What can you pick up from a local kohvik on your way to work in Tallinn? From the Reval Cafe on Müüri/vahe tänav ("between the (town) walls") Street in Tallinn's vana linn (old town), you can grab along a glorious kilu/või/leib among other things. On dark rye, that being rukki or must (black) bread with red onion and half a boiled egg (keedu/muna) to boot. Kilud are Baltic sprats and they are commonly marinated in a mixture of black pepper, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, coriander seeds, bay leaves, salt, sugar etc. The result: vürtsi/kilud or spiced sprats, a famous Estonian delicacy, the king of open-faced sandwiches. Are there any other kind?! The square of cake on the side may be a new kind of (seasonal) classic purely due to letters it bears, PÖFF. The Pimedate Ööde Filmifestival or Black Nights Film Festival takes over Tallinn in late Nov. of each year. Go to www.poff.ee and choose your language. / Riina Kindlam, Tallinn.
