This modest volume has a grand aspiration: describing how and what Estonians like to eat – preferences and habits shaped by time and an often turbulent history. It is a celebration of Estonian food and national culture that also aims to document the continuously evolving New Estonian Cuisine – both the way food is prepared by salt-of-the-earth rural folk and in the more glamorous international preserves of the culinary arts.

Due to their country’s location at a cultural and geographical crossroads, Estonians have always been open to new tastes acquired from their neighbours and visitors, from noblemen and itinerant merchants alike. These influences have only strengthened the desire to hold on to everything they hold dear and to build a new and contemporary Nordic Estonian cuisine that serves as a springboard for experimentation and creativity. After all, culinary arts are a calling card for our country, chefs are like ambassadors, and local culinary customs and hospitality are one of life’s most enjoyable tourist attractions.

In writing this book, we wanted to introduce Estonians’ food-related customs, the country’s natural heritage and culinary knowledge. By bringing out their distinctiveness, we hope to convey to the rest of the world what we value and how we see the future of the culinary arts here in this country on the shores of the Baltic.