Cooking Around the World: Latvia

We are working our way through the Ls in our Cooking Around the World Adventure. Yesterday we were in Laos, tonight Latvia.

Fast Facts

Population: 2,300,000

Capital: Riga

Area: 64,589 square kilometers (24,938 square miles)

Language: Latvian, Lithuanian, Russian

Religion: Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Russian Orthodox

Currency: Latvian lat

More Interesting Facts

Historically, Latvia is known by the name Lettland. Lettland gets its name from the natives ‘Letts’ or the Lettish people.

The capital of Latvia, Riga is famous for some of the best Art Nouveau architecture in Europe.

Vilhelm Ostwald of Riga was awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1909.

Latvian Fridrich Cander (1887-1933) was an inventor who worked on the theory and design of jet engines and rockets.

Today, our Latvian meals bookended our day. For breakfast, we ate...

Debesmanna (Latvian Cranberry Mousse)

Click on the name, above, for the recipe.

For Dinner...

Frikadelu Zupa (Latvian Meatball Soup)

I used the bounty of our High Ground Organics CSA to make this delicious soup: 2 leeks, 1 bunch of carrots + carrot tops, 1 T crushed garlic, pat of butter and a splash of olive oil, 6 C organic chicken broth, 1 pound 96/4 grassfed organic beef, 1 egg, 1/2 C panko breadcrumbs, 2 t fresh dill, 1/2 C sour cream.

In a large soupot, melt the butter in a splash of olive oil. Add in the leeks and garlic and saute until softened. Toss in the carrots and cook until fork tender. In the meantime, mix the beef, egg, panko, and dill together in a bowl. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Drop small meatballs into broth and cook for 30 minutes. Just before serving, stir in the sour cream and season with salt and pepper, if desired.

These Global Table Ambassadors are signing off. We're headed to Lebanon next. Jake is going to be so excited; his favorite dish from his childhood is lubyee-bi-lahmi.

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