Istanbul
1 hour
Istanbul: Turkish Coffee Workshop in Sultanahmet
Learn to brew Turkish coffee on hot sand in the heart of Istanbul’s Old Town. Discover the history and traditions of Turkish coffee and enjoy the...
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History
Sült belongs to the broader European tradition of head cheese (German Sülze, Polish galareta), absorbed into Estonian cooking through Baltic German aristocracy and Hanseatic trade in the 13th to 19th centuries. Estonian farmers boiled pork hocks for hours with bay, allspice and pepper, then set the gelatinous broth into a mould. The slices became a winter staple at every Estonian smorgasbord and remain a Christmas-table standard alongside verivorst.
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Tallinn
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Tallinn: Bar Crawl with Shots, Beer, and Nightclub Entry
Go on an adventure in Estonia's Tallinn on a guided bar crawl. Warm up with unlimited beer and cider for 1 hour, explore 2 of the city's best bars,...
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Make it at home
Ingredients
- 2 pork hocks (about 1.5kg total)
- 1 onion, halved
- 2 carrots, halved
- 3 bay leaves
- 10 allspice berries
- 10 black peppercorns
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- Mustard and rye bread to serve
Method
- Place the pork hocks, onion, carrots and spices in a large pot, cover with 3 litres cold water.
- Bring to a simmer and skim the foam, then cook gently for 4 hours until meat falls off the bone.
- Lift the meat out, discard skin and bones, shred the meat coarsely with two forks.
- Strain the broth, season generously with salt and garlic, then pour over the shredded meat in a terrine mould.
- Chill overnight until set. Slice and serve cold with strong mustard and rye bread.
Tip from the editors. The natural gelatin in pork hocks sets the aspic; no extra gelatine is needed.
Where to eat sült
Sült in Tallinn
Rataskaevu 16 ★ 4.8
Rataskaevu 16 is the Old Town's mid-priced Estonian comfort-food room, with braised elk, beef tenderloin and chef's choice white fish on a dietary menu.
OrderBraised elk roast with potato and beetroot gratin (€28.60); add the Estonian cheese platter.
TipBook a week ahead in summer. Sister room Väike Rataskaevu at Niguliste 6 takes the overflow with a smaller menu.
Olde Hansa ★ 4.4
Olde Hansa on Vana turg runs the medieval Hanseatic feast in candlelight until midnight every night, with live hurdy-gurdy and bagpipe music Wed to Sat.
TryMedieval Hanseatic feast with live music
Pegasus ★ 4.0
Pegasus on Harju has been a Tallinn dining-room landmark since 1962, with three floors of modern European cooking and Harju Hill views above the Old Town.
OrderWhatever the seasonal daily menu sends; the kitchen runs a vegetarian-friendly room with full vegan options.
TipVintage Pegasus interior preserves the Soviet-era ceiling. Window tables look across Vabaduse square.
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