Traditional dishes – the same for generations have been served for Christmas Eve supper. One of these is baked turkey (or goose) with apples. Other dishes include sauerkraut (mulgikapsad), potatoes, swede with hog’s head, pork, black pudding, potato salad with red beets and paté as well as beet salad and marinated cabbage.
Holiday gingerbread with grains of pepper, coco, and cinnamon called „piparkoogid” is served for dessert (often baked in the shape of people, stars, the moon, birds, dogs, cats, and bears). Fruit cakes and marzipan are also served.
The beverage of choice during the holidays is beer and mead but lately hot cider has also become popular.
In the past large meals were eaten for Christmas Eve supper and at Christmas night. It was thought that having a lot of food at that time would mean having an abundance of food in the upcoming year. According to an old tradition seven or twelve means were supposed to be on the table at Christmas night. The traditional Estonian meal included pork with sauerkraut and black pudding (verivorst). Special Christmas bread called „wheelbarrow” was also baked. During Christmas domestic animals were also fed bread. Among beverages the most popular were home-brewed beer and mead.
Translator: Szczepan Witaszek
