6 Tips to Better Understand Food and Drink in the Baltics
- Marla
- 10 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Europe’s Baltic region is known for its distinctive cuisine, influenced by the Scandinavians, Germans, and Russians who occupied the area over the centuries. The Baltic countries are Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania; nearby Finland is not technically a Baltic state, but it has frequently been grouped with the Baltics. While there are, of course, local and country-specific specialties, overall across all four countries the focus is on hearty food like dark rye bread, potatoes, meat, and game, as well as local fish and fermented food.
Guidebooks and the internet can be very helpful in providing an overview of the region’s iconic dishes, such as dumplings and beetroot soup, as well as traditional liqueurs and other beverages.
However, there are all sorts of fun facts about Baltic cuisine that will enhance your knowledge but are not in the guidebooks. Here are six tips to better understand food and drink in the Baltics.
1. Latvia’s National Drink Isn’t All That Popular
Latvia’s traditional liquor, Riga Black Balsam, is known as the country's national alcohol. Created in the 1700s as a medicine, it’s a bittersweet grain spirit made with 24 herbs, spices, botanicals, and caramel, and aged in oak barrels. The recipe remains a secret. The original Balsam is a whopping 45% alcohol; the black currant, cherry, and tropical flavors are still mighty potent at 35% alcohol. It can be drunk straight, warm, in cocktails, or poured over dessert. You can find it on virtually every menu and in stores and supermarkets all over.
But the truth is that most Latvians don’t drink it. It’s more of a special occasion drink or, as one local told me, for “little old ladies who put it in their coffee at lunch.” Most people would rather drink vodka or beer.
2. Tallinn’s Marzipan Has a Superpower
Marzipan, a candy made with almonds and sugar, is said to have been invented in Estonia. While there is some dispute as to which town deserves that honor, legend has it that the candy was first created in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital, at the Raeapteek (Town Hall Pharmacy). The apothecary is the oldest continuously operating pharmacy in Europe, dating back to the early 1400s. The pharmacy, located in Tallinn’s medieval Old Town, still dispenses not only old-fashioned herbals and the marzipan, but also modern items you’d find in any pharmacy, as well as prescription medications.
But what’s fun about Raeapteek’s marzipan is that it was originally invented not as a food, but as a “pill” to cure broken hearts. The pharmacy still markets the candy as a curative meant to “alleviate the ache of love” and make one happier. I can attest: Eating marzipan can put a smile on my face!
3. Liquid Ginger is Big
People in the Baltics love to drink ginger shots. It’s viewed as a wellness and energy drink, rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. It’s sometimes combined with other ingredients, like orange or sea buckthorn. It was offered at every breakfast we had and on every food tour. They buy it bottled or fresh from the many juice stands in the region.
I know that ginger has health benefits. However, I wasn’t expecting ginger wellness shots to be so popular in the Baltics, considering that a lot of traditional Baltic cuisine is heavy and fatty. The drinks were also very strong and pungent. An acquired taste, perhaps?
4. The Finns Don’t Drink Finlandia Vodka
Finlandia vodka is arguably the most famous alcoholic drink from Finland. However, the locals would rather drink a different brand, Koskenkorva vodka, because it’s cheaper and stronger. Finns also often make their own vodka (or brew their own beer) in their basements, a holdover from their years of prohibition, which ended in 1932. The Finnish Long Drink, a ready-to-drink cocktail of gin and grapefruit soda sold in cans, is also popular.
5. Lithuania Still Operates Soviet-Era Restaurants
People in the Baltics don’t look back fondly on the Soviet era. However, you will find retro-themed bars and restaurants throughout the region that recreate the Soviet look and vibe. Some of them are pretty touristy.
Lithuania is one place that still operates a few of the original, authentic Soviet-era restaurants and cafeterias. They may serve some traditional Lithuanian dishes, such as cepelinai, the dumplings the country is famous for. But they focus more on the Soviet food popular back then, like borscht or Chicken Kyiv (oh, the irony).
6. Finland’s Rye Bread Has a Hole in It for a Reason
Finland, like the other countries mentioned here, relies heavily on rye bread. Its traditional rye bread is flat and has a large hole in the middle.
But the hole is not stylistic, nor, like a bagel, used to cook the bread faster or more evenly. Rather, the hole enabled the bread to be dried, aged, and stored on long poles. While modern Finnish rye bread doesn’t need the hole, the bread has retained this traditional look.
We hope these six tips to better understand food and drink in the Baltics give you a deeper appreciation for this yummy cuisine. Terviseks! (“Cheers!” in Estonian).
Do you have any fun tidbits to add? Please let us know! We’re at info@winewithourfamily.com.
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