Midanglia is one of the areas hit hardest by the pandemic where a special local lockdown has been applied. Even in this situation, Aija Donika has proved it is possible to start a business under these circumstances.
Aija has health issues making it difficult for her to stand. Despite this drawback, she decided to start a business at home, preparing snacks and baked goods to-go. Aija says she prefers Latvian pastries over English.
"[An English] bun is just bland, and one has to put butter or jam on it and it's still dry... It's not for Latvians. We need cream and custard where it's supposed to be. You know, a Latvian cake will have a sponge, cream, berries, again sponge, again cream. It has to be rich and filling," said Aija, owner of Aija's Home Kitchen.
Pastry chef Līga Lešinska saw Aija's goods on social media and reached out to her. Since then, the two have been working together.
"One has to move, do something, not sit and wallow in pity - it's pandemic, what to do now, everything is over...It's not!" said Līga Lešinska.
"I live in England but I don't feel in England. (..) All the food I make is Latvian, it's often for Latvians. You go out and bring it to a Latvian, and we talk on the porch for 30 minutes about this or that - and it's still not enough," said Aija.
