coldness

Yesterday (February 24) was the anniversary of Estonia's first independence. Every year on Freedom Square, Tallinn holds a huge parade, but this year- because of the cold (it went down to -22 degrees F on Friday night)- it was cancelled. Too cold for the musicians to play, according to Eesti Paevaleht.

sovereignty and civilization narratives in conflict

From Merje Kuus: 'European Integration in Identity Narratives in Estonia: A Quest for Security.' Journal of Peace Reseach, vol. 39. no I, 2002, p. 91-2:

'Security is the key concept in both the integration and sovereignty narratives. International integration, particularly membership in the European Union (EU) and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), is pursued as the ultimate expression and codification of Estonian identity and Estonian values, as well as a security guarantee for the preservation of Estonia's identity and independence. Security and identity are represented as Estonia's primary motives for integration; they are accorded higher priority than the anticipated economic benefits of the process. Yet the security threats invoked in the integration and sovereignty narratives contradict one another between as well as within these narratives. On one hand, Estonian identity is presented as a European or Western one, and similarities between Estonia and Western European countries are stressed. On the other hand, Estonian identity is presented in exclusively ethnic terms and linked to the territory of the nation state.'

Today, I also learned that Huntington's Clash of Civilization is the most cited academic text in Estonia. That said, I am late for my IR class.

apple-pomegranate birthday tart

Baking in Estonia can be quite a challenge- and finding the right ingredients to bake a birthday cake is impossible, especially in the winter time, when the fruit section of the grocery store is quite limited. Fortunately there is never a shortage of apples so I decided, for my friend Valerie's birthday, to make an apple-pomegranate birthday tart. It was quite fun, and the ingredients are extremely easy to find, even in the most limited of Eastern European grocery stores.

For the crust:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter (a bit more than 150 grams)
2 tbls heavy whipping cream
3 tbls water

For the filling:
3 large apples, sliced but not peeled
1 pomegranate
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1 tbls butter
a bit of sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon

Mix together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter. When the butter, salt, and flour combination are completely mixed, add the whipping cream and water. Mix to create a dough-like consistency. Let sit for an hour.

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F (about 176 degrees C). When the hour is up, mold the dough into a tart shell and bake for 25 minutes, or until the shell is golden. While the shell is baking, melt the butter in a large sauce pan. Add the apples, some sugar and brown sugar. Cook the apples, turning occasionally, until they are soft all the way through. Cut the pomegranate in half and empty the seeds into a bowl with a spoon.

When the shell is finished baking, remove it from the oven and let it sit until it reaches room temperature. Spread a thin layer of raspberry preserves on the bottom of the tart. Lay the apple slices on top of the raspberry preserves in a fan-like pattern. When the tart is covered in apples, sprinkle the pomegranate seeds on top of the apples. Add a dash of cinnamon. You can serve it immediately or let it cool. Best served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with brown sugar or cardamom. Enjoy!