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Latvia

Latvia, a Baltic state, boasts Riga’s Art Nouveau splendor as its capital, blending medieval charm with a vibrant tech scene along the Daugava River. Known for amber, folk songs, and dense forests, its economy thrives on timber, IT, and shipping via its ports. Latvia’s Soviet past fuels a fierce independence, celebrated in its Daina music tradition. Its green, quiet allure shines bright.

Latvia

Featured Dishes from Latvia

Auzu pārslu biezputra

Auzu pārslu biezputra

Oatmeal porridge

Bukstiņbiezputra

Bukstiņbiezputra

Groats porridge, serve with potatoes, bacon

Buterbrod

Buterbrod

Open-faced sandwich

Koča

Koča

Kulich

Kulich

Kulich is a village in Zherizhah Rural District, in the Central District of Sarvabad County, Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 201, in 41 families. The village is populated by Kurds.

Milk

Milk

Milk is a white liquid food produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest solid food. Milk contains many nutrients, including calcium and protein, as well as lactose and saturated fat. Immune factors and immune-modulating components in milk contribute to milk immunity. Early-lactation milk, which is called colostrum, contains antibodies and immune-modulating components that strengthen the immune system against many diseases. The US CDC agency recommends that children over the age of 12 months (the minimum age to stop giving breast milk or formula) should have two servings of dairy (milk) products a day, and more than six billion people worldwide consume milk and milk products. As an agricultural product, dairy milk is collected from farm animals, mostly cattle. In 2011, dairy farms produced around 730 million tonnes (800 million short tons) of milk from 260 million dairy cows. India is the world's largest producer of milk and the leading exporter of skimmed milk powder. New Zealand, Germany, and the Netherlands are the largest exporters of milk products. Between 750 and 900 million people live in dairy-farming households.

Muesli

Muesli

Muesli is a cold Swiss breakfast dish, the primary ingredient of which is rolled oats. Traditionally, it is set to soak in water overnight ("overnight oats") and eaten the next morning with fresh fruit, nuts, lemon juice, and cream sweetened with honey. Additional ingredients, such as other grains, seeds, and dried fruits are sometimes added, and other citrus juice may be used. Yogurt, milk or other milk products, or milk substitutes are now commonly added to both homemade and commercially packaged muesli recipes. Developed around 1900 by Swiss physician Maximilian Bircher-Benner for patients in his hospital, it has become a common breakfast cereal dish. In Switzerland, it is also consumed for supper as Birchermüesli complet – muesli with Café complet (milk coffee, accompanied by Butterbrot (bread, butter and jam)). In addition to being prepared raw, muesli can be toasted. Muesli can also be processed further by adding sweetener and oil to bind the ingredients together and baked to produce granola.

Olu kultenis

Olu kultenis

Scrambled eggs, for example, with tomatoes (olu kultenis ar tomātiem, olu kultenis ar tomatiem, tomato scrambled eggs)

Omelete

Omelete

An omelette is a dish made from eggs, fried with butter or oil in a frying pan. It is a common practice for an omelette to include fillings such as chives, vegetables, mushrooms, meat (often ham or bacon), cheese, onions or some combination of the above. Whole eggs or egg whites are often beaten with a small amount of milk, cream, or water. The earliest omelettes are believed to have originated in ancient Persia.: 65 According to Breakfast: A History, they were "nearly indistinguishable" from the Iranian dish kookoo sabzi. According to Alan Davidson, the French word omelette ( French: [ɔm.lɛt]) came into use during the mid-16th century, but the versions alumelle and alumete are employed by the Ménagier de Paris (II, 4 and II, 5) in 1393. Rabelais (Gargantua and Pantagruel, IV, 9) mentions an homelaicte d'oeufs, Olivier de Serres an amelette, François Pierre La Varenne's Le cuisinier françois (1651) has aumelette, and the modern omelette appears in Cuisine bourgeoise (1784).

Pankūkas

Pankūkas

A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan. It is a type of batter bread. Archaeological evidence suggests that pancakes were probably eaten in prehistoric societies. The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide. In England, pancakes are often unleavened and resemble a crêpe. In Scotland and North America, a leavening agent is used creating a thick fluffy pancake. A crêpe is a thin pancake of Breton origin cooked on one or both sides in a special pan or crepe maker to achieve a lacelike network of fine bubbles. A well-known variation originating from southeast Europe is palatschinke, a thin moist pancake fried on both sides and filled with jam, cream cheese, chocolate, or ground walnuts, but many other fillings—sweet or savoury—can also be used.

Pastry

Pastry

Pastry refers to a variety of doughs , as well as the sweet and savoury baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often described as bakers' confectionery. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, and pasties. The French word pâtisserie is also used in English (with or without the accent) for many of the same foods, as well as the set of techniques used to make them. Originally, the French word pastisserie referred to anything, such as a meat pie, made in dough (paste, later pâte) and not typically a luxurious or sweet product. This meaning still persisted in the nineteenth century, though by then the term more often referred to the sweet and often ornate confections implied today. The precise definition of the term pastry varies based on location and culture. Common doughs used to make pastries include filo dough, puff pastry, choux pastry, short dough, pâte brisée, pâte sucrée, and other enriched doughs. Pastries tend to have a delicate texture, often flaky or crumbly, and rich flavor—simple breads are thus excluded from the pastry category. Pastries also tend to be baked.

Sviestmaizes

Sviestmaizes

Open-faced sandwiches topped with ham, hard boiled eggs, sprats, salmon, pate

Syrniki

Syrniki

Syrniki or syrnyky (Ukrainian: сирники, cheese cakes) are fried Eastern Slavic quark (curd cheese) pancakes. They are a part of Belarusian, Russian, Ukrainian, Latvian (biezpiena plācenīši) and Lithuanian cuisine (varškėčiai). In Russia, they are also known as tvorozhniki (творо́жники). The name syrniki is derived from the Slavic word syr (сир), meaning a soft curd cheese. The Ukrainian language retains the old Slavic sense of the word, as in domashnii syr (домашній сир, literal translation 'domestic cheese'), whereas in Russian another old Slavic word for curd cheese, tvorog (творог), is used. Syrnyky or tvorozhniki are made from creamy tvorog, mixed with flour, eggs and sugar, sometimes adding vanilla extract. Pot cheese or farmer's cheese or quark is suggested as a substitute for the tvorog. The soft mixture is shaped into cakes, which are pan- or shallow-fried in vegetable oil or in hot butter. The consistency should remain slightly creamy, while they are slightly browned on both sides. They are traditionally sweet and served for breakfast or dessert, but can be made savory as well. Raisins, chopped dried apricot, fresh apples or pears are sometimes added into the batter. They are typically served with varenye, jam, smetana (sour cream) and / or melted butter.

Zapekanka

Zapekanka

Casserole, cheesecake or coffee cake, can be savory or sweet, there are many different ways to prepare this dish

Ābolkūka

Ābolkūka

Apple cake, apple tart

Apple pie

Apple pie

An apple pie is a pie in which the principal filling is apples. Apple pie is often served with whipped cream, ice cream , custard or cheddar cheese. It is generally double-crusted, with pastry both above and below the filling; the upper crust may be solid or latticed (woven of crosswise strips). The bottom crust may be baked separately ("blind") to prevent it from getting soggy. Tarte Tatin is baked with the crust on top, but served with it on the bottom. Originating in the 14th century in England, apple pie recipes are now a standard part of cuisines in many countries where apples grow. Apple pies are an unofficial symbol of the United States and one of its signature comfort foods.

Auzu pārslu cepumi

Auzu pārslu cepumi

Oatmeal cookies

Biezpiena cepumi

Biezpiena cepumi

Cookies made with cottage cheese

Biezpienmaize

Biezpienmaize

Cottage cheese cake, may contain raisins, sultanas

Biskvit

Biskvit

Biskvīta torte

Biskvīta torte

Sponge cake, may be layered with custard and cranberry jam like the lauku torte

Bubert

Bubert

Airy porridge-like dessert, serve with cranberry or raspberry sauce, kissel, compote or jam

Cepumi

Cepumi

Charlotte Russe cake

Charlotte Russe cake

A charlotte is a type of bread pudding that can be served hot or cold. It is also referred to as an "icebox cake". Bread, sponge cake, crumbs or biscuits/cookies are used to line a mold, which is then filled with a fruit puree or custard. The baked pudding could then be sprinkled with powdered sugar and glazed with a salamander, a red-hot iron plate attached to a long handle, though modern recipes would likely use more practical tools to achieve a similar effect. The variant charlotte russe also called charlotte parisienne, created by the French chef Antonin Carême, uses a mold lined with ladyfingers and filled with Bavarian cream. Classically, stale bread dipped in butter was used as the lining, but sponge cake or ladyfingers may be used today. The filling may be covered with a thin layer of similarly flavoured gelatin.

Cielaviņa

Cielaviņa

Chocolate hazlenut meringue cake

Debesmanna

Debesmanna

Cranberry and farina mousse

Eklerki

Eklerki

An éclair is a pastry made with choux dough filled with a cream and topped with a flavored icing. The dough, which is the same as that used for profiterole, is typically piped into an oblong shape with a pastry bag and baked until it is crisp and hollow inside. Once cool, the pastry is filled with custard (crème pâtissière), whipped cream or chiboust cream, then iced with fondant icing. Other fillings include pistachio- and rum-flavoured custard, fruit-flavoured fillings, or chestnut purée. The icing is sometimes caramel, in which case the dessert may be called a bâton de Jacob (lit. 'Jacob's staff'). A similar pastry in a round rather than oblong shape is called a religieuse. The word comes from the French éclair, meaning 'flash of lightning', so named because it is eaten quickly (in a flash); however some believe that the name is due to the glistening of the frosting resembling lightning. The éclair originated during the 19th century in Lyon, France where it was called pain à la Duchesse ('Duchess-style bread') or petite duchesse ('little duchess') until 1850. The word is first attested both in English and in French in the 1860s.

Kārums

Kārums

A brand of chocolate covered curd yogurt snack

Khvorost

Khvorost

Angel wings are a traditional sweet crisp pastry made out of dough that has been shaped into thin twisted ribbons, deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Common to many European cuisines, angel wings have been incorporated into other regional cuisines by immigrant populations. They are most commonly eaten in the period just before Lent, often during Carnival and on Fat Thursday, the last Thursday before Lent—not to be confused with "Fat Tuesday" (Mardi Gras), the day before the start of Lent (Ash Wednesday). There is a tradition in some countries for husbands to give angel wings to their wives on Friday the 13th in order to avoid bad luck. In the various national cuisines, angel wings are referred to as:

Kissel

Kissel

Kissel or kisel[a] is a simple dish with the consistency of a thick gel, and made of sweet fruit, berry, grains , peas, or from milk. It belongs to the group of cold-solidified desserts, although it can be served warm. "Kissel" is derived from a Slavic word meaning 'sour', after a similar old Slavic dish—a leavened flour porridge (or weak sourdough) which was made from grain, most commonly oats, but any grain, including legumes like peas or lentils could be used. Bean kissels were typically not leavened, and lacked the sweetness of the modern variants.[citation needed] Grain-based kissels were known 9000 years ago in ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia, they are mentioned in Sumerian and Akkadian texts. In ancient times, oatmeal kissel was prepared by fermentation of oat milk.

Kliņģeris

Kliņģeris

Braided or pretzel-shaped cake made with dried fruit and spices, a common birthday cake

Kugel

Kugel

Kugel is a baked casserole, most commonly made from lokshen (לאָקשן קוגל lokshen kugel) or potato (קארטאפל קוגל kartufl kugel). It is a traditional Ashkenazi Jewish dish, often served on Shabbos and Jewish holidays. American Jews also serve it for Thanksgiving dinner. The name of the dish comes from the Middle High German kugel meaning 'sphere, globe, ball'; thus the Yiddish name likely originated as a reference to the round, puffed-up shape of the original dishes (compare to German Gugelhupf—a type of ring-shaped cake). However, nowadays kugel is often baked in square pans. Litvaks (Jews from Lithuania, northeastern Poland and northern Russia) call the pudding kugel, Galitzianers (Jews from southeastern Poland and western Ukraine) call it kigel.

Kulich

Kulich

Kulich is a village in Zherizhah Rural District, in the Central District of Sarvabad County, Kurdistan Province, Iran. At the 2006 census, its population was 201, in 41 families. The village is populated by Kurds.

Laima

Laima

A brand of Latvian chocolates and sweets

Macaroon

Macaroon

A macaroon is a small cake or cookie, originally made from ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar, but now often with coconut or other nuts. They may also include jam, chocolate, or other flavorings. The name macaroon is borrowed from French macaron, in turn from the Sicilian maccarone, a variant form of maccherone, the same word as macaroni. The origin of that is unclear; it may be from medieval Greek μακαρία, 'barley broth', or μακαρώνεια, 'funeral chant'. The etymology connecting it to Italian maccare, 'to bruise' is now rejected. The origin of the word may also have referred to a sort of gnocchi.[citation needed] Macaroons can be traced to a French monastery of the 8th century in the city of Cormery. Later, two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, came to Nancy, France seeking asylum during the French Revolution. The two women paid for their housing by baking and selling macaroons, and thus became known as the "Macaroon Sisters".

Maizes zupa

Maizes zupa

Rye bread soup, porridge or pudding, may also include apples, raisins, plums, cranberries, cinnamon, whipped cream

Morozhenoye

Morozhenoye

Ice cream is a frozen dessert typically made from milk or cream that has been flavoured with a sweetener, either sugar or an alternative, and a spice, such as cocoa or vanilla, or with fruit, such as strawberries or peaches. Food colouring is sometimes added in addition to stabilizers. The mixture is cooled below the freezing point of water and stirred to incorporate air spaces and prevent detectable ice crystals from forming. It can also be made by whisking a flavoured cream base and liquid nitrogen together. The result is a smooth, semi-solid foam that is solid at very low temperatures . It becomes more malleable as its temperature increases. Ice cream may be served in dishes, eaten with a spoon, or licked from edible wafer ice cream cones held by the hands as finger food. Ice cream may be served with other desserts—such as cake or pie—or used as an ingredient in cold dishes—like ice cream floats, sundaes, milkshakes, and ice cream cakes—or in baked items such as Baked Alaska.

Muraveynik cake

Muraveynik cake

An anthill-shaped cake made with small dough balls mixed with sour cream, caramel, nuts, poppy seeds, chocolate many variations

Oreshki

Oreshki

Walnut-shaped cookies filled with caramel, chocolate, nuts

Pankūkas

Pankūkas

A pancake, also known as a hotcake, griddlecake, or flapjack, is a flat cake, often thin and round, prepared from a starch-based batter that may contain eggs, milk, and butter, and then cooked on a hot surface such as a griddle or frying pan. It is a type of batter bread. Archaeological evidence suggests that pancakes were probably eaten in prehistoric societies. The pancake's shape and structure varies worldwide. In England, pancakes are often unleavened and resemble a crêpe. In Scotland and North America, a leavening agent is used creating a thick fluffy pancake. A crêpe is a thin pancake of Breton origin cooked on one or both sides in a special pan or crepe maker to achieve a lacelike network of fine bubbles. A well-known variation originating from southeast Europe is palatschinke, a thin moist pancake fried on both sides and filled with jam, cream cheese, chocolate, or ground walnuts, but many other fillings—sweet or savoury—can also be used.

Panna cotta

Panna cotta

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert of sweetened cream thickened with gelatin and molded. The cream may be aromatized with coffee, vanilla, or other flavorings. The name panna cotta is not mentioned in Italian cookbooks before the 1960s, yet it is often cited as a traditional dessert of the northern Italian region of Piedmont. One unverified story says that it was invented by a Hungarian woman in the Langhe in the early 19th century. An 1879 dictionary mentions a dish called latte inglese (lit. 'English milk'), made of cream cooked with gelatin and molded, although other sources say that latte inglese is made with egg yolks, such as crème anglaise; perhaps the name covered any thickened custard-like preparation. The dish might also come from the French recipe of fromage bavarois from Marie-Antoine Carême in le pâtissier royal parisien, which is the same as the modern panna cotta, except that one part of the cream is whipped to make chantilly and included in the preparation before adding the gelatin.

Pastila

Pastila

Pastila is a traditional Russian fruit confectionery (pâte de fruits). It has been described as "small squares of pressed fruit paste" and "light, airy puffs with a delicate apple flavor". In Imperial Russia, the "small jellied sweetmeats" were served for tea "with a white foamy top, a bit like marshmallow, but tasting of pure fruit". The first mentions of pastila in Russian written sources date back to the 16th century. The name is probably a loanword from Italian: pastello or pastiglia, or from the cognate French: pastille which in turn comes from Latin: pastillus (a loaf or pie, cf. pastilla). In the 19th century, pastila was made from sourish Russian apples such as Antonovka or mashed Northern berries (lingonberry, rowan, currants) sweetened with honey or sugar and lightened with egg whites. The paste was baked in the Russian oven for many hours, then arranged in several layers inside an alder box and then left to dry in the same oven.

Pastry

Pastry

Pastry refers to a variety of doughs , as well as the sweet and savoury baked goods made from them. The dough may be accordingly called pastry dough for clarity. Sweetened pastries are often described as bakers' confectionery. Common pastry dishes include pies, tarts, quiches, croissants, and pasties. The French word pâtisserie is also used in English (with or without the accent) for many of the same foods, as well as the set of techniques used to make them. Originally, the French word pastisserie referred to anything, such as a meat pie, made in dough (paste, later pâte) and not typically a luxurious or sweet product. This meaning still persisted in the nineteenth century, though by then the term more often referred to the sweet and often ornate confections implied today. The precise definition of the term pastry varies based on location and culture. Common doughs used to make pastries include filo dough, puff pastry, choux pastry, short dough, pâte brisée, pâte sucrée, and other enriched doughs. Pastries tend to have a delicate texture, often flaky or crumbly, and rich flavor—simple breads are thus excluded from the pastry category. Pastries also tend to be baked.

Pavlova

Pavlova

Pavlova is a meringue-based dessert. Originating in either Australia or New Zealand in the early 20th century, it was named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. Taking the form of a cake-like circular block of baked meringue, pavlova has a crisp crust and soft, light inside. The confection is usually topped with fruit and whipped cream. The name is commonly pronounced /pævˈloʊvə/ pav-LOH-və or /pɑːvˈloʊvə/ pahv-LOH-və, and occasionally closer to the name of the dancer, as /ˈpɑːvləvə/ PAHV-lə-və.

Piparkūkas

Piparkūkas

Gingerbread cookies, common during Christmas

Ponchiki

Ponchiki

Pączki are filled doughnuts found in Polish cuisine. A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened ball and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing, glaze, or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally rectified spirit) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough. Pączki are commonly thought of as fluffy but somewhat collapsed, with a bright stripe around them; these features are seen as evidence that the dough was fried in fresh oil.

Rhubarb pie

Rhubarb pie

Rhubarb pie is a pie with a rhubarb filling. Rhubarb pie is popular in the United Kingdom, where rhubarb has been cultivated since the 1600s, and the leaf stalks eaten since the 1700s. Besides diced rhubarb, it usually contains a large amount of sugar to balance the tartness of the vegetable. The pie is usually prepared with a bottom crust and a variety of styles of upper crust. In the United States, a lattice-style upper crust is often used. This style of pie is a traditional dessert in the country and is part of New England cuisine. Rhubarb has long been a popular choice for pie filling in the Great Plains and Midwest regions, where fruits were not always readily available.

Rūjienas ice cream

Rūjienas ice cream

Rūjienas ice cream is a traditional Latvian treat made in Rūjiena, known for its high-quality, natural ingredients sourced locally. The ice cream factory has been crafting these delicious flavors for over 60 years, blending heritage with innovative techniques.

Rupjmaizes kārtojums

Rupjmaizes kārtojums

Layered rye bread is a traditional Latvian dessert made from rye breadcrumbs, blackcurrant or lingonberry jam, and whipped cream. It is topped off with grated dark chocolate and/or cinnamon and often served with fresh berries and cottage cheese ice cream. Layered rye bread is similar in appearance and construction to the trifle of the British Isles, and is sometimes called rye bread trifle or Latvian ambrosia. Layered rye bread is an iconic Latvian food, and is considered one of the national dishes. It was the sweet chosen to represent Latvia in the Café Europe initiative of the Austrian presidency of the European Union, on Europe Day 2006. Layered rye bread is prepared in a clear glass, trifle dish or parfait glass by first spreading a thin layer of jam or preserves on the bottom of the dish, then adding a thick layer of lightly sweetened vanilla-flavoured whipped cream or Mascarpone, which is then in turn sprinkled with a layer of dark rye bread crumbs. These layers are repeated up to the top of the dish when a final dollop of cream and sprinkling of the rye crumbs are added to enhance the dessert's appearance.

Šakotis

Šakotis

Šakotis (Polish: sękacz [ˈsɛŋkat͡ʂ] ⓘ, Belarusian: банкуха, romanized: bankukha) is a Lithuanian, Polish and Belarusian traditional spit cake. It is a cake made of butter, egg whites and yolks, flour, sugar, and cream, cooked on a rotating spit in an oven or over an open fire. The cake became popular in the 19th century in the former territory of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth (1569–1791). Its origins are related to the baumkuchen in German cuisine. The first recipe in the Polish - Lithuanian - Belarusian region was published in Vilnius by Jan Szyttler in 1830 (the culinary book "Kucharz dobrze usposobiony..."). Its name means "tree cake" due to its distinctive shape (it is often conical, like a pine tree, and with the drips as branches) and "tree rings" inside. It is baked in a time- and labor-intensive process, by painting layers of batter onto a rotating spit in a special open oven or over an open fire.

Strudel

Strudel

Strudel is a type of layered pastry with a filling that is usually sweet, but savoury fillings are also common. It became popular in the 18th century throughout the Habsburg Empire. Strudel is part of Austrian cuisine and German cuisine but is also common in other Central European cuisines. In Italy it is recognized as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (PAT) of South Tyrol. The oldest strudel recipes (a Millirahmstrudel and a turnip strudel) are from 1696, in a handwritten cookbook at the Wienbibliothek im Rathaus (formerly Wiener Stadtbibliothek). The pastry is probably descended from similar pastries such as börek and baklava.

Tokorzvarhitjas

Tokorzvarhitjas

Fried bowtie cookies made with tejföl

Tsarskaya paskha

Tsarskaya paskha

A molded cheesecake with raisins, citrus zest, nuts, common during Easter

Varenye

Varenye

Varenye is a popular whole-fruit preserve, widespread in Eastern Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Belarus), as well as the Baltic region (Lithuanian: uogienė [uə̯ˈɡʲiə̯nʲeː], Latvian: ievārījums, Estonian: moos). It is made by cooking berries, other fruits, or more rarely nuts, vegetables, or flowers, in sugar syrup. In some traditional recipes, other sweeteners such as honey or treacle are used instead of or in addition to sugar. Varenye is similar to jam except the fruits are not macerated, and no gelling agent is added. It is characterized by a thick but transparent syrup having the natural colour of the fruits. Varenye is an old Slavic word which is used in East Slavic languages in a more general sense to refer to any type of sweet fruit preserve. The word has common etymological roots with the verbs denoting cooking, boiling, brewing, or stewing (Russian: варить, Belarusian: варыць, Ukrainian: варити).

Vatrushka

Vatrushka

Vatrushka is an Eastern European pastry (pirog), characterized by a ring-shape of dough with traditional white cheese Tvorog in the middle, sometimes with the addition of raisins or bits of fruit. The most common size is about 5–10 cm (2–4 in) in diameter, but larger versions also exist. Vatrushkas are typically baked using a sweet yeast bread dough. Savoury varieties are made using unsweetened dough, with onion added to the filling. The etymology of the word is uncertain. A widespread hypothesis derives the root of the name from the word vatra, which means "fire" in some Slavic languages. According to another version, the word is borrowed from the Romanian language, in which "vatra" means "a kind of cake, cooked in the fire". Alternative hypotheses traces it back to either the verb teret (тереть, "to rub" or "to grate") or to the term tvorog (творог).

Vāverīte

Vāverīte

Squirrel cake, layer cake made with nuts

Zefir

Zefir

Zefir is a type of soft confectionery made by whipping fruit and berry purée (mostly apple puree) with sugar and egg whites with subsequent addition of a gelling agent like pectin, carrageenan, agar, or gelatine. It is produced in the countries of the former Soviet Union. The name given after the Greek god of the light west wind Zephyr symbolizes its delicate airy consistency. Zefir is derived from the traditional Russian pastila confectionery, but with added egg white foam and a gelling agent. An addition of unwhipped egg whites to the recipe originated in the town of Kolomna sometime during the 15th century, and in the 19th century the zefir dessert most likely emerged in its modern form with whipped egg whites due to a French adaptation on the recipe that was later brought back to Russia. The form typically resembles traditional meringue. However, in contrast to commercial-grade meringue, zefir is never crispy. In contrast to most chocolate-coated marshmallow-like confectioneries, zefirs normally come without layers of cookies/biscuits included.

Zhele

Zhele

Fruit preserves are preparations of fruits whose main preserving agent is sugar and sometimes acid, often stored in glass jars and used as a condiment or spread. There are many varieties of fruit preserves globally, distinguished by the method of preparation, type of fruit used, and its place in a meal. Sweet fruit preserves such as jams, jellies, and marmalades are often eaten at breakfast with bread or as an ingredient of a pastry or dessert, whereas more savory and acidic preserves made from "vegetable fruits" such as tomato, squash or zucchini, are eaten alongside savory foods such as cheese, cold meats, and curries.

Aldaris

Aldaris

Aperol Spritz

Aperol Spritz

Bittersweet Mixed drink made with Prosecco, Aperol (bitter aperitif) and club soda, garnished with an orange slice

Ayran

Ayran

Ayran[a] is a cold savory yogurt-based beverage that is consumed across Central Asia, and the Balkans, in Turkey and Iran. The principal ingredients are yogurt, water and salt. Herbs such as mint may be optionally added. Some varieties are carbonated. Ayran (cf. airag in Mongolian: 'mare milk', uyran (уйран) in Chuvash: 'buttermilk') is mentioned in Mahmud al-Kashgari's 11th century Dīwān Lughāt al-Turk, although he did not give any information how ayran was made. The word is derived from the Old Turkic root adır- ("to separate"), cf. Turkish ayır- ("to separate").

B-52

B-52

The B-52 cocktail is a layered shot composed of coffee liqueur (Kahlúa), Irish cream (Baileys Irish Cream), and Grand Marnier (in later versions replaced with triple sec or Cointreau). When prepared properly, the ingredients separate into three distinctly visible layers (due to their relative densities). The origins of the B-52 are not well documented, but one claim is that the B-52 was invented by Peter Fich, a head bartender at the Banff Springs Hotel in Alberta, Canada. Fich named all of his new drinks after favorite bands, albums, and songs, and he supposedly named the drink after the band of the same name, not directly after the US B-52 Stratofortress bomber or the beehive hairstyle after which the band was named. One of Fich's first customers for a B-52 owned restaurants in various cities in Alberta, and they liked the drink so much that he put it on the menu, leading to the perception that the B-52 originated at the Keg Steakhouse in Calgary, Alberta in 1977. The B-52 is also rumoured [by whom?] to have been created by Adam Honigman, a bartender at New York City's Maxwell's Plum.

Bauskas Alus

Bauskas Alus

Bauskas alus is a brewery in Bauska, Latvia. It was established in 1981, at the time as a part of a local kolkhoz canning factory. At first the brewery produced traditional beers such as Marta alus , Rīgas alus (Beer of Riga) and Senču alus (Ancestors' Beer). In 1982 the brewery started producing their main articles Bauskas gaišais (Bauska Light) and Bauskas tumšais (Bauska Dark). 2017 was a productive year. The brewery launched two products - beer "Savējais" and beer cocktail "Festiņš", which consists of light beer and "tea mushroom drink Dr.Kombucha". In that year, the plant had a turnover of €5.226 million, up 4.2% on the previous year, while profits rose by 29.2% to €635,635.

Blackcurrant juice

Blackcurrant juice

The blackcurrant , also known as black currant or cassis,[a] is a deciduous shrub in the family Grossulariaceae grown for its edible berries. It is native to temperate parts of central and northern Europe and northern Asia, where it prefers damp fertile soils. It is widely cultivated both commercially and domestically. It is winter hardy, but cold weather at flowering time during the spring may reduce the size of the crop. Bunches of small, glossy black fruit develop along the stems in the summer and can be harvested by hand or by machine.

Brālis

Brālis

Brenguļu

Brenguļu

Cesu Alus

Cesu Alus

Cēsu Alus is a brewery and alcohol beverage producer in Cēsis, Latvia. As the roots of the brewery dates back in 1590, Cēsu Alus is considered to be the oldest brewery in Baltic and Nordic countries. Cēsu alus is the largest brewery producing beer in Latvia. In year 2018 Cēsu alus produced 64% of all beer produced in Latvia. In 1590 brewing of beer is referred for the first time in the Cēsis Castle audit. The first brewery was located in the castle itself. In the first half of 17th century the brewery was relocated to the third forecastle. In 1878 the historic brewery buildings were built and the brewery was established in the ownership of count Emanuel von Sievers. In 1922 several entrepreneurs from Cēsis repurchased the brewery from Sievers and established the joint-stock company Augļu dārzs .[citation needed]

Champagne

Champagne

Champagne is a sparkling wine originated and produced in the Champagne wine region of France under the rules of the appellation, which demand specific vineyard practices, sourcing of grapes exclusively from designated places within it, specific grape-pressing methods and secondary fermentation of the wine in the bottle to cause carbonation. The grapes Pinot noir, Pinot meunier, and Chardonnay are used to produce almost all Champagne, but small amounts of Pinot blanc, Pinot gris (called Fromenteau in Champagne), Arbane, and Petit Meslier are vinified as well.

Cido

Cido

Popular brand name fruit juices

Coffee

Coffee

Coffee is a beverage brewed from roasted, ground coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content, but decaffeinated coffee is also commercially available. There are also various coffee substitutes. Typically served hot, coffee has the highest sales in the world market for hot drinks. Coffee production begins when the seeds from coffee cherries are separated to produce unroasted green coffee beans. The "beans" are roasted and then ground into fine particles. Coffee is brewed from the ground roasted beans, which are typically steeped in hot water before being filtered out. It is usually served hot, although chilled or iced coffee is common. Coffee can be prepared and presented in a variety of ways (e.g., espresso, French press, caffè latte, or already-brewed canned coffee). Sugar, sugar substitutes, milk, and cream are often added to mask the bitter taste or enhance the flavor.

Cognac

Cognac

Cognac is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime. Cognac production falls under French appellation d'origine contrôlée (AOC) designation, with production methods and naming required to meet certain legal requirements. Among the specified grapes, Ugni blanc, known locally as Saint-Émilion, is most widely used. The brandy must be twice distilled in copper pot stills and aged at least two years in French oak barrels from Limousin or Tronçais. Cognac matures in the same way as whiskies and wines barrel-age, and most cognacs spend considerably longer "on the wood" than the minimum legal requirement.

Cosmopolitan

Cosmopolitan

A cosmopolitan, or, informally, a cosmo, is a cocktail made with vodka, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed or sweetened lime juice. The cosmopolitan is a member of the Gimlet family of cocktails. Though often presented far differently, the cosmopolitan also bears a likeness in composition to the kamikaze shooter. The International Bartenders Association recipe is based on citron vodka, lemon-flavored vodka. The use of citrus-flavored vodka as the basis for this cocktail appears to have been widely popularized in the mid-1990s by cocktail expert Dale DeGroff and is used in the IBA-approved recipe. Many bartenders, however, continue to use a standard unflavored vodka — this alternative would undoubtedly be historically consistent with any of the supposed predecessors of this drink that were popular in Ohio, Provincetown, or Minneapolis during the 1970s, or in San Francisco during the 1980s. A lemon twist is sometimes used to garnish.

Iļģuciems kvass

Iļģuciems kvass

Sweet fermented beverage made from rye bread, beets, may be infused with fruit

Kasemahl

Kasemahl

Birch sap beverage

Kefir

Kefir

Kefir is a fermented milk drink similar to a thin yogurt or ayran that is made from kefir grains, a specific type of mesophilic symbiotic culture. It is prepared by inoculating the milk of cows, goats, or sheep with kefir grains. Kefir is a common breakfast, lunch or dinner drink consumed in countries of western Eurasia. Kefir is consumed at any time of the day, such as alongside European pastries like zelnik (zeljanica), burek and banitsa/gibanica, as well as being an ingredient in cold soups.

Kissel

Kissel

Kissel or kisel[a] is a simple dish with the consistency of a thick gel, and made of sweet fruit, berry, grains , peas, or from milk. It belongs to the group of cold-solidified desserts, although it can be served warm. "Kissel" is derived from a Slavic word meaning 'sour', after a similar old Slavic dish—a leavened flour porridge (or weak sourdough) which was made from grain, most commonly oats, but any grain, including legumes like peas or lentils could be used. Bean kissels were typically not leavened, and lacked the sweetness of the modern variants.[citation needed] Grain-based kissels were known 9000 years ago in ancient Anatolia and Mesopotamia, they are mentioned in Sumerian and Akkadian texts. In ancient times, oatmeal kissel was prepared by fermentation of oat milk.

Kompot

Kompot

Kompot or compot, as prepared in Central and Eastern Europe and West Asia, refers to boiled fruits served either as a drink or a dessert depending on the region. When served as a dessert, it is essentially identical to the French compote, which is where the term "kompot" originates from. When served as a drink, it is also known as vzvar (взвар) or uzvar (узвар), from a Slavic root word meaning "to boil". As a drink, kompot is a sweet, non-alcoholic beverage that may be served hot or cold, depending on tradition and season. It is created by cooking fruit such as strawberries, apricots, peaches, apples, raspberries, rhubarb, plums, or sour cherries in a large volume of water, often together with sugar, honey, or raisins as additional sweeteners. Sometimes different spices, such as vanilla or cinnamon, are added for additional flavour, especially in the winter, when kompot is usually served hot. Kompot is popular in Central and Eastern European countries, as well as in Southern Europe.[citation needed] Kompot is part of the cuisine of many countries in Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, as well as in the Middle East and West Asia. It is known by a variety of names in these countries, such as компот (kompot) in Russian, Ukrainian and Bulgarian, kompót in Slovak and Hungarian, kompotas in Lithuanian, κομπόστα (kompósta) in Greek, and komposto in Turkish. Making kompot was a common way of preserving fruit for the winter in Southern and Eastern European countries; in 1885, Lucyna Ćwierczakiewiczowa wrote in a recipe book that kompot "preserved fruit so well it seemed fresh". Kompot is also popular in many Central Asian countries, such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Kvass

Kvass

Kvass is a fermented, cereal-based, low-alcoholic beverage of cloudy appearance and sweet-sour taste. Kvass originates from northeastern Europe, where grain production was considered insufficient for beer to become a daily drink. The first written mention of kvass is found in Primary Chronicle, describing the celebration of Vladimir the Great's baptism in 988.

Labietis

Labietis

Long Island Iced Tea

Long Island Iced Tea

The Long Island iced tea, or Long Island ice tea, is an IBA official cocktail, typically made with vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin, and a splash of cola. Despite its name, the cocktail does not typically contain iced tea, but is named for having the same amber hue as iced tea. The drink has a much higher alcohol concentration than most highball drinks due to the relatively small amount of mixer.

Lungo

Lungo

Lungo , known in full in Italian as caffè lungo, is a coffee beverage made by using an espresso machine to make an Italian-style coffee—short black (a single espresso shot) with more water (generally twice as much), resulting in a larger coffee, a lungo. A normal serving of espresso takes from 18 to 30 seconds to pull, and fills 25–30 millilitres (1 fl oz), while a lungo may take up to a minute to pull, and might fill 50–70 millilitres (2 fl oz). Extraction time of the dose is determined by the variety of coffee beans (usually a blend of arabica and robusta), their grind, and the pressure of the machine. It is usually brewed using an espresso machine, but with twice the amount of water to the same weight of coffee, to make a much-longer drink.

Mai-Tai

Mai-Tai

The Mai Tai is a cocktail made of rum, Curaçao liqueur, orgeat syrup, and lime juice. It is one of the characteristic cocktails in Tiki culture. Victor J. Bergeron claimed to have invented the Mai Tai in 1944 at his restaurant, Trader Vic's, in Oakland, California, US. Trader Vic's forerunner, Donn Beach, claimed to have instead first created it in 1933, although a longtime colleague said that Beach was actually just alleging that the Mai Tai was based on his Q.B. Cooler cocktail. Don the Beachcomber's recipe is more complex than Vic's and some believe it tastes quite different. Others believe that, despite the difference in ingredients, the Q.B. Cooler tastes quite similar. The Mai Tai was introduced in Hawaii in 1953 when Bergeron created a cocktail menu for the Matson Company hotels the Royal Hawaiian Hotel and Moana Hotel. The cocktail became a hit and was called the "top tourist tantalizer" in 1959. In the years thereafter, pineapple juice, orange juice, and a dark rum float became commonly used in Mai Tais produced in Hawaii.

Mangaļi minerālūdens

Mangaļi minerālūdens

Mangaļi mineral water

Margarita

Margarita

A margarita is a cocktail consisting of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice. Some margarita recipes include simple syrup as well and are often served with salt on the rim of the glass. Margaritas can be served either shaken with ice , without ice (straight up), or blended with ice (frozen margarita). Most bars serve margaritas in a stepped-diameter variant of a cocktail glass or champagne coupe called a margarita glass. The margarita is one of the world's most popular cocktails and the most popular tequila-based cocktail. The history of the margarita is shrouded in mystery and folklore due to its numerous origin stories. According to cocktail historian David Wondrich, the margarita is related to the brandy daisy (margarita is Spanish for "daisy"), remade with tequila instead of brandy. (Daisies are a family of cocktails that include a base spirit, liqueur, and citrus. A sidecar and gin daisy are other related drinks.) There is an account from 1936 of Iowa newspaper editor James Graham finding such a cocktail in Tijuana, years before any of the other margarita "creation myths". The Cafe Royal Cocktail Book, published in the UK in 1937, contains a recipe for a Picador using the same concentrations of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice as a margarita. One of the earliest stories is of the margarita being invented in 1938 by Carlos "Danny" Herrera at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria, halfway between Tijuana and Rosarito, Baja California, created for customer and former Ziegfeld dancer Marjorie King, who was allergic to many spirits, but not to tequila. This story was related by Herrera and also by bartender Albert Hernandez, acknowledged for popularizing a margarita in San Diego after 1947, at the La Plaza restaurant in La Jolla. The story was debunked in 1992 by the San Diego Reader.

Mojito

Mojito

Mojito is a traditional Cuban punch. The cocktail often consists of five ingredients: white rum, sugar (traditionally sugar cane juice), lime juice, soda water, and mint. Its combination of sweetness, citrus, and herbaceous mint flavors is intended to complement the rum, and has made the mojito a popular summer drink. When preparing a mojito, fresh lime juice is added to sugar (or to simple syrup) and mint leaves. The mixture is then gently mashed with a muddler. The mint leaves should only be bruised to release the essential oils and should not be shredded. Then rum is added and the mixture is briefly stirred to dissolve the sugar and to lift the mint leaves up from the bottom for better presentation. Finally, the drink is topped with crushed ice and sparkling soda water. Mint sprigs or lime wedges are used to garnish the glass.

Riga Black Balsam

Riga Black Balsam

Riga Black Balsam is a traditional Latvian balsam often considered to be the national drink of Latvia. According to tradition, only the Head Liquor Master and two of his apprentices know the exact recipe. Nowadays, Riga Black Balsam is produced by JSC Latvijas Balzams and has received more than 100 awards at different international fairs throughout its history. More than 2 million bottles of Riga Black Balsam are produced each year and exported to 30 countries. There are several variations of the balsam with blackcurrants, cherries, and even brandy. The traditional recipe was created in 1752 by Abraham Kunze [ru], an apothecary living in Riga. In 1762, Kunze published an advertisement for the balsam in the December 23rd issue of the Rigische Anzeigen [de] newspaper, describing its purported healing properties and instructions for use and offering it in flasks, cruses and bottles of an unspecified volume sealed with wax with his initials (A.K.) pressed in them for a price of two state thalers for a shtof.

Riga champagne

Riga champagne

Riga is known for its sparkling wine, particularly "RĪGAS šampanietis" and "RIGA Sparkling," which are popular local brands produced since 1952. These wines are made from a blend of white wines and are celebrated for their harmonious flavor and aroma.

Rum and coke

Rum and coke

Rum and Coke, or the Cuba libre , is a highball cocktail consisting of cola, rum, and in many recipes lime juice on ice. Traditionally, the cola ingredient is Coca-Cola ("Coke") and the alcohol is a light rum such as Bacardi; however, the drink may be made with various types of rums and cola brands, and lime juice may or may not be included. The cocktail originated in the early 20th century in Cuba, after the country won independence in the Spanish–American War. It subsequently became popular across Cuba, the United States, and other countries. Its simple recipe and inexpensive, ubiquitous ingredients have made it one of the world's most-popular alcoholic drinks. Drink critics often consider the drink mediocre, but it has been noted for its historical significance.

Samohon

Samohon

Horilka is a Ukrainian alcoholic beverage. The word horilka may also be used in a generic sense in the Ukrainian language to mean vodka or other strong spirits and etymologically is similar to the Ukrainian word for 'to burn' - hority. Home-distilled horilka, moonshine, is called samohon (Ukrainian: самогон, lit. 'self-distilled' or 'self-run' - almost identical to the Russian and Polish samogon). Horilka is usually distilled from grain (usually wheat or rye), though it can, less commonly, also be distilled from potatoes, honey, sugar beets etc. One type of horilka, called pertsivka (Ukrainian: перцівка), is horilka with chili peppers. Historically, outside Ukraine, pertsivka is generally referred to when people speak of horilka, although pertsivka itself is just one type of horilka. It is believed that horilka was not as strong as today with about 20 percent alcohol by volume (40 proof). However, today nearly all industrially produced horilka is 40 percent (80 proof).

Sbiten

Sbiten

Sbiten is a traditional hot winter beverage in Eastern Slavic cuisine, including Belarusian, Russian, and Ukrainian cuisines. Sbiten was a popular drink in Russian cuisine before the appearance of tea in Russia. It has a dark purple appearance and, depending on the recipe, can be very spicy and/or very sweet. It used to have the reputation of a Russian Glühwein, although it normally contains no alcohol. Modern sbiten can also be served cold during the summer or added to tea or coffee.

Sex on the Beach

Sex on the Beach

A sex on the beach is an alcoholic cocktail containing vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice and cranberry juice. It is an International Bartenders Association Official Cocktail. There are two general types of the cocktail: The drink is built over ice in a highball glass and garnished with an orange slice. Sometimes they are mixed in smaller amounts and served as a shooter.

Smiltene

Smiltene

Apple cider and berry wine

Užavas Alus Daritava

Užavas Alus Daritava

Valmiermuižas Alus

Valmiermuižas Alus

Aukstā zupa

Aukstā zupa

Cold borscht (beet soup)

Baltic Sea fish

Baltic Sea fish

The Baltic Sea is home to various fish species, including Atlantic herring, Baltic sprat, cod, flounder, salmon, and perch. The unique brackish waters support both freshwater and saltwater fish, making it a diverse ecosystem.

Borscht

Borscht

Borscht is a sour soup, made with meat stock, vegetables and seasonings, common in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. In English, the word borscht is most often associated with the soup's variant of Ukrainian origin, made with red beetroots as one of the main ingredients, which give the dish its distinctive red color. The same name, however, is also used for a wide selection of sour-tasting soups without beetroots, such as sorrel-based green borscht, rye-based white borscht, and cabbage borscht. Borscht derives from an ancient soup originally cooked from pickled stems, leaves and umbels of common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium), an herbaceous plant growing in damp meadows, which lent the dish its Slavic name. With time, it evolved into a diverse array of tart soups, among which the Ukrainian beet-based red borscht has become the most popular. It is typically made by combining meat or bone stock with sautéed vegetables, which—as well as beetroots—usually include cabbage, carrots, onions, potatoes, and tomatoes. Depending on the recipe, borscht may include meat or fish, or be purely vegetarian; it may be served either hot or cold, and it may range from a hearty one-pot meal to a clear broth or a smooth drink. It is often served with smetana or sour cream, hard-boiled eggs or potatoes, but there exists an ample choice of more involved garnishes and side dishes, such as uszka or pampushky, that can be served with the soup.

Bukstiņbiezputra

Bukstiņbiezputra

Groats porridge, serve with potatoes, bacon

Buljona pīrādziņi

Buljona pīrādziņi

Meat pies made with beef

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