Well, we really can. And the best way to start is by cooking and eating the many dishes that define Estonian cuisine. Providing these foods are a number of chefs and culinary experts in the GTA.
Back again this year is Susi’s Custom Catering, providing catering services with an Estonian specialization. Among her Christmas menu, you’ll find meat, bacon, and mushroom pirukad to whet people’s appetites before dinner. These will be sold for $2 each, with a minimum order of 6 per type. For külm laud, you can purchase 1 litre containers of rosolje ($26), mushroom salad ($20), skumbria ($32), and sült ($34). For main courses, Susi is making traditional sausages (both verivorstid and valgedvorstid) for $36 per kilogramme, equivalent to approximately 6 pieces. To serve on the side, one can purchase a container of hapukapsas with pork for $26. For dessert, she is making 12-person kringel stritzels for $24.
This time around, Chef Susi Holmberg will be taking orders by email only, at estofoodsusi@gmail.com . Orders must be placed by Monday December 16th, with payments by cash only and pickup taking place at the Latvian Canadian Centre on Monday December 23rd.
Bringing us time-honoured family recipes is Chef Mihkel Heap of The Baltic Kitchen. From his menu, you can order a dozen pirukad fried ($25) or baked ($30) in five varieties: carrot, cabbage, beef, bacon/ham, and mushroom. Among his külmlaud selections are potato salad ($25), skumbria ($40), and rosolje ($30). Alternatively, if you're looking for more of a package deal for your külmlaud, Mihkel has options for two to three ($150) and four to six people ($300).
The protein game is strong here, particularly with “The Mamma”, a cold salmon dish with a recipe that’s been passed on through the generations and that serves six to eight people ($100). Liver pasteet (paté) is on offer for $20 per cup. And for vorstid, you can get four blood or white sausages for $20.
For dessert, you can purchase a large kringel for $80. And to really get into the Christmas traditions, order some gingerbread cookie dough to make cookies yourself, for $10 per 500 grams.
The deadline for orders (made through thebaltickitchen@gmail.com or by calling 519-591-1824 ) is Saturday December 7th. Orders are deliverable for a fee, depending on location.
Speaking of traditions, Greeks and Estonians have an important friendship, and this has been exemplified no better than by the history of Master’s Buffeteria, located at Tartu College. The owners, the Vatikiotis family, have been cooking delicious meals with the taste of home for decades. But it’s not just a place to visit when you’re downtown.
Master’s Buffeteria offers catered hot, cold, and traditional foods for all types of events and conferences. And it all comes at a reasonable price. Visit their website, and when you give them a call and ask for Mary.
December (and beyond, going into next year) is a perfect time to enjoy these comforting, hearty dishes. So go on, support your community and celebrate your heritage by connecting with these food experts!
