Buffet day brings visitors to onion route on the shore of Lake Peipus
On Saturday, the annual Buffet Day took place along the shores of Lake Peipus, with home cafes offering a variety of treats for visitors to enjoy.
First thing Saturday morning, the award for this year's best onion pie maker on the onion route was announced. Regina Kihu, who has been running a buffet for two years, took the prize.
"These onion pies are made in a tartlet mold, which makes them different. When they come out of the oven, they looks more like an onion tart. I thought I'd try making them that way," said Kihu after winning the award.
This year for the first time, an A.I.-assisted recipe was used to create a batch of onion pies.
"The very first one I tried and tested this year was actually created by AI, but since it didn't fit anywhere, we started to rework it ourselves and came up with our own recipe, which was modified with the help of friends. Their advice and tips on what works well helped a lot," said Kihu.
In total, more than 30 different home cafes buffets participated this year's event. Dmitri Sibbul, who has been working as a chef for five years, offered guests a range of fish dishes and homemade pea soup at Herne Farm on the shores of Lake Peipus. Dmitri was assisted on the day by family and friends.
There were also a number of households participating in the event for the first time. Mart Paadik and Eilve Manglus set up exhibitions of forged knives and jewelry in their yard, while the buffet they offered included featured hamburgers made by a neighbor. Those interested could also learn about the craft of blacksmithery. However, as this was the first year the buffet was held, the family did not know how many guests to expect.
The number of onion growers in the Lake Peipus region is decreasing every year, but paradoxically, that makes it easier for those who continue to sell their produce.
"Now, on the one hand, there are fewer growers because growing Peipus onions using traditional methods is pure craftsmanship. On the other hand, visitors are also discovering it. And so, by now, in October, all the local onions have been sold out," said Liis Lainemäe, the lead organizer of the Onion Route event.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Aleksander Krjukov
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
