of tastes and experiences. From my trips I bring back pictures, notes and … always tastes. They are often in the form of foods or seasonings, but as time went on, ever more as written recipes – messages from special moments; gifts that never wear out or diminish in value.
To some extent, you can take a trip around the world along a path of tastes right in your own kitchen. There are many inspiring cookbooks. There are thousands of ways to procure exotic spices with even the most complicated names. Living in a virtual reality literally brings the entire world into our homes. Travelling from country to country, from culture to culture in this way, we can discover the components and messages of a country’s tastes. Every country has two or three traditional local vegetables, herbs or spices that add their typical taste nuances to ingredients that are popular around the world – for example, potatoes. When seasoned with paprika and lard, potatoes taste like Hungary; add curry and they remind us of India. Add olive oil and lemon and you are transported to Greece. Add garlic and oregano, and suddenly you are in Italy. Good sea salt, farmers’ butter and dill make this universal tuber very dear and familiar – into an authentic Estonian taste.
I have loved to cook since I was a child. During the first ten years that I cooked (while I was in secondary school) I mostly baked cakes. They adorned tables at the birthday celebrations of almost all my mother’s friends, and I didn’t deprive my own family either. Generally cooks can be divided into two groups: those who make so-called “real food” including vegetable, meat and fish dishes; and the others that are pastry cooks and bakers. I must have inherited this second gene. Thus, I struggled enthusiastically for years trying to make the world’s best bread – first black and then white. In the case of the latter, I have yet to achieve my goal.
During my years at Kadriorg, we have sent many visiting heads of state and other dear guests off with Estonian tastes. After all, local food actually speaks most simply, quickly and pleasantly about your country’s climate and values, its tastes and states of mind. Tastes are like music; they are true art, which provides an experience that lasts forever. And therefore, dear reader, I am particularly happy to share the tastes that have been given to me and my family as gifts. This is a short culinary trip with us and our friends, accompanied by the good experiences provided by food that has been lovingly prepared. You can be sure that you will be able to prepare all these dishes in your own home. Most of them are extremely simple, but even the more complicated ones have been tested by me several times; thus some of the recipes have been slightly amended or altered, since raw ingredients are slightly different everywhere. If necessary, I also suggest substitutes.
If you want really good and healthy food, use high-quality ingredients. And do not forget that small details can be very important in the culinary arts – they may often be the decisive factor. Thus sea salt and halite can be much milder and subtler that ordinary NaCl. Pepper that is freshly ground in your peppermill has a totally different fragrance than factory-ground pepper. And various rose sugars with their halftones are head and shoulders above the taste provided by ordinary refined sugars. However, one can cook from everything and with everyone. In the end – you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth and there’s no disputing matters of taste. Sometimes, one should just surrender to pure pleasure!
Ümber Vahemere
Around the Mediterranean
Meie pere lemmikmaitsete inspiratsiooniallikaks tundub olevat Vahemere piirkond. Alustagem gourmet’ kroonimata või ka kroonitud kuningast Prantsusmaast. Sealt seilame Itaaliasse, sekeldame Kreeka saartel ja naudime Türgit, vaatame eemalt Liibanoni ja Süüriat, lehvitame Iisraelile, nuhutame Egiptuse turgudelt tulevaid hurmavaid vürtsihõnge ning seilame läbi Gibraltari korraks ka Marokosse, et siis Hispaanias taas Euroopat tervitada. Selline laevareis on nagu unistus, aga köögis pliidi juures teha – imelihtne!
The Mediterranean area seems to be the greatest source of our family’s favourite tastes. Let’s start with France, the uncrowned, or actually, crowned king of the gourmet world. From there, we sail to Italy, bustle about the Greek islands, and enjoy Turkey; we view Lebanon and Syria from afar; wave to Israel; take a whiff of the enchanting fragrances of the spices in Egyptian markets; we also sail through Gibraltar to Morocco for an instant; and then back to Spain to greet Europe again. This boat trip is like a fantasy – but incredibly simple to undertake at your kitchen stove!
Prantsusmaa
Prantsusmaa on oma 64,7 miljoni elanikuga üks suurimaid Euroopa riike. Ühele ruutkilomeetrile peab keskmiselt mahtuma 101,4 inimest.
Prantslaste suhtumine söömisesse, toitu ja selle valmistamisse on kütkestav – selles on ammustest aegadest pärit austust maa ja päikese vastu, kirge ja hoolimist. Arvukad kokandusmaailma olümpiakullad ehk kolme Michelini tärniga restoranide rohkus sel maal kõneleb meisterlikkusest, parima taotlemisest, raskuste trotsimisest. Aga ka selle peene kunsti juured ulatuvad tegelikult lihtsaimast lihtsasse – tavalisse talupojakööki. Prantsuse suursaadiku kaasa Anne Labrosse, kirglik kokk ja õpetaja, pühendas Eestis veedetud aastatel paljusid huvilisi oma maa parimate maitsete saladustesse. Tänu Anne’ile ei pelga ma enam ka kõige peenemate kastmete valmistamist proovida, sest tean, et täiuslikkuses peitub alati ka lihtsus. Üks prantsuse köögile iseloomulikke maitsebukette koosnebki koorest, võist, veinist ja puljongist – see on paljude kastmete põhjaks. Aga näiteks kuulsa Provence’i maitse saad, kui proovid mis tahes soolase toidu puhul kombinatsiooni oliiviõli-tüümian-rosmariin-majoraan-salvei. Bon appétit!
France
France, with its population of 64.7 million, is one of the largest European countries. An average of 101.4 people has to be accommodated on one square kilometre.
The attitude of the French toward eating, food and its preparation is captivating – it includes respect for the land and the sun, passion and caring that dates back to time immemorial. Numerous Olympic gold medals of the culinary world, or the abundance of Michelin three-star restaurants in this country speaks of mastery, a striving for the best, and defiance of hardships. However, the roots of this fine cuisine actually reach back to the simplest of the simple – to everyday peasant cuisine. Anne Labrosse, who is a passionate cook and teacher, devoted the years she spent in Estonia as the wife of the French ambassador to introducing the secrets of her country’s best tastes to many food lovers. Thanks to Anne, I am no longer afraid to attempt the preparation of the finest sauces, because I know that the secret to perfection is always simplicity. A taste bouquet typical of French cuisine consists of cream, butter, wine and bouillon, which form the base for many sauces. However, you can achieve the famous flavour of Provence if you add a combination of olive oil, thyme, rosemary, oregano and sage to any salty dish. Bon appétit!
Soupe à l’oignon elik sibulasupp
Umbes 20 aastat tagasi suvel käisin oma esimesel pikemal automatkal. See oli kuum suvi Eestiski, kuid Prantsusmaal näitas kraadiklaas mitu päeva järjest üle 40 pügala. Õhtuti oli võimalik päevast palavust vaid külmas vannis leevendada, sest konditsioneeritud õhuga toa jaoks polnud äsja ülikooli lõpetanuil lihtsalt raha. Aga imekaunite losside ja kindluste poolest üle ilma tuntud Loire’i jõe org kinkis lisaks Chinoni lossist leitud Jeanne d’Arci taaselustatud loole ka prantslaste talupojatoidu – sibulasupi – maitse, mis oma lihtsuses ja rustikaalsuses sööbis alatiseks mällu.
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250 G SIBULAID
