The new LONELY PLANET guide to Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania

If you're travelling to Estonia, Latvia and/or Lithuania any time soon, then I can recommend the 2009 edition of the famous Lonely Planet guide. Carolyn Bain, the coordinating author of the book, has thoroughly revised the current edition - 5th already! And as an extra bonus, you can read an interview with yours truly on pages 60-61, where I share some tips re: Estonian food in general, best places to eat out in Tallinn, what to eat when visiting and what to bring back home to your friends and family. :)

You can order a copy of the book either from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk or directly from the Lonely Planet website.

Read also my recommendations for eating out in Tallinn in 2009 here.

Spicy Crabapple Marmelade Recipe

Rememer the Crabapple Cake? Well, some of you wanted to know how to make canned crabapples and the recipe for crab-apple jam. If you've got a crabapple tree in your back yard, then now is your chance to make this gorgeously red jam out of them. I've made two batches already - the second one was using apples from a different tree, and the marmelade wasn't as bright red, rather dark pink, but the taste was still lovely. As you're using unpeeled apples, there's plenty of pectin in the marmelade, giving it a lovely spreadable texture.

Crab Apple Marmelade
(Vürtsikas paradiisiõunapüree)

1 kg red crabapples
200 ml water (just under a cup)
1 cinnamon stick
2 cloves
250 g caster sugar

Wash the apples, place into a saucepan with water, cloves and cinnamon. Bring into a boil and simmer on low heat, stirring every now and then, until apples are soft.
Using a wooden spoon, press the soft apples through a sieve (try to get as much of the apple fruit and peel through as possible).
Return to the saucepan, add the sugar and bring to the boil. Simmer gently for another 7-10 minutes.
Spoon the jam into hot sterilised jars.
Keep in a cold storage.

Pesche alla Piemontese or Baked Peaches with Amaretti biscuits

I'm baking lots of apple cakes and plum pies these days, trying to alternate the baking days with simple fruit dishes :) Two days ago I served luscious figs with goat's cheese and Jamon Serrano. Tonight the fruit was peach, and I made a classic Italian dessert, Pesche alla piemontese. You need the crispy and light Italian almond biscuits, Amaretti, for this recipe.

Pesche alla Piedmontese
(Küpsetatud virsikud Amaretti küpsistega)
Serves 4

4 large ripe peaches
100 g Amaretti almond cookies/biscuits
2 Tbsp brandy or cognac
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 egg yolk

To serve:
whipped cream with vanilla and sugar

Wash the peaches, pat dry, halve and remove the stone. Place on a oven dish, cut-size up.
Crush the cookies into fine crumbs. Drizzle cognac on top and leave to soften for a couple of minutes. Stir in the butter and egg yolk and stir until combined.
Divide the mixture between the peaches.
Bake in the middle of 180 C / 350 F oven for about 30 minutes, until the peaches are soft and the Amaretti topping is golden.
Serve warm or at room temperature, with a spoonful or two of whipped cream.