Curd and the sprat tin view

The ‘sprat tin view’ denotes the pretty picture that one sees when arriving in Tallinn by boat. This view includes the towers of the Old Town, the hill of Toompea and now also the tall buildings of the new city. This view has long adorned the tins of Estonian sprats. And sprats are Estonian food par excellence. This is why the word “sprat tin view” is a suitable title for this brief overview of Estonian food and eating places. Curd, on the other hand – curd just goes very well with sprats.
If I had to name one food that is most representative of Estonian cuisine, it would probably not be pork roast with sauerkraut (too German) or flummery (too archaic), but namely spiced sprats. Spiced sprats with hot boiled potatoes, sour cream and curd and onion and boiled eggs – this is very Estonian. Eggs and milk products and potatoes have always grown locally in Estonia, and are very tasty too. No Estonian would every buy foreign cream or potatoes. Onions also grow more quickly near Peipsi Lake. And although every maritime country offers many different varieties of herring in all kinds of more and less sweet sauces, the recipe for Tallinn sprats is unique and inimitable. Their taste, which is the result of a dozen or so spices, has remained the same for hundreds of years, and cannot be found anywhere else. This very spicy and salty little fish gives a wonderful flavour to the other components of a mild dish. An unsuspecting foreigner could even be shocoursecked by the taste of a sprat all on its own. But if one is eating sprat without potatoes, one can accompany it with black bread (another unbeatable Estonian classic!) and wash it down with a big glass of rich Estonian milk. This leads to thoughts of organic farming, which is developing very successfully here – and arises as if spontaneously from the country person’s mentality and diligence (and suspicion of all kinds of doubtful chemicals).
Although Estonian cuisine cannot boast great variety, and the country has no enormous food markets or history of gourmet cooking, one can find some rather unusual culinary experiences here if one keeps one’s eyes open. Estonian cuisine has actually been fusion cuisine for centuries. German and Russian influences have been thoroughly assimilated, and since Estonia is a maritime nation, Scandinavian and Finnish cuisine is not unknown here either. One should also mention the ancient Finno-Ugrian foundations of present-day Estonian cuisine, and the skilful use of seafood. Thus one can safely say that Estonian cuisine is whatever Estoniansin Estonia cook up (preferably using local produce). Whether the name of the dish is the typically Russian selyanka, or German sauerkraut – in Estonia they are made in an Estonian way, and definitely taste different. Simple things like potato salad or pancakes taste different in different culinary cultures, and in Estonia they taste Estonian. One might think that mixing mayonnaise and sour cream is a culinary crime, but in Estonia one cannot make potato salad without doing so. And presumably, every Estonian who has travelled a little is disappointed to find that in Finland, what is described as potato salad is a nondescript substance made of two components and sweet mayonnaise, or when, in Germany, they encounter big warm pieces of potato doused in vinegar offered under the same name.
Of course, in contemporary Estonia, as elsewhere, one can enjoy food from all over the world, and good restaurants of fering cuisine from every corner of the globe are being opened all the time. Even Estonians don’t want to eat Estonian food every day. But there are no Estonian restaurants in the rest of the world. There are some in Estonia, although for a while it seemed that Estonians were a little ashamed of their own cuisine. At the same time, however, there are more and more varied restaurants that have at least a few clearly Estonian dishes on their menus, and also make them in a completely genuine manner, whether that be in an ancient or modern style.
To someone who wishes to become familiar with Estonian cuisine, one can confidently recommend Eesti Maja [Estonian House] in Tallinn (more cosy) or the Kuldse Notsu Kõrts [Golden Piglet Tavern](more refined), as well as the Altja and Viitna taverns in Lahemaa, which take different, but very tasty, approaches to genuine old Estonian cuisine. One should not forget Olde Hansa, which is very local, although medievally local. And for instance, the trendy Novell restaurant offers some exciting modern derivations of old-fashioned Estonian cuisine. The development of Estonian cuisine that has taken place in the last ten years has been incredible, in fact, and if things continue at the same speed, I think that in another ten years Estonian restaurants may begin to arise in other countries. Because Estonia has something to show off. Estonia already offers lots of possibilities for eating in a genuine and good Estonian style – one just has to keep one’s eyes open and not sit down in the first tourist trap one encounters.
Visitors continue to take home the good old classics: sprats and candies, vodka and Vana Tallinn liqueur. These have always been good in Estonia, they last a long time and pleasantly remind one of this place even several months or a year later. Oh yes, the curds mentioned in the title must be eaten here – and Es tonian dairy products occupy a class unto themselves; many of them contain new and beneficial bacteria invented by local nutritionists. The best food recommendation, however, is this: let Estonians invite you to visit them.
KARL-MARTIN SINIJÄRV
writer, gourmet
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