartulikoored1 (19)

Estonians are the singing nation. We regained independence without any bloodshed only by singing…

The Singing Revolution lasted over 4 years and In 1990 Estonians promised to eat even potato peelings in name of independent state.

In order to handle the deficit, in 1990 the government  established a rationing system. This meant that for buying a product in a shop one had to produce not just a bank-note – the rouble – but also a special coupon. The coupon was actually a simple piece of paper cut out from a printed A4 sheet. These coupons were distributed to households according to the number of family members.
1991, 20th of august we got freedom and independent state. Few months later were stores full of different goods and food.  Would be only money for that 🙂

But, we still like potato skins, because of delicious taste 🙂

Celebrate with us 🙂
Continue reading “Potato Skins. Kartulikoored” →

Freshly Salted Cucumbers. Estonian Salt pickles. Värsked soolakurgid

soolakurk 1(2)You can find from my blog already few recipes how to make freshly salted cucumbers.

For example this recipe or this.

And now, one more recipe. You need salt and garlic and a little bit of time to get  very delicious solution,

Black currant leaves and horse-radish leaves and root are necessary to get the  perfect Estonian taste.
Where to use ? Eat as appetizer or with sandwich. Or cook seljanka, Kurzeme stroganoff or Rassolnik.

 

 

 

Continue reading “Freshly Salted Cucumbers. Estonian Salt pickles. Värsked soolakurgid” →

Alatskivi #visitestonia #eesti100 #estonia100 #alatskivi

alatskivi1 (2)Alatskivi located right on the shore of Peipsi lake in Nina village. Alatskivi Castle is a Neo-Gothic castle in Alatskivi, Estonia. Dating to the 17th century, it is situated in Alatskivi. Visit Alatskivi Castle during summertime to admire beautiful roses and enjoy Peipsi lake.

Peipsi area is home to Old Believers, a traditional religious minority recognised as hard-working and skillful fishermen, builders and keen onion cultivators. 

Estonia is the Paradise of Introverts 🙂 Estonians saying : A good neighbour is one where you can just barely see the smoke of their chimney from your window.’
In Estonia  you can feel, how is to be last soul in the Earth 🙂 You can drive through the Estonian countryside and not see another living soul for miles.

And be careful. This is the area of States Borders. Be careful and follow signs. Latvia is in EU and you welcome to visit Latvia, but for Russia you need visa.

Alatskivi (14)
Alatskivi Castle

Continue reading “Alatskivi #visitestonia #eesti100 #estonia100 #alatskivi” →

Chicken in Blueberry Marinade. Kana mustikamarinaadis

mustikakana 1(4)Yes. Pink and blue food does not look very appetizing. But the sour and sweet taste of Blueberries complements the chicken delicious flavour.

Honey balances the acidity of blueberries and horseradish gives the necessary sparkle and character.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Continue reading “Chicken in Blueberry Marinade. Kana mustikamarinaadis” →

Vilsandi Island #visitestonia #Eesti100 #estonia100 #vilsandi

Estonia’s territories include a group of 2,222 islands and islets in the Baltic Sea.
The island of Vilsandi, Saaremaa Parish, Saare County, Estonia is located in the Baltic Sea. It covers an area of some 9 square km and is the westernmost populated island in Estonia.

Vilsandi 19.august 2006 004
Vilsandi is the oldest nature protection area in the Baltics, created in 1910, and reorganised as the Vilsandi National Park in 1993. There are over a hundred islands with lots of birds at the Vilsandi… …

You will find calmest place on earth. In Estonia  you can feel, how is to be last soul in the Earth 🙂 You can drive through the Estonian countryside and not see another living soul for miles.

My family is from South Estonia, but 15 years ago my parents moved to Saaremaa.

 

Continue reading “Vilsandi Island #visitestonia #Eesti100 #estonia100 #vilsandi” →