Olde Hansa.....Dark Honey Beers.....Blankets......& Bears

Beers have neva been to my liking ...The first time I drank a beer was during my early teens which was a cocktail with orange tang..Braganza a friend of mine who game me that dreaded Idea of the infactous Combo mix I guess I still owe him for the award winning Masterpiece.Tallin is where I really fell in for the enemy,

Tallin the cultural capital of Europe for 2011 is the official capital for Estonia too, The city has a traditional russian feel where the towns historic land marks are within the citylimits..the center square is a pivital point of attraction and the old rustic background makes one get lost in the medival era, the windows and lamps on the walls of every bulding has a fairy tale of its own and so is the theme of the 2011 cultral capital “Stories of seashore”

After exploring the old town...I along with my friends wanted to have a feel of the hospitality that tallin was to offer, We decidied to ask thelocal vendors who were busy in selling choco almonds about best place to enjoy the authentic cusine and local Beers, They pointed us to the most crowded restaurant in the whole of the busy street,

We walked closer and we found Olde Hansa which was established to honour the Hanseatic and its golden age,

Olde Hansa is the home of a rich merchant. His house is built in a manner to increase the enjoyment of the happy moments in the life of a Hanseatic merchant. Not just for eating delicious food and savoring good drink, but also for the enjoyment of good music and the wamrth of hearth and home during the Hanseatic times.

Feasts were common commodity, feast is a true and plentiful medieval meal where so many dishes are carried to the table for two hours, that everyone will have more than enough. Everyone can eat what he prefers, and when a dish runs out, more is always brought.

In the home of a rich merchant delicacies are enjoyed by everyone, sitting together at a large table. Everything that is carried to the table by the servants has been seasoned with spices in a medieval fashion, and even the raw materials are true to the middle ages.

Hand washing, choosing the master of the table and other medieval customs can take place if the guests so wish. These make even a company of strangers mingle comfortably at the dinner.

Sitting with good food and drink make the guests feel that they belong together and food shared together as if everyone is one family makes people friends at this feast.

Every Table had a bowl of Spiced up Almonds kept and why????

Valuable almonds that have reached Tallinn on the vessels of Hanseatic merchants are roasted with fine sugar and expensive spices. Sweet Almond is not just a tasty delicacy but – as the well-known cook Bartolomeo Sacchi has said:

“Dried almonds keep one from getting drunk if you eat five pieces of them… The frying oil of almonds nourishes the week and tired… Sweet almonds are eaten as mixed or separately with second or third course.” (1470)

And what was there to get drunk?, Dougiee my Scottish pal had already placed an order for the specials when it came to Booze.Dark honey Beers served on clay mugs,Mugs being small for the ladies and contrast for the gents, Beers were strong and had a touch of honey which brought out the spice added in them cinnimon was predomenent and we had kept on an chugging away as if we were Knights after era of war,after an hour I realized that i had chugged 4 of the monster jugs and the Almonds were keeping me at bay,The nomad in me called me to ask for the blankets which were given to all who dined, It was yellow and genrally given to people at patio to shrug off the cold winds blowing from the Seashore.

Whats for meal? All our eyes zoomed into one thing which stood out in the menu and which is only a deleciacy in Scandinavian countries ...Nah not Salmon...It was Bear Sirloin ...medievial ambience,Blankets,Beers,and lets get it...”Bear”.

Bear meat was tough had a rusty irony odour, meat was tasting more like vension...but Honey beers won the day.

Olde Hansa.....Dark Honey Beers.....Blankets......& Bears.......thats Tallin’s one more

“Stories of the Seashore”