This year, the Home Café Days in Ventspils Municipality continue their tradition of flavors and stories under a new name – “Taste Stories of Ventspils Municipality.” The new name highlights the essence of the event even more – to discover the region through its people, local flavors, and cultural heritage.
Over two weekends in August, hosts throughout the municipality will open their homesteads to offer guests not only food, but also heartfelt stories about the places, traditions, and everyday life – within the Liv, Curonian, and Suiti cultures.
This summer, 22 home cafés have registered to participate, and to give visitors the chance to experience more of them, guests are welcome on both August 16–17 and August 23–24.
On August 16–17, you’ll be able to enjoy treats in Zlēkas, Vārve, Tārgale, Jūrkalne, and Piltene. Meanwhile, on August 23–24, the cafés will welcome guests in Pope, Ance, Ugāle, Puzē, Usma, Piltene, and Ventspils.
Meet the hosts who will be welcoming you on August 16 and 17.
The owners of the “Bērziņi” homestead bake bread daily following old family traditions. On August 16, during the Home Café Days, their café “The Loaf’s Journey” in Jūrkalne Parish will offer a tasting of breads and baked goods, serving a variety of homemade breads and delicious sweet tray bakes. Guests will also be able to enjoy pizzas baked in an outdoor oven at a relaxed pace. Everyone who appreciates nature, rural homestead life, and animals is warmly invited to visit.
At host Andris’s place, “Austrumi” in Piltene Parish, on August 16, you’ll be able to enjoy delicious venison dishes – goulash soup and mini burgers with potatoes. For dessert, there will be cheesecake with strawberry sauce and homemade lemonade prepared by Andris himself. Both the daytime and evening programs will feature live music. Children will have the chance to meet and feed the sheep.
Host Uldis will welcome guests on August 16 at the home café “One Spot Still Free by Grieža…” in Vecpasiekste, Vārve Parish, offering a variety of treats – homemade-style cold soup, Armenian-style seasonal vegetable stew, thin pancakes with various fillings, vegetable cream soup, and zucchini pancakes. For dessert, a delicious strudel filled with produce from his own garden will be served. Throughout the day, live music will be playing, there will be a basket market to explore, and interested visitors can participate in a small workshop. There will also be an activity corner for children.
For the third year in a row, the Āboliņš and Jurkevics families will open their homestead and welcome guests on August 16 at the home café “Emīla Nedārbi Mazdēnavās” in Tārgale Parish. The well-known pastry chef Dace Āboliņa, together with her children, grandchildren, and friends, will offer a wide assortment of baked goods, homemade farm products, and a walk through their well-tended garden. No prior registration is required. Since the family has a well-behaved boy named Emīls, this year’s home café theme is inspired by the film “Emīla nedarbi.” The lively Līna and the commandant will take care of welcoming guests and providing entertainment.
On August 16, the hosts of “Avoti” in Jūrkalne Parish invite guests to the café “WHAT’S IN THE NETS?”, where the main theme is all about fishing — the species in our coastal sea, fish dishes, nets and their types, meetings with fishermen, workshops for all generations, and music.
On August 16, Suiti host Taiga will welcome her guests at the café “At Jozupiene’s” in Kaijas, Jūrkalne. The host regularly offers homemade products and masterclasses on Suiti culinary heritage. During the Home Café Days, visitors will have the chance to taste traditional Suiti dishes made without any artificial additives — catering to both vegetarians and meat lovers, with options for dining in or takeaway.
Friends and neighbors of the rural homestead “Kliņģeri” will offer guests a one-day brunch with a 4-course feast on August 16: seasonal salads and appetizers, lamb soup cooked over an open fire, pilaf, summery portion cakes, handmade chocolate cakes with meadow flowers, and homemade natural meadow ice creams, gelato, and sorbets.
Host Gelinta, together with her family and friends, will welcome guests on August 16 at the “Cowboy Tavern” in Laimiņas, Dokupe, Tārgale Parish, serving chanterelle soup, thin pancakes, and of course, sweets and treats! There will also be a “milkshaker” — what’s that? Come visit and find out.
The Auziņš family will welcome guests on August 16 and 17 at their homestead “Dižķīri” in Zlēkas Parish, treating them to local forest delicacies, homemade breads, delicious soups, and sweet desserts. Creative workshops will be available for both adults and children, the hosts’ boat will offer small river rides, and visitors will also have the chance to see the Highlander cattle herd and feed them apples.
