Botik´s garden kitchen 

Let's start with where probably many conversations with our guests have already led. What's Purgis? How do you define yourself?

For us, Purgis is like a small separate world with different tastes, colors and textures. Before founding Purgis, Aleksandra and I worked together at cafe Nopi, where Kaisa founded a whole series of different fermented products, which are used in the menu of the cafe and are also sold for takeaway in the Nopi store. Through this work, we were surrounded by a large number of glass jars on a daily basis, and that's where the name came from.

This summer, we have installed ourselves here in Botik's garden kitchen. The garden kitchen with its large windows is also a bit like one big jar, and at the same time Botik's guests have the opportunity to see what's in this small world (read: in the kitchen) happens. At the moment, we are not so actively involved in fermenting and canning things. However, Botik's food concept is like a picnic in the garden, and serving snacks, salads and other things in jars is a good and convenient solution. Since Botik's own principle is to avoid single-use stuff from the beginning, we can also carry this principle forward with glass jars.

Two big food fans - Kaisa and Aleksandra - are behind the venture in Purgis. Both have experience working in kitchens in different restaurants. At the same time, food or being a chef has not been the first choice for a profession. In a moment, it clicked internally that actually working with food or preparing and serving it can also be a job.

Another nice recognition was that as people we value the same things and the logic and thought regarding food is quite similar. Already from our first meeting with Aleksandra, it was a feeling of "our person" and "we immediately spoke the same language", which in reality means that our daily language of communication is English, since Aleksandra is from Russia and is still learning Estonian.

PS! Her summer goal is to speak Estonian by the end of August.

There is definitely a longer story behind it, how you came to share your food creations at Botiku's garden kitchen.

Somehow one thing led to another, and in February of this year, when I went with my students (Kaisa worked at Rocca al Mare school) to Botiku's garden to celebrate then I looked at this garden and the garden kitchen under the tower, and I had a kind of recognition that this summer I will come and do the work in this garden myself.

From there, the ball started rolling...I myself am a big fan of such "slightly different" places, where being is more free and every action and movement is not regulated, and where, as a bonus, you can enjoy a meal prepared with the soul.

In the past, I have found such places rather outside Estonia, but I am lucky to have such talented friends who have created this super cool place. (PS! Greetings to Juula!)

I have been with Botik since the beginning and have attended events and garden kitchen pop-ups here in previous summers, and every time I am fascinated by how one place can create such an incredibly pleasant feeling. However, I now remember that my first "cafe" was also with Juula (+ other nice university colleagues from EKA) in the garden of Kultuurikatla, where we kept chickens.

Several years ago, I already had the idea that I would like to make my own tortillas and offer tacos with interesting combinations, but at that time there was no suitable place for this activity.

Now, when I arrived at Botik, this idea of ​​a taco bar came to mind, and it seems that fresh homemade 100% corn tortillas are just what this garden should offer. We are not directly chasing any authenticity or that everything is well Mexican, rather the flavors and associations that arise are a symbiosis of us, our experiences and what we ourselves would like to eat at the moment. Ideas come completely randomly. Somewhere a combination has stuck in the mind or tongue, and then we offer it in our own way. For example, the miso caramel served with churros (a dessert of Spanish origin) was born from traditional salted caramel, but since we ourselves use a lot of miso paste to flavor our food, it seemed a more interesting combination. The taste is definitely deeper and fuller. More addictive.

Here they are. Addictively delicious churros with miso caramel, artisanal coffee and summer sunshine.

There is also a great emphasis on plant-based food, so there is always a choice for vegans as well. There is meat and fish, but they do not play a main role in our food.

Fun Fact: There are no fixed recipes in the garden kitchen, and food is prepared according to heart and feeling. Also depending on the weather ☺ and the mood... What seems best at the moment ends up on the plate and in the jar.

This talk gave me an appetite, and probably not just for me. When is the best time to come and taste what you have to offer? And can you set the table for an event organized in Botik with you?

The garden kitchen is open to all interested parties on weekends, and you can find more information about them under Botik's Facebook events. Quite spicy tacos or grilled butter with crispy kimchi is perfect for a weekend companion with a cooling drink.

Botik is like one big, pleasant summer resort. You can come in the shade of the trees or instead linger on the sun terrace and have a picnic with friends. All kinds of different events can be held in the boutique, and if possible, we are happy to set a nice party table for these events with various snacks. We do this kind of picnic-style living (DIY or "do it yourself"), while your event can also be enriched with a live garden kitchen, where guests can order, for example, fresh homemade corn tacos with various toppings.

You can find out more about our options for catering your event through Botik (botik@pohjalatehas.ee).

Purgis offers colorful and rich snack tables for events held in Botik

Where can I read and see more about you?

You can keep an eye on our activities through Instagram @Purgis_Botik