[ad_1]
In Latvia, there is such a city on the banks of the Daugava River: Skrīveri. This place is also known as the capital of sweets, where you can see how the legendary artisan sweets “Vaca” (“Gotina” from Latvia) are made and taste unique and authentic homemade ice cream from Latvia. And in order not to be too sweet, a little crunchy – the authentic exhibition is worth visiting, where you will see with your own eyes how the people of Latvia lived in the middle of the last century, when the production of sweets began in this city. .
So get on with the journey! First stop – Cow
In Žemgala, at the entrance to Skrīveri town (Daugavas str. 2), there is an old candy factory: Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. On an extremely hot day, we were greeted by the current factory owners – mother and daughter – Baiba and Keita.
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
The factory is located in an authentic environment preserved since the middle of the last century. It is true that the production is now much less than then, but all the sweets here are still made and packed by hand.
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
Keita proudly said that his grandmother had been working here since the factory opened, and then Dad Aigars joined: “Now Mom and Dad are the main magicians in this factory. Dad is the boss. And we have preserved original recipes from ancient times. The recipe comes from the people, when the housewives made these sweets at home, cooking them with sugar, milk and butter ”, said Keita.
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
Construction of the factory began in 1956, and the first confectionery was manufactured and packed a year later, in 1957. The collection of all confectionery containers and other products used in the factory is also kept here. During the Soviet era, the Karvutes produced up to 60 factories, now the remaining three: two in Skriveri and one in Saldus. However, the only one with a Latvian culinary heritage license is the one we visited.
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
Besides the candy factory and museum in it, you can also get the Skrīveri factory candy packer certificate here; of course, this will require acquiring subtle skills and packing a dozen “cows” on site. And that, as we have seen for ourselves, is not easy. And do you know how many “Cow” candies a person packs per day? Net 8000! Or – 120 kilograms.
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
Dilemma: Continuous or Fragile “Cow”?
Since my childhood, since I can remember, Karvutė caramel has always had a hard and brittle surface, rolled with powdered sugar and, inside, it continues. But now it is practically impossible to find them. I asked the host Baiba: “Why are these sweets not like they used to be? After all, now it is more common to crystallize and without a liquid interior.”
And he explained to me: “During the first two weeks, the cow is liquid, stretched inside. Later, it crystallizes. “
Skrīveru Gotiņa Candy Factory. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
Now I know: when I was a child, “Cows” came to me cooler. However, it turns out that not everyone likes liquid. “There are two types of people: some like fresh and others only look for those that have crystallized. And this is because in stores it is very rare to buy waivers, so people think that those fresh are simply melted and no longer fresh, ”explained Baiba’s daughter, Keita.
Make sure to visit this factory, because for the true sweet tooth, a candy packer certificate is required. And after receiving the official document, you will be able to choose your favorite sweet “Karvutė”, which has several tens of hundreds of types and tastes. And now, ice cream!
The most romantic ice cream fairy
On the same street, like the candy factory, just in the center of Skrīveri city there is another sweet kingdom: the ice cream parlor “Skrīveru mājas saldējums” (Daugavas str. 96), where you will only find homemade ice cream made on site.
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
And this place is special and incomparable for anyone. The day we visited the ice cream parlor was surrounded by retro music (can’t believe it!) Full of repairs. That’s right, the elegant and welcoming owners of the ice cream parlor fixed the terrace and repaired the ceiling of the ice cream parlor.
As soon as we arrived, we were greeted by perhaps the most romantic ice cream fairy in the world, dressed in a striped dress, sparkling eyes, and a very smiling Lelde. He invited us in.
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
And inside, another surprise. Here, for a conversation with Lelde and an ice cream tasting, we join the table with the dream music of one of the most famous Latvian composers – Emīls Dārziņš.
“Our family’s ice cream parlor produces the most authentic Latvian natural homemade ice cream. But the whole story started with my grandparents, who taught my mother how to make desserts and gave this Latvian ice cream a start, ”Lelde said.
In the ice cream parlor, Leldes’s father is an ideologist who follows all the rules of making homemade ice cream from the first day of this ice cream parlor. Mom is the head chef, because she chooses and knows all the ice cream recipes and decides what will be prepared. And, as Lelde said, the brothers also contribute to the ice cream business. So the whole family spins here.
Flavors: something you haven’t experienced yet
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
And not to mention the timing of the tasting – what kind of ice cream is not made here, and the palette of flavors is such that you won’t find anywhere else. So, we started to try the most surprising ice creams:
- Potato ice cream in tomato soup. It is a special ice cream because everyone talks about it, but not everyone dares to try it. And after the tasting, pleasantly surprised.
- Another highlight is the horseradish ice cream with anchovies, beets, blue cheese and fresh vegetables. Everything is like a cold salad. And his name is just lovely: “Man’s Kiss.”
- Another men’s option is dark beer ice cream (non-alcoholic).
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
After such an unexpected start in the mouth, we move on to the most common, but no less surprising:
- Vanilla milk ice cream is known to many as “ice cream”, but as Lelde said, it is not ice cream. By the way, do you know where real ice cream comes from? And from the French town of Plombières-les-Bains. It is true that the recipe for real ice cream is not like the “ice cream” we know in the store.
- Curd ice cream with raspberries is the most popular.
- With raisins, a classic.
- Sparkling wine and homemade pear ice cream – food of the gods! That’s what Lelde called them.
- Well, plum ice cream is made from the local Pedrigons and Kometa plum varieties, ripe in the ice cream maker’s garden. It is an exceptional flavor and truly unique to the Skriveri area. As the French say, the true truest terroir is an example.
- Red wine ice cream with blackberries: for lovers of ripe taste.
- Black ice cream with charcoal, made from white ice cream, a favorite of children.
- Strawberry sorbet is another classic.
- Cranberry ice cream: a dessert of beauty! And that’s what Lelde says! Because blueberries are very healthy for those who appreciate beauty.
- Well, and of course chocolate. Another favorite of many.
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
And that’s just part of the type of ice cream we’ve tried. And there are half of them …
“We use non-standard, non-pasteurized natural milk for the production of ice cream. We are the only ones who make ice cream with unpasteurized milk and fresh eggs, but we have to follow strict rules. Therefore, we have been producing original Latvian ice cream in this way for 14 years. And I am very proud of that. And it doesn’t matter that the ice cream is made by Italian ice cream machines, but the machine is a machine, without a man it won’t make delicious ice cream, ”said Lelde, the ice cream fairy Skiveri.
Children’s dream and time travel
Our visit was topped off by a great toning coffee and an ice cream parlor photoshoot, which Modesta captured, still unable to be surprised by the fabulous setting of this place.
“Of that sweetness that you can melt here, those waffles, those ice creams, that atmosphere. And Lelde herself … With so much sincerity that I can’t believe it. And if someone brought the children here, they would faint with joy! Probably be a childhood dream! ”Modesta exploded with joy as she took pictures.
Ledainė “Ice cream of the Skrīveri house”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
We said goodbye to Lelde and ended our trip in the Skiveri area by visiting an exhibition that took us back to the Soviet era, when the production of “Karvutė” began.
Exhibition “Years of the Soviet era”. Source: DELFI / Modesta Bear
So if you are already in this area, such an exhibition is worth visiting: the younger ones will see how people lived in Latvia during the Soviet era, the older ones will be happy with how good it is now. The exhibition contains a large original collection of exhibits from the lives of the people of the Soviet era (work, entertainment, home) that reflect the realities of that time. Years of the Soviet period, Kalna Street 20, Aizkraukle.
[ad_2]
