Traditional Estonian Cooking. Margit Mikk-Sokk

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      In addition to bread, scones were also baked from unleavened barley flour dough, and later on brown wheat bread and white bread were baked for special occasions. Kama powder is also typical Estonian cereal food; kama is a thick flour made from boiled, dried and grounded mixed grain usually served with sour milk.

      Cabbage, turnip and swede were the most common vegetables at that time. Potatoes began to be widely consumed at the end of the 19th century and remain indispensable on our tables today. People living by the coast have always eaten fish with potatoes, since the latter’s introduction. The Estonian national fish is the Baltic herring, with the local specialty being Tallinn sprat, which is seasoned with 12 different spices. This particular recipe dates back several hundred years.

      Food made from eggs was not common among old Estonians, though scrambled or boiled eggs were eaten on Sundays. Of dairy products, fresh and sour milk, butter and curds were used. Common drinks included kvass and mead, and beer was brewed for special occasions.

      Meat was not very common on the tables of peasants. Cattle were slaughtered in autumn; offal was used at once, while meat was salted or smoked. Brawn, made by boiling pig’s head, feet and shank, is a dish that adorns many Estonian dinner tables and is unique due to its cooking process. Sausages were made for special occasions by adding meat and blood to groat porridge. This specialty can still be found on every Estonian’s table at Christmas time. Sauerkraut and sauerkraut with barley and pork, which are also on the menu in Estonia at Christmas time, are also unique in the world.