Estonian National Museum senior researcher Anu Kannike said that the foundation of Estonia's traditional food culture is cereal-based dishes. Barley porridge, flatbread and later rye were staples across generations, serving both as everyday meals and festive foods.

"Rye bread was not just food but also a symbol, surrounded by a rich set of traditions. Equally important was fish, especially salted Baltic herring, which was found in every household and traded inland for grain," she said on Vikerraadio's "Huvitaja" program.

Estonian cuisine has changed sharply several times over the centuries. The German conquest in the 13th century introduced new flavors, techniques and culinary terms. A major turning point came in the late 19th century when stoves appeared in farmhouses. "This made meals more varied, because instead of cooking large pots of food to last for days, people could fry an egg or make pancakes daily," Kannike explained. Around the same time, potatoes were widely adopted, becoming one of the country's most beloved foods.

The rise of industry and commerce also created a new shopping culture. While people once went to the market once a week, by the late 19th century, buying food daily had become the norm.

When asked which dishes are considered traditional Estonian foods, blood sausage, sauerkraut and pork usually come to mind first. While these are beloved dishes, Kannike noted they are not uniquely Estonian, since, for example, blood sausage is eaten throughout Europe. She considers kama (finely ground cereals and legumes mixed with milk or buttermilk – ed.) truly distinctive, as it is known only in Estonia, Latvia and to a lesser extent in Russia. Estonia also has regional specialties, such as sõir (fresh curd cheese – ed.) in Setomaa and Võrumaa.

What is seen as unusual depends a lot on time and perspective, Kannike said. "In Baltic German memoirs, rye bread and oat jelly (kaerakile) were sometimes described as strange and mud-like. But for Estonians, they were everyday and tasty," she explained. Her own grandmother happily made oat jelly, though as a child Kannike found it rather dreadful. She drew a comparison, noting that a 19th-century farmer might have seen today's potato salad as just as odd.

Before refrigerators, the main methods of preservation were drying and salting. Fish, meat, berries and mushrooms were dried. "Salt was one of the few available seasonings and meat had to be kept in brine until spring," Kannike said. Sweet preserves only became common in the 20th century, once sugar became more affordable.

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