Amber and Rye: A Baltic Food Journey

A culinary journey through Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania


In the Baltics, two worlds meet: the Baltic Sea connects Eastern Europe and Scandinavia, bringing with it cultural exchange and culinary influences. All three Baltic capitals, Tallinn, Riga, and Vilnius, are UNESCO World Heritage Sites, steeped in history and culture.

Amber & Rye explores this exciting part of Eastern Europe, guiding you around the capitals, sharing stories from the locals, and discovering a dynamic, new style of cooking. Contextualized within the Baltics’ rich history and culture, this food journey is a doorway to a deeper understanding of what makes the region so exciting.

The recipes in this book explore new culinary horizons—grounded in Baltic traditions yet inspired by contemporary trends—making them modern, unique, and easy to recreate at home. In addition to the food and stories of travel, there are snippets of poetry, literature, songs, and proverbs, adding a rich layer of context that makes Amber & Rye a cultural reference point for travelers as well as a showcase for the vibrant new cuisine of the Baltic States.

Zuza Zak describes herself as a “storyteller cook” whose debut cookbook Polska: New Polish Cooking achieved much success. It appeared in six languages and was selected as one of the best cookbooks of 2016 on BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme. The Independent described Polska as “capturing the spirit of a nation.” Zuza was born in Poland in 1979 and moved to the UK when she was eight. She worked in TV in for 8 years then started a supper club, A Slavic Tale. Since publishing her cookbook, Zuza has had regular appearances on Polish TV and radio. Internationally, you can see her on Food Network Finds: Poland. In 2019, Zuza started a food-focused PhD at the prestigious School of Slavonic and East European Studies, UCL, where she continues to explore East European food from a socio-cultural perspective, through the lens of a cultural anthropologist.