On July 5, the home cafe “Debesmanna” opened its doors in Spare, whose owner, the talented needlewoman Santa Neylande, says that visitors are spoiled with a traditional home meal so that everyone feels welcome and leaves deliciously fed. And indeed, this cafe has a warm atmosphere and a cozy interior, just like at home.
At the beginning of July, the Neiland family house in Spare became the home of the “Debesmanna” cafe. In 1934, Milda Grīnfelde lived in the house – a lifelong friend of the brilliant Latvian writer and translator Aleksander Čakas in the last years of his life. Santa Neyland reveals that she likes things with stories, and the name of the cafe does. “Alexander Chak dedicated the collection of poems “Heaven’s gift” to Milda Grinfeld. I wanted to direct this name a little in the direction of cooking, and the name “Debesmanna” just came up, and I realized that it was the right one,” says Santa, adding with a smile that as a child she hardly liked the puff, but when her mother told her, if you cook the heavenly man, then you could eat it with a delicious mouth. It was a completely different creation.
When tourists have asked where the nearest place to have a meal is, they have previously had to answer that Usma’s gas tank.
There was a practical necessity
“My husband and I thought for a long time that this is a good place, so something needs to be done. The house is big, and there are only two of us living in it, because we already have children in our lives. For a while, I worked as a cook in a nursing home in Usma, so I am also familiar with such skills. Two years ago, we participated in the day of home cafes and gradually felt that we should go in this direction. Yes, we will participate this year as well, because what can we do without it?! Handicrafts, which I do everyday, are more of a hobby, so we realized that something should be done here, in Spare, because I don’t want to go to Talsi to work. The State Employment Agency told me that there are various support programs to start your own business. I applied, and I was already warned that it will not be easy, because there will be a selection and several rounds. I also had to write a business plan. Now I’m laughing that when I did that, it seemed like I was describing the plan to build a rocket factory, trying to attract millions, but in the end it turned out well,” shares Santa, who justified her “Debesmann” idea as a practical necessity, because people want to go out more and more outside their homes. “It is not a big cost for us – it is our house and no one has to pay rent. I cook the same food every day, and why not cook more so that others can eat too?” expresses the owner of the cafe, saying that Tabita Kalniņa, the manager of Spare Manor, has also asked her when the cafe will finally be opened, because people who have nowhere to eat go on excursions. When tourists have asked where the nearest place to have a meal is, they have previously had to answer that Usma’s gas tank.
From the garden itself, nurtured by your own hands
“I want to cook deliciously. This is very important to me. The advantage of our countryside is that it is surrounded by forests and a garden where you can pluck fresh greens. I make jam for pancakes myself from forest and other berries, as well as debesmann – from real berries, not powder. The vanilla sauce that goes with the debesmanna is made from good milk. I buy it in the store because I don’t have a cow (laughs). I am looking for a good and quality product. Let’s not deny that sometimes there is meat in the supermarket that is baked and it tastes like a rubber tire. I have found a good meat supplier, so we will always have delicious meatballs and chops on offer,” says Santa Neilande. Asked what the locals themselves say about the cafe, the owner replies that there is already interest, and questions about the operation are also being asked. “All the visitors who came on Sunday were locals. Visitors who have found the cafe using Google Maps, as well as those who have noticed information on the Internet, also stop by. “For now, we have only just started and everything planned has not yet been implemented, but we are going one step at a time,” admits the hostess, who also offers banquet table setting and food delivery services.
“Last Saturday, the last visitor left only at half past ten in the evening. This is our advantage – to receive guests longer than the established working hours,» says Santa with a smile.
Not everything can be measured in money
The home cafe in Spare is open from Tuesday to Sunday. “Last Saturday, the last visitor left only at half past ten in the evening. This is our advantage – to receive guests longer than the established working hours,» says Santa with a smile. Undeniably, the “catastrophe” of this cafe is also the presence of the talented owner’s beautiful, delicate, feminine, colorful and otherwise amazing handicrafts, which also provoke questions and conversations. “We don’t expect that people will stand in lines here and that we will make a lot of money, because not everything can be measured in money. The most important thing is to do and enjoy it. On Sundays, I have been cooking soup for church visitors for several years, so cooking has always come with me somewhere,” Santa Neylande says with a smile, waiting for the owners of hungry stomachs to visit and asking, if possible, to pre-register for the meal by phone 27019455, so that visitors can enjoy it sooner desired.
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2024-07-21 07:03:06