Eclectic Tastes

A friend of mine asked me the other day if I ate like a Latvian yet. The question was preceded by first asking if, not what, I was eating - thoughtful. I told her that yeah, I guess my current culinary habits did reflect Latvian, rather than American cuisine (although it could hardly be called cuisine).

So what is Latvian food? I asked a co-worker that same question myself. His answer was, "It's the same as German food really." Fitting.

My staples consist of eggs, potatoes (sometimes boiled, sometimes fried), carrots (cooked for dinner, raw for lunch), sausages, cheese, and bread. That's really about it. I make a lot of stew with a seasoning packet and potatoes, carrots, and little meat balls I get at the deli. I eat a lot of sausages, accompanied by just cheese and bread. A lot of eggs. German pancakes and French toast for breakfast. And that's about it.

I'm not really sure if it qualifies as Latvian, but there's definitely enough sausage and cheese in my diet to unqualify it as American.

On the quest to further my Latvian tastes, just this evening I bought a bottle of Kvass. I figured it was Eastern Europe's equivalent to Root Beer. I wanted to try it out.

Oh, it was not good. As soon as the cap was off, a rank aroma of black licorice, fermented molasses, and bad oats filled my nostrils. It tasted worse. The label read, "Carbonated Soft Drink with Sugar and Sweetener." I don't know WHAT it was.