- Title: LATVIA: Latvian's vie for traditional status for carrot-potato pie
- Date: 30th July 2012
- Summary: DUNDAGA, LATVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SKLANDRAUSIS' BAKER ELMA ZADIU+0145A ROLLING DOUGH VARIOUS OF ZADIU+0145A FORMING DOUGH CASE (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) SKLANDRAUSIS BAKER, ELMA ZADINA SAYING: "The trickiest bit is preparing the right consistence of the dough, then flattening and folding the edges, so that the crust remains firm but can also be easily bitten off." VARIOUS OF POTATO FILLING BEING PUT INTO DOUGH CUP VARIOUS OF ZADINA FILLING DOUGH CUPS ZADINA PUTTING PASTRIES INTO OVEN RIGA, LATVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) RESEARCHER JANINA KURSITE BROWSING HER LATVIAN CUISINE DICTIONARY DETAIL OF A PAGE OF DICTIONARY - ENTRY READING IN LATVIAN "SKLANDRAUSIS" IN PLURAL (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) NATIONAL TRADITION RESEARCHER, JANINA KURSITE, SAYING: "The name of the dish itself indicates that it is very old - 'rausis', which means that the dish was cooked by roughly covering the dough and filling in the stove ashes. Certainly, the filling that we use nowadays comes from more recent times." DUNDAGA, LATVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) ZADINA TAKING SKLANDRAUSIS' BAKING PAN OUT OF OVEN AND PLACING ON TABLE ZADINA PUTTING SOUR CREAM OVER BAKED SKLANDRAUSIS (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) SKLANDRAUSIS BAKER, ELMA ZADINA, SAYING: "My recipe is different; I add semolina - one part dry, and another - made with porridge. I don't know anybody who adds semolina to skandrausis. But the semolina adds juiciness both to the potatoes and carrots. And it keeps away that specific carrot taste which is sometimes bitterish and many do not quite like it." KOLKA, LATVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) PEOPLE BUYING SKLANDRAUSIS AT ZADINA'S OUTDOOR STAND TOURISTS TASTING SKLANDRAUSIS SKLANDRAUSIS IN A BOX (SOUNDBITE) (English) TOURIST FROM CANADA, YOAN GARNER, SAYING: "It's a bit sweet, but not too much and like, almost like some kind of pudding, but it's not because there's potatoes and carrots, so it's really different and interesting." GROUP OF PEOPLE GOING TO A TENT TO WATCH SKLANDRAUSIS BEING MADE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WATCHING SKLANDRAUSIS BEING MADE CLOSE OF SKLANDRAUSIS (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) PRESENTER OF SKLANDRAUSIS MAKING, DZENETA MARINSKA, SAYING: "I am not situated close to consumers, it is a poorly inhabited territory, but I have a guest house and then we have found an added value for it - I can show something traditional that can be found here, a tasty treat, a speciality of Kurzeme." VARIOUS OF GUESTS EATING SKLANDRAUSIS (SOUNDBITE) (Latvian) VISITOR FROM ANOTHER REGION OF LATVIA, ZENTA RAUGULE, SAYING: "I have not tasted it before, only heard about them, and I knew it is Kurzeme's speciality. I knew what they looked like. Some time ago I thought I would not find them delicious, but now I can say I really loved them." PUNI, LATVIA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF DOUGH BEING MADE IN BAKERY "LIEPKALNI" VARIOUS OF BAKERS WORKING THE DOUGH VARIOUS OF DOUGH CUPS BEING MADE VARIOUS OF BAKERS PUTTING CARROT MIX INTO PASTRY CUPS VARIOUS OF SKLANDRAUSIS BEING PUT INTO OVEN
- Embargoed: 14th August 2012 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Latvia
- City:
- Country: Latvia
- Topics: Quirky,Light / Amusing / Unusual / Quirky
- Reuters ID: LVA38V1P5HWQUQIB8475HTSUXAAF
- Aspect Ratio:
- Story Text: Latvian's aim to have their traditional carrot-potato pie, known as Sklandrausis, put on the EU speciality register.
Seventy-six year-old Elma Zadina flattens a thin, round piece of dough, then carefully folds up the edges, creating the perfect pastry cup.
This is none other than the base for Kurzeme's traditional 'sklandrausis' pie. The name of the tatsy tidbit from western Latvia is derived from an old Latvian word "sklanda" which means 'wattle fence', so the pie could be translated as a 'wattle fence pie', as the edges of the pie resemble a wattle fence.
Once the pastry is round enough it is filled with a layer of potatoes, a layer of carrots, then baked and usually eaten cold.
"The trickiest bit is preparing the right consistence of the dough, then flattening and folding the edges, so that the crust remains firm but can also be easily bitten off," says Zadina, who has had years of practise to get it just right.
So popular is the dish to the region that Latvian institutions have started the application process to obtain a certificate issued by the European Commission for EU Trademarks - Traditional Speciality Guaranteed.
About 40 traditional dishes are included into the European Commission register, among them such food items as Mozarella cheese.
Only food items that are traditionally made in a specific EU region, and are made in people's homes as well as produced industrially, can apply for the trademark.
Latvians claim the that 'sklandrausis' complies with all the criteria. It is characteristic solely to the Kurzeme region, the recipe has been handed down from generation to generation, and it is baked both at home and in local bakeries.
National traditions researcher Janina Kursite, who has recently published a 900-page dictionary on Latvian cuisine has come to a conclusion that 'sklandrausis' is a very old dish. The rye flour dough without yeast used to cook the base of the pie is the oldest kind of dough.
"The name of the dish itself indicates that it is very old - 'rausis', which means that the dish was cooked by roughly covering the dough and filling in the stove ashes. Certainly, the filling that we use nowadays comes from more recent times," Kursite said.
Evidence of carrots can be found in the territory of Latvia as early as the 14th century, whereas potatoes took their place on the Latvian menu only in the18th century. In earlier times when sugar was not as widespread, 'sklandrausis' was eaten salty, but nowadays people tend to make it taste sweet.
One consistent thing down the centuries has been 'sklandrausis' as a staple of festive meals for the people of Kurzeme province.
Each hostess makes it differently, having acquired handy tips passed down from generations to generation. Three things, though are necessary for 'sklandrausis' - rye bread dough, layers of potatoes and carrot filling.
The bakery "Liepnieki" which is the only bakery that makes 'sklandrausis,' uses the recipe handed down by a former employee's grand-mother.
Likewise Zadina inherited her recipe from her mother, and over the years has supplemented it with sour cream, sugar and cinnamon.
"My recipe is different; I add semolina - one part dry, and another - made with porridge. I don't know anybody who adds semolina to skandrausis. But the semolina adds juiciness both to the potatoes and carrots. And it keeps away that specific carrot taste which is sometimes bitterish and many do not quite like it," said Zadina.
Once a week Zadina brings her pies or 'sklandrausis' to various fairs all over the region. There is quite a remarkable interest in this food item, and Elma's 'sklandrausis' are popular both among Kurzeme people, who appreciate the well-known taste, and tourists from abroad willing to try a local traditional speciality.
"It's a bit sweet, but not too much and like, almost like some kind of pudding, but it's not because there's potatoes and carrots, so it's really different and interesting," said Canadian tourist, Yoan Garner.
'Sklandrausis' has also become a valuable tourist attraction in the Kurzeme region. On the sidelines of her camping and guesthouse business Dzeneta Marinska offers guests the chance to learn about making the traditional Kurzeme treat.
The ladies from a Ladies club in Cesis have come from across Latvia to watch Dzeneta making 'sklandrausis' and taste it.
The flavour of ancient pie or 'sklandrausis' is specific, quite often people from other regions do not like it.
"I have not tasted it before, only heard about them, and I knew it is Kurzeme's speciality. I knew what they looked like. Some time ago I thought I would not find them delicious, but now I can say I really loved them," said tourist Zenta Raugule.
The making of 'sklandrausis' is a labour intensive process, and nowadays housewives tend to buy theirs. However, according to 'sklandrausis' enthusiasts, the tradition of their baking is still alive, as Kurzeme people apparently cannot enjoy live fully without the taste of the carrot-potato pie.
Once the European Commission certificate is acquired, people are expecting 'sklandrausis' selling and tourist interest to boom. 'Sklanrausis' bakers hope that this honourable status will preserve and keep the tradition of making an old pie called 'sklandrausis' in the epoch of globalization. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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