Sinijärv recommends books on Lottemaa, mushrooms and fermentation

ERR has published cultural adviser Karl Martin Sinijärv’s latest book recommendations, including Hana Kivi’s account of Lottemaa, a mushroom cookbook and a guide to fermentation.

Hana Kivi’s “My Lottemaa. A Village as Large as the World” (Petrone Print) stands out among the many books in the “My” series, Sinijärv writes. While some titles are routine travel accounts and others are rich in information but less enjoyable to read, he says, Kivi’s book is a “pearl” and a “nugget of gold.”

The Lottemaa book offers a view of an entire country, or even a world, being built from the beginning. Sinijärv recalls visiting Lottemaa when it first opened with his then five-year-old son. Although everything was still somewhat raw, he says, the place clearly had spirit and energy. Now that his son is an adult, reading the book made Sinijärv want to visit again and enjoy the experience from a new perspective.

He also praises the work, life, art and beauty behind Lottemaa, noting that visitors spend only a few hours there while many people work continuously to create those experiences. “The Lottemaa world has character and energy,” he writes.

Sinijärv also recommends Mari-Liis Ilover’s “Mushroom Lover’s Cookbook” (Pegasus). Although he rarely opens cookbooks, he spent several hours looking through this one and marked recipes he would like to try. Sinijärv describes himself as a poor mushroom gatherer who enjoys walking in the forest but rarely finds enough for more than one small panful.

The book nevertheless provides useful instructions for preparing mushrooms, which Sinijärv calls nutritionally unremarkable but exceptionally tasty. He advises readers to keep their eyes open in the forest, while noting that mushrooms can also be found at markets.

Tim Spector’s “Fermentation. The Life-Changing Power of Microbes” (Pegasus) is another recommendation. Rather than offering a traditional cookbook of pictures and recipes, Spector explains the science and techniques of fermentation in detail.

Understanding what happens inside a jar can give people greater confidence in the process, Sinijärv writes. Sauerkraut does not require a huge barrel: a small, good batch can be made at home in a few days. He suggests using August to experiment with fermentation.