Pancakes in Tallinn

Are you fond of pancakes and have some time and euros to spend in Tallinna Vanalinn? Then head for the legendary pancake house called Kompressor! A few steps from Raekoja Plats you will find the street Voorimehe, which takes you to one of  the longest streets in Vanalinn, Pikk. Turn there left and after just a few meters you will see the (rather  unnoticable) entrance to Kompressor at Rataskaevu 3.

 

Get in, grab a menu and take a seat. Go through all the numerous options. Whether you want something sweet or something salty, rest assured that one pancake is enough for most of us since the pancakes come with ample filling! Prices vary, but most pannkoogid are around 4,50 € (May 2013).

When you have decided what you want, go and pay at the counter. Be prepared to wait for a quite a while for your pancake if the place is jammed -  which it often is. Kompressor is well-known among young adults, and the entrance reflects this as well as there are posters and adds to different events in the city.

After Kompressor you may want to climb - with renewed energy - the Pikk jalg towards Toompea for a nice view of Tallinn! Directions: leaving Kompressor turn right, then after a few meters, sharp left!

sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
hinnat vaihtelevat = prices vary
lätty, lettu, ohukainen = pannkook = pancake
lätyt, letut, ohukaiset = pannkoogid = pancakes
makea = magus = sweet 
Pidätkö letuista? = Kas sulle maitsevad pannkoogid? = Are you fond of pancakes?
suolainen = soolane = salty
voit olla varma, että  = võid kindel olla =  rest assured that... 
useimmille meistä = enamikel meist = for most of us
yksi lettu riittää = ühest pannkoogist piisab = one pancake is enough
 

Merry Christmas!

Hyvää Joulua! Häid Jõule!

There is so much to say about Christmas and also about the differences between the Finnish and the Estonian ways to celebrate it that this blog won't even go there! Let's just have some taste samples for days to come (all in the Finnish partitive case): for example glögiä, graavilohta, joululimppua, kalkkunaa, karjalanpaistia, kinkkua, lanttulaatikkoa, lihapullia, lipeäkalaa, maapähkinöitä ja rusinaa, perunamuusia, piparkakkuja, porkkanalaatikkoa, riisipuuroa, rosollia ja tähtitorttuja. And of course lots of suklaata! You can almost taste all that, can't you! Fancy anything? Here are also some Estonian Christmas treats, there among hapukapsas, kartulisalat, sealiha ja verivorst. Another good Estonian link here. Most of the links in the vocabulary take you to some great Christmas  recepies! Bon appetit! And a very Merry Christmas!

joulusanasto = jõulusõnastik = Christmas vocabulary
glögi = mulled wine
graavilohi = graavilõhe =  gravlax
hapankaali = hapukapsas = sauerkraut
Hyvää joulua! = Häid Jõule! = Merry Christmas!
Hyvää ruokahalua! =Head isu! = Bon appetit!
joulu = Jõulud = Christmas
jouluaatto = jõululaupäev = Christmas Eve
jouluateria = jõulusöök = Christmas dinner
joululahja =  jõulukink, jõulukingitus = Christmas present
joulukuusi = jõulukuusk = Christmas tree
joululimppu = Christmas loaf
joulupukki = jõuluvana = Santa Claus , Father Christmas
kalkkuna = kalkun = turkey
karjalanpaisti = Karelian hot pot, Karelian stew
kinkku = sink = ham
lanttulaatikko = kaalikavorm = rutabaga casserole,  swede bake
lihapullat, lihapyörykät = lihapallid = meat balls
lipeäkala = libekala = lutefisk
lohi = lõhe = salmon
maapähkinä = maapähkel = peanut
Mitä haluat joululahjaksi? = Mida sa jõuludeks tahad? = What do you want for Christmas?
perhe = perekond = family
perunamuusi = kartulipuder = mashed potatoes
perunasalaatti = kartulisalat = potato salad
piparkakku = piparkook = gingerbread cookie
porkkanalaatikko =porgandivorm (Soome moodi) = carrot bake
resepti/reseptit = retsept/retseptid = recepy/recepies
riisipuuro = riisipuder  = rice porridge
rosolli = salad made of mostly redbeet, carrot and potato
rusina = rosin = raisin
sianliha = sealiha = pork
suklaa =šokolaad = chocolate
tähtitorttu, joulutorttu = plum tartlet, Finnish Christmas star
verimakkara =verivorst = blood sausage

Tähtitortut

Grocery shopping in Tallinn

One of the interesting things to do when you are traveling välismaal is to do some grocery shopping. Whether you are looking for some picnic material or things to use to make a meal of, if you are jalgsi on your way tagasi Tallinna sadamasse, a convenient store to visit is the RIMI hüpermarket (open 8-22) at Norde Centrum. 

And of course, enamus meist are looking for things we don't find at home. Below you can see some of the things to buy in the three blog languages.

 
sanasto = sõnastik = vocabulary
ateria = söök = meal
etsiä jotakin = midagi otsida = to look for something
jalkaisin (liikkeellä) = jalgsi = on foot
joko - tai  = kas - või  = whether - or
ruokakauppa = toidupood, toiduainete kauplus = grocery
ruokaostokset = grocery shopping
takaisin  satamaan = tagasi sadamasse = back to the harbor
ulkomailla = välismaal = abroad
useimmat meistä = enamus meist, enamik meist = most of us

söögisõnastik = ruokasanasto= food vocabulary
aedvili = kasvikset  = vegetables
apelsin = appelsiini = orange
juust = juusto = cheese
juustuvõileib = juustovoileipä = cheese sandwich
jäätis = jäätelö = icecream
kala = kala = fish
kana = kana = chicken
kanamuna = kananmuna = egg
kapsas = kaali = cabbage
kartul = peruna = potato
kaste = kastike = sauce
koor = kerma = cream
kuivatatud puuvili = kuivatut hedelmät = dried fruits
küpsised = keksit = cookies
leib = leipä = bread
liha = liha = meat
maasikas = mansikka = strawberry
mahl = tuoremehu = juice
maitseained, vürtsid = mausteet = spices
maksavorst = maksamakkara = liverwurst
pannkook = ohukainen, lettu, lätty = pancake
piim = maito = milk
piimatooted, piimasaadused = maitotuotteet = dairy products
pirukas = piirakka = pie
porgand = porkkana = carrot
puuvili = hedelmät = fruits
pähkel = pähkinä = nut
riis = riisi = rice
sai = vehnäleipä = white bread
saiake = sämpylä = (bread) roll
sibul = sipuli = onion
sink = kinkku = ham
sool = suola = salt
suhkur = sokeri = sugar
suitsutatud = savustettu = smoked
supp = keitto, soppa = soup
šokolaad = suklaa = chocolate
vaarikas = vadelma = raspberry
vesi = vesi = water
viilud = leikkeleet = cold cuts
vorst = makkara = sausage
või = voi = butter
võileib = voileipä = sandwich
õun = omena = apple

Updated 5.12.2012