Clouds No 5 Autumn 2013 by Zurnalas Debesys

Cl uds ISSUE 5 / AUTUMN 2013

2 Free online food magazine Clouds Published by Imbiero debesys UAB, Lithuania ISSN 2029-980X http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en https://www.facebook.com/Cloudsmag © All rights reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is prohibited without written consent of the publisher. Address copyright queries to info@cloudsmag.eu Editor-in-Chief: Asta Eigėlytė-Gunnarsson, Villa Alps asta@cloudsmag.eu Translation & proof-reading: Asta, Villa Alps Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 Miglė, My Kitchen Affair Cover photo: Aušra, Tarp vėjo gūsių Design: Asta Eigėlytė-Gunnarsson, Villa Alps

Photo: Asta, Villa Alps

EDITORIAL LETTER

Dear readers,

Autumn is a special time for us. Two years ago we launched the first magazine issue in Lithuanian and one year ago the first English issue appeared online. We started cautiously and modestly, but patiently made our steps forward. We hid fabulous flavors and smells between the magazine pages, and tiny hopes and expectations that we would be noticed and loved. Counting the fifth issue in English, we look back. The magazine has evolved, has become more beautiful and thicker. We, food bloggers, grow up a bit with each issue. We share beautiful pictures and, in addition to the recipes and short introductions, have gained courage to prepare themes, write articles and interview interesting people. We are sure that this autumn we present the most interesting English issue! It is full of autumn harvest: cabbages, carrots, pumpkins, parsnips and grapes. It is full of steaming hot coffee, tea and matching sweet and savory bites for the cold and rainy days. It is full of good mood, warmth and fantasy.

Welcome to our colorful autumn world!

Cl uds 4

ASTA, VILLA ALPS I’ve loved being in the kitchen since childhood, but only in recent years did it become a true passion. I have a light addiction to buying and reading cookbooks and cooking magazines. I experiment with tastes and forms, and guests are always welcome at my table!

EDITORIAL

JULĖ, KEPYKLA NR. 5 Where am I? Among contradicitions - in the middle of numbers and dictionaries, black-rimmed glasses and bee stings, bikes and planes. But mostly - in the kitchen or in bakery number five, where for four years I’ve been co-writing about food, cities, sleep, maths and other essential ingredients of life.

MIGLĖ, MY KITCHEN AFFAIR I don’t remember exactly how, where, or when, but one moment in the silent past food simply enchanted me. I was charmed and intrigued by its enormousness, infinite space for creativity, endless layers of ideas, and constan joy brimming with delicious surprises. Since then, my thoughts started spinning like crazy in a whirl of vanilla flavored dance, and my life became unimaginable witout pots, spoons and pans filling every corner; without shelves bending from the abundance of cookbooks. This is my kitchen affair.

I used to swear that “never ever will I jump around with pots and pans”, but today I profess a deep love to the kitchen, and am ready to be faithful until the end of time. My blog - Saulėta virtuvė (The Sunny Kitchen) - reflects the way I live, the things I love and what I dream about. And I dream often: I dream of fluffy cupcakes, soft cakes and gorgeous pies... And of a sweet life.

AUŠRA, TARP VĖJO GŪSIŲ I write my blog about a windy life in a place where my feet wade the waters of the Baltic sea, pockets are full of holey rocks and heavy thoughts are let alee... I write about what my kitchen smells of, what is delicious and what I treat people with; about things that are simple but not necessarily ordinary; about what is new or discovered de nouveau, about what is forgotten. I write my virtual recipe book, decorating it with colorful blossoms and sprinkles of everyday joys.

AUŠRA, VAIKAI IR VANILĖ I became responsible for nourishing our large family at the age of fourteen. Since then, my obligations have remained the same. I cook a lot and for big crowds. I can proudly say that I’ve stuffed bellies of picky children and adults alike. The kitchen is my daily work and relaxation, my happiness, my love; it’s my element. I live in an American village where I spend the majority of my time over pots, and from time to time I share my kitchen creations with the rest of the world.

BEATA, BRAŠKĖS SU PIPIRAIS I could probably say that I love my life and its abundance of flavors. I call everything a flavor - feelings, emotions, events, travels, people met and known, mornings and evenings, days and nights. Finally - the actual tastes that charm when tasting new dishes and enjoying sophisticated drinks. That’s why I love cooking. Perhaps that is the way I express my lust for life and for what I experience.

BERTA, CUKRINIS AVINĖLIS I love sinking into clouds of aromas coming from my quaint little kitchen. I am glad to be able to experiment all I want, to be able to dream and carry out small deeds which at times turn out to be true miracles. When I write in Cukrinis avinėlis (Sugar lamb), I always think of smiling warm lovely people. People who cook, who decorate, who organize and who truly celebrate life – each and every day of it.

CONTRIBUTORS

ASTA, SAULĖTA VIRTUVĖ

DOVILĖ, DR FOOD BLOG Cooking is my biggest passion. I have a food mania: I love making it, talking about it, tasting it and reading all about it. Each time I enter the kitchen, I open a jar of the most important ingredient - love. Recently my husband and I have started living in a foreign country, so you might also find Danish recipes in DR Food Blog occasionally.

DOVILĖ & MANTAS, BAJALIŲ ŠEIMYNĖLĖS KAMPELIS

CONTRIBUTORS

We are a tandem of two Aquariuses who are submerged in joys of different flavors, photography and travelling! When we noticed memories and travelling moments pilling up, we were eager to find a way to share them with our friends and this is how our blog was launched. By the end of 2010, we had made our first culinary attempts and started not just tasting but also cooking. We believe that a man, who thinks only about himself and looks for benefit everywhere, cannot be happy, so if you wish to live for yourself - live for others. That is why we consider sharing bits of our life to be the greatest joy.

ELINGA, SPOON ALLEY You’ll meet me smelling homemade soup, vanilla or mint tea more often than perfumes. I confess I have positive viruses - cooking and photography, and I hope I’m not a terribly boring person when speaking mostly about food. I am quiet only when cooking...

GABRIELĖ, GABRIELE PHOTOGRAPHY I’m not really skilled in writing about myself - and I am as much of a good cook as an orchestra conductor! However, I enjoy capturing whatever my mother makes. I often dream of professional food photography and life in Finland - with a bull terrier and baskets full of freshly-picked blueberries.

GIEDRĖ, G.AUGUST PHOTOGRAPHY Photography is my passion, and the search for recipes and ideas, as well as food decoration, is my newly found hobby. I created my blog as an alternative to an assignment in a photography course. I used to photograph everything, but now I concentrate on sweets. I create a cosy, comforting and sweet environment. Bon appétit!

INDRĖ, GĖRIMŲ IR PATIEKALŲ MAGIJA When I found the freedom to choose what I want and when I want, I quickly noticed that cooking was magical! Sweet goes perfectly with salty, and a pinch of cinnamon adds that special something to any cake. That’s the reason why my blog is called Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija (Food and Drink Magic) - because there is some magic every day on refrigerator shelves and in the cupboards, and I merely need to wake it up with my fingers and recipes.

INDRĖ, KEISTAI PAPRASTA

JOLITA, SURFING THE WORLD CUISINE I started my blog when I moved to Istanbul because the bounty of fresh vegetables the year around and the new dishes tempted me to try and cook. However, I enjoy various foods - not only Turkish cuisine. So one day it might be Turkish, the other day - Chinese, Greek, Italian, Middle Eastern dishes. Finally, sometimes I even get back to the treasures of Lithuanian cuisine.

JULIJA, VILKO ŠAUKŠTAI I have been drawn to cooking for only a short period of time, but I dived deep. Stacks of cookbooks, blogs I follow and experiments in my kitchen satisfy me both literally and figuratively. Cooking, photographing and sharing my experience in Vilko šaukštai (Wolf’s Spoons) lift me up, make me happy and encourage me to grow.

JURGITA, DUONOS IR ŽAIDIMŲ I write about bread and circuses. About tastes, colors and dreams. About what’s in my cup of tea - not only figuratively, because making and serving food is one of the most enjoyable ways to express myself! And, undoubtedly, the most delicious.

CONTRIBUTORS

A friend encouraged me to start my blog Keistai paprasta (Curiously Simple), after seeing my enthusiasm to cook, bake and stew healthy and sometimes weird dishes, and create simple desserts. I grew up eating homemade food, so that is what I believe in - I cook even when I am very tired! In addition, I believe in the impact of food to our health, our looks and our overall well-being. When I cook I try out new recipes, I relax, I express myself, I improvise and create.

JUSTINA & RADVILĖ, SALIERAI RANKINĖJE Salierai rankinėje (Celery in the Purse) is the most serious story about the inspiring and fragrant things in the lives of two girls. The most important rule in our kitchens is to stay slow and to thoroughly enjoy making food. We experiment with new flavors and smells, we interpret our mothers‘ and grandmothers‘ experience. We aim for aesthetics and are conscious of our surroundings. With our ideas, we want to inspire all food lovers to cook at home more often, to choose healthy local ingredients and to leisurely enjoy their taste discoveries.

KRISTINA & LAURA, SU ŠAUKŠTU APLINK PASAULĮ

CONTRIBUTORS

Isn’t a kitchen filled with colors, scents and flavors similar to a workshop? It’s the place for so much improvisation. every time we run into a different cuisine, we cannot stop marvelling at the human creativity. Traditional dishes are just ways to get to know various cultures and gain culinary experience which encourages us to share all of this with others.

NIDA, NIDOS RECEPTAI I cannot stop myself from cooking, writing and taking photographs. Food has always been dear to my heart. I started sharing my culinary impressions in my blog three years ago. Living in Israel, it is impossible not to enjoy cookery – it’s the season for all produce the year around, and peoples’ lives revolve around food!

ODETA, COCINA RENDEZ-VOUS I like travelling, tasting, experimenting and creating in the kitchen. While skimming through the books brought home as souvenirs, I attempt to adapt the tried dishes in my own kitchen. And I am so glad that my friends and family are happy to taste my dishes and are always waiting for the results of my experiments. Even a dish which is not 100% successful can inspire to keep on looking, learning and going on journeys to better know the foreign cuisines.

SKIRMANTĖ, IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING My motto is impossible is nothing. In my kitchen I steam cakes, press yoghurt cheese, make peanut butter halva and prepare plenty of delicious and slightly unexpected dishes.

VIKTORIJA, RECPETŲ MEDIS

CONTRIBUTORS

I have liked being in the kitchen since my childhood. With my grandmother I used to knead dough for bread rools, with my father I used to cut vegetables for salads. Now love for food and cooking is growing day by day. I started writing my blog by mere accident. I had never thought it would bring so much to my life: pleasant meetings, interresting events. It also encourages me to learn more about food photography and healthier, more exciting and tastier ways of cooking.

VILMA, MAŽOJ VIRTUVĖLĖJ I am crazy about sweet dishes. From an early age I cannot pass by a candy store. At one point I changed from making pancakes to baking pies and cakes. Then my mother started giving subtle remarks that I could experiment and taste a bit less. For several years the passion to taste is replaced by passion of baking, sharing and eating with eyes.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO CONTRIBUTE? We invite all food bloggers and not only them to contibute their stories, recipes and photos. We would love to share you travelling and food tasting experience; show off your kitchen and food related handmade art or veggie patch in a balcony. Got interessted? Please contact Editor-in-Chief, asta@cloudsmag.eu

YOUR PHOTO

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Have a look at previous issues and our recipes on http://www.cloudsmag.eu/en/

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CONTENTS 12 26 28 42 54 58 62 66 76 80 84 88 96 98 108 124 152 154 166 184 194 208 226

Coffee flavour quest with Taste Map Calendar of Flavours EuroBasket 2013 Indian summer Festival of Beer (Alutinis) World Post Day World Egg Day Halloween European Day for Healthy Eating and Cooking World Diabetes Day Bachelorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day Plate Culture. Home restaurant adventures in Malaysia Take 1 Make 4 ZaÂ´atar Fish Alice in Wonderland. Tea Party What an Autumn Without... ... cabbage ... pumpkin ... carrots ... parsnip ... grapes Photo Recipe

13 Idea: Taste Map & Miglė, My Kitchen Affair Text: Taste Map Recipes & photos: Asta, Villa Alps & Miglė, My Kitchen Affair

Coffee flavour quest with Once you decide to pair wine with food, you won’t surprise anyone – most of us already know the main rules and that red wine goes well not only with meat. But have you ever heard about coffee and food pairing? Usually, we sip coffee during breakfast or when we start feeling the lack of energy during the day. However, fast coffee consumption has not yet fully replaced coffee as a cultural ritual. Coffee should be enjoyed slowly while fully inhaling its aromas, discovering the tastes and at the same time masterly matching the food so that none of those two elements overshadows the other. So what should be taken into consideration before hitting this adventurous road of coffee and food pairing? After a lot of tasting and improvising, we started looking at the origins of the coffee bean. Since the very first coffee flavor forms while still on the tree, the conditions under which coffee beans are nurtured and ripened are extremely important. Only then, we can start talking about the coffee processing. Going back to the origins, let’s start our coffee and food matching quest in Ethiopia – the homeland of coffee.

ETHIOPIA SIDAMO SHAKISO Ethiopia is the only country in the world where coffee trees formed and grew naturally, which means they were not planted specifically to adapt. For this particular reason, most Ethiopian coffees have a very unique taste palette. Ethiopia Sidamo Shakiso comes from the town of Shakiso, located in the Guji Area of the Oromia Region in the Sidamo Province of Ethiopia where coffee trees have been growing in wild forest conditions and coffee cherries have been picked by hand at around 1700-1850 meters above the sea level in the Mormora plantation. The sunny and pleasant climate allows to process the coffee cherries by the dry method, which has a significant impact on the brewed coffee. Ethiopia Sidamo Shakiso is well known for its strong character and it certainly cannot be described as a mild coffee. Rather, it is a very distinctive, thick coffee with a particularly expressed blueberry freshness and a delicate taste of milk chocolate. It has a great aftertaste as well. It is very important not to mask anything that Ethiopia has given to the coffee. Willing to emphasize the coffee itself, we have decided to pair it with a delicate and heavenly creamy vanilla panna cotta. The tenderness of the cream nicely complements the strong character of the coffee and at the same time highligths its marvellous blueberry aftertaste it has. The brewing method was not chosen by accident as well. To frame that strong character of the coffee, we chose Mr. Espresso â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a very concentrated drink that has an almost syrup consistency. Besides, both panna cotta and espresso were born in Italy, so it would be simply unforgivable to pair this dessert with filtered coffee!

VANILLA PANNA COTTA Makes 5 x 5 cl shot glasses 250 ml cream (approx. 13% fat) 80 ml sugar 1 vanilla bean 5 g powdered gelatin or 3 sheets gelatin a handful of blueberries & a few fresh lemon balm leaves Place cream and sugar in a saucepan. Halve vanilla bean lengthwise; scrape out the seeds with a knife, then add the seeds to the saucepan. Bring to a simmer over mediumlow heat, stirring occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved, then remove from the heat. Do not bring to a boil. If using powdered gelatin, dissolve it in a few tablespoons of the hot cream. Pour into the remaining cream and stir. If using sheets, soak them in cold water for a few minutes. Squeeze out any water, then drop the sheets into the pot with the cream, stirring to dissolve. Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, then divide among five shot glasses, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until set. Garnish each panna cotta with blueberries and lemon balm leaves. TIPS Instead of espresso, a cup of black coffee, prepared in an Italian moka pot, would go just as well! Keep in mind that different producers suggest different gelatin to water ratios. To get the desirable result, make sure to always follow the directions on the package!

COLOMBIA LA CLAUDINA Colombia is a coffee country famous for growing only Arabica coffee beans. It is also one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest coffee exporters, currently occupying the third place right after Brazil and Vietnam. But even Arabica beans are not always of high quality. So how do we pick the right Colombian coffee? Colombia La Claudina coffee comes from the farm of La Claudina that is located in the South-Western part of the Antioquia region in the area of Ciudad Bolivar. This farm is one of the oldest in Columbia so the coffee here is grown and cherished following old family traditions. The especially fertile volcanic soil gives this coffee a beautiful caramel sweetness and strength while fruits dominate the overall flavour, mostly because coffee is planted under the shades of various fruit trees. Colombia La Claudina coffee cherries have been picked by hand, so it is a very high quality coffee. When it comes to taste, La Claudina coffee could be characterized by its strength and sweetness. For these reasons, it calls for a sweet, but at the same time very intense dessert. We have chosen a brownie with nuts and dried fruits so as not to overshadow the coffee and to highlight its prevailing fruity tones. The chocolate brownie is gooey, but every single sip of the coffee perfectly harmonizes the overall taste with its easy and clean texture. The brewing method has been chosen thoughtfully as well. This time it was Chemex which really helped to get that pure and clean taste of coffee. Besides, coffee was prepared using a paper filter in order to eliminate any sediment that might not go well with a rich dessert.

BROWNIE WITH DRIED FRUITS AND HAZELNUTS Serves 16 ⅓ cup hazelnuts ⅔ cup dried fruits (cranberries, raisins, prunes, apricots) 70 g dark chocolate 80 g butter 70 g sugar 2 eggs 90 g flour ¼ tsp salt In a dry pan over a medium heat, toast hazelnuts until their skin starts to come off. Remove from the heat, leave to cool, then rub with hands, or in a dish towel, until skins flake away. Rinse dried fruits with water, transfer on a paper towel and leave to dry. In a double boiler, melt dark chocolate and butter. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool slightly. Stir in sugar and whisk in eggs, one at a time. Finally, add flour and mix everything thoroughly. Preheat oven to 180°C. Spread the batter in a 18x18 cm size square baking pan lined with parchment paper. Evenly arrange dried fruits and hazelnuts on top. If fruits or nuts seem too big, chop them coarsely. Bake for 18-20 minutes. When the brownie is done, leave it to cool in the baking dish for a few minutes. Then transfer on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in a dry airtight container.

GUATEMALA LA BOLSA MARAGOGIPE MICRO-LOT Is it possible to combine coffee with something savory? Yes, without a doubt! After all, coffee, more often than not, is sipped in the morning, with breakfast, and breakfast is not always sweet and sugary, isn’t it? We only have to make sure to pick the right coffee to go well even with meat. For this experiment we chose a very solid, but at the same time mild and naturally sweet Arabica from Guatemala. Maragogipe beans that have ripened in La Bolsa farm situated in La Libertad area of Guatemala, are very large and quite expressive. This limited harvest coffee shines out with some unique and unconventional flavors. Due to the wet processing method, it has some beautifully dominant hints of grapefruit as well. Alongside this marvellous coffee, we have decided to serve savory muffins with caramelized onions, pears, and smoked pork neck. To pair this coffee with food, we have followed similar flavors matching philosophy that indicates the most perceptible tastes. When a few unrelated products that complement each other nicely are combined, the matching is called complementary pairing. In our case, muffins complement La Bolsa coffee with their mealiness, while the coffee adds a few delicate hints of red berry and grapefruit to the pastry. Tasting those two items together is filling, but the meat does not overshadow the coffee. Rather, it accompanies its delicate sour notes while caramelized onions remind of the drink’s sweetness. This coffee has been brewed using Hario V60 coffee maker that gives a beautiful cup of clean and pure coffee – exactly the kind that could wash down the taste of rich and very flavorful muffins.

MUFFINS WITH PEARS, CARAMELIZED ONIONS AND SMOKED PORK NECK Makes 10-12 2 medium onions 2 tbs olive oil 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp brown sugar 300 g flour 1 tsp baking powder Â˝ tsp salt 1 large egg 340 ml plain natural yoghurt 40 ml olive oil 1 medium or 2 small pears 10-12 thin smoked pork neck slices Thinly slice onions. Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a pan. When the oil is hot enough, add the sliced onions and cook on medium heat until soft and translucent. Pour in balsamic vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for a few minutes. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk egg. Pour in yoghurt and oil, and mix well. Add wet ingredients to the dry and carefully combine them, making sure not to over-mix the batter: mix just until all the flour is moistened. In a few quick stirs incorporate the caramelized onions and pears. Preheat oven to 180Â°C. Divide the batter among muffin tins, topping each of them with smoked pork neck slices. Bake for 45-50 minutes. When the muffins are done, let them cool on a wire rack. Store in a dry airtight container. Eat within 4-5 days.

KENYA NYALA ESTATE Kenya is a coffee producing country famous for its high quality beans and very deep coffee-growing traditions. Kenyan coffees often shine out with a stunning positive acidity which is still quite unknow to Lithuanian consumers. However, in many parts of the world, Kenyan coffee is particularly appreciated for its charming sourish notes and lovely sweetness. Coffee beans from Nyala are assigned the grade AA+ (in Kenya, coffee beans are graded according to their diameter), which means that they are bigger and, probably, more fragrant than the beans that have class C or D. The coffee is processed using the wet method, which means that it is very clean and complex. In the end, all of those factors determine the overall taste of Kenya Nyala Estate: it has a few unique hints of quince and chokeberry, while its aroma is filled with the lovely and exotic breeze of lemongrass. Pairing this coffee with food, we followed a similar food pairing philosophy which indicates the most perceptible tastes. The magical lemongrass notes that could be found in every single sip of this deep dark African glory prompted to couple it with lemon dessert. However, we did not want any rich and creamy cakes that could overshadow the purity of the coffee itself. For this reason, we chose the dense lemon cake that perfectly combined all those citrus flavors found in a cup of this marvellous Kenyan coffee.

MOIST LEMON CAKE Serves 12-14 150 g butter 3 medium eggs 250 ml brown sugar zest and juice of 1 lemon 350 ml (210 g) flour 1 tsp baking powder Syrup: Juice of 1 lemon 100 ml white sugar Preheat oven to 175Â°C. Melt butter and leave to cool slightly. Whisk eggs with sugar. Stirring constantly, add butter, lemon juice and zest. Stir in sifted flour mixed with baking powder. Grease a 1Â˝ liter loaf tin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. For syrup, combine lemon juice and sugar. Whisk until all the sugar is dissolved. Using a fork, a wooden skewer or a toothpick, prick the cake all over. Spoon the syrup over the hot cake. Leave to cool.

CASCARA − COFFEE CHERRY TEA Cascara is a dried coffee cherry tea the name of which derives from the Spanish word meaning to husk. This tea is usually consumed in coffee producing countries, and is especially popular in Bolivia and Yemen. In these countries, cascara is even called the army’s coffee or the poors’ coffee. However, its exports are still very limited and it is still quite an exotic and rare product in Europe. Caffeine that is found in the cascara tea is pleasantly toning. The taste is interesting and fun: the tea is sweet and gently sour at the same time, reminding of the red Rooibos tea. Raisins, rosehips, and the gentle aroma of fresh tobacco dominate the flavor while the color reminds of high-quality whiskey or cinnamon. Cascara can be enjoyed alone as well as in combination with coffee. Hot brew To make 1 litre of hot tea, you need about 20 g of dried coffee cherries. Add them to your favorite coffee or tea pot (French Press works very well) and pour hot water (not boiling water – wait until it stops bubbling). Stir and let stand for 6-8 minutes, depending on how strong you want your tea to be. Cold brew Do not be fooled – cold cascara tea is not only for refreshment! Since caffeine dissolves slower in cold water, cold brew cascara contains less caffeine than hot brew cascara.

Take 25-30 g of dried coffee cherries, put them into a glass jar or another brewing utensil and pour some cold water over. Stir well and place in the fridge for 12-24 hours, depending on the desirable strength of the tea. Before serving, pour the tea through a strainer. You might also spice it up with a cinnamon stick, add a few ice cubes, and then simply enjoy! Cascara chai latte If you are looking for a drink that could warm you up in a chilly autumn day, we recommend you try the hot dried coffee cherry tea with milk. It can be flavored with cinnamon, cardamom and honey. To make two cups, pour 100 ml hot water over 10 g of dried coffee cherries. Leave for 10 minutes. In a small pot or saucepan, warm 300 ml milk. If you are making your tea with spices and honey, place them into the pot together with the milk and cook, stirring. Do not add too much honey as cascara is naturally quite sweet. Divide the warmed milk between 2 glasses and carefully pour in the brewed tea. Decorate with a cinnamon stick or a few dried coffee cherry leaves. If you want to have some milk froth on top of the cup, pump the warmed milk with a French Press.

CALENDAR OF FLAVORS AUTUMN

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013 Indian Summer 09.21 Festival of Beer (Alutinis) 10.09 World Post Day 10.12 World Egg Day 10.31 Halloween 11.08 European Day for Healthy Eating and Cooking 11.14 World Diabetes Day 11.25 Bachelorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day

Photo: Jurga, Savaitgalio rendez-vous

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

Preface: Asta, Villa Alps & Indrė, Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija Photo: Gabrielė, Gabriele photography

E uro B a s ke t 2013

asketball is not JUST A GAME for us Lithuanians. It’s a national sport that brings together the whole nation. Those who are not lucky enough to be in Slovenia to watch the games live, will surely spend time in front of the TV, either at home or in bars. Of course, we all hope for many evenings full of emotions while waiting for the Great Victory. In such tense times, spending time in the kitchen is not our first priority. However, pizzas, sandwiches and potato chips get boring after the first week. Our goal with the following recipes is to bring some more variety into the sports fan’s menu. Treat yourself to foods that will most probably be enjoyed by basketball fans from the other countries participating in EuroBasket this year. And let the best ones win!

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

SERBIA: CHEESE BALLS Recipe & photo: Kristina & Laura, Su šaukštu aplink pasaulį

heese balls are a very popular modern Serbian snack. They go great with both beer and wine.

Makes approx. 16 balls 250 g chicken breast 2 eggs 30-40 g ham 100 g feta cheese salt pepper 50 g firm cheese

Cook chicken breast in lightly salted water. Cool. Grind or mince. Cook eggs until they are hard boiled, cool and crumble. Mince ham. Mix the prepared chicken breast, ham and eggs. Add feta cheese and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Form walnut sized balls. Roll them in finely grated firm cheese and put on a serving platter. Since the balls are very soft, it is best to serve them in small candy liners. This will make it easier to handle the snack.

hat does an Israeli bring to a sports game watching evening at a friendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house? The answer is simple: a box full of crispy freshly-baked bourekas bought in a bakery which is open all day. Bourekas, originating from Turkey, are a favorite snack during gatherings in Israel. The secret of bourekas lie in their simplicity: the crispy puff pastry goes well with the slightly spiced filling: spinach, cheese, potatoes, meat and roasted eggplant. Once you try it, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost impossible to stop! Pies are shaped differently for different fillings. The locals know that the square pies contain potatoes, triangles have feta cheese and spinach hidden inside, and long cylinders, cut into bite-sized slices, are usually flavored with spiced meat.

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

ISRAEL: BOUREKAS Recipe & photo: Nida, Nidos receptai

Makes 10-12 pies with each filling frozen puff pastry 1 egg 1 tbs milk sesame and nigella seeds

Roast eggplant over an open flame or in an oven until its skin gets charred. Once it’s cool enough to handle, cut the eggplant in half and scoop out the flesh. Add it to a metal sieve and leave for 20 minutes to drain excess moisture. Cut the flesh of the eggplant and mix it with crumbled feta cheese. No spices are needed for this delicious savory filling. Preheat oven to 180°C.

Eggplant and feta filling: 1 eggplant 100 g feta cheese Feta and potato filling: 1 large or 2 small potatoes 100 g feta cheese freshly ground black pepper Spicy minced meat filling: ½ small onion 2 garlic cloves 1 tbs oil 300 g minced beef ⅛ tsp ground corriander ⅛ tsp ground cumin ⅛ tsp ground allspice ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon ⅛ tsp turmeric ½ tsp Hungarian paprika a pinch of chili pepper salt black pepper

Wrap potato in aluminum foil and bake for 1 hour. Let it cool, peel the skin and mash the flesh with a fork. Mix with crumbled feta cheese and season with black pepper to taste. Finely chop onion and mince garlic. In a large pan, heat oil and add the onion. Fry until softened. Add the garlic and once fragrant, add beef. Add all spices, salt to taste and fry, stirring, until the meat gets dry, crumbly and fried all over. Defrost puff pastry and cut out prefered shapes. Make stuffed pies and lay them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Prepare eggwash by mixing egg with milk. Baste the pies with eggwash and sprinkle with sesame or nigella seeds. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

MONTENEGRO: AJVAR Recipe & photo: Kristina & Laura, Su šaukštu aplink pasaulį

t is thought that this bell pepper spread was first made by the Serbians. After World War II it became very popular in the whole area of former Yugoslavia. Today ajvar is considered a national dish by the Montenegrians. Makes approx. ¾ L 6 large red bell peppers 1 fresh chili 1 small eggplant 4-6 garlic cloves 3 tbs olive oil salt sugar vinegar or lemon juice

Preheat oven to 220°C and turn on the grill if available. Wash and dry bell peppers, cut them in half, remove the seeds and place on a baking sheet. Place chili and eggplant on the same baking sheet. Roast the vegetables in the top of the oven, so that they almost touch the heating element. Roast until the bell peppers get bubbly and blacken. Remove the vegetables from the oven, place in a deep bowl and cover with cling wrap. Save all the remaining juices. When the vegetables are cool enough to handle, remove the black skin from the bell peppers. Scoop out the flesh of the eggplant. Process the bell peppers and eggplant with a blender. Add mashed garlic, salt, sugar, vinegar (or lemon juice), chili and oil to taste. Mix thoroughly and leave for at least half an hour for the flavors to develop. This spread is delicious over any type of bread, as a dip for crackers or served with meat dishes.

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

UKRAINE: FISH SOUP Recipe & photo: Odeta, Cocina rendez-vous

Serves 4 500 g sprats 150 g pike 1 L water 1 onion 2 bay leaves 5 peppercorns 1 cup liquid from pickled cucumbers 4 pickled cucumbers 4 small potatoes Â˝ chili pepper 3 tbs flour

Clean sprats, but do not cut off the heads. Clean pike, cut off the head. Put the pike head and the sprats into a pot, add cold water, chopped onions and cook for one hour. Sieve, add spices and pickled cucumber liquid, bring to a boil. Chop cucumber in slices or sticks, cut potatoes in half, coarsely chop chili and add all the ingredients to the broth. Cook for 10 minutes. Stir flour in a little water until homogenous and pour into the fish soup. Bring to a boil. Add sliced pike and cook for 10 more minutes.

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

MACEDONIA: PASTRMAJLIJA Recipe & photo: Kristina & Laura, Su šaukštu aplink pasaulį

n traditional Macedonian cuisine, pastrmajlija used to be prepared using a special type of cured meat. However, nowadays fresh meat is used increasingly. It can be anything: pork, lamb and even poultry. Different regions of Macedonia still fight over whether during the last stage of baking beaten egg mixture should be poured over the pie – both versions are popular in the country. As a snack in front of the TV, the pastrmajlija with egg is more convenient as it will help hold the meet filling together.

Makes 1 pizza Dough: 20 g fresh yeast 1 tsp sugar 300 g flour 1 tsp salt 3 tbs oil 200 ml lukewarm water Filling: 400-500 g soft fatty pork (for example, tenderloin) salt pepper sweet paprika hot paprika 2 eggs

In a samll bowl, mix yeast with sugar. Add 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water and wait for the mixture to foam up. In another bowl, mix sifted flour with salt. Add yeast and oil. Slowly adding water, mix the dough. It should be soft and slightly sticky. The harder it is, the harder the pizza bottom will be. Put the kneaded dough into a lightly oiled container, cover with a kitchen towel and leave to prove for 1½-2 hours. Slice meat as finely as possible and then cut it into strips or cubes. Keep in mind that the pizza will be baked only for a short time, so thicker meat slices may remain hard. Season the meat to taste and leave to marinate. If the meat is very lean, add some oil or lard for a more traditional pizza. Otherwise the filling will be very dry. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Lightly oil your palms and knead the dough shortly. Put it on the baking sheet and form into a large thin oval. Fold the edges over. Evenly spread the meat on the dough. It might seem like too much, but the meat will shrink while baking. Leave to prove for 15-20 minutes. Preheat oven to 220°C. For a softer and juicier pizza, place an ovenproof dish filled with water in the bottom of the oven and lightly brush the dough edges with water. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the dough is slightly brown and the meat is well done. Beat eggs in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Add a pinch of salt and beat lightly. Spread the prepared mixture on the pizza and leave in the oven for around 5 minutes until the egg cooks slightly. You can also turn on the grill for a nicely toasted pizza. Cool slightly and cut into slices. It is best served warm, yet it is also delicious cold. Pastrmajlija can be served with a sauce, such as ajvar, and goes perfectly with wine or beer.

09.04-22 EuroBasket 2013

CZECH REPUBLIC: MARINATED SPICY CHEESE Recipe & photo: Miglė, My Kitchen Affair

zechs are well-known as the beer nation, dousing almost any sport event in beer. No matter if it’s their beloved football or not-too-popular basketball – in any case, the game is observed with a beer glass in hand. The choice of food always depends on the type of beer! And what is better with a cold beer than fatty salty snacks? According to the Czechs themselves, each family has its own unique (and, of course, the best) recipe for oil-marinated cheese. Some use a bunch of spices, while others add a tablespoon or two of beer. Whatever the secret ingredient is, every sports fan has a love affair with this snack. The reason is simple: this dish is very simple to prepare. It requires neither a lot of time, nor the kitchen skills equivalent to Gordon Ramsey. It’s very straightforward: you mix cheese with spices, cover it with oil and leave for several days to marinate… Then you invite a bunch of friends over and have a perfect game-watching atmosphere. Makes a 150 ml jar 1 small onion 2 garlic cloves 1 tsp balsamic vinegar 1 tsp five pepper mix peppercorns ½ tsp dried thyme 2-3 dried chilis (or to taste) salt 120-130 g brie or camembert olive oil

Thinly slice onions. In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onions. Fry on medium heat until they soften and become translucent. Add minced garlic, balsamic vinegar and fry for several more minutes. Remove from heat and mix with crushed peppers, finely chopped chilies, dried thyme and salt. Cut cheese into 1 cm cubes. Alternate layers of onions and cheese in a jar. Cover with olive oil, close tightly, shake well and leave in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Serve with fresh white bread or toasts. Note: Don’t discard the remaining oil! You can use it for dipping bread, thus having one more snack. Alternatively, use it in a salad sauce: mix the remaining oil with half a teaspoon of white wine vinegar and a splash of honey.

Idea: Asta, Villa Alps Text: Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 & Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų Recipes & photos: Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų & Viktorija, Receptų medis

Indian summer picnic

Indian summer

n the second half of September, after the first sighs of autumn, the damp and chilly mornings turn into mild warm days. Those days feel as though summer has come back. We take off our sweaters and slip our bare feet into ballet flats. Indian Summer is one of the most magical times of the year. It is like ending a gripping book, wiping a tear that it’s over… and then discovering that the author has written an additional chapter. Indian Summer is like accidentally finding a tiny bit of delicious cake hidden in the fridge when craving hits in the middle of the night. During this warm spell, we seize the last opportunity to cross out items from our summer to-do list. It comes with a price, of course, - the sea water is not as warm as it was just a month earlier, and the ever-earlier dusk doesn’t allow for long evening bike rides… And yet this is the perfect time for picnics out in the open. Prepare some simple meals and snacks and head for the parks or the hills. Once you’re there, admire the colorful trees and let the last sunrays caress your skin. Our usual drinks of choice for such outings used to be wines – extremely versatile and complimenting a wide variety of snacks. This year we surprise our tastebuds with something new and quite traditional – fruit and berry wines. There is such a wide variety to choose from – apple, black currant, and cherry – and the list goes on! We present you with some picnic-perfect snacks that either incorporate one of our prefered fruit wines, or go very well with them. Fruit wines take you on a journey full of exciting discoveries. If you think you have nailed some perfect wine and food combos, get ready for a new challenge! To start you off, we suggest pairing mild sweet and sour apple wine with caramelized beetrot and Brie galettes. We also know that lush black currant wine and intense cherry wine will highlight the flavors of almost any cheese platter – and no picnic is complete without a (friendly) battle over that last piece of Cheddar. And have you ever thought off adding some black currant wine to an olive spread? Let’s stop here - we really don’t want to spoil your joys of coming up with unheard flavor pairings. We are sure you’ll have quite a few discoveries this autumn – and we bring you a cheesecake to celebrate it.

Indian summer

CARAMELIZED BEETROOT AND BRIE GALETTES N

o Indian summer picnic is complete without highlighting the wonderful autumn vegetable – the beetroot. These galettes are quick and easy to prepare, and caramelized beetroot will surprise you with subtle sweetness and earthy aroma.

Makes 12 4 small beetroots 2 tbs oil 1 tbs honey salt black pepper 500 g puff pastry 100 g brie cheese 1 egg

Preheat oven to 180°C. Peel beetroots and slice them thinly. Mix with oil and honey, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the slices on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for 20-35 minutes, depending on the thickness. The beetroots should soften, but not get crispy. If using frozen puff pastry, lay the sheets on a parchment lined baking sheet and leave to thaw. Once the pastry has thawed, cut out 12 circles. Cover each circle with several pieces of beetroot, leaving a 0.5 cm edge. Cut cheese into 0.5 cm thick slices and divide among galettes. Lightly beet egg with a fork. Baste the edges of the galettes. Bake for 12-15 minutes. Tips Don’t discard the pastry scraps, make some cookies instead. Cut the scraps into equal pieces, baste with the remaining eggwash, sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon, and bake for 12-15 minutes.

OLIVE AND BLACK CURRANT WINE SPREAD Makes 200 ml 60 g pitted black olives 60 g pitted green olives 1 tbs capers 1 small garlic clove approx. 30 ml black currant wine several sprigs of thyme, leaves only freshly ground black pepper olive oil

Rinse capers and green olives to remove excess saltiness. Add all olives, capers, garlic and thyme into a food processor. Blend until you obtain the desired consistency. Add wine and olive oil to slightly liquify the spread. Add black pepper to taste. Transfer the spread into a small jar and keep it in the refrigerator. Serve with a sliced baguette.

Indian summer

CHEESECAKE WITH WINE-POACHED PLUMS W

hat a picnic without a dessert? A small sweet and sour, and fast to prepare cheesecake will not take up much space in your picnic basket and will be a delightful end to the picnic!

Serves 4 Plums: 3 ripe firm plums 100 ml cherry wine 2 tbs sugar ½ tsp cinnamon

Wash and dry plums. Cut them in half. Remove stones and cut the halves in 2-3 pieces, depending on the size. In a small saucepan, add wine, sugar and cinnamon, and warm on medium heat until the sugar has disolved. Add plums and heat for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Remove plums from the saucepan, drain and dry with paper towels. Let cool. Preheat oven to 180°C.

Base: 60 g biscuits 35 g butter Cheesecake: 600 g cream cheese ½ cup sugar 1 tbs vanilla sugar 2 eggs 1 tbs cornstarch or potato starch

Crush biscuits and mix them with melted butter. Line a 15 cm springform pan with parchment paper. Spread the crumbs and press firmly. Bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and reduce heat to 160°C. In a bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla sugar. Mixing constantly, add eggs and starch. Mix to combine. Pour the cheesecake mixture over the biscuit base. Top with plums and bake for 40 minutes, until the cake is firm. Turn off the oven. Leave the cake inside for 15 more minutes. Remove and let the cake cool. Refrigerate overnight. Tips Don’t discard the poaching wine. Bring it to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium and cook until the liquid thickens. Cool the liquid and pour it over the cake when serving.

Indian summer

09.21 Festival of Beer (Alutinis)

Preface: Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 Photo: Viktorija, Receptų medis

Beer

FESTIVAL OF

(ALUTINIS)

n my school years, I was enchanted by the title of one book - La Première gorgée de bière et autres plaisirs minuscules – or, in English, One Sip of Beer and Other Little Joys. To be honest, I did not care too much about beer at that time, so I could not understand the ecstasy of the first sip. I could not believe that such a rustic drink might be as worthy as Proust’s Madeleine. And then it happened – the first cap was popped, and I filled my lungs with the rich aroma of malt and hops. It was magical: the first sip that autumn; the first sip in my life; the gentle bitterness running down my throat; a smile full of joy and silent enjoyment. I am still glad that my first encounter with this drink was so special – silent, quaint, with the aim to sample and not warm up before a concert. Our relationship has stayed that way until now. Sip by sip I got to know the many faces of beer. It’s not the first mention of beer in our magazine. We live in the country with deep beer brewing traditions and there are a few beer related days in the Lithuanian calender. Autumn has its own beer day as well.

09.21 Festival of Beer (Alutinis)

BEEF STEW WITH BEER Recipe & photo: Viktorija, Receptų medis

he 21st of September in Lithuania has always been known as Alutinis or Festival of Beer. This was the day when our forefathers made the first beer from the barleycorn crop of the year, and thus autumn was welcomed. It was said that from this day on, it was not advisable to swim in lakes or rivers and the straw hats of the summertime should be replaced by warmer ones. When the weather cools down, we crave for warm and filling meals. Stews are perfect for those chilly evenings! The slow cooking gradually fills the home with the delightful aroma. The meat simply melts in your mouth... And it’s so satisfying to dip a slice of fresh bread in the remaining beer sauce!

Serves 6–8 1,2 kg beef tenderloin oil 3 tbs flour 500 g onions 300 ml dark beer 500 ml water 1 tsp ground cinnamon 8 cardamom pods 1 tsp sugar 1½ tsp salt black pepper

Rinse meat and pat dry with a paper towel. Discard the membranes and cut the meat into 8-10 cm pieces. Heat oil in a heavy pan. Dust each piece of the meat with flour. Fry it on both sides. Fry the meat in batches so that it does not stew. Finely chop onions. Heat some oil in a heavy bottomed pot. Fry the onions. Cut the fried meat into bite-sized pieces. Add them on top of the onions. Pour over leftover meat juices, beer and water. Add cinnamon and cardamom pods. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and stew, mixing occasionally, for 3 hours or until the meat is soft. Remove the cardamom pods, add sugar, salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir and taste. Add some more salt, if needed.

Preface: Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 Photo: Gabrielė, Gabriele photography

Post

10.09 World Post Day

WORLD

DAY

adore letters.

Of course, today mail stands for a three-minute note scribbled with too little commas and too many abbreviations that our parents would not understand. At times we grumble that e-mails flood unstoppably. Oh, if they were paper, we would not see daylight through their stacks. It was different with real letters. I was still in my junior year after just having changed schools. One day in a locker, that I shared with my friend A, I found a colorful envelope and inside of it – a letter like no other. And this was the beginning of a beautiful and special friendship. I remember it clearly. It was after midnight. I opened the second drawer of my table, took out a thick yellowish notebook, a pencil and some colorful pens. I made myself a huge pot of tea, left Antony and the Johnsons whining in the background, and entered something similar to trance. I fiddled around with words as though they were chocolate candy puzzles. I glued together feelings, observations, questions, favorite quotes and poems. I folded it twice and pinned in a chamomile from the previous summer. Some days later I found an envelope in my locker – not simply an envelope, a true work of art, a collage. It seemed like my heart was going to jump out of my chest. I reached home in half the usual time, and the special ritual started once again: the warmest socks, the woolen blanket, closed doors. Words from carefully filled pages outran all senses and flew right into the heart. Together with my secret pen pal, I smiled, I felt anxious, I scratched my head, I giggled. It was a great friendship. More than a decade has passed and we have turned different ways. Now only occasionally we “like” something on each others Facebook, but I remember my magic letter friend each time I sit down to write a real letter. I adore letters. I still recall them even after having moved to the Internet. At times I focus real hard, close all the unnecessary tabs and create a long e-message which I, just like then, decorate with heart-punching lines. Special words find their way into letters – and, I admit, so much more...

10.09 World Post Day

LAVENDER COOKIES Recipe & photo: Beata, Braškės su pipirais

end your affections by post. How? Take your love and warmth, and mix it into lavender cookie dough. The loved ones will understand...

Makes approx. 30-40 200 g flour a pinch of salt 60 g icing sugar 125 g butter 1-2 tsp dried lavender flowers 1 yolk and ½ egg white

Combine flour with salt, icing sugar and butter until crumbs form. Stir in lavender flowers. Add yolk and half egg white. Place dough in the fridge for an hour to cool. Preheat oven to 170°C. Roll out the dough 0.5 cm thickness and cut out cookies. Place the cookies on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake for approximately 10 minutes, until brown around the edges.

10.12 World Egg Day

Egg

Preface: Asta, Villa Alps & Indrė, Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija Photo: Asta, Villa Alps

WORLD

DAY

tarting from 1996 the second Friday of every October is World Egg Day with a purpose to inform the society of the many ways to use eggs in food preparation.

Eggs are used in every cuisine in the world, and they are favorites among adults and children alike. Eggs are the basis of a quick and simple breakfast, and are also crucial for sophisticated desserts. And let’s not limit ourselves to ordinary hen eggs. Let’s use the miniature quail eggs and the enormous exotic ostrich eggs. Eggs raise batters and thicken sauces and creams. They are equally delicious fried, scrambled, poached and soft or hard boiled. Choose your favorite way of preparation! And don’t even get us started with the never-ending discussion about what deserves more culinary medals – the yolk or the white… Or both at the same time. This year we didn’t separate the white from the yolk, we boiled them together. Then we added some salmon, poured everything into a delicious crust and prepared a wonderful weeknight meal.

11.14 World Egg Day

EGG AND SALMON TART Recipe & photo: Vilma, Mažoj virtuvėlėj

Serves 8-10

Preheat oven to 200°C.

Tart shell: 90 g butter 1 tbs oil 3 tbs water ½ tsp salt 150 g flour

Add butter, oil, water and salt to a ovenproof glass bowl and place it in the oven for 10 minutes, until the butter has melted. Lower oven temperature to 180°C.

Filling: 3 eggs 200 ml heavy cream salt pepper fresh basil 4 hard boiled eggs 100-150 g smoked salmon

Take out the bowl from the oven, add flour and mix until the dough separates from the sides of the bowl. Once the dough has cooled slightly, knead it shortly. Line the bottom and sides of a 24 cm baking tin with the dough. Pierce the bottom with a fork. Place some parchment paper on the bottom and top with dried beans. Blind bake for 10 minutes. Remove the beans and discard parchment paper. Bake for 5 more minutes. Lower oven temperature to 160°C. For the filling, lightly beat 3 fresh eggs, add heavy cream, salt, pepper and finely shredded basil. Mix well. Cut boiled eggs in half. Spread egg halves and salmon in the prepared tart shell. Cover with the cream mixture. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until golden brown.

10.31 Halloween

Halloween Preface, recipes & photos: Aušra, Vaikai ir vanilė

Halloween, abbreviated from All Hallows’ Eve, is an ancient Celtic harvest festival, during which peasants lit up bonfires and wore scary masks, trying to protect their food supplies that had been gathered for the upcoming winter. Ancient pagans believed that on the 31st of October, the boundaries between the worlds of the living and the dead overlapped; on that night the deceased could come back to life and damage the gathered crops. To soothe and appease the awaken spirits, people would dress in masks and costumes, in an attempt to mimic the dead. Irish and Scottish immigrants brought Halloween traditions to North America, and in the late twentieth century Halloween was celebrated in United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. After many years of travels across continents, Halloween traditions are returning back to Europe. It is now being celebrated in Lithuania as well. Halloween traditions in Lithuania are still fairly new. Some people embrace the holiday enthusiastically, while others are openly opposed to the Halloween tradition and its penetration into the Lithuanian culture. There is a notion that carnivallike, rambunctious celebrations are inappropriate on the night before the holiday of Vėlines (All Saints), celebrated on the 1st of November, when Lithuanians gather in cemeteries to pay their respects to the deceased. It is possible that Halloween will never become an accepted Lithuanian tradition. However, I don’t think there is anything wrong with the holiday itself, and I don’t foresee it interfering with the grim mood of Vėlinės. Halloween is just a fun festivity, a rather dark, but completely harmless joke for only one night.

10.31 Halloween

BAT WINGS Serves 6 Marinade: 4 garlic cloves ½ cup Chinese black bean sauce ¼ cup soy sauce ¼ cup sesame oil ¼ cup water 3 tbs Sriracha chile sauce 2 tbs dark brown sugar 2 tbs rice vinegar ½ tsp Chinese five-spice powder 1 ½ kg chicken wings salt

Mince garlic. In a food processor, process until smooth all the marinade ingredients. Transfer sauce to a medium sauce pan. Cook on medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Preheat oven to 225°C. Line two baking sheets with foil. Pat wings dry with paper towels, sprinkle with salt, brush with some of the sauce and place on the prepared baking sheets in a single layer, making sure that the wings do not touch each other. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, brush with more sauce and bake for another 15-20 minutes, until the wings are cooked through and are lightly charred. Remove the wings from the oven, brush with the remaining sauce and serve right away.

10.31 Halloween

CHEDDAR CHEESE SPREAD WITH PUMPERNICKEL TOASTS Serves 6 Spread: 25 g butter 250 g sharp cheddar ½ cup sour cream 2 tbs dry sherry a pinch of salt a pinch of pepper ¼ cup poppy seeds Toasts: ½ cup olive oil 4 garlic cloves 1 small loaf of pumpernickel bread 2 tsp coarse salt

Melt butter. Process all spread ingredients, except poppy seeds, until smooth in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl lined with plastic wrap. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1–2 hours. Unmold onto a plate. Press poppy seeds evenly over surface. Preheat oven to 225°C. Slice bread into thin slices. Cut each slice into three triangles. Crush garlic cloves. Heat oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Brush both sides of bread slices with garlic oil. Transfer to a baking sheet. Toast bread in the oven until crisp, turning once, 4–5 minutes per side. Remove toasts from the oven. Sprinkle with salt. Serve with the spread right away.

10.31 Halloween

BLOODY BRAINS: PORK AND SHRIMP DUMPLINGS WITH HOT SAUCE Serves 6 Dough: 2 cups flour 1 cup water Filling: 250 g raw shrimp 3 garlic cloves 1 bunch scallions 250 g ground pork 2 tbs rice 3 tbs soy sauce 1 tbs minced fresh ginger 1 tsp sugar salt ground black pepper Sauce: Â˝ cup soy sauce 2 tbs tomato paste 2 tbs Sriracha chili sauce 2 tbs sweet sherry 2 tbs rice vinegar 1 tbs minced fresh ginger

For the dough, mix water into flour until it forms a soft dough. Knead the dough for 5 minutes until smooth. Wrap it in cling wrap and let it rest for 30 minutes. Peel, devein and chop shrimp. Mince garlic, dice scallions. Place all filling ingredients into a bowl and mix. For the sauce, mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Break through the center of the dough so that it forms a donut shape. Stretch the ring until the diameter of the dough cylinder is about 2,5-3 cm. Cut the ring open and smooth the dough into a rod by rolling with hands on a floured surface. Cut the rod into 1 cm long pieces. Dust them with flour. Take one piece of the dough, flatten it into a 5 cm disc with your palm. Hold one side of the disc with one hand and use the other hand with the center of a rolling pin to roll the dough from the other side almost to the center. Turn the disc a little bit and roll it again the same way. Keep on repeating this until you get a thin wrapping of about 10 cm. The center should be a bit thicker than the edges. Do the same thing with all the dough pieces to form them into round wrappings and lightly flour the wrappings so that they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;t stick to each other. Put one teaspoon of filling into the center of each wrapping. Close the center first and then use the thumb and index fingers of both hands to close the two ends one at a time. Repeat this until you prepare all the dumplings. Place the dumplings in a steamer on top of a wok of boiling water. Steam for 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat. Transfer the dumplings into a large bowl; pour the sauce over the dumplings. Toss gently to coat. Serve right away.

Meringue Bones

MERINGUE BONES Makes 16-18

Preheat oven to 95Â°C.

6 egg whites 1Â˝ cup sugar

Put egg whites and sugar into a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly by hand until sugar has dissolved and the mixture feels warm to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from heat. Fit mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until very stiff peaks form, about 8 minutes. Transfer meringue to a pastry bag fitted with a 1 cm plain round tip. Pipe 10-12 cm long bone shapes onto two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake until crisp throughout, about 1 hour. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

10.31 Halloween

EYEBALL HIGHBALL Makes 4 8 red radishes 4 red pepper-stuffed green olives 400 ml gin 50 ml vermouth 100 ml tonic water

Cut olives crosswise in half. Trim stems and root ends of radishes. Use a sharp paring knife to scrape the red skin from the radishes, leaving just enough to give a veiny appearance. With a small melon scoop or a teaspoon, cut a hole in one radish, about 1 cm in diameter. Fit one olive half, cut-side facing out, into the hole. Repeat with the remaining radishes and place them in an ice-cube tray. Fill the tray with water and freeze. Divide eyeball ice cubes among four glasses. Mix gin with vermouth and pour into the glasses. Top with tonic water and serve.

11.08 European Day for Healthy Eating and Cooking Preface: Asta, Saulėta virtuvė Photo: Dovilė & Mantas, Bajalių šeimynėlės kampelis

EUROPEAN DAY FOR

HEALTHY N

Eating & Cooking

o girls’ chat is complete without some topics: men, children, dream purchases… And healthy living.

No one knows as many diets and nutritional facts as a modern society women. In early teenage years girls begin gathering this indispensable information from all possible sources. At first they succumb to those sweet promises of loosing 5 kilograms per week, eating three apples and half a package of fat-free cream cheese a day. Once they get older (and, hopefully, wiser), most of them understand that such extreme adventures simply cannot lead to something sustainable. And finally, after long flouncing and searching for truth (“Why oh why don’t I look like the cover girl?”), they find that the secret lies in a healthy lifestyle. What is a healthy lifestyle? For sure it‘s not dieting and torturing restrictions. It‘s moving your body and the joys it provides (who would say „no“ to a pleasant bike ride by the river?); it‘s quality food (homemade food is in no way comparable to those store bought salads); it‘s sweet sleep more than 4 hours a day (and mornings when puffy eyes do not distort vivid colors); and finally it‘s enjoying the small things every day. Because nothing makes us as beautiful as an honest smile. We promote a healthy lifestyle. We believe that the European Day for Healthy Eating and Cooking is meaningful. It encourages us to see that fine line between the right and wrong choices, between diets and healthy living, between quality life and self-destruction. We promote healthy eating habits and a happy life. What about you?

11.08 European Day for Healthy Eating and Cooking

STUFFED BELL PEPPERS Recipe & photo: Odeta, Cocina rendez-vous

Serves 2â&#x2C6;&#x2019;3 200 g salted cod 6 same size red bell peppers 1 onion 2 garlic cloves 100 g pumpkin 50 g shrimp, peeled and deveined 2 tbs breadcrumbs fresh herb sprigs oil ground black pepper

Soak salted cod in cold water for 48 hours. Preheat oven to 180Â°C. Pierce peppers with a fork and place them on the grill until their skins turn black. Dip them in cold water with ice cubes for several seconds. Discard the skin, remove the stems and seeds. Sprinkle the peppers with some olive oil and roast them in the oven for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool. Finely chop onion and garlic. Fry them in 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 8 minutes on low heat. Cut pumpkin into small pieces, add to the pan and cook with onion and garlic for 8 more minutes. Cut the cod into small pieces. Place it in the pan together with shrimps and cook for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, add breadcrumbs and mash everything well with a fork. Leave to cool. Stuff the peppers with the filling. Bake for 7-10 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan. Fry herb sprigs for a minute. Drain them on a paper towel. Decorate stuffed peppers with herbs and serve immediately.

11.14 World Diabetes Day

Diabetes

Preface: Giedrė, g.august photography Photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų

WORLD

DAY

ad, but there are more than 250 million people with diabetes in today’s world.

On the annual World Diabetes Day the International Diabetes Federation raises public awareness about this pandemic by organizing running, trekking, cycling or other kind of active events, and keeping the public informed through the media. On this occasion we share a recipe adopted for people with diabetes - a sweet and sour, light and fluffy lemon dessert. Take care of yourself!

11.14 World Diabetes Day

LEMON MERINGUE DESSERT Recipe & photo: GiedrÄ&#x2014;, g.august photography

Makes 5 300g low fat cream cheese 1 lemon 3 eggs, separated 4 tbs sweetener, suitable for diabetics

Preheat oven to 180Â°C. Beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth and foamy. Add lemon zest and juice, egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of sweetener. Divide the mixture among 5 small ramekins. Put on a baking tray and bake for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg whites until they hold their shape. Whisk in the remaining sweetener. Remove ramekins from the oven and pile the meringue on top. Return to the oven and bake for 5 more minutes, until the meringue is golden brown. Leave to cool and keep the dessert in the fridge until serving.

Bachelors‘ Preface: Asta, Saulėta virtuvė Photo: Vilma, Mažoj virtuvėlėj

DAY

hat does a man demand from a meal? What if it is a lonely guy who is not interested in culinary TV shows or books with even the most beautiful pictures? And what if our hypothetical guy is a true bachelor who sees no reason for endless amount of kitchen cabinets and shelves to fit hundreds of kitchen gadgets? The bachelor’s meal should be quick and easy to prepare. It should not require any special skills or a shopping bag full of unfamiliar products. It would be even better if the ingredient list was as short as possible and easy to find in the kitchen any time of day. In the end, you never know when hunger may strike. Plain pasta is one of the easiest meals to prepare. A more delicious and filling twist on this is pasta with meatballs. If the bachelor is lucky enough to get some meatballs from his Mom once in a while, preparing such a lunch or dinner (or midnight snack) will be a snap. And even if he has to make the meatballs himself – it’s really simple, quick and undeniably tasty.

PASTA WITH MOMâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S MEATBALLS Serves 2 200 g pasta leftover meatballs OR 300 g minced pork/beef, a slice of white bread and several tablespoons milk 200 ml heavy cream 200 g cherry tomatoes (or any fresh tomatoes) salt pepper If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not lucky enough to have some meatballs your mom made, season minced meat with salt and pepper, and add milk-soaked bread. Knead well. Form small meatballs and fry them in a few tablespoons of hot oil. Cut tomatoes in half or quarters. Fry them lightly in some olive oil, add heavy cream, meatballs and stew for several minutes. Mix with cooked pasta. You can cook pasta, right?

88 Text: Asta, Villa Alps Photos: Plate Culture

Plate Culture

Home restaurantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; adventures in Malaysia

It is best to learn about a foreign culture while experiencing it. Most of the time when we travel we rely on trip planners and advisers for questions such as what to see and where to eat. However, in such cases we will never be able to meet local people and the waiter at the local dining chain will not have the time to chit chat about traditional food, best places to see, old traditions or listen to your travel adventures. Imagine for a moment that during your trip you get to meet a hospitable local who invites you to his/her house for a home cooked dinner. You would taste food that is not available at restaurants, you would get to see how it’s made and chat your night away sharing family stories, country traditions and politics. You would get insights straight from the local’s mouth – things which you wouldn’t be able to learn about if you followed the tourists’ paths in the city. Admit that such

an experience would spice up your trip and would feed your hungry soul. This is exactly what two Lithuanians – Reda Stare and Audra Pakalnyte, founders of PlateCulture - believe in. PlateCulture is a marketplace that connects hospitable locals who love cooking and maybe secretly dream of running a restaurant and travellers who are eager to experience culture through food and making friends with the locals. Hosts choose on which days they host dinners, while the Guest can choose an event based on available times and the food they like. Only in a few clicks can the Guest book a dinner with local people, pay online and head to their homes for some delicious home cooking. PlateCulture was launched in June 2013 in Malaysia.

Malaysia is the melting pot of Chinese, Indian, Malay and many other cultures, and can offer many delicious cuisines from all over the World. The Guest can choose from a diversity of cuisines and enjoy an authentic home cooked dinner. Currently PlateCulture operates in Malaysia and Singapore. Thailand, Vietnam and The Philippines will open up in September and other Asian countries later on in the year. If you are traveling soon, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to check the website of PlateCulture and explore the local cuisines at the localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; homes.

Founders of PlateCulture left their full time jobs and ventured into business to bring together foodies and travellers to create memorable cultural experiences. Audra lives in Malaysia, and Reda in Lithuania. I met Reda for an interview in Vilnius where we had a very friendly chat.

Reda, why Malaysia? I fell in love with Asia when I was traveling here for a year. Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur was the first Asian city in which I landed. The melting cultural pot of Kuala Lumpur charmed me, and since then I still think that this city and country is one of the most beautiful in Asia. The best spots in Malaysia are the islands and the beautiful beaches, as well as the delicious food. Malaysia is a reflection of Asia, a mixture of different cultures, and proudly stands for its slogan: Malaysia, truly Asia. Each country is unique and different, but when traveling in Malaysia you can get a glimpse of entire Asia: understand Indian, Chinese and Malay cultures. It is a tourist friendly country, as one can get around easily. English is widely spoken as the second language, which makes your trip hassle free. On top of that I liked Malaysian food a lot. It is a fusion of very different Asian cuisines. Tell us about Malaysian cuisine. Malaysian cuisine well represents cultural diversity in the country. Here you can choose from Chinese, Indian, Malay or Thai cuisines as well as all other possible world’s cuisines. Traditional recipes are mostly spicy and come with rice, various types of noodles, mutton or beef as well as seafood. Holiday in Malaysia, very easily can turn into gastronomic holiday. If you would challenge yourself to eat every meal a different traditional Malaysian dish you might need a month or more to try out all different flavours. Who can register to host dinners at PlateCulture? Anyone can register, however, to get listed on PlateCulture, the Host must pass the verification process before opening the door to the Guests. Our team visits the Host for the first meal event. Later on, with each Guest who comes over for

dinner, the Hosts build their reputation score 93 based on recommendations and reviews provided by the Guests. Have you tried any of PlateCulture Hosts meals yourself? Which one was your favorite? My favorite Hosts are the ones who cook local traditional recipes. And the most surprising part is when a recipe that you are familiar with is cooked with a twist - some secret ingredient or a way of preparation that is specific to the family or the region where they come from. Also, most of the Hosts use local produce and secret family recipes to reveal the true character and taste of the recipe. This is what I like the most about home cooking. Tell us about the most interesting PlateCulture Hosts. The group of Hosts is very interesting and diverse, be it age, occupation or ethnicity. Our youngest chef is twenty three years old, and the most experienced one is sixty three. All of them have very interesting personalities and come from different industries, such as fashion design, music production, art critique, banking, etc. Those who do not use their creativity in their day jobs, do this while cooking. For example, Stefan after his day at work enjoys cooking as well as creating board games. I’m sharing a traditional Malaysian recipe of Nasi Lemak by our Host Khai Tzer. This is the number one dish everyone should try when visiting Malaysia. There is a saying that if you have not tried Nasi Lemak, you have never been to Malaysia. The dish is simple and tasty. Traditionally it’s eaten for breakfast, but you will find it served for lunch or even dinner.for breakfast, but you will find it served for lunch or even dinner.

NASI LEMAK Serves 5 Rice: 3 cups long grain rice 1Â˝ cup coconut milk 2 tsp oil 1Â˝ cup water 2 cm ginger root 1 red onion 1 lemongrass 1tsp ground fenugreek salt Sambal sauce: 100 g died chillies 60 g dried red onions 30 g garlic 30 g dried prawn paste oil 50 ml tamarind juice 100 g dried anchovies 100 g red onions salt sugar Garnish: 5 eggs, hard boiled 1 cucumber 150 g dried anchovies 150 g peanuts banana leaf (optional)

Soak washed and drained rice for 10 minutes in coconut milk. Add oil and allow it to cover the rice. Grate ginger, chop onion and crush lemongrass. Add water, ginger, red onion, lemongrass, fenugreek and salt. Cook for 30 minutes, until rice becomes soft. For the sauce, discard chili seeds and boil chilies shortly, then grind. Grind dried red onions, press garlic. Fry shrimp paste for 15 minutes. Add ground chilis, onions, garlic and shrimp paste in a bowl. Pour some water, just to cover all the ingredients. Process with a blender. Pour in oil and stir until the sauce color intensifies. Mix tamarind juice with some water and add it to the bowl. Put the sauce in a saucepan and cook until the sauce is lightly brown. Stir in dried anchovies and sliced red onion, season with salt and sugar. For the garnish, halve eggs, slice cucumber and roast anchovies and peanuts until golden brown. Serve cooked rice with the sauce and garnishes. This dish is usually eaten for breakfast, but adding chicken, beef or squid, makes it perfect for lunch as well.

Photo: GabrielÄ&#x2014;, Gabriele photography

Take 1 Make 4 ZA'ATAR FISH

Preface: Asta, Villa Alps & Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 Photo: Asta, Villa Alps

ZA'ATAR W

ords are magical. Whisper morning, and the room fills with the mild aroma of wet grass, hands are warmed by first rays of light and the clatter of an impatient kettle reaches you from the kitchen. Summer smells of bonfires and thyme; it colors everything with the reds of watermelon, tomato and strawberries, and your shoulders feel the weight of half of your life stuffed in a backpack. Thanks, and the heart is filled with unique warmth and calmness. The touch of fluffy slippers, the smell of cookies coming out of the oven, empathy to what those close to you are feeling – this is home. You may call it associations or synesthesia. Words have a scent in the kitchen. We talk of rolls, and ribbons of sweet warm waft twist in the air. Our chests fill with heavy rich earthy aromas at the sole mention of chocolate. I’m off to buy some butter, and we can smell the mildly sweet milkiness of heavy cream. Our spell today is za’atar. Za’atar, and we envision a colorful Middle Eastern market, we hear the hustle and bustle, we feel the energy. Za’atar, and it smells of fruit, spices and heat. Za’tar, and our ordinary day-to-day spices – thyme, salt, and sesame seeds – come together in new earthy tones. Za’atar, and a secret door unlocks in the kitchen. Za’atar comes from the Middle East where it is sold by the pound. It is the main daily spice; hence it would be difficult to find it in smaller packages. The locals dip bread in oil and Za’atar, bake bread sprinkled with this spice mixture, sprinkle it over hummus, labneh (strained yoghurt cheese), use it for meat and vegetable dishes. Za’atar is easy to prepare yourself. Take 1 part dried thyme, 1 part sumac, 1 part toasted sesame seeds and ¼ part coarse salt. Crush it with a mortar and pestle and keep in an airtight jar until needed. For other variations, you may add ½ part dried oregano and/ or ½ part dried marjoram.

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LABNEH WITH ZA‘ATAR Recipe & photo: Julija, Vilko šaukštai

ery refreshing, pleasantly spicy and strong at the same time – this is the kind of breakfast we offer you. Yoghurt, bread and fresh tomatoes create a combination that is surprisingly simple, yet tastes incredible. Labneh can be flavored with any vegetables, spices, or just eaten plain. Serves 4-5 1 kg full fat yoghurt a big pinch of sea salt extra virgin olive oil 10 pitted black olives ½ red chili zest of 1 lemon 1 garlic clove za‘atar

Line a nonreactive strainer with cheesecloth or muslin. Set the strainer over a deep bowl. In another bowl mix yoghurt with sea salt and pour it to the strainer. Fold the ends of the cloth over the yoghurt and refrigerate overnight. Remove the strained cheese from the cloth, and put it into a bowl. Stir in lemon zest, chopped olives and garlic. Transfer yoghurt to a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil. Top with za’atar. Serve with fresh bread and tomatoes.

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Za´atar

WARM VEGETABLE SALAD WITH HALLOUMI Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps

very easy and fast salad which is warm and satisfying enough to become a light autumn lunch. Lemony and thyme flavors go well with the vegetables and salty halloumi. The sesame seeds in the mix bring that extra crunchiness to this salad.

Serves 2 as a light meal 1 zuchhini (250-300 g) 1 of each red, yellow and green bell peppers 1 red onion 2-3 tbs olive oil 1 tbs za‘atar, plus an extra pinch salt black pepper 250 g halloumi 1 tbs lemon juice

Coarsely chop vegetables. In a bowl, toss the vegetables with oil and za’atar. Cube cheese in about the same size as the vegetables. Heat a large frying pan, add the vegetables and fry them until they start to soften. In another frying pan, fry the cheese. Toss together the vegetables and cheese, transfer to a serving bowl and drizzle with lemon juice. Sprinkle extra za’atar on top. Serve with toasted bread.

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POULTRY MEATBALL SKEWERS Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps

hese meatballs are delicious made from both chicken or turkey mince. They can be made the night before and stored in the refrigerator, covered with cling wrap. And you can put your personal touch to the skewers by using other seasonal vegetables. Serves 4-5 Meatballs: 8 allspice berries 1 medium onion 2 garlic cloves 500 g chicken or turkey mince 1 egg 4 tbs oat or wheat bran ¾ tsp cinnamon 5 tsp za’atar 5 tbs sesame seeds 1 tsp salt ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper Skewers: 1 red bell pepper 1 red onion 2 tbs olive oil 1 tsp Za’atar Sauce: 2 cucumbers 1 tsp salt 200 g thick natural yoghurt 1 garlic clove ½ tsp lemon juice 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves a pinch of white pepper couscous, small pasta (orzo, acini di pepe) or rice

Soak 12-15 wooden skewers in water. Peel cucumbers, cut them in half lengthwise and remove seeds. Coarsely chop the cucumbers, place them in a bowl and sprinkle with salt. Refrigerate until needed. Crush allspice. Using a handheld blender, chop onion and garlic. In a bowl, mix all the ingredients for meatballs. Lightly oil your palms. Form walnut sized meatballs and place them in a cling wrap lined dish. Freeze for 20 minutes. Corasely chop bell pepper and onion. Sprinkle with oil and za’atar. Preheat oven to 180°C. Thread meatballs and vegetables alternately onto skewers. Bake on a baking sheet or baking grid for 20 minutes. During the last minutes, turn on the grill. Remove one skewer and check if meatballs are cooked. If needed, grill for several more minutes. While the meetballs are baking, cook couscous, pasta or rice and prepare the sauce. Add minced garlic, lemon juice, thyme and pepper to the yoghurt. Drain the cucumbers. Puree them and mix into the yoghurt. Taste for salt and pepper, and season, if needed. Serve the meatball skewers with coucous, pasta or rice immediately. Drizzle with the sauce.

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Tips

Meatballs can be frozen for up to 6 months.

Za´atar

SMOKY EGGPLANT DIP WITH LAVASH CRISPS Recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine

he combination of eggplant and za’atar is just divine. Taste it, and you will not question why it is becoming so well-known around the world.

Serves 4 4 large eggplants 2 garlic cloves a handful of parlsey juice of 1 lemon salt black pepper ½ tbs za’atar spice mix 5 tbs olive oil 2 large lavash sheets 50 g hard aged cheese 1 tbs sesame seeds 1 tbs nigella seeds

Wash eggplants and prick them with a fork in a few places. Turn on the stove and put the eggplants straight on the flame. Roast for around 5 minutes, turning occasionally. Let the skin burn a bit. Cool the eggplants before peeling. Cut the flesh of the eggplant into small pieces. Put them into a bowl. Peel and finely chop garlic. Chop parsley. Add garlic, parsley, lemon juice, salt, black pepper, za’atar and olive oil into the bowl. Mix everything until combined and leave it in the refridgerator for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut lavash into triangles. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the lavash triangles and sprinkle each with some grated cheese, sesame and nigella seeds. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until cheese has melted and lavash is crisp and golden. Serve the dip with lavash crisps as an appetizer with wine or beer. It will also go well with cheese or meat dishes.

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Preface: Asta, Villa Alps Photo: Odeta, Cocina rendez-vous

FISH M

ost people eat too little fish, no matter whether they live in a country with a large or small fizhing zone, experts say. Taking this into account, we have decided to break the pattern and prepare a whole dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s menu with fish. And we have also gone fishing. Turn the pages and enjoy some pikes, sprats, salmon, tuna and cod!

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fishy fishy Text & photo: Asta, Villa Alps

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Even though early autumn mornings are chilly, the days still pleasure us with warmth. Thick fog covers the lakes in the mornings and the evenings, and nature sinks into golden silence. This is the perfect time to enjoy nature and go on a fishing trip! Autumn is the time for fleshy pikes, perches and crucian carps. It is really worth getting your hands cold in the morning frost. You don’t even have to get up as early, since in autumn fish eat breakfast at sunrise, not at dawn. I wrote this story in the middle of summer, when the dawn rule still applied. Waking up before 5 a.m. may not be one of my ultimate pleasures, but it won’t do any harm once a year, so I joined two arrant fishermen, brothers Simas and Augustas, for a fishing session near Molėtai. After about an hour’s ride from the Lithuanian capital Vilnius

we arrived at a charming lake Juodieji Lakajai, surrounded by pine woods. Brothers usually go fishing in their own inflatable boat. However, since a third person would not have fitted in the tiny boat, we rented a wooden boat – just like the ones used for rowing. The boat was old, tired and… slightly holey – I had a nice workout scooping water out of it. Brothers mounted modern fishing attributes to this have seen my best days boat – a motor and an echo sounder. An echo sounder is a piece of equipment that lets one monitor the depth of the lake, the relief of the bottom and even fishes. Simas and Augustas used it to look for slopes, hoping to find some bigger perches.

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Unfortunately, we didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t catch any perches during our six hour adventure. However, pikes hiding in the rushes near the coastal line were quite hungryâ&#x20AC;Ś Simas and Augustas say that there are far more delicious fishes with less bones. However, fishing is like a lottery. Having decided that there wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enough fish in my recent menu, I gladly took the first cought pike and silently rejoiced.

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Simas caught 3 pikes, and Augustas 4. Since the guys had already eaten their share of pikes, they let them all go – except the first one which was my catch for kitchen experiments. I’ll share those discoveries in my blog in September. And for the time being, look through the following pages to see what my colleague bloggers Jolita, Jurgita, Miglė and Julija have to say about fish. Yet most probably you’ll have to go fishing to your nearest supermarket for the catch!

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SPRAT TOASTS Recipe & photo: Jolita, Surfing the world cuisine

ish for breakfast? Why not?! Some sprat toasts, served with oven baked eggs and a cup of coffee makes a good start for the day.

Serves 4 1 tsp butter 4 eggs 1 small onion 2 tbs olive oil 1 tbs tomato sauce salt black pepper 2 sprigs thyme 8 slices bread 12 sprats in oil

Preheat oven to 200째C. Grease 4 little ramekins with butter, crack an egg in each. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Chop onion. Heat oil in a pan ir cook onions for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, salt, pepper and thyme leaves. Leave to cool slightly. Spread the cooled tomato sauce onto 4 bread slices. Put 3 sprats on each. Cover with remaining bread slices. Toast in sandwich toaster for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Cut the sandwiches in triangles or slices. Serve with baked eggs.

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Tips The fish can be prepared one day ahead just keep it in the refrigerator.

Fish

SALMON AND FENNEL QUICHE Recipe & photo: Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų

he combination of salmon and fennel may not be very common in Lithuanians’ kitchen, but it is worth your attention and effort. A dash of soy sauce and a pinch of sesame seeds bring some oriental flavor into this pie. What else could you wish for a lunch? Perhaps a good company and a bowl of soup or salad.

Serves 8 Pastry shell: 250 g flour ½ tsp salt 1 tbs toasted sesame seeds 100 g butter 3−4 tbs cold water Filling: 400 g salmon fillet 2 tbs olive oil 1 fennel 300 g pure cream 3 eggs salt freshly ground black pepper 1 tbs light soy sauce

For the pastry, mix flour, salt and sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Add butter and rub it into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough from becoming warm. Add water and mix until the dough comes together. Lightly knead the dough until smooth then wrap in cling wrap and chill for at least 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. For the filling, season salmon with salt and freshly ground black pepper, wrap in foil and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes. Allow the fish to cool, then flake the flesh into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan and stir-fry sliced fennel for 5-8 minutes until slightly soft. Roll the pastry out on a floured surface and line a 23 cm tart tin with removable bottom. Prick the base with a fork, line with aluminium foil and pour baking beans. Blind bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and baking beans and bake for 5 more minutes. Remove the tin from the oven. Leave the oven turned on. Mix eggs with cream, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Layer the salmon flakes and fennel in the pastry shell and drizzle over soy sauce. Pour the egg and cream mixture over the salmon. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is golden brown and just set. Serve with a salad or vegetable soup.

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TUNA PATTIES Recipe & photo: Miglė, My Kitchen Affair

id you know that tuna is one of the most sought after fish in the word? It is tasty, healthy and full of nutrients. For this reason it is enjoyed in sandwiches, salads, pizzas as well as various rice or pasta dishes. However, tuna does not always have to play the “supporting role” and only complement other ingredients in the dish. Sometimes it can take the lead and be the actual star of the evening. If you want to see it for yourself, do not hesitate to try these tuna patties that will undoubtedly brighten up that forthcoming oppressive autumn mood. And if you do not like tuna, you can undoubtedly experiment with any other canned fish: mackerel, cod or sardines. Makes 8-10 340 g canned tuna 2 tbs whole-grain Dijon mustard 3−4 slices white bread 1 tbs lemon juice 1 tsp lemon zest 1 tbs white wine or reserved springwater (if using tuna in springwater) 2 tbs fresh oregano ¼ tsp ground smoked paprika salt freshly ground pepper 1 egg 3 tbs olive oil or reserved oil (if using tuna in oil) ½ lemon

In a bowl, mix together drained tuna, mustard, bread, lemon juice, lemon zest, wine (or springwater), finely chopped oregano, paprika, salt and freshly ground pepper. Taste and season more, if needed. Beat in egg. Add 1 tablespoon of oil and, using your hands, knead the mixture. Form round and flat patties, approximately 5 cm in diameter and 2 cm in thickness. Place them on a tray lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for about an hour. When patties are chilled, heat the remaining oil in a pan. Lower the heat to medium and gently place patties into the oil. Cook for 5 minutes until both sides are nicely brown and crispy. Tuna patties can be eaten both warm and cold. Serve with lemon slices and sour cream or Greek yoghurt flavored with some garlic and scallions.

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Fish

COD FRITTERS Recipe & photo: Julija, Vilko šaukštai

ven those who don’t seem to eat fish a lot indulge in these cod fritters, crunchy on the outside and soft inside. If you want the flavor to be even better, experiment with the sauce for this snack: cod is excellent not only with simple mayonnaise or aïoli. Try adding saffron, capers, garlic, or even spinach to these sauces. Serves 3-4 400 g cod 2 small potatoes onion ½ red chili 2 garlic cloves fresh oregano 300 ml water 2 tbs olive oil 50 g flour 2 eggs salt freshly ground black pepper vegetable oil

Defrost cod in the refrigerator overnight. Poach cod for 10 minutes with a little bit of salt. Remove fish from water, drain and let it cool. Boil peeled and chopped potatoes in the same water as fish until tender. Drain and mash them, then set aside. Once the fish has cooled, remove the skin and bones. Shred cod into small pieces. Finely dice onion and deseed chili, chop garlic and oregano. In a pan, bring 300 ml water and olive oil to a boil, remove from heat and slowly stir in flour. Cool slightly, and beat in eggs, one at a time. Sitr in mashed potatoes into the batter. Add onion, chili, garlic and cod. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Cook the mixture over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens. The consistency should be similar to that of mashed potatoes. Add oregano and leave to cool slightly. Heat oil for deep frying. Form the mixture into balls with one or two spoons, and fry in batches until golden brown. Put fritters on paper towels to drain excess fat. Serve with mayonnaise, aïoli or another dipping sauce.

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Alicein

Wonderland

Idea: Asta, Villa Alps. Preface: Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5. Recipes & photos: Asta, Villa Alps; Jurgita, Duonos ir žaidimų; Miglė, My Kitchen Affair; Viktorija, Receptų medis. Model: Elena. Interior: Alice apartment, interior designer Monika Juknienė

hen I go back home to my parents, sometimes I find myself standing in front of the bookshelf filled with the most beloved books from my childhood. Eyes start following the covers, stumbling over one of them, then moving to another, while hands are gently taking one from the shelf and, out of the sudden, in the very tips of my fingers, the deepest memories are coming to life. I notice that some margins are decorated with cartoons, while illustrations – not so carefully colored with first marker pens I treasured so much back then. Today, the book for me is almost sacred, so I flush with shame seeing this kind of childhood legacy. Of course, the most favorite books had to withstand the biggest burden! Each time flipping through pages and experiencing the most significant episodes over and over again, I couldn’t help but add a few additional touches to that endless painting in the very corner of the page. And you know which one suffered the most? Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass. This story fascinated me from the very first moments when Rabbit, murmuring Oh dear! Oh dear! I shall be late! took the stage. The book was glowing with the unprecedented imagination, and the characters were so vivid and complex. Mature, at some point. I had read this book one, two... who knows how many times – first of all, when I was still a little girl, then in my early teenage years, and finally when I came of age. And the truth is, it never stopped fascinating me, so I began dusting my daily routine with tiny fragments of it. Together with a friend we were constantly exchanging delicious gifts that always had a note saying “Eat Me” or “Drink Me”. Whereas one buddy, just like the Rabbit himself, was carrying a pocket watch attached to a chain; every now and then, he took a glimpse at it with anxiety. And specifically from this book, one very vivid dream evolved – a mad tea party that could be thrown to celebrate one’s birthday or any other special day. Of course, probably there won’t be any mad guests talking only in riddles, but the all-day long tea party would unquestionably be the experience of a lifetime.

Would you like a tea party like that? The magazine team, inspired by Alice in Wonderland, held a real feast which would not disappoint even the whimsical Queen of Hearts. Come and join us!

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Do you remember the sweets that Knive of Hearts stole from the Queen of Hearts? We bet that they were very similar to these lovely sandwich hearts! Sweet and crispy with a delicate infusion of tea butter â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a treat definitely worth stealing!

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SANDWICH HEARTS Makes 30-40 Cookies: 125 g softened butter 105 g powdered sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 1 large egg 300 g flour 1 tsp baking powder a pinch of salt Filling: 40 ml milk 4 tbs loose Rooibos tea 100 g softened butter 240 g powdered sugar

In a medium bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla extract, beat in the egg, and mix for another minute. In a separate bowl, sift flour, add baking powder and salt. Slowly incorporate this mixture into the butter and knead the dough. The dough should be soft, smooth, but not sticky. Shape into a ball and place it into the fridge for 10-15 minutes. When the dough is chilled enough but not too hard to roll, preheat oven to 180Â°C. Generously flour the working surface and roll the dough out to approximately 3 mm thick sheet, adding more flour to prevent the dough from sticking. Using a cookie cutter, cut out heart-shaped cookies and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until cookies are barely golden brown. While the cookies are baking, prepare the filing. In a small saucepan, whisk together milk and tea leaves. Bring almost to a boil, then remove from the heat, cover and let it steep for 10-15 minutes. Return to heat and simmer until liquid reduces by half. Leave to cool, then strain. In another bowl, beat butter for a few minutes. Pour in tea-infused milk and gradually add powdered sugar. Beat for another couple of minutes until light and fluffy. Spread some filling on one cookie and sandwich it together with another one. Repeat with the remaining cookies. Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. Do not keep them in the fridge â&#x20AC;&#x201C; cookies might get soggy and lose their crispiness.

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SEA BUCKTHORN MARINATED APPLE PASTRIES Makes 16 2 apples 1 tbs sugar 1 tsp cinnamon 150 ml sea buckthorn juice 3-4 sheets of frozen puff pastry 1 tbs melted butter cinnamon sugar powdered sugar

Peel and core apples, cut in 1 cm thick slices. Put the slices in a glass bowl, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon and pour in the juice. Leave to marinate for at least a couple of hours or overnight. Leave the frozen dough at room temperature for about 10-15 min until it is flexible, but not too sticky. Preheat oven to 200째C. Cut pastry into 1-1.5 cm wide and 20 cm long strips. Wrap one pastry strip three times around an apple slice. Continue with other pastry strips and apple slices. Place all the wrapped pastries on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with some sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 20-22 minutes. When done, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

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BLACK CURRANT JAM DROP COOKIES Makes approx. 30 200 g flour Â˝ tsp baking powder 125 g soft butter 80 g sugar 1 tsp vanilla sugar 1 egg black currant jam

In a bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. In a separate dish, beat together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Crack in egg, add the flour mixture and beat until the batter comes together. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Dust your hands with flour and shape small dough balls. Place them on a baking sheet, a few centimeters apart. Using a floured index finger, pierce the center of each ball to make a well. Spoon half a teaspoon of jam into the centre of each biscuit. Refrigerate for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 180Â°C. Bake the cookies for 15-20 minutes, or until they are nice and golden.

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SAND COOKIES WITH TEA Makes 16-20 2 tbs and 1 tsp loose citrus flavored green tea leaves 200 g flour ½ tsp salt 220 g softened butter 60 g powdered sugar 1½ tbs coarse brown sugar

Using a grinder or a mortar, finely grind 2 tablespoons of tea leaves. Mix with flour and salt and set aside. In a separate bowl, beat together butter and powdered sugar until the mixture is pale and fluffy. Slowly stir in the flour mixture. Shape the dough into a log, wrap it in cling wrap and freeze for an hour. Preheat oven to 180°C. When the dough is chilled and firm, take it out from the fridge and slice it into even (approx. ½ cm thick) slices. Arrange the slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Grind the remaining teaspoon of tea leaves and mix with brown sugar. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the cookies and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the way these cookies are â&#x20AC;&#x201C; all too quickly melting in your mouth and leaving behind nothing else but a short fragment of a wonderful tea flavor.

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PEAR AND CHOCOLATE SCONES Makes 8 2 firm pears 3 cups flour ¼ cup granulated sugar 1½ tsp baking powder 80 g cold unsalted butter 50 g milk chocolate ¼ cup milk 1 large egg a few tablespoons of milk 1 tbs sugar

Preheat oven to 180°C. Cut pears into halves, core and chop into chunks. No need to peel them. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar and baking powder. Add cold diced butter and rub it in with fingers until fine crumbs form. Toss in the pear chunks, coarsely chopped chocolate and mix everything until combined. Pour in milk and lightly beaten egg and mix just until the dough comes together. Do not over-mix. On a well floured surface, pat out the dough into a 20 cm round. Transfer it to a baking sheet and cut into 8 equal wedges. Brush each wedge with some milk and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake for 30 minutes, until firm and golden.

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Do you remember how Five, Two and Seven of Hearts were arguing with each other and griping to Alice that instead of red roses they mistakenly planted the white ones? Do you remember how they feared that the Queen would cut off their heads once she had found out about the mistake? And how they were busily trying to cover their fault by painting all of the roses red? However, it is not always easy to tell which is better: white rose or red rose? As it is difficult to decide which brownie tastes better: dark or white? In the latter case, the dispute can be easily resolved simply by making a black and white brownie. Bitterness of the black here perfectly offsets sweetness of the white, and the black tea leaves ornamenting the latter gives the cake a delicate playfulness.

NINE OF HEARTS BLACK & WHITE BROWNIE Makes 2 (18x18 cm) 75 g dark chocolate 70 g butter 220 g flour ½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp salt 2 small eggs 80 g sugar 1 tsp vanilla extract 240 ml light (10 % fat) cream 75 g white chocolate ½ tbs black tea leaves

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a double boiler, melt dark chocolate and 35 g butter. Set aside to cool. In another bowl, whisk together 110 g flour, ¼ teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Set aside. Beat one egg, 50 g sugar and ½ tsp vanilla extract until well blended. While stirring, add chocolate and butter mixture and mix until smooth. Gradually incorporate the flour mixture and half a cup of cream. Transfer the batter into a 18x18 cm size square pan lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly and bake for 35-40 minutes. When done, cool the brownie on a wire rack. While the dark chocolate brownie is cooling, make the white one by repeating the process with the remaining ingredients. When both brownies are done and thoroughly chilled, cut out nine hearts in each of them. Swap the heart places. Brownies should be consumed within 5-7 days when kept at room temperature. Wrap them in cling wrap and place in the refridgerator, they will last for more than a week. Reheat in the oven for a few minutes before serving.

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SPELT CAKE WITH RAISINS Serves 12 170 g soft butter 170 g brown sugar 3 eggs 170 g raisins 1 tsp vanilla extract 240 g spelt flour a pinch of salt Â˝ tsp baking powder powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 160Â°C. Beat brown sugar with butter until light and fluffy, for about 5 minutes, until sugar crystals dissolve. Crack in eggs, one at a time, beating continuosly. Scald raisins with boiling water and drain. Add into the butter mixture. Pour in vanilla extract and mix well. Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Taking one tablespoon at a time, gradually incorporate the flour mixture into the butter. Line a long loaf pan with parchment paper. Pour in the batter, flatten the surface with a wet spatula and bake for 80 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving.

FIRST INTERIOR IN LITHUANIA INSPIRED BY A BOOK

Photos: Jurgita Ka Va, Karle Dru, Kęstutis Kantautas, Sigitas Gaužėda

Interior designer Monika Juknienė created a peculiar, unique and atmospheric interior in a Soviet multi-dwelling building inspired by Lewis Carroll’s tale as well as Luis Buñuel and Jan Švankmajer surrealistic films. Monika Juknienė’s Alice is the first interior in Lithuania inspired by a book. According to Monika, the tale about Alice is not popular: “I want to give this book a new lease of life, since few people know that Alice in Wonderland is two different and separate books. The setting of the fist book takes place in summer when Alice encounters playing cards, and the second book begins six months later, in winter, when Alice meets chess. This book is about childhood and the whole life. This book is about a child growing into an adult. Though Alice experiences much of confusion each of us has when children or young, she manages to overcome the last obstacle – to step across the last brook as a white pawn thus turning into a beautiful queen – an adult. At first sight, Lewis Carroll’s tale may seem annoying for its weirdness and nonsenses, but that is what makes it fascinating. With a thorough thought on what should be considered as a joke or as a serious matter, it does not look as confusing as it seems. Lewis Carroll wants people to see themselves. Similarly to Lithuanian fairy tales where the fox symbolises cunning, and the wolf – greed, birds and animals in this book symbolise human personality: the rabbit – cowardice and obedience, and the fawn – the tenderness and vulnerability”.

Interior designer Monika Jukniene monika.jukniene@gmail.com Facebook: Monika Jukniene and Interjerai pagal Alisą

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IINTERIOR DESIGN PROCESS Interior designer Monika Juknienė developed a perfect plan of the functional space of the apartment, designed the lighting and changed its layout, chose the combinations of colours and shades for the walls, floor and furniture. Upon entering the apartment, one sees a long corridor leading to the dining-room with the kitchen. A corridor on the left leads to the kitchen. The corridor has a big mirrored wardrobe on the left for guests’ coats. A chair Louis Ghost by French designer Philippe Starck for personal belongings or to sit on is situated next to the wardrobe. Above it, hangs a closed cupboard for fragrances, keys, and mobile phones. A wardrobe for hosts’ outwear is situated next to it. Monika advised to paint the reminiscence of the initial interior of the apartment – a built-in closet with shelves on the left covered with wooden plates – in white. It serves as a wardrobe. The colour range of the whole interior reflects pastel and faded colours dominating in the latest trends: linen covers of Anton Chekhov’s scripts the hosts inherited from their relatives.

Monika shares her thoughts, ideas and photos about interiors, travels Alice and tea on Facebook page Interjerai pagal AlisÄ&#x2026;

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Interior designer Monika JuknienÄ&#x2014; also came up with a very rational planning of the bedroom functional space: a working table found its place near the bed foot and the window together with a white matte surface chair by a Danish designer Verner Panton. Shelves for books or magazines were placed near the bed, since the clients are fond of reading before bed. They wanted a special aura in the bedroom that is why Monika advised to hang several lamps thus creating a particularly cosy and mysterious atmosphere. Above the bed, Monika hung a magnified book illustration of the Hookah-Smoking Caterpillar. The designer enhanced the eastern aura of the interior by choosing an Indian silver lamp and a Moroccan golden lamp. The majority of the apartment windows look to the north, therefore Monika advised to choose the milk white colour for the walls which would compensate the lack of warmth and light. The designer chose bamboo wood flooring of warm tones. Prior to this, the floor was smoothed and prepared accordingly, since the floors of the old building were uneven and unsuitable for new flooring. The clients were very content with Monikaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea to have wooden flooring in the whole apartment, i.e. in the corridor and the kitchen area. This makes the floor area look accurate and integral. The designer found the 20 sq. m living room enough to accommodate three buffets, a rest area, sofa and a dining table for up to six people. It is rather difficult to reach such a result in a standard 69 sq. m. flat, and it required through planning. The clients are very content with the results, since the interior of the apartment is elegant, light and bright.

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FABULOUS INTERIOR WITH THOROUGH THOUGHT OF EVERY DETAIL Along with the mentioned above pastel colours, Monika used some black, brown, golden, silver and red colours. The clients wanted her to use ecological materials: solid wood (floor, antique furniture, golden mirror frames), high quality plastic (chairs, lamps), glass (certain interior details and accessories), linen (restored linen covered sofa), porcelain and crystal, certain details in the interior are made of rusty metal, which endows the interior with a special mood and a touch of masculinity thus making it more than exclusively feminine. Above the sofa, Monika hung an enormous black-and-white photo of a girl with a tennis racket. It was previously owned by the clients – the hostess used to be a tennis player. Monika found a perfect place for this photo – one of the central spots in the living room. The interior designer claims she pays thorough attention to clients’ desires and adheres to the requests of people who will live her interiors. Monika Juknienė has not only performed technical interior solutions, but also finished the work to the smallest possible detail. This interior – a through consideration with every interior detail referring to Lewis Carroll’s book, for example: small crowns in a fragile glass box decorated with metal, cards on the shelves of the buffet, the magpie, the crocodile, the golden egg, the elegant fawn and a great number of flowers are only a small share of what can be read about in the tale and seen in this fabulous interior.

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FOOD THEME IN LEWIS CARROLL’S BOOK “The Alice’s philosophical food theme is very interesting with its constantly repeating phrases such as Drink me and Eat me. Therefore the skulls that are used in the interior are the reference to Alice’s conversation with her nanny: Let us imagine that I am a hungry hyena, and you are a bone. Immediately after Alice eats something, for example, a mushroom or a cake holding the White Rabbit’s fan in her hand, or drinks from a glass bottle, something extraordinary or unexpected happens – she begins to grow or to shrink,” Monika tells. Alice is usually impatient about what will happen next. That means she is curious and open as well as keen to learn and experience. A golden pepper with a bit dirty blue decoration, which Monika put on a rounded shelf, is a work by Marius Zavadskis. The designer found it at the artist’s exhibition Fruits and Vegetables. “Food in the book by Lewis Carroll also symbolises the demand for love, tenderness and attention. Eating cakes is not enough to become a queen. It also requires learning and experiencing new things, acquiring wisdom, experience and overcoming challenges. It is difficult for a child to achieve that without adults’ attention and support. In this tale birds and animals accompany, teach and support the girl on her path, and this is what adults should do in order to help their children to become as independent as the mighty chess queens are,” says Monika.

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thout ... WHAT AN AUTUMN

Photo: Asta, Villa Alps

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... cabbage

Preface: Asta, Villa Alps & Indrė, Gėrimų ir patiekalų magija Photo: Neringa, Neringos blogas

n Lithuania, white cabbage is a common vegetable. We pickle it, cook various soups, or stuff it with meat while preparing our national dish called balandėliai. In Dzūkija (ethnographic region situated in Southeastern Lithuania) cabbage is even considered to be the second bread, because it grows remarkably well even in the poor soil. However, there is far more to cabbage than the regular white variety. More often than not, red cabbage or Brussels sprouts start to find a way into the Lithuanian kitchens, whereas the Asian cuisine lovers have already included various types of Chinese cabbage, such as wombok and bok choy, in their menus. This time we left aside all the Chinese cabbages, but created a number of recipes unusual to Lithuanians using white cabbage and a lovely sweetish salad with red cabbage. Go and surprise your family while the gardens are still full of fresh and juicy cabbage heads!

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CREAM BAKED CABBAGE Recipe & photo: Viktorija, Receptų medis

Serves 4 1 small cabbage 1 medium onion 15 g butter 2 garlic cloves a handful of thyme salt black pepper 200 ml heavy cream ⅓ tsp ground nutmeg

Cut cabbage into 8-10 equal pieces, cutting out the hard middle stem. In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add the cabbage pieces and cook them for a few minutes. Run under cold water to stop the cooking process, drain on a paper towel. Cut onion in half, then slice it into thin strips. Fry onions slightly in butter, add finely chopped garlic, thyme, season with black pepper, and keep on frying for another few minutes. Add cabbage pieces into the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until all the liquid has evaporated. Pour in cream, add ground nutmeg, and let everything stew for a few minutes. Preheat oven to 180°C. Transfer cabbage pieces into a few remekins or one big baking dish, if your pan is not ovenproof. Pour over the remaining cream from the pan, cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. You can serve it as a side dish to meat or as a light vegetarian meal.

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OVEN PANCAKE WITH CAGGABE Recipe & photo: Viktorija, Receptų medis

Serves 8 1 onion ½ small cabbage head (500 g) ½ tsp curry powder ½ tsp salt 150 ml milk 150 ml flour 3 eggs

Cut onion in half, then slice it into thin strips. Fry the onion in a pan. Thinly shred cabbage. Add into the pan with onions and cook until nicely browned. Add curry powder and salt. Using an electric mixer, beat together milk, flour and eggs. Season with salt. Preheat oven to 200°C. Transfer the fried cabbage into a few remekins or one large baking dish. Pour the batter over the cabbage leaving approximately 1 cm to the top of the dish. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve as a side dish or as a single vegetarian meal.

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VEGETARIAN CABBAGE AND MOZZARELLA MUFFINS Recipe & photo: Radvilė, Salierai rankinėje

Makes 6 60 g butter 1 large carrot a few small, palm-size zucchinis 1 small cabbage (approx. 300 g) a handful of spring onions 350 g flour ½ tsp salt 3 eggs 100 ml milk a handful of fresh basil 1 mozzarella ball (150 g) olive oil

Brush 6 muffin moulds with oil. In a frying pan over low heat, melt butter and leave to cool. Grate or finely chop carrots, zucchinis and cabbage. Reserve one cabbage leaf and slice it into strips. Reserve a handful of nice-looking zucchini slices for garnish. Chop spring onions. Add all the chopped vegetables to a large pan and sprinkle them with oil. Stirring constantly, cook for 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Preheat oven to 250°C. Grill the reserved cabbage strips for no more than 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn them! Remove grilled cabbage strips from the oven and reduce the temperature to 180°C. Sift flour a few times until it is light and airy. Add salt. In a separate bowl, lightly beat eggs and pour them into the flour. Add milk and cooled melted butter. Mix until smooth. Finely chop mozzarella and basil. Incorporate into the dough. Add cooked vegetables and stir until everything is well combined. Transfer the batter into the greased muffin molds. Wrap the grilled cabbage strips into circles or ribbons and decorate the muffins. Top with a few zucchini slices. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Do not over-bake! After 20 minutes, the muffins might still be bubbling and the dough might still be too bright. Check with a skewer: muffins should be firm, but the dough may still stick to the pin. It is better to take out the muffins earlier – they will firm up while cooling. If over-baked, they can be tough and hard. Serve while still warm.

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Tips Serve cabbage croquettes with sour cream, tomato or any other preferable sauce. If you like spicy food, add some hot spices into the cabbage mixture or simply prepare a spicier sauce. Try to substitute cabbage with grated beets.

CABBAGE CROQUETTES Recipe & photo: Asta, SaulÄ&#x2014;ta virtuvÄ&#x2014;

Makes 9 1 small cabbage (350-400 g) 55 g semolina 45 g milk 1 egg a small bunch of parsley 1 tsp salt 1 tsp black pepper a few handfuls of breadcrumbs oil

Coarsely grate cabbage. Put semolina into a small bowl, pour over milk and leave to swell. In a bowl with grated cabbage, add semolina, egg, chopped parsley, and season everything with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Take a handful of the mixture, pressing out most of the liquid, and form into small croquettes. Carefully roll them in breadcrumbs. The mixture is quite loose, so shape your croquettes carefully and patiently. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a skillet. Add the croquettes and fry them on both sides, for 3 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Once the croquettes are done, drain the excess fat on paper towel. Serve warm with your favorite sauce and boiled, fried or mashed potatoes.

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RED CABBAGE AND PINE NUT SALAD Recipe & photo: Asta, Villa Alps

Serves 2 Â˝ medium red cabbage 2-3 tbs extra virgin olive oil 1-2 tbs fig flavored balsamic vinegar 2-3 tbs raisins salt freshly ground black pepper a handful of pine nuts your favorite goat or blue cheese

Finely shred cabbage. In a large bowl, combine the cabbage shaves, olive oil, balsamic vinegar and raisins. Taste and add more oil, vinegar or raisins, if needed; season with salt and pepper. In a dry frying pan, roast pine nuts. Coarsely chop or crumble cheese. Scatter the nuts and cheese over the salad and serve.

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... pumpkins Preface: Asta, Saulėta virtuvė & Julė, Kepykla Nr. 5 Photo: Asta, Villa Alps

t’s hard to believe that just a few years ago, while wandering through the market stalls, we were able to pass by the most beautiful pumpkins and not even take a short glance at them. All of a sudden, every single picture capturing one of those amazing pumpkin pies we used to gaze at in various cookbooks and food magazines just slipped through our minds. Who would have thought? Pumpkin desserts? Gladly, one day we decided to take a chance. So, we rolled up our shirt-sleeves and made a simple cake with a lovely cream on top. Needless to say, the very first minute we tasted it, our opinion about pumpkin desserts changed immediately. Dramatically. For the better! From now on, never again would we pass by the pumpkins without casting a serious glance at them. On the contrary! We would even invite our friends to accompany us to our Saturday market visits just to help us bring those heavy goodies back home. Upon returning, we would carefully run through every page of every single cookbook we have, marking each and every recipe that has something to do with pumpkins. And we would try them all! Eventually, this orange giant is enough to make more than just one dinner or dessert! Oh yes, this year, pumpkins are not going to slip away unnoticed! Wonders in the kitchen will never end as long as we allow them to happen! Don’t you think so? Many recipes in the following chapter call for pumpkin puree. If it is not easy to find in your country, make your own. Preheat oven to 150°C . Cut an unpeeled pumpkin into several pieces. Place them in a deep baking sheet, filled with a little bit of water. Bake until the pumpkin is soft and mushy. Once done, turn off the heat and let the pumpkin cool. Peel off the rind. Puree the pumpkin. Pumpkin puree can be frozen.

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