Common Foods and Dishes
Potatoes and meat are generally considered staple food of Latvians. Soups are commonly made with vegetables and broth or milk. Noodle soup, Beat soup, Sorrel soup and Nettle soup are also consumed by Latvians.
A traditional Latvian cheese is Jāņu siers (caraway cheese); this is traditionally served during the celebration of Jāņi or midsummer. There is also a Latvian version of the smorgasbord, Aukstais galds. Latvia has an original version of pīrāgi, which are baked. Kvass (seen also in picture on the right) is often considered as a traditional Latvian drink, however it is quite popular in neighboring countries as well, and it is hard to establish its origin. Popular alcoholic beverages are beer, vodka and balzam.
Sautéed sauerkraut is a food preparation that was inherited from Germans in the Latvian region. Pickled mushrooms are another Latvian speciality.
Read more about this topic: Latvian Cuisine
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