Baltic: New & Old Recipes from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania

by Simon Bajada

Baltic showcases the unique culinary landscape of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Bringing the Baltic's answer to New Nordic to your kitchen, nearly seventy recipes celebrate this wholesome, creative and intensely seasonal cuisine. As well, stunning photography captures the colour and vibrancy of the produce, culture and landscapes as these unique countries reconnect with the past and embrace new promise for the future.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Nonfiction, Food, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2019

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not a serious cook and I don’t read a lot of cookbooks, so I read Baltic without a clear idea of what I think makes a good cookbook. Even so, I’d like to say that this is an excellent cookbook, full of information, great pictures, and enthusiasm for the recipes it contains.

The book begins with information about the Baltic states and their history. It’s interesting information that I think is important to include as the geography and history of occupation in the region has shaped its food. Bajada explains his approach to the book, including how he has included the original Estonian, Latvian and Lithuanian names for dishes.

The recipes in the book are divided into sections: Dairy, Coast, Farm, Garden, Bakery, Sweet, and Drinks. It isn’t what I expected in a cookbook, but it makes sense as a method of organization given Bajada’s emphasis on how Baltic cuisine has evolved from life in the region. Each recipe contains detailed instructions, a beautiful photograph, and some history and information about the dish. Each recipe is interesting to read, and Bajada’s love for the food comes through in each one. They were also surprisingly accessible and understandable to someone like me, who knows the basics but little else about cooking.

I learned a lot from this cookbook, even without being able to try any of the recipes (due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, my ability to source ingredients is very limited). Despite having grandparents who immigrated from Estonia, growing up in Canada has meant that my diet has always been very North American. Reading Baltic opened my eyes to new foods, new methods of food preparation and preservation, new possible tastes, and more. I was particularly impressed by the resourcefulness of some recipes, including acorn coffee from when regular coffee was unavailable. It’s very satisfying to finish a book feeling like your eyes have been opened to more of the world and that there are new opportunities in front of you.

I borrowed this book from my local library and have since had to return it, but I’m hoping to buy my own copy and to learn how to make some of the recipes.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very nice cookbook with many things I’d rather not eat.

[Liquidlasagna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Chilled Beetroot Soup

lith: saltibarsciai
lat: auksta zupa
est: kulm peedisupp

14 oz whole beets
7 oz peeled cucumber, seeds removed
3 eggs
1 1/2 table chopped dill
2-3 finely chopped green onions
1 liter buttermilk
juice of 1/4 to 1/2 lemon, to taste
7oz cold water
1 tea freshly grated horseradish or 1/4 tea white pepper

dill springs, to serve

[Charles Eldridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfectly laid out cookbook for a cuisine that I was mostly unfamiliar with before reading. Other publishers/designers could learned from this book on how to visually showcase a recipe on the page. The lush photography just added to the mouthwatering recipes. I’m eager to learn more about these counties and their food stories after this taste.

[Colton Brydges · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a great deal in this book that I was excited to try making, but it provides an interesting perspective on the food and culture of a region I know very little about. If anything, it sold me on a Baltic roadtrip

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

All 4 of my great-grandparents came from Estonia, Lithuania, or Latvia. I was excited to see this copy in my apartment building's free library and grabbed it immediately. I enjoyed it a great deal.

[Christin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Informative, variety of different recepies with beautiful photography and description of each country's culture :)

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Confused by some of the translation choices and the typos, but other than that, it’s an excellent collection of Baltic recipes for the English speaking world.