Honey cake… While living in Latvia, I often overlooked honey cake (medus kūka) as I preferred other pastries. Then this cake became more popular in Australia,...
Semolina porridge (Mannas putra)
I am willing to bet that every Latvian growing up has eaten, or at least has been served, copious amounts of semolina (cream of wheat) porridge...
Easter Eggs
The most prominent Latvian Easter tradition is to dye eggs with natural ingredients – onion skins, parsley, frozen or preserved blueberries and blackberries, grass, leaves, rice,...
Lieldienas (Easter)
Lieldienas (Easter) is a celebration of the arrival of spring and sun, the spring equinox. With the rise of Christianity, Lieldienas was celebrated on the day...
Cottage cheese and semolina cake (Biezpiena plācenis)
Traditionally, round dairy dishes would be served on Palm Sunday (Pūpolsvētdiena) and Easter (Lieldienas). You could make cottage cheese pancakes, or go up a step and...
Pūpolsvētdiena (Palm Sunday)
Pūpolsvētdiena (Palm Sunday, while it is more commonly known as “Pussy Willow Sunday” in the northern part of Europe) marks the beginning of the Holy Week....
Māras diena
Māra is one of the ancient Latvian deities – mother of the land, protector of women and guardian of livestock. In the modern times, Māras are...
Pork aspic (Galerts)
Recipe #20 in my 1920ies cookbook “Vārīšanas un cepšanas māksla” is Suckling Pig Aspic (Sivēna galerts). The original recipe leaves a lot of room for imagination:...
Cabbage filling for pīrāgi
Those who have visited Latvia know that there is more than one way to fill a pīrāgs. Bacon (or speck) and onion is the traditional way,...
What and How Latvians Used to Eat. Acorn Coffee, Beer, Sugar and Sweets.
What and How Latvians Used to Eat Have you ever wondered what our Latvian ancestors used to eat? Are you curious when the staples we recognise...
Caramel cookies (Riekstiņi)
Riekstiņi (“Little nuts”) is the closest thing to a cookie sandwich you can get in Latvia. It usually is made in the shape of a walnut;...
Birch sap (Bērzu sulas)
Health benefits of birch sap March is the time of the year when birch sap, also known as birch juice or birch water, is collected. It...