Workshop "Estonian National Cuisine"

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Teacher: Triin Reilson

Triin Reilson is an Estonian chef running a catering business specialised in sustainable food. Triin has graduated from the Tartu Vocational Education Centre in culinary arts and has worked in a wide variety of restaurants and cafés both in Estonia and abroad.

When people talk about Estonian national cuisine they generally mean the eating habits that started in the middle of the 19th century when growing potatoes and making sauerkraut spread more widely in our region. From then, our staple foods have been considered to be sourdough rye bread, potato, sauerkraut, pork and blood sausages.

Bread has always had an important role in our cuisine. Back in the days when most people lived in the countryside, bread was always the central part of the meal and everything else was considered a side dish. It has changed over time but to this day the majority of Estonians have bread with almost every meal of the day.

The one day workshop introduces how the most popular Estonian traditional dishes were born. During the workshop you’ll learn how Baltic German culture, the Russian Empire, western world and Soviet Union influenced our cuisine throughout decades.

We will prepare dishes from these time periods which have led to the traditional Estonian food we know now. You will learn to make fermented rye bread with potatoes and meat, groat porridge with smoked lard, blood sausages, sauerkraut and sauerkraut soup. 

The participation fee includes the usage of necessary utensils and produce. The workshop is suitable for beginners.