Kali is Estonia's version of the kvass drunk across the Baltic and Slavic world: dark rye bread, toasted and soaked, then sweetened and left to ferment for a few hours until it turns brown, faintly sour and softly sparkling. It tastes somewhere between a light malt beer and a cola that has been to the countryside, and in the Soviet years its dark color earned it the joking name of the communist cola. It is old, it is thrifty, since it was a way of using up stale bread, and although Estonians drink far less of it than they once did, it is well worth reviving at home.

Leivakali, bread kali, is the homemade kind. Like all kvass it contains a little alcohol, usually around half a percent to one percent, and on a hot summer afternoon in the stands it is wonderfully refreshing, especially with a sprig of mint or a few blackcurrant leaves in the jar.

The kali

Ingredients

• 14 oz (400 g) dark rye bread
• 2 quarts (2 liters) water
• 1/3 cup (115 g) honey
• 1/4 teaspoon instant yeast
• 1 small handful raisins
• 1 sprig fresh mint or a few blackcurrant leaves

Method

1. Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut the bread into 1 inch (2.5 cm) cubes, spread on the baking sheet and toast for 15 to 20 minutes until very dry and dark.
2. Put the toasted bread in the large pot or bowl. Bring the water to a boil and pour it over. Cover and leave for 4 hours, until completely cool.
3. Line the sieve with cheesecloth and set it over the jug. Ladle in the bread and liquid and let it drip; press gently but do not squeeze hard, or the drink will be cloudy and pasty.
4. Stir the honey into the liquid until dissolved, then sprinkle in the yeast and stir. Add the mint if using. Cover the jug with a clean towel and leave at room temperature for 6 to 8 hours.
5. Strain again through clean cheesecloth. Put 2 or 3 raisins into each bottle, then fill through the funnel, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of space at the top. Screw on the caps.
6. Refrigerate for 1 to 2 days. Check the bottles daily: if they feel rock hard, open them slowly to release a little pressure. When the raisins float to the top, the kali is ready and fizzy.

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