Kaie Põhi Latterner and her friends Tiiu Messner and Tina Kõiva, on holiday from the cold northeast, serve as perenaised at the KFES Eesti Supi ja Võileiva Lõunaöök, Jan 3, 2016, Seminole, FL. Photos by Lisa A. Mets
Nearly 45 members of the Kesk Florida Eesti Selts (KFES) (Estonian Society of Central Florida) gathered together on Sunday, January 3, 2016, to inaugurate their First Annual Eesti Supi ja Võileiva Lõunasöök (Estonian Soup and Sandwich Luncheon).
This brainchild of KFES members Kaie Põhi Latterner and Anneliis Kuusik was a big hit among all the members. The fabulous location was the community room at the Seminole Isles condominium complex that recently became home to Anneliis and her mother Linia Elmend.
Anneliis Kuusik and Kaie and Steve Latterner cheerfully host the first annual KFES Eesti Supi ja Võileiva Lõunasöök, Jan. 3, 2016, Seminole, FL.
While this luncheon was a potluck, it had one caveat: Everything everyone brought had to be prepared according to traditional Estonian recipes. (Well, OK, the wine was from California.) And what a feast there was! This description will only touch on some of the specialties on the table: frikadellisupp, hernesupp, kapsapirukas, lihapirukad, and a porgandipirukas. Members’ sandwiches were made with herring, salmon, smoked fish, ham, juust (cheese), and vorst (salami). We also filled our plates with rosolje, kartulisalat, and täidetud munad. Dessert included kohupiimakook, õunakook and an amazing torte that looked like a Napoleon torte only it was made with layers of Russian tea cookies and greek yogurt. There was also room for Kalev chocolates on the table.
In between multiple visits to the delicious smorgasbord table and delightful conversations, we engaged in a rousing songfest led by Kaie on the accordion. Our laululeht included all our favorites: Kaugel, kaugel; Mu Isamaa armas; Viljandi paadimees; Meie koome kangast; Kõik maailma uhked roosid; Laurentius; Mulgimaal Ella hää; Mets mühiseb; Ma tahaksin kodus olla; Kungla rahvas; Vändra metsas; ja Ma vaatsin paadist kiikriga.
If you don’t remember the words or the melodies, we invite you to join us when we gather next to celebrate the 98th Eesti Vabariigi Aastapäev (Estonian Independence Day) on February 20, 2016. Information about that event and our 2015-16 activities are posted on the KFES website http://floridaestos.wordpress.com.
The Estonian Society of Central Florida (Kesk Florida Eesti Selts) extends a huge thank-you to everyone who participated and especially to Kaie and her husband Steve and Anneliis and her mother Linia and their very special friends Tiiu Messner and Tina Kõiva (on holiday from the northeast) who made this afternoon possible.
If you plan to be in Florida in January 2017, please join us for the Second Annual KFES Eesti Supi ja Võileiva Lõunasöök!
Lisa A. Mets
KFES Vice President