This book focuses on food culture and politics in three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In popular and scholarly writings, the Baltic states are often seen as a meat-and-potatoes kind of place, inferior to sophisticated cuisines of the West and exotic diets in the East. Such views stem from the long intellectual tradition that focuses on political and cultural centers as sources of progress. But, as a new generation of writers has argued, in order to fully grasp the ongoing cultural and political changes, we need to shift the focus from capital cities such as Paris, Berlin, Rome, or Moscow to everyday life in borderland regions that are primary arenas where such transformations unfold. Building on this perspective, chapters featured in this book examine how identities were negotiated through the implementation of new food laws, how tastes were reinvented during imperial encounters, and how ethnic and class boundaries were both maintained and transgressed in Baltic kitchens over the course of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In so doing, the book not only explores culinary practices across the region, but also offers a new vantage point for understanding everyday life and the entanglement between nature and culture in modern Europe. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Baltic Studies.

"This ;book focuses on food culture and politics in three Baltic States: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In popular and scholarly writings, the Baltic states are often seen as a meat-and-potatoes kind of place, inferior to sophisticated cuisines of the West and exotic diets in the East. Such views stem from the long intellectual tradition that focuses on political and cultural centers as sources of progress. But, as a new generation of writers has argued, in order to fully grasp the ongoing cultural and political changes, we need to shift the focus from capital cities such as Paris, Berlin, Rome, or Moscow to everyday life in borderland regions that are primary arenas where such transformations unfold. Building on this perspective, chapters featured in this ;book examine how identities were negotiated through the implementation of new food laws, how tastes were reinvented during imperial encounters, and how ethnic and class boundaries were both maintained and transgressed in Baltic kitchens over the course of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. In so doing, the ;book not only explores culinary practices across the region, but also offers a new vantage point for understanding everyday life and the entanglement between nature and culture in modern Europe. This book was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Baltic Studies."--Provided by publisher.

Baltic showcases the food culture of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, three countries experiencing new energy and interest in their food scene. This book celebrates traditional dishes from each country and adapts them to create nearly 70 delicious recipes suitable for home kitchens the world over. Baltic cuisine is a mixture of Russian and German culinary influences with spices thrown in such as cardamom and cinnamon because the region is a historic trading point with Byzantium. Rather than strive to be authentic to the core, author Simon Bajada has selected those Baltic recipes most suited to international palates, curating a mix that is a combination of traditional and contemporary Baltic cuisine – tasty, basic, hearty food that makes use of simple techniques. Start your day with Curd pancakes with sour cream & blackberry jam, and learn how to make Black bread and Latvian hemp butter, or try some Summer's milk soup. Baltic is your starting point for experimenting with the flavours of this resurgent cuisine. The atmospheric photography captures the colour and vibrancy of the produce, local culture and landscapes as these countries emerge from 50 years of Soviet rule, reconnect with the past and embrace new promise for the future.

Recipes and stories that showcase the vibrant new food of the Baltic States In the Baltics, two worlds meet: the Baltic Sea joins Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, bringing culinary influences and cultural exchange. Food is author Zuza Zak's doorway to a deeper understanding of this region, its rich history, its culture and what makes it tick. Her recipes explore new culinary horizons, are grounded in Baltic tradition and inspired by contemporary trends, making them modern, unique and easy to recreate at home. In addition to recipes and travel stories, there are snippets of poetry, literature, songs and proverbs, adding a rich layer that makes Amber & Rye a cultural reference point for travellers as well as a showcase for the vibrant new cuisine of the Baltic States. Amber & Rye explores Baltic capitals, Vilnius, Tallinn and Riga, all three UNESCO World Heritage Sites, steeped in history and culture, guiding you around the cities, sharing stories and discovering a dynamic, new style of cooking. Perfect for fans of Olia Hercules (Mamushka, Kaukasis), Regula Ysewijn (Pride and Pudding, Oats in the North) and Durkhanai Ayubi's Parwana. "It is such a joy to finally see a cookbook on beautiful Baltic cuisine, done with so much sensitivity and respect by Zuza Zak, one of my favourite authors. It is making me pine to travel to the region more than ever. Before I can do that, I will enjoy reading and cooking from this wonderful book." Olia Hercules

In this key textbook, Andres Kasekamp masterfully traces the development of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, from the northern crusades against Europe's last pagans and Lithuania's rise to become one of medieval Europe's largest states, to their incorporation into the Russian Empire and the creation of their modern national identities. Employing a comparative approach, a particular emphasis is placed upon the last one hundred years, during which the Baltic states achieved independence, endured occupation by the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, and transformed themselves into members of the European Union. This is an essential textbook for undergraduate students taking modules on Eastern or Central European History, Communism and Post-Communism, the Soviet Union, or Baltic Culture and Politics. Engaging and accessible, this is also an ideal introduction to the Baltic States for general readers.

Nutritional and Health Aspects of Food in Eastern Europe provides an analysis of traditional and ethnic foods from Eastern Europe, including selections from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The book addresses history of use, origin, composition and preparation, ingredient origin, nutritional aspects, and the effects on health for various foods and food products in each of these countries. In addition, it presents both local and international regulations, while also providing suggestions on how to harmonize these regulations to promote global availability of these foods. - Analyzes nutritional and health claims relating to Eastern European foods - Includes traditional and ethnic foods from Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - Explores both scientific and anecdotal diet-based health claims - Examines if foods meet regulatory requirements and how to remedy non-compliance - Reviews the influence of historical eating habits on today's diets

The food of Poland has long been overlooked, but the time is right for a reinvention. In Polska, young food writer Zuza Zak presents her contemporary take on Polish cuisine, with recipes for snacks and party foods, soups, preserves, breads, fish, meat and poultry, salads and veg, and cakes and desserts. She places Polish food within the context of the country’s history and geography, and tracks how it has developed and adapted to Poland’s ever-changing political and economic situation. With recipes including Tuna cured in bisongrass vodka, Courgette islands with dill flowers, and Mini doughnuts with rose filling, and lavish photography from the acclaimed Laura Edwards, Polska is a breath of fresh air.

This volume is one in a continuing series of books prepared by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress. This volume is about Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.

“First-class, rigorously researched, richly documented, and thought-provoking” essays on the consumer experience in socialist Eastern Europe (Graham H. Roberts, author of Material Culture in Russia and the USSR). As communist regimes denigrated Western countries for widespread unemployment and consumer excess, socialist Eastern European states simultaneously legitimized their power through their apparent ability to satisfy consumers’ needs. Moving beyond binaries of production and consumption, the essays collected here examine the lessons consumption studies can offer about ethnic and national identity and the role of economic expertise in shaping consumer behavior. From Polish VCRs to Ukrainian fashion boutiques, tropical fruits in the GDR to cinemas in Belgrade, The Socialist Good Life explores what consumption means in a worker state where communist ideology emphasizes collective needs over individual pleasures.