Latvian national dishes with the name. National dishes of Latvia: names, recipes, cooking features, photos. Dessert dishes of Latvia

Latvia is known to many as an agrarian country. Therefore, it is not surprising that the local cuisine is based mainly on agricultural products. In this publication, I would like to consider the most interesting national dishes of Latvia. Recipes with photos will be presented later in the article.

The specifics of Latvian cuisine

The culinary traditions of the country have developed due to the influence of several gastronomic trends. The first concerns the traditions of the German part of the population. It was this people who taught the Latvians to use all kinds of marinades, smoked meats, and pickles. Another direction was formed among the local peasants, whose daily diet consisted of dairy products, cereals, meat and potatoes. The combination of such influences is responsible for the formation of modern Latvian cuisine.

The coastal location of the territories of the state caused the appearance of a wide range of fish dishes. Most recipes involve the use of marine products, in particular cod, herring, herring, mackerel. Almost every Latvian restaurant offers salmon dishes.

Latvian cuisine looks incomplete without the local rye bread, which is used in organizing any feast, is considered a national treasure. The product is used even in the composition of soups, desserts, yogurts.

As you can see, the Latvian national cuisine has many specific features. We will not dwell on the traditions of the region. Let's proceed directly to the consideration of names, recipes and tips for preparing local dishes.

Putra

What should you definitely try from the national dishes of Latvia? It is worth starting with a dish known as putra. The food is unique to Latvians and has no analogues in the world. This national dish of Latvia is prepared as follows:

Take a set of ingredients: fish, meat, cereals, potatoes.
Products are boiled until cooked in separate containers.
The components of the future dish are mixed.
Add kefir and cottage cheese.
The resulting mixture is kept for a day in a cool room or on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator.
The next day, the finished putra is served at the table.

Several centuries ago, such a dish had the number one status on the table of Latvian peasants. Nowadays, it has been completely forgotten. You can order the national dish of Latvia in Riga only in a few restaurants.

Potatoes with cottage cheese and herring

Let's talk about another national dish of Latvia - potatoes with cottage cheese and herring. Even at the end of the last century, you could see it on the menu of any local restaurant or public dining room. Now this traditional dish is not so in high demand. The combination of these products may seem inorganic. In fact, the ingredients complement each other perfectly.

The national dish of Latvia involves the use of the following components:

Potatoes - about four pieces.
Cottage cheese - 250 grams.
Onions are one thing.
Large herring.
Pickled cucumbers - 3 pieces.
Chopped dill and parsley - a tablespoon.
Sour cream - 3-4 tablespoons.

The recipe for the national dish of Latvia is extremely simple. Separately, boil the potatoes and lay on half the plate. Add sliced herring, chopped onion in half rings, cottage cheese with sour cream and pickles. Top everything with herbs.

The dish is served to the table with several slices of rye bread.

beer soup

One of the main national dishes of Latvia is extraordinary. The following products are used as components:

Beer - 0.5 liters.
Egg - 1 piece.
Sugar - 100 grams.
Cumin - 2 tablespoons.

First, the beer is brought to a boil, pre-mixed with cumin. Sugar is ground with egg yolk. The resulting composition is poured into hot beer. The ingredients are kept on low heat until the first signs of boiling. The dish is served to the table along with toasted croutons and hard cheese.

Silkmeisee

The national dish of Latvia, whose name sounds like silkumaisee, at one time was no less popular than the above recipes. To prepare this traditional dish, herring is cut into small slices and poured with milk. The ingredients are mixed with hard-boiled eggs. Add a spoonful of vegetable oil and a similar amount of mustard powder. Together with chopped dill, all components are mixed until a homogeneous mass is obtained.

Cut rye bread with a thickness of no more than one and a half centimeters. The slices are slightly dried in the oven or oven, and then spread with butter. The previously prepared herring mixture is laid on top. Sausages cut into thin strips are used as the top layer.

Baltic beetroot

An extremely unusual dish is beetroot, to which smoked cod is added. The product is traditionally served chilled. Cooking becomes especially relevant on hot summer days.

The dish is prepared on the basis of the following ingredients:

Medium-sized beets - 2 pieces.
Fresh cucumber - one piece.
Smoked cod - 200 grams.
Chicken eggs - 2 pieces.
An apple is one.
Large burgundy onion - half.
Olive oil - 2 tablespoons.
A bunch of green onions.
Salt, black pepper - to taste.
Sour cream - a tablespoon.
Rye bread - a few slices.

Boil the beets, after cleaning the peel with a metal brush. Water is not poured out, but decanted into a deep bowl. Boiled beets are returned here after cutting into strips. Rye bread is also placed in the liquid. The container is covered with a lid and put in a cold place overnight. Take out the bread from the saucepan. The base of the soup is salted and peppered. Add diced apple and cucumber.

Boil hard-boiled eggs and knead thoroughly. Cut the onion into half rings. Smoked cod is torn into fibers by hand. Chop green onions. The ingredients are lightly fried in olive oil. Products are distributed on plates and poured with beetroot. As a finishing touch, use a spoonful of sour cream.

Peasant breakfast

The traditional Latvian dish is known not only within the country, but is also in demand in neighboring countries. An arbitrary amount of smoked loin and homemade sausage is used as ingredients. Boil young potatoes based on the number of people available. A few chicken eggs are driven into a glass of milk and mixed until a homogeneous consistency. Put boiled potatoes, sausage and loin in the pan. The ingredients are poured with a milk-egg mixture, and then baked until golden brown.

Buberts

Buberts is a rather interesting, original dish of the national cuisine of Latvia. The meal is an unusual semolina porridge. The product is prepared on the basis of the following ingredients:

Semolina - 100 grams.
Milk - 500 ml.
Chicken eggs - 2-3 pieces.
Grated chocolate - a small handful.
Sugar - half a tablespoon.
A pinch of salt.
Sauce based on cranberries, starch and sugar.

How is the national dish of Latvia prepared? Take egg yolks. The latter are whipped with sugar. Proteins are mixed with salt until foam is formed. Milk is heated on the stove, and after boiling, it is poured into semolina in a small stream, stirring the composition. The mixture is again sent to the fire and boiled for 3-5 minutes until swelling. Then add beaten egg yolks and whites.

Ready buberts are poured into a deep plate. Top the porridge with cranberry sauce and sprinkle with grated chocolate. Use the dish after cooling to room temperature.

Milk soup with fish

We note one more national Latvian dish, which is based, it would seem, on incompatible products. As ingredients used:

Potatoes - 4 pieces.
Onions - one piece.
Milk - about half a liter.
Hake - 400 grams.
Dried parsley - a teaspoon.
Butter - 20 grams.
Salt, black pepper, bay leaf - to taste.

First boil the fish. Chopped potatoes and onions are added to the hake broth. The soup is salted and peppered, put a bay leaf. When the vegetables reach readiness, milk is poured into the composition. The dish is poured into plates, adding butter and parsley.

Apple pie

The apple tree is a widespread tree in Latvian latitudes. Therefore, it is not surprising that many desserts are prepared here using such fruits.

The national dish of Latvia - apple pie - requires the use of the following ingredients:

Flour - 2 cups.
Apples cut into small cubes - 500 grams.
Butter - 300 grams.
Eggs - 4 pieces.
Sugar - one glass.
Baking soda - dessert spoon.

Butter is melted in a saucepan. Add the egg yolks ground with sugar. Mix the ingredients well. Pour flour and soda into the container. Products continue to knead with a spoon until a consistency resembling thick sour cream is formed. Crushed apples are added to the dough, and then beaten egg whites.

Grease a baking sheet with oil. Sprinkle the surface with a thin layer of breadcrumbs. The prepared dough is poured here. Preheat the oven to a temperature of 200 o C. The pie is baked for 30-40 minutes.

bread soup

The dish is a traditional Latvian dessert. The food is served cold. The basis is rye bread, which looks rather unusual.

Ingredients for cooking:

Rye bread without yeast - 150 grams.
Boiled water - 2 cups.
Dried fruits - 150 grams.
Cream of medium fat content - 60 ml.
Cranberries - 50 grams.
Sugar - 4 tablespoons.
Cinnamon and vanilla - a small pinch.
Cookies - to taste.

The bread is cut into slices, after which they are laid in an even layer over the entire area of the baking sheet, previously covered with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 160 ° C. The bread is fried for half an hour. Then the croutons are removed from the oven and cooled. The product is poured with water and left to soak for 35-40 minutes.

Wash dried fruits using a colander and then dry. Soaked bread is ground into gruel. Half the norm of sugar and cinnamon are added here. The mixture is combined with dried fruits. The semi-liquid composition is sent to the stove. The soup is boiled over medium heat for 10 minutes. After cooling, the dish is placed in the refrigerator for several hours.

They take cranberries, wash them under running water and crush them with a spoon. The berries are rubbed through a sieve. The resulting juice with pulp particles is added to the dish. The cream is whipped together with the remaining sugar and vanilla and then mixed into the soup. Sprinkle the top with crushed biscuits.

The culinary traditions of the Slavic nation, the Western European people have formed the national Latvian cuisine. Such an impact is reflected in the ready-made traditional recipes of original Latvian chefs. Experts in the art of international culinary rank easily determine the presence of elements of German, Estonian, Lithuanian, Belarusian cuisines. Ease of cooking is the main rule of Latvians. Local chefs prefer natural products of farmers and livestock breeders. The territorial location of the state is the hallmark of food in Latvia based on the gifts of the Baltic Sea.

In order to visit the country, it is necessary to apply for a visa to Latvia in advance.

Traditional first courses

The table feast of the Latvians has certain traditions. Soup is the primary hot dish presented in the menu of local national food restaurants. The first glance of a visiting tourist is easily confused by the inconsistency of the ingredients of the dishes, which is much inferior to the unsurpassed taste of cooking by skilled Lithuanian chefs. Residents, foreign visitors to the state are offered a rich list of traditional soup dishes:

"Milk broth with herring" (the main ingredients are milk, chopped potatoes, pieces of herring, onions, sour cream);
"Blueberry broth with dumplings" (dumplings - flour, eggs, starch; broth - milk, blueberries, sugar);
"Beer broth" (the beer component is filled with boiled eggs, cottage cheese, breadcrumbs, sour cream, butter);
“Mushroom broth with milk” (preference is given to oyster mushrooms, milk, overcooked onions, cubed potato tubers, seasonings);
"Bread stew" (milk base, pieces of bread crumbs, dried fruits, cinnamon powder);
“Cold broth” (vegetable ingredients - beets, cucumbers, fresh herbs, potatoes are seasoned with liquid kefir, it is possible to use eggs, cold cuts);
"Pea Soup" (traditional soup recipe of Russian cuisine is complemented by smoked meats);
"Putra" (liquid milk soup-puree based on cereals, legumes).

Traditional second courses

Simplicity, satiety of Latvian cuisine characterizes the flavor of national traditions. Homemade meat products, vegetation form the basis of the recipe of the Slavic people. This category of national dishes is characterized by serving fatty, rich sauces. The basis of thick gravy is butter, cream of high fat content. The list of popular food in Latvia that belongs to the category of second hot dishes is:

"Klops" (chopped pieces of meat seasoned with onion sauce);
"Meat casserole" (side dish is crushed potatoes);
"Blood sausage" (a type of sausage product based on bovine (pig) blood);
"Blood pancakes" (the recipe for pancakes involves the use of pet blood instead of milk);
"Camaro" (a special type of chicken stew);
"Perlovka milk" (porridge with the addition of smoked meat);
"Bean cutlets" (a dish of minced vegetable);
"Peasant's Breakfast" (the preparation of the dish is based on home-made smoked loin, boiled potatoes, filled with a mixture of eggs and milk);
"Sklandrausis" (rye dough is baked in the form of a basket filled with eggs, carrots, potatoes in mayonnaise).

National fish dishes

Due to the close location of the Baltic Sea, food in Latvia is represented by a variety of fish dishes and seafood. Latvians prefer a variety of fish - herring, mackerel, cod, bream, perch, flounder, carp. The following recipes are in high demand:

"Zivu pudins" (fish casserole, the basis is cod);
"Siltu pudins" (fish casserole, the basis is herring);
"Fried herring" (cooking this type of fish in onion sauce);
"Baked herring" (pickled fish is fried with coals);
"Fish in batter";
"Red fish baked" (preference is given to salmon, trout);
Charcoal flounder (a special recipe for grilled sea fish);
"Sprats in Latvian" (herring in oil).

Dessert dishes of Latvia

The category of obligatory, satisfying food in Latvia is bread baking. This product is usually served with main hot dishes. The recipe for bread involves the use of wheat, rye flour of various grinding. Latvians especially appreciate sour bread, nut bread, with caraway, dried fruits. Dessert is considered an obligatory dish of the national cuisine of Latvia. Pastries, sweets occupy a special place among the variety of food of the Latvian people:

"Rice pudding" (sugar rich pastries with the addition of dried fruits);
"Vetsriga" (a special recipe for baking called "Old Riga");
"Eclairs" (chocolate dessert with custard);
"Latvian apples" (juicy fruits in puff pastry, doused with heavy cream);
"Bubert" (recipe for milk semolina involves the use of grated nuts, fruit nectar);
“Riga bagels” (custard cakes in powdered sugar);
"Piparkukas" (shortbread cookies with pepper, nuts, cinnamon, clove seasoning);
the category of desserts is made up of the famous Latvian sweets “Korovka”, curd cheese bars “Karums”, ice cream.

If you have not yet decided where exactly you want to go on vacation, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the reasons to visit Latvia.

Food for 6 euros at the market in Riga, video:

Healthy drinks (0% alcohol) of natural production are very popular among the people of Latvia - coffee, tea, birch sap, rye kvass, natural juices, mineral water. The category of typical drinks that include a low alcohol content is local beer, prepared according to the technology of basic traditional recipes. Beer brands - Tervetes, Bauskas Tumsais, Cesu alus, Aldaris Luxusa, Uzavas, Bauskas Gaisais, Piebalgas, Aldaris Zelta - have a high degree of superiority. Garlic croutons are considered a great addition to this drink. The national drink of Latvia with a high alcohol content is Riga Black Balsam.

The most common question we hear from tourists is: “What can you try?”. I'm talking point by point.

1. Pyparkukas

Peppered cookies, beloved by many in Latvia, are not only one of the symbols of the Christmas holidays in Latvia, but also remain on the table of almost every Latvian family all year round.

The composition of cookies traditionally includes black or allspice, cloves, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Fragrant and spicy, piparkukas can be found in any store in the country in the form of cute round suns or figured cookies in the shape of stars, hearts, Christmas trees and men.

Very popular, especially among children, are large curly gingerbread-piparkukas, decorated with multi-colored sugar icing.

2. Gray peas

Gray peas are perhaps the first dish associated with the Latvian national cuisine. This authentic dish is also traditional for Christmas, but you can taste it at any other time of the year.

A special - brownish-gray - variety of peas is grown only in Latvia. The recipe for its preparation is simple and ingenious: peas are boiled in water, and then mixed with fried bacon, fat and onions remaining from it.

Gray peas are served in clay pots with sour cream or kefir.

3. Black balm

We already wrote about this national landmark in the review "".

According to legend, it was created back in the 18th century by either the city blacksmith or the pharmacist Abram Kunz. They even say that with his healing potion he treated Catherine II for stomach colic.

The balm, poured into authentic earthenware jugs, has a unique bitter taste and rich aroma and is just perfect for use, both in its pure form and in company with hot drinks, especially coffee.

In Latvia, it is customary to mix it with warm blackcurrant juice - you can’t imagine a better way to warm up and restore strength at the first sign of a cold.

The recipe for the Riga Balsam is kept more secret than Coca-Cola, but Rigans know that the drink contains St. John's wort, lemon balm, mint, ginger, wormwood, birch buds, and about 20 other ingredients.

4 Lamprey

Lamprey is a river fish that vaguely resembles an eel. Latvian peasants catch it in the clear waters of Latvian rivers and smoke it. Smoked lamprey is a peculiar, but exquisite delicacy, which is served as a cold appetizer in many restaurants of national cuisine.

You can find smoked lamprey at the Central Market in Riga and in the fish departments of Latvian supermarkets. However, connoisseurs are not too lazy to go for smoked lamprey in the town of Carnikava, 40 km from Riga, where local fishermen cook this delicious fish according to special local recipes.

Every third Saturday in August, the fishermen and peasants of Carnikava celebrate Lamprey Day, which marks the beginning of the season for catching this fish.

5. Cottage cheese with herring and potatoes

No matter how incongruous this set of ingredients may seem, together they add up to a dish beloved by Latvians.

There are a lot of variations of this dish - from a simple worker-peasant snack to a sophisticated gastronomic masterpiece. With herbs or spices, with pickled or salted herring, in oil or sauce, with hot or cold potatoes - choose what is closer to you.

Here you will find proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in a balanced form, and at the same time you will also immerse yourself in the national culture and cuisine.

6. Bread soup

Bread soup, perhaps, takes the first place among Latvian desserts. It is made from ground rye bread, which is mixed with sugar, cinnamon, raisins, dried apricots and other dried fruits. This mass is served in bowls and generously flavored with whipped cream.

You will find bread soup in almost every Latvian cafe, and if you wish, you can buy a mixture for making this delicacy in a grocery store and then pamper your household. With homemade cream - delicious!

7. Old Riga

Another dessert strongly associated with the image of Riga. Translated into Russian, the name of this cake means “Old Riga”, by the way, it was here that they once went for it from all over the city.

Vecriga is a round choux pastry profiterole stuffed with tender curd cream and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Such is the traditional Riga eclair.

A classic among those who like to sit in cozy cafes of the city is a set of a cup of hot coffee, a small glass of Black Balsam and an old Riga.

Such a set is served in a cafe at, as well as in other cafes in Riga and Latvia.

8. Roy delicacy

One of the most popular fish dishes in Latvia comes from the fishing village of Roja today is not easy to find. The roja delicacy appeared in the 70s of the 20th century, when Roja was one of the largest fish processors in Soviet Latvia.

According to the original recipe for cooking this dish, mackerel or horse mackerel is smoked at a temperature of about 30 degrees for a day, and sometimes longer, and then seasoned with spices and dried garlic.

Unfortunately, the days of Roja's former glory are behind us, and a few fishermen are reluctantly associated with such a long technology for the production of a delicacy. However, you should not lose heart: if you are not lucky enough to find a real Roy delicacy, feel free to take hot smoked mackerel.

Sprinkled with herbs and spices and covered with a layer of melted cheese, this fish goes just as well!

9. Berry wines

Nature has deprived Latvia of sunny days, and therefore grapes, which love warmth and sunshine so much, do not ripen in Latvian latitudes. But the forests and farms of the country are rich in all kinds of berries, from which wonderful, aromatic wine is obtained.

Strawberries, raspberries, cherries, currants, aronia (chokeberry), quince (northern quince), cranberries, lingonberries, blueberries, blackberries, rhubarb and even dandelions together and separately create excellent bouquets of flavors that are so rich in Latvian berry wines.

They are consumed not only in the traditional, chilled form, but also excellent hot and intoxicating drinks are made from wine with the addition of sugar, fruits and spices.

Treat yourself to a glass of hot berry wine while walking around the Christmas markets in Riga during the winter holidays!

10. Quince

The fruit of this typical Latvian plant is good not only in the composition of wine. Quince is preserved, jam is made from it, syrups and aromatic oils are made, and even edible amber is prepared!

This fruit has many names - northern quince, Japanese quince or chaenomelis, while Latvians called it the Latvian lemon. And indeed - the fruits of quince are rich in vitamin C, and other trace elements, which makes it not only tasty, but also very healthy.

A few quince bushes are sure to grow in every Latvian gardener, so that on chilly winter days you can treat yourself to a mug of hot tea with fragrant quince syrup.

11. Latvian cheese

Here we mean not all Latvian cheese as a whole, but a separate variety of it, which is called “Latvian”. This semi-hard type of cheese has a soft spongy texture and an unimaginably pungent odor. Someone even compares the aroma of Latvian cheese with three weeks of unwashed footcloths.

The taste of this cheese is also very piquant, sharp and rich, able to give odds to any French Roquefort. It is simply impossible to confuse it with another cheese. Latvian cheese is eaten with pasta, used in aromatic sauces or simply put on a sandwich.

True, it will be difficult to take this cheese out of Latvia - its smell seeps even through vacuum packaging and quickly spreads through a suitcase, luggage compartment and the entire cabin of an airplane or train.

12. Beer

This foamy drink is certainly nothing special. Beer is brewed in Germany, Belgium, the Czech Republic and even Japan, however, Latvian beer is worth a special mention.

Beer is brewed in Latvia, both by large factories such as Aldaris, Cēsu or Bauskas, as well as by many small breweries that apply all their love for the craft and traditions to make a truly wonderful drink.

In every town and every bar you will find something different, special and very tasty!

13. Rye (black) bread

Latvian black bread, along with cheese, balm and sprats, has always been the main gastronomic souvenir that was brought from Latvia to friends and relatives abroad.

Latvian products, centuries-old traditions and the skill of local bakers have formed a single whole in black bread, which is sold in abundance in shops and bakeries of the country. The bread is especially delicious, prepared with love by small bakeries that respect the environment, historical recipes and craft secrets.

Made with sourdough, as in the old days, with seeds and dried fruits, Latvian sweet and sour bread is rightfully considered one of the main delicacies of the country.

14. Pudding with cranberry jelly

Rice, semolina or oatmeal pudding (and sometimes just pasta casserole) abundantly watered with sour cranberry jelly is next to bread soup and vecriga on the pedestal of popularity.

Once pudding with jelly was included in the standard set of dishes in factory canteens, they were fed to children in kindergartens and schools and patients in city hospitals.

This dish is so firmly entrenched in the diet of the inhabitants of Latvia that today it is absolutely impossible to imagine a business lunch without a traditional jelly dessert.

15. Cranberries in sugar

This sweetness (or sourness?) is still extremely popular among Latvian gourmets. Large and juicy, cranberries grow in abundance in the swamps of the country, and therefore the Latvians do not experience a shortage of this product.

However, if you want to taste a truly Latvian delicacy, you should go to the town of Sigulda, where on stalls among souvenirs and handicrafts you can find organic cranberries prepared in accordance with all the postulates of Ayurveda based on ghee.

Along with this cranberry, you will probably want to take with you a package of homemade oatmeal cookies baked in butter or a wafer roll with boiled condensed milk.

Traditional Latvian cuisine combines dishes typical of the entire Baltic region, as well as German, pan-European and Russian cuisine. Basically, they cook here from fish, smoked meat and sour-milk products.

The national dishes of Latvia are distinguished by their simplicity and satiety. Here they appreciate vegetables, vitamin berries, and sometimes they create real masterpieces from them. In green markets in small towns, you can buy organic products or ready meals.

Traditional Latvian cuisine

We have collected the most common Latvian dishes for you, and we recommend trying them.

Putra- vegetable and grain porridge with bacon, smoked meat or fish is truly satisfying. Although it is considered a simple folk dish, nevertheless, its analogues can be found in many restaurants.

curdled milk, fermented milk porridges, are popular throughout Latvia, as are all kinds of homemade cheeses like backstein. BUT caraway son you can easily buy in any market and in many supermarkets. It is a common snack in restaurants.

Latvians love originality, so you can't surprise anyone here with spicy milk soup with fish, a dish popular in the Baltic coastal regions.

Sour barley porridge skābputra prepared from curdled milk and cereals, sour for several days for a special flavor for an amateur.

sausages kupaty with lingonberries and lingonberry sauce are unusual, and their recipe is quite complicated, so try this dish in Latvia, you won't regret it.

Silkupudins considered a good cold appetizer, it is a casserole with herring and potatoes. Simple and satisfying, it is popular everywhere.

Also try the onion steak. bugs, a rather fatty and voluminous dish of Latvian cuisine, which is difficult not to eat.

Sklandrausis can be found in many cafes and shops, restaurants and fairs. It's a regular vegetable pie and it's really delicious.

Latvian dessert bubert made from semolina porridge with whipped cream, nuts, vanilla and cranberry sauce.

Of the non-alcoholic drinks in Lithuania, which are also dishes, one can name various types of jelly putels with rhubarb, milk, cream or fruit. Bread kvass is almost everywhere.

Almost all alcoholic drinks in Lithuania are good. Riga Melnais Balzams is beyond competition. Aldaris Luxusa, Aldaris Zelta and Bauskas Gaisais are popular among light beers, while Porteris and Bauskas Tumsais are popular among dark beers.

Snacks in Latvia

Rye bread

Black bread is an important part of the life of a Latvian. Unlike any other rye bread you've tried, it's baked according to old recipes, often by hand. In Latvia, you will be served some kind of bread with any dish. Rye bread is usually made with rye flour, buttermilk, salt, water, and cumin to taste.

Pies with vegetables (Sklandu raushi)

Pies with vegetables - sklandu raushi - are mostly eaten in Kurzeme. These pies are made from rye or wheat flour, margarine, sugar, salt and eggs. The filling is usually potato or carrot. Often such a pie is served with sour cream.

Latvian buns with bacon

These buns are served as a snack, as well as during lunch (with a bowl of broth) or during a party. They taste best when eaten hot, right out of the oven, so to speak, but they can also be eaten chilled or reheated. As a rule, they are made from flour, milk, pork, onions, yeast, sugar, salt and eggs. This dish is a must on the Christmas table.

Pork jelly

This is one of the typical Latvian dishes, which is cooked in almost every home. Kholodets is a dish whose ingredients are added to a jelly made from meat broth and consommé. Pork jelly in Latvia is usually made from young pig meat (usually shank and ribs), eggs, onions, carrots, celery, parsley, bay leaves, as well as salt, pepper and garlic, which will enrich the taste of the dish. Boiled meat and boiled vegetables are carefully laid out in a bowl and poured with broth, after which it is all infused in the refrigerator. Pork jelly goes well with vinegar, mustard, horseradish and salads.

Herring under a Fur Coat

Recipe: remove the scales and soak the herring. Cut the fillet and put it on a plate. Cut the vegetables into cubes and make the next layer out of them. Alternate layers several times. Mix sour cream, horseradish, salt and sugar and dress the salad (do not stir!). Sprinkle the salad with chopped green onions. Garnish the dish with boiled carrots.

Janov cheese (cumin cheese)

Today, the most popular Latvian holiday is Janov's Day (summer solstice), the main attributes of this holiday are cheese and beer, they can be found on every festive table. Usually Yanov cheese is made from dry cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, eggs, butter, salt and cumin. Recipes for this cheese appeared hundreds of years ago.

Soups in Latvia

Green cabbage soup

Green cabbage soup is a soup made from water, sorrel and salt. The soup may also include ingredients such as egg yolks or boiled eggs and boiled potatoes. The Latvian version of this soup also includes carrots, onions, dill, pork, and pearl barley, which can be used instead of potatoes. The soup can be served hot or cold, usually served with sour cream. This soup is found in Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Lithuanian and Eastern European Jewish cuisines.

Soup with meatballs

Latvian meatball soup is a popular Latvian soup with a rich taste. The soup is prepared simply: potatoes and carrots are boiled in the broth, then meatballs are added. Meatballs are usually made from a mixture of ground beef, bread crumbs, finely chopped onions, eggs, salt and pepper. Soup with meatballs is served in a small deep bowl with sour cream, chopped pickles, dill and parsley.

Skaba putra (soup with sour cream)

Another traditional Latvian dish that you can find here is sour cream soup. It is made from barley, water or buttermilk. This is a summer dish that is chilled for 6-12 hours, which is what makes it so refreshing! Sour cream is added at the last minute. The soup is served cold with herring or bread and butter.

Hot in Latvia

Gray peas with bacon

Gray peas with bacon are usually cooked during Kolyada, but the dish can also be eaten as a main dish. Usually, it is preferred to be eaten with buttermilk or sour milk.

Braised sauerkraut

This is a signature dish that appeared under the influence of German cuisine. This delicious dish is extremely easy to prepare: sauerkraut is fried in oil with onions, carrots, salt and pepper. Lightly fried sauerkraut goes well with roast pork and other meat dishes.

Fish cooked in milk

This main dish is popular throughout the country. The recipe is very simple: fish pieces are cooked in hot milk in a saucepan along with onion rings, grated carrots, parsley, salt and pepper. After the fish is ready, sour cream is added to make a delicious creamy sauce. The fish is usually served with the sauce in which it was cooked, boiled potatoes and a seasoning of aromatic herbs.

Desserts in Latvia

Debesmann (cranberry mousse)

This dessert is made from cranberries, black or red currants, strawberries, raspberries or other berries or juice. I usually add water, sugar and semolina. Mousse is served in deep bowls; it is eaten with cold milk.

Apple pie

The apple tree is a widespread tree in Latvia, so many dishes here are prepared with apples. Apple pie is easy to make and doesn't take long. Main ingredients: flour, milk, yeast, butter, sugar, eggs, salt and apples for topping.

Latvian puff dessert made from rye bread

This dessert consists of layers of bread crumbs, whipped cream (made from cream, sugar and vanilla) and cranberry jam. On top of the dessert, another layer of crumbs and cream is usually laid out. Dessert is usually served with a glass of milk. Another version of the dessert: rye bread crumbs are mixed with sugar and cinnamon. You can also add curd cream.

Drinks in Latvia

Latvian beer

Brewing traditions in Latvia are very ancient. Today there are many breweries in Latvia, big and small. The largest and oldest breweries are Cēsu and Aldaris, but of course they are far from the only ones. As soon as spring comes and it gets warm and sunny outside, beer yards and terraces appear everywhere, where beer and snacks are served.

Riga Black Balsam

Riga Black Balsam is a traditional herbal liqueur that contains many natural ingredients mixed in pure vodka. It can be drunk both in its pure form and various cocktails can be prepared with it. The traditional balm recipe includes 24 ingredients: various herbs, flowers, germs, juices, roots, oils and berries; the balm is prepared in oak barrels. At international fairs, experts from different countries awarded the drink more than 30 awards.

Herbal tea

There is nothing more pleasant than the refreshing taste of herbal tea (a mixture of dried fruits, flowers and herbs). Traditionally, herbal teas in Latvia include such herbs as linden blossom, mint, St. John's wort, chamomile, calendula and others. For taste, sugar or honey is added to tea.