Jõgeva County shares its culinary traditions with old Tartu and Viljandi counties – the area now known as Jõgeva County was a part of these counties before World War II. Inland food can be characterised by picks from the shores of Lake Peipus, Mulgimaa and Southern Estonia in general, but it is safe to say that the unique culinary culture from the shores of Lake Peipus stands out on the map of Estonian cuisine.
Historically, this area has had fertile soil and the people here have always eaten various crops, potato, cabbage, legumes and of course fish from Lake Peipus. Even today, the food around here tastes simple and concrete. Seasonal foods on the plate keep the character of the raw ingredients, but please the modern palate. The same is true of other foodstuffs, be it smoked goat’s cheese or juice from tomatoes bred here in Jõgeva. There are also many beekeepers in Jõgeva County. Keep in mind that a lot of potato and vegetable varieties most suited to our climate come from Jõgeva’s plant breeders.
