Recipes. Rye Road

Rye bread will always have a special role on the Latvian table. It is not just a foodstuff. It is a link to our ancestors, to centuries-old traditions, beliefs, and rituals. It is the source of our strength. Rye bread is also delicious. A dark and crisp crust covers an aromatic and slightly damp interior. The bouquet of flavours is made up of rye, good water, caraway seeds, salt, sugar, and malt. Each baker has his or her own special recipe.

We eat rye bread for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It goes perfectly well with smoked pork and fish, salted herring, hemp, country butter and cottage cheese, various cheeses, vegetables, and herbs, as well as honey or jam. For celebrations, we offer rye canapés, carrot buns, and bacon buns. Nothing goes with a mug of kvass or beer better than aromatic and crispy garlic toasts.

People also love desserts involving rye bread. Cakes with whipped cream and forest or garden berries, as well as a layered dessert involving rye breadcrumbs, or sweet bread soup with dried fruits and cinnamon. Wonderfully delicious and ideal for the important waste-free lifestyle of the modern age. This is a way to use bread that has dried out. Everyone will love rye gingerbread and pancakes, and that includes health nuts. A slice of pumpernickel or cake will go well with a cup of afternoon coffee. On hot summer days, we can slake our thirst with cold and foamy rye kvass.

The recipes that are found here are simple. You can enjoy rye-related foods at all Latvian guesthouses and pubs. Contact them in advance to find out what’s on offer. Master classes are sometimes available where you can learn all about the secrets of rye.