The sight of juicy roasted meat, the aroma of fresh pastries, and the anticipation of dinner after a long walk through fresh air drive me crazy because I'm a foodie. I would even call myself a fan of delicious food. Like most women, I love and know how to cook deliciously, but I really enjoy food cooked by the hands of another skilled chef. Fortunately, when I arrive in , all conditions for receiving gastronomic pleasure are respected: Lithuania is very rich in culinary virtues, and it is not necessary to cook on your own to make sure of this. With your permission, today I will be your waiter in the best restaurant of national cuisine in Lithuania, so sit back and do not limit your imagination in any way, we will have a delicious pastime. :)

The drinks

Perhaps your throat is a little dry with anticipation, so “for an aperitif” I will suggest you try “Midus”. By the name, it is not difficult to guess what is the basis of this sweetish and slightly tart drink - honey. The strength of this nectar depends on what exactly you want to drink. For example, if you are a gambler and decide to go “all in”, as they say, then you can try the Zalgiris honey-herbal balm, with a powerful 75% alcohol charge. The taste of the balm is quite sharp and it is desirable to drink it in small portions, or diluted. I, here, am not a very risky person in terms of drinking and alcohol, so I choose a drink with the same name of the city in which I was born - “Vilnius”. A pleasant taste of this nectar is given by strawberry juice and a relatively low degree of strength - 25%. For those who are a little more daring, there is also a golden mean - after tasting Suktinis, you will enjoy the rich taste and aromas. The composition of this tincture includes 14 ingredients - these are various berry juices and natural herbs. Despite the 50% strength, the drink is drunk very easily, so it is very insidious - be careful!

A sweet honey story is certainly good, but I would rather offer the male half of the tourist population a drink that Lithuania can rightfully be famous for: beer here for every taste. Guess what you like experienced tourist, want to visit this country in the warm season, so a glass of foamy and refreshing will come in handy. The most popular varieties from Lithuanian breweries are Švyturys, Kalnapilnes and Utenos.

For modest people, people who drive and just don't drink, but who want to get acquainted with a piece of Lithuanian culture, there is also something. Do you love kissel? And what to do, you need to get acquainted with Lithuania! But this is about those who, like me, do not particularly favor this viscous drink. Although it's really tasty. Cranberry, apple, pear, and even oatmeal - these are not all options for making jelly. Lithuanian kvass with ginger can also be a good alternative. Perfectly quenches thirst and leaves a pleasant aftertaste.

Snacks

I associate Lithuanian cuisine with country food. The recipes are very simple, but delicious, and it seems that in order to prepare them, the products must be grown in your own garden, plucked from the forest or bought from a farmer friend, but not in a supermarket. Despite the "naturalness", some combinations seem strange. You can verify this by tasting pickled mushrooms with sour cream and onions. Not surprised? Then I will offer a salad of boiled mushrooms with soaked herring, fresh or pickled cucumbers and, again, sour cream. It seems to me that those of you who chose kvass and jelly before trying such a salad will change their choice in favor of strong drinks. Or, at least, replace sour cream with regular sunflower oil.

Most Lithuanian cuisine recipes contain herbs and roots. One of the most popular ingredients is horseradish. And it goes perfectly with the favorite Lithuanian snack - cold beef tongue, regardless of whether it is served on its own or as a base for a sauce.

Those who do not like frills and spiciness will definitely like pancakes "Zhemaichu". Outwardly, these pancakes look more like pies, but they taste like potato zrazy. This is due to the fact that the dough is based on potatoes, and they are stuffed with fried minced meat. The highlight of this dish is the sauce of sour cream and melted butter.
Getting acquainted with one or another Lithuanian dish, you, like me, can catch yourself thinking that you have already seen something similar somewhere, tried it and know it, only under a different name. It is not surprising, because historically, many peoples, before settling on the next piece of land, roamed in search of better living conditions, leaving behind a piece of their way of life. This is exactly what happened to the Karaites. Karaites are Lithuanian Tatars who settled in Trakai at the end of the 14th century. But to this day, this cozy town is filled with small cafes with Kibinine signs.

"Kibinai" (as it is called in Russian) - incredibly juicy and tasty "Tatar" pies with minced lamb or beef. Undoubtedly, you can find other fillings, I just named the traditional ones.

There is also a snack for fish lovers. Delicious Lithuanian delicacy - smoked eel. It can be found as an independent dish, and as part of salads, or other culinary products. If you want something more satisfying, then try the pike fried in lard, stuffed with vegetables.

Borsch

As expected, after snacks, I can safely give you a delicious story about Lithuanian borscht. "Shaltibarshay" - cold borscht made from boiled beets, eggs and herbs, seasoned with kefir. Served with hot boiled potatoes. The incredible fresh taste, ease of preparation and healthiness of this dish are enough reasons to try it. Having lived for more than 10 years on the Black Sea coast, where okroshka (also a cold version of the first course) is a favorite of summer cuisine, I can say with confidence: “Shaltibarshchai” is incomparable!

Knowing full well that cold borscht may not be to everyone's taste, I will offer a more traditional version. This dish will delight those who have not dared to try before. mushroom snacks- borscht with mushrooms is not so popular, but it also has a place to be among the national dishes of Lithuania.

Hot dishes

The further you go, the more pleasant your acquaintance with Lithuanian cuisine becomes. Coming almost every year to, I started one very tasty tradition: the next day after my arrival, I will definitely visit my aunt, who, in turn, cooks amazing zeppelins. I don’t want to hear anything about Belarusians who consider any potato dishes to be “historically theirs”! Such tasty dish can cook only in Lithuania. At first glance, this "boiled cutlet" of potatoes stuffed with meat does not look particularly remarkable. But after you pour it with a sour cream sauce of fried cracklings (meat pieces of lard) and onions, everything changes. Put your phone on silent mode and don't be distracted by other things - immerse yourself in the world of beautiful zeppelins!

I agree, I embellished it a little - this dish may not make such a vivid impression on someone. In this case, I think, everything can be compensated by juicy Vedarai sausages, fried until golden brown. Vedarai translates as stomach. The filling is mashed potatoes with cracklings. Did you notice it too? Now I mean that cunning Lithuanians, using in fact the same products in the base, manage to create completely different culinary masterpieces.

I will not ask you if you like to eat with bread, but I will simply recommend that you try the Lithuanian “Palanga”: it will be a great addition to any of the above dishes.

Speaking about Lithuanian bread, one can get distracted and accidentally write an entire article: there are many varieties, and the taste is at its best. It is dark bread with the addition of cumin that is very popular. This pastry has a pleasant persistent aroma and retains its softness for a long time without becoming stale.

Dessert

I don’t know about you, but after a good dinner I always have desire eat something sweet. Of course, I will not leave you without dessert. My favorite of unobtrusive sweets is Dainava curd cheese with jelly. It is very popular and is sold in almost all supermarkets. Plus, it's easy to make at home. This cheese boasts a very pleasant, delicate taste and, against the background of sweet creamy desserts, wins with its harmlessness to the figure.

I will not bypass the side of everyone's favorite in Lithuania "Šakotis". A crispy egg-based cake may not seem sweet enough on its own, but combined with chocolate, it will surely make the sweet tooth plunge into pleasant gastronomic bliss. Many tourists, intending to return to their homeland, choose this culinary masterpiece as a present for their loved ones, which I previously mentioned in my article about.

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Lithuania, like many other countries, has many culinary riches. But in order for you to appreciate any of the dishes that I told you about, I will give you one small recommendation: you must definitely try the food in good mood and good thoughts!

Lithuanian national cuisine indulges with its richness and diversity. Each region of this beautiful country has its own recipes, the history of which goes back to antiquity. Lithuanian cuisine is distinguished by a huge selection of soups. There are both hot ones, warming in cold winter weather, and cold ones, which will perfectly cool you in hot summer heat.

Lithuanians also respect potato dishes. There are a huge number of potato dishes: pancakes with raw potatoes, potato pancakes with meat and, of course, the world-famous potato grandmother.

Gourmets will find many interesting dishes in Lithuanian cuisine. They will like cabbage rolls with fish, chicken breast stewed with mushrooms and beef steak marinated with herbs. From dietary dishes, you can offer a choice of dumplings with cherries, pancakes made from buckwheat flour with honey instead of sugar. Black bread is considered the “king of breads” in Lithuanian cuisine. It does not stale as quickly as white, and retains all its useful qualities longer. Lithuanians like to eat it with milk and honey. It also goes well with meat dishes seasoned with various spicy and mild sauces.

The choice of alcoholic national drinks of Lithuania is also large and varied. For many years, the most popular alcoholic drink was mead. At the moment, several variants of mead of different strengths are being produced. "Samane" is a Lithuanian alcoholic drink made from rye, rather strongly reminiscent of whiskey. BUT huge selection beer will not leave indifferent any fan of this well-known drink. There are even excursions along the so-called "beer route", where tourists are invited to visit breweries and large breweries.

A bit of history

Several centuries ago, Lithuania was one of the largest countries in Europe. Its borders stretched from the Black Sea to the Baltic Sea. At that time, the definition of "Old Litovskaya cuisine" appeared. She enjoyed great popularity. But not everyone could cook dishes of this cuisine. Only cooks of very rich and famous magnates possessed such skills. One of the famous dishes was a bull stuffed with wild boar, goose, pheasant, and even bear meat. It was all well seasoned with ginger and hot red pepper. Merchants who had traveled through Lithuania and tasted these dishes were completely delighted.

Now the territory of this wonderful country is much smaller than in old days. At the moment, Lithuania is a modest small state, which includes several geographical areas that differ in their historical and culinary traditions.

Lithuanians mainly come from small villages or farms. Perhaps that is why the entire cuisine of this country is based on agricultural products. Modern Lithuanian cuisine is designed for working people. For this reason, Lithuanian breakfasts are almost always hearty and hearty.

You can see a lot in common between Russian and Lithuanian cuisines. Lithuanians, like Russians, are very fond of mushroom dishes. Only preference is still given to chanterelles. Mushrooms that Russians are happy to collect (russula, mushrooms) are considered inedible by Lithuanians.

In meat, liy prefer pork, and only a small percentage of the population consumes beef. Cows in Lithuania are raised, for the most part, dairy breeds. This explains the fact that Lithuania is famous for its cheeses, sour cream and cottage cheese. This small country also produces a myriad of types of sausages. Lithuanians love them, there's nothing to say.

Contemporary food in Lithuania

Recently, tea, coffee, fruits brought from exotic countries, as well as sweets and confectionery have gradually begun to enter the diet of Lithuanians. Lithuanians at the present time prefer tea or coffee with breakfast, to which lard can be added. Even in the morning they eat cheese and ham. Soups or borscht are served for lunch, and fish or vegetable dishes, mainly from potatoes, are preferred for the second. Dinner is lighter - milk soup or cheese.

Lithuanians prefer natural brewed coffee. Despite the fact that, as elsewhere, pizza and hamburgers appeared in Lithuania, they did not become in great demand. Lithuanians, as before, much more love their native traditional cuisine.

The people of Lithuania are very hospitable people! They often invite guests to their place or to a restaurant. Each restaurant here boasts a set of its own special dishes, a variety of drinks. Hunting sausages are incredibly popular among visitors, and zeppelins are perhaps the most popular dish on the menu of almost all cafes and restaurants.

Most Popular Dishes

Zeppelins. The most popular and favorite dish of Lithuanians is zeppelins. They need potatoes to make them. Although the potato was brought to Lithuania only two hundred years ago, it immediately became a favorite product of the whole country.

To prepare this dish, you need to grate the potatoes on a fine grater and squeeze with gauze. The juice should be left to stand for a while. After the starch settles to the bottom, the water must be drained, instead of it, pour boiling water and bring to a boil again. The resulting mixture should be mixed with grated potatoes. You can also add mashed boiled potatoes. Be sure to scroll the resulting mass through a meat grinder and add the fried golden onion and fat. Season everything well with salt and pepper. Then, dividing the mass into parts, put minced meat inside. Boil zeppelins in boiling water for about 20 minutes. They should first float to the surface of the water, and then sink to the bottom of the pan. They are usually served with sour cream sauce with fried onions.

"Cheese" from a pig's head.

The cleaned and washed pork head is divided into four to eight parts. It must be boiled until fully cooked, and then left to cool in its own broth. When the meat has cooled, it is taken out and cut into small pieces, be sure to separate the meat from the bones. The chopped meat is again put into the broth, while adding salt, pepper, onion fried in fat and other spices. Stir and bring to a boil. Then the meat is removed from the broth and left to cool slightly. The entire cooled mass must be put in the pork stomach or bladder. Then everything needs to be put under oppression and left. When everything is ready, the bubble is carefully removed and the meat is cut. Lithuanians love this kind of meat for tea sandwiches.

Borscht with ears.

First of all, beetroot broth is prepared. To do this, the beets need to be boiled, peeled and rubbed on a coarse grater. Meat, spices and soaked dry mushrooms are boiled and broth is prepared. When the meat is ready, you need to drain the broth, add citric acid, and then pour the finished beets and bread with the broth. In this form, everything is left for 30 minutes, then filtered again. Sugar and diluted starch are added to the broth, heated and salted without boiling.

The second stage of cooking borscht is the preparation of ears. To do this, pour water into the flour, beat in the egg and salt. Next, not very steep dough is kneaded, which is rolled out thin layer and cut into square pieces of three centimeters.

The third stage is the preparation of minced meat. The meat, which was boiled in the broth, is passed through a meat grinder, finely chopped onion is added, mixed and fried in oil. When the mass has cooled, add the egg to hold the minced meat together, and form into small balls. The resulting balls are laid out on pieces of dough. The edges for stickiness are greased with an egg and folded into triangles, closing the minced meat inside. These ears are boiled in salted water. Then they are taken out and laid out on plates, filled with beetroot broth. Before serving the dish, greens are poured onto the plates to taste.

Pork loin with mushrooms.

The loin is cut and unfolded. A small part of the pulp is cut off and then used to make minced meat. Leave a layer of meat no thicker than two centimeters. The loin is rubbed with spices and spices and left in a cold place for ten to fifteen minutes.

To prepare minced meat, they pass the meat in a meat grinder, add finely chopped fried onions, as well as boiled mushrooms, which were previously cut into strips.

Next, the loin is smeared with egg from the inside, salted and spread the cooked minced meat. Then both parts of the loin are combined into one. To do this, they are tied and baked in the oven for about two hours. It is recommended during baking from time to time to pour over the allocated juice. Already ready meal cut and pour over the juice that stood out during frying. Served with a side dish of potatoes or other vegetables.

Fake bunny.

Onions are cut into half rings, sautéed in fat or oil. Then flour is added and fried along with onions. After that, pour meat broth, season with spices and spices, add sour cream and heat.

Bread, beef and pork are mixed and minced, spices and egg yolks are added. From the mass that turned out, they form a loaf, wrap it with chopped bacon. This will give the dish juiciness and a unique taste. Bake in the oven until done. The dish is served on a warmed plate with onion sauce.

Cold borsch on kefir

Finely chop green onions or other herbs. Pour the prepared greens into a saucepan and salt a little. It is very important at this stage to grind the greens with salt as thoroughly as possible. From this, its aroma will become even better, and the greens themselves will be softer. Next, fresh cucumber and boiled beets are rubbed on a coarse grater. One half of the eggs are cut into cubes. Mix all prepared ingredients in a saucepan and pour kefir. Add sour cream, salt and spices to taste. Chefs recommend leaving ready-made borscht in the refrigerator overnight, so it will be even tastier. .

There are a huge number of cooking options for this dish. This recipe is closest to real Lithuanian borscht. Lithuanians love it very much in hot summer weather, because it not only satisfies hunger, but also perfectly refreshes.

Apple cheese.

This dish is traditional for Lithuania. Apple cheese is apple marmalade that has been dried and pressed. Its taste is amazing and not like anything else. Whoever tries it once will remain a fan forever.

The first step in making apple cheese is to boil the applesauce until it becomes a thick marmalade. Then the mass is given the desired shape and sent to dry. Lithuanians recommend taking Antonovka, because it is a sweet and tasty variety of apples.

Apples should be washed and cut into pieces, freeing from seeds, peel. Then sugar is added and left overnight in a saucepan so that they let the juice flow. After that, put the mass on fire and cook under the lid until fully cooked, soft. Then add the remaining sugar and open the lid. So the apples are cooked to a thick consistency of marmalade. Lithuanians often add nuts and dried fruits to cheese.

Drying is the last step in preparing this dish. Triangular molds for cheese are used for it. Perhaps for this reason it is called apple cheese. Store it in the refrigerator wrapped in parchment paper. The dish is wonderful because it can keep fresh for up to two years.

Of course, the national cuisine of Lithuania has only positive aspects. Dishes are absolutely accessible to all segments of the population, while being tasty and very easy to prepare. It is beneficial for the body, because it does not contain any harmful and chemical ingredients. Even if you have a small set of products in stock, you can always set a wonderful table for your guests, preparing Lithuanian dishes. Do not be afraid to experiment in cooking, especially if it is experiments with national dishes of Lithuania. Be full and healthy!

A small, moderately modest and simply charming Baltic country, Lithuania attracts those travelers who prefer to relax in medical resorts in an area with mild climatic conditions. In addition to historical and cultural values, humane prices and excellent sandy beaches, tourists note the attractiveness of Lithuanian cuisine. It does not require a certain rebuilding, as is often the case when traveling to other states. Local dishes are not distinguished by extremeness and complexity of preparation, the main thing is to study the gastronomic diversity in advance in order to know what is worth trying first of all, which you will not find in other parts of the world.

History of Lithuanian cuisine

Until the middle of the 19th century, Lithuanian cuisine developed according to the Old Litovian recipe. It was aimed at the wealthy Lithuanian class, given the preference of the gentry and nobles. At that moment, the Baltic country determined the culinary fashion of Europe, which could not but affect the peculiarities of cooking. Interestingly, Lithuania is the founder of the tradition of serving snacks.
The main feature of the Old Litovian cuisine was the sophistication of the treats served with a complex cooking procedure. Since it was based on hunting, on the table you could always find bear meat, venison, bull stuffed with game, smoked eel with minced mushrooms, pike under horseradish. Another basis for Lithuanian dishes was beekeeping.
It was not possible to imagine a table without honey in those days. Not a single festival was complete without honey gingerbread or honey mash. Many ingredients in Lithuanian cuisine came from the Ottoman Empire and the Golden Horde. The cabbage rolls that are now familiar were previously prepared using grape leaves, that is, as oriental dolma. Mousak became the prototype of many fish dishes.
The collapse of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth gradually supplanted the Old Lithuanian cuisine, because along with the disappearance of the state, the noble class also disappeared. Recipes have become simpler, products are simpler. Peasant traditions laid the foundation for Novolitovskaya cuisine, which later became an existing national trend. Potatoes, dairy products, poultry and rye bread became the basis of dishes.
Peasants cooked borscht, fried pancakes, cooked sausages, smoked fish. From hops and malt, beer was brewed, which later became one of the business cards national cuisine. The Novolitovskaya recipe practically excludes spices from everyday life. The main representatives of spices in it are only cumin and marjoram. The dishes of that time were characterized by the influence of seasonal changes: vegetables and fish, especially herring, were eaten in summer, and livestock were slaughtered in winter.
Traditional spring drinks were maple and birch sap. Cooking in the country also depended on zoning. In Dzukija, potatoes, mushrooms and buckwheat were the main dishes of the table, in Samogitia - cereal porridge served with sour milk and lard, fatty potato pancakes. In Aukštaitija, preference is given to pancakes, cottage cheese and curd cheeses, while in Suvalysia, smoked meat and fish food is popular.

Dishes and recipes of Lithuanian cuisine

More meat and fish, dairy products and confectionery. Tea and coffee drinks, various fruits came into use. Unlike other Baltic countries, which take seafood as the basis for cooking, the local recipes are characterized by a greater belonging to forest gifts - berries, mushrooms, game, honey.
The national features of Lithuanian cuisine, which have already become widely known outside the state, can be distinguished as follows:
- Ease of cooking. Recipes are not distinguished by intricacy, a variety of food combinations. Even a novice cook can easily prepare them.
- a lot of dishes using starch. Since, according to the historically established tradition, the main product of the country is potatoes, most of the dishes contain it. Also, the starch content is present in Lithuanian recipes due to cereals and flour products.
- Meat dishes are widespread. Pork is the favorite meat of the locals. Pies made from carcasses of animals and birds are also popular.
- used by Lithuanians a large number of dairy dishes, among which cheese and sour cream stand out.
- few seasonings traditional recipes. Thanks to this, Lithuanian cuisine is good for everyone, even children's stomachs.

First meal

A significant place in the national cuisine is given to soups, and they are very diverse here. Every Lithuanian will feed you hot, sweet or cold soup. By the way, this is a very hospitable nation; an excellent table will always be laid for guests here. The famous dish served for lunch is cold borscht, in the local dialect it is called Šaltibarščiai. In other words, this is our traditional beetroot, but it is prepared using kefir. Boiled beets are cut into strips and together with green onions and boiled egg mixed in lightly salted kefir. Traditionally, this simple dish is accompanied by boiled potatoes sprinkled with dill and parsley.
Of the hot soups, borscht with "ears" is the most popular. He himself is prepared in a simple way - beef is boiled, to which beets, sautéed onions are added, Bay leaf, black pepper, sometimes mushrooms. The recipe for ears is much more interesting. Dough and minced meat are prepared separately for them. The dough is the simplest - wheat flour with water, salt and half a raw egg. Minced meat can be made the most diverse: mushrooms with eggs and herbs, beef pulp with onions and mushrooms, beef meat with eggs and dill. Naturally, all dishes for minced meat are pre-boiled. Then they are cut into small pieces or twisted in a meat grinder. Next, squares are cut out of the dough, in the middle of which the minced meat lies. The dough is wrapped in triangles and ready-made "ears" are sent to fry in oil. When they are reddened on both sides, they are added to the finished borscht. This traditional dish is very hearty and tasty.
Tsybulina fish soup is interesting for its preparation. Its basis is the herring beloved by Lithuanians. The fish is cleaned of the insides, only milk or caviar is left, then it is baked in the oven. When ready, the fish is freed from the bones, finely cut or ground through a sieve. Minced fish is poured with boiled water and onions, greens, lemon juice are added there. This unusual soup is served with sour cream.
In general, meat soups in Lithuania are usually cooked on beef broth. For example, in rice soup, although chicken meat is used, the broth is pre-cooked on beef bones. These bones are also used for soups with sorrel, lemon, and bread. In Lithuanian residents, smoked meats or loin are especially held in high esteem. An elite first dish is borscht with loin. First, smoked meat broth is boiled, where carrots, cabbage, onions and, of course, beets are added. All vegetables, except cabbage, should be sautéed beforehand. Cabbage is put there sauerkraut. This borscht is traditionally served with boiled potatoes with sour cream.
In the Republic of Lithuania they also prepare tasty soup from dried fruits. Its ingredients, in addition to dried fruits, are also raisins and dried bread. The latter is poured with boiling water until it softens, after which the bread crumb is rubbed through a sieve. Dried fruits with raisins are boiled, then they are mixed with bread, sour cream and sugar right in the juice that was obtained after their preparation. This unusual soup is especially loved by children.
Lithuanian skrilai is a dough made from flour, egg and water, cut and boiled into strips. It is an addition to soups, especially to the first course of veal. Boiled skrilai, carrots, bay leaves and herbs, sour cream and a piece of butter are added to the veal broth. All this is mixed and served on the table. Skrill soup is very hearty due to the pieces of dough, and the meat of a young calf gives it an exquisite taste.

Main dishes

The leading place among the ingredients for Lithuanian second courses, of course, belongs to the potato. What is not done with this vegetable in the cuisines of the country. Pancakes, zrazy are fried from it, potato grandmothers are cooked and served as an addition to soups. But the first place is still worth designating meat. It is given special importance - meat dishes here are distinguished by diversity and uniqueness.
National meat dish is kumpis - stuffed pork ham. Outside the country, it is often called Lithuanian cold boiled pork. Pork is washed, wiped and stuffed with garlic, onions and herbs, after which the meat is wrapped in foil and left. It is better to do this in the evening so that the stuffed ham is marinated until the morning. In the morning it is taken out of foil and baked in the oven or on coals. Kumpis is a frequent guest at festive feasts.
For many, when mentioning Lithuanian cuisine, the first association is zeppelins - this dish is so tasty that it never gets bored, and the skill of the best chefs in the country is estimated by the ability to cook it. The name is also interesting - it comes from the name of Ferdinand Zeppellin, who is considered the discoverer of airships. Finished zeppelins really look like this one balloon. To visit Lithuania and not try this dish can be regarded as a crime against oneself. That's how unique and famous it is!
In general, this is one of the few dishes in Lithuania, which is quite difficult to cook. Housewives even attend cooking classes to learn how to make it right. You need to cook zeppelins strictly according to the recipe, which is a whole work of art. First of all, potatoes are washed, a third of which is boiled in their uniforms, the rest is peeled. Next, mix pork and ground beef in equal proportions. For those who do not like pork, it can be replaced with turkey meat. Porcini mushrooms are added to the minced meat, which were previously finely chopped and fried with onions in a pan.
The most interesting thing happens with potatoes. The part of the vegetables that has been peeled is grated and squeezed. So that the potato does not turn black, it is seasoned lemon juice. The liquid that remains after squeezing is not poured out, but stands until the starch comes out of it. Since only he is needed, the liquid is carefully drained so that the starch remains at the bottom of the bowl. Jacket-boiled potatoes are also grated and mixed with raw potatoes. Starch is added to this mixture, which is now the dough.
Small cakes are made from the dough, in which the minced meat is wrapped. finished product you need to give a slightly elongated shape of the airship. After that, small "airships" are lowered into boiling water and boiled after surfacing for another 15 minutes. Amazing in their taste, zeppelins are served everywhere - in snack bars, small cafes and restaurants. They decorate both everyday and festive tables. They are usually drizzled with a sauce of smoked brisket and sour cream before serving.
Stuffed cabbage rolls are also a favorite dish of Lithuanians - meat cutlets wrapped in cabbage leaves. Minced meat for the filling is made from pork, fried mushrooms and pearl barley. It is noteworthy that the latter is first fried in lard, and only then added to the minced meat. Locals prepare cabbage rolls in two ways. The first most common in all countries, in which minced meat is wrapped in cabbage and stewed. The second one is a little more interesting. The head of cabbage is cut into 4 parts and each piece is blanched. As the vegetable is ready, the minced meat is spread between the cabbage leaves. It is worth noting that locals usually add marjoram to this dish.
Despite some unpresentable appearance, such a dish as potato grandmother, or kugelis, is also common in Lithuania. Its recipe is very similar to the process of cooking a regular casserole. The main difference is that a real Lithuanian babka is made from a mixture of raw and boiled potatoes. And then the culinary technology is simple. Pork is cut into small pieces and fried. Then it is laid out on a baking sheet and covered with grated raw and boiled potatoes. Mushrooms can be added to meat.
The goose enjoys special honor among the poultry meat among the Lithuanians. It is prepared in a variety of ways and is usually served at a festive feast. Kimshta zhasis is a goose stuffed with porridge with mushrooms. This cooking method is the most common. In addition, the goose is stuffed with apples, cabbage, smoked brisket, liver and other fillings. It is usually seasoned with marjoram and cumin. If it is made with apples, then 7-8 large apples are usually taken for the filling. Fried poultry in pork fat. Meat and lard are an important ingredient and addition to many dishes of the country's national cuisine.
An interesting meat dish is a fake hare. Despite the name, there is no rabbit meat in it - the basis is beef and pork meat. Minced meat is prepared from it, mixing with white bread and eggs. An oblong loaf is made from the finished minced meat. To give food more juicy taste it is covered with pork fat and sent to the oven. This "hare" is usually served with onion sauce, prepared using chopped onion, flour, butter and meat broth.
Even according to the Old Litovian tradition, honey was included in the recipes of many dishes. It is also used in modern cuisine. For example, here they cook chicken with this sweet delicacy. Honey mixed with garlic vegetable oil and greens, smear the carcass from the inside with this mixture. Then they are fried until golden brown, and after they are ready, they are cut into pieces and usually served with fruit or boiled eggs. A separate addition to the chicken can be a salad of fresh vegetables.
They are interesting not only for their recipe, but also for the history of cutlets "Jurate" connected with them. They are prepared from minced chicken using bread, and the latter is not only mixed with meat, but small crackers from it are pressed into molded cutlets, which makes them ruddy and crispy when fried. They say that these crackers look like amber tears of a young and beautiful Jurate, who, according to legend, lived in the sea. Once she swam to the surface and fell in love with a Lithuanian guy Kastytis. But about them romantic story the god Perkunas recognized and killed the young man. He chained Jurata to her castle, where she remains to this day and constantly cries. The transparent tears of the beauty harden like amber, which is thrown ashore by a wave. But this is just a folk legend, but in reality these cutlets are a very tasty and beautiful dish.
Pike occupies a special place among fish. It is boiled, stewed and baked with sour cream, vegetables and spices. Boiled eel, fried carp are also welcome. Fish dishes are usually served as a side dish with boiled potatoes sprinkled with dill and parsley. Fish is also cooked using lard.
A whole niche has been allocated to smoked products in Lithuanian cuisine. Local residents are very responsible in the process of smoking, after salting the prepared meat. They consider salting to be the basis of good smoking, and this procedure requires a certain temperature. Salt should not be salted in the heat, the meat can deteriorate, as in extreme cold. They try to salt meat products at a temperature of + 2 ... + 7 degrees. Smoking of some dishes lasts several days, for example, skilandis - a pork stomach stuffed with meat. First, it is kept under pressure for three days, and it is smoked for a whole week.

Snacks

Such a Lithuanian appetizer as yaknine liver pate has gained worldwide fame. Its recipe is widespread and is used in many restaurants around the world. First, the liver is scalded for it, then stewed with onions and twisted in a meat grinder. The resulting mass is mixed with grape wine, oil and salt, whipped until a homogeneous fluffy consistency is obtained. After that, it is placed in a container along with lard and boiled in a water bath.
Lithuanian cuisine is also famous for its sausages. They are prepared not only from pork, the basis is often lamb or goat meat. To beat back bad smell in goat meat, it can be mixed with minced pork. The meat is chopped very finely and stuffed into the small intestines of the pig. Then the resulting sausages are boiled in salted water, and then overcooked. Such a hot dish is served with potatoes or stewed cabbage. In the cold, pre-cut into circles, it acts as an independent snack. An old national dish is vederai - sausages, where potatoes are used instead of minced meat. It is constantly present on the everyday table of Lithuanians.
Fried cucumbers are an interesting appetizer. First they are boiled, and then breaded in flour with salt and fried. They act as an addition to potatoes or are poured with honey and served as an independent meal. Lithuanians make their sprats from herring. The fish fillet is cut into pieces, each piece is breaded in breadcrumbs and fried in oil with onions. On the festive table, you can often find herring in tomato sauce with onions. Such a meal with black bread is an excellent snack for strong drinks. Many Lithuanian salads are based on mushrooms and fish. Of the vegetables, the most commonly found ingredients in salads are beans, cabbage and carrots. In local cuisines, gelatin is even used to make jelly and carrot mousse from the latter.
A popular traditional dish in the country is homemade Dainava cheese. Cottage cheese is boiled in boiled milk, which, after cooling, is rubbed through a sieve, mixed with raw eggs, sour cream and margarine, adding cumin. All this mass is heated, then cooled again under pressure in a bag. Ready cheese take out, after keeping the bag in the serum.
Of the parts of the pig, except for the hams, sternum and legs, even the heads are used. They make such a wonderful cold appetizer like a roll. The whole pork head is boiled with spices, then the bones are taken out and wrapped in a bag, giving the resulting meat the shape of a roll. Such a culinary delight with sour cream and horseradish falls.

Desserts and pastries

Lithuanians are very reverent and respectful of bread. Black Lithuanian bread is recognized as one of the best in the world. Its shelf life reaches two months. Bread products are always present on the table, it is not customary to eat without them in Lithuania. Gingerbread is a favorite dough product among the locals, and its recipe is different: some types are baked in the oven, others are boiled. Boiled gingerbread is made using honey. The sweetness is boiled with sugar, and then pieces of wheat flour dough are placed in the resulting syrup. All this is boiled until the syrup thickens. Yellow and white ginger are used as spices for this dish.
The most famous national pastry is shakotis cake - the main decoration of wedding feasts. It is difficult to understand what it tastes like more - a cookie, a loaf or a muffin. But in appearance, it definitely resembles a prickly spruce. From the local language, its name is translated as a branched tree. This "appearance" is due to an unusual baking procedure. The recipe for its preparation has spread far beyond the borders of the country, it is popular in Germany, Poland and even Japan.
In Lithuania, there is even a story of the appearance of such a cake. It originates from the time of the Commonwealth, when the Lithuanian Queen Barbara announced a big ball. She invited many chefs to this celebration, who were supposed to make amazing dishes. One of them was a young man Jozas, in love with the daughter of his rich nobleman. He came up with the idea of ​​baking the dough on coals, twisting it on a spit. During torsion, the dough was covered with amazing growths that made it look like spruce. Yozas was recognized as the best culinary specialist, as a result, the queen made him the head chef of her kitchen. As a gift, he asked for the jewelry worn by the queen for his beloved.
Despite the simplicity of the recipe, baking such a delicacy is not so easy. The cake is still being cooked on a spit that spins, it is poured with semi-liquid dough. Freezing, it forms branches. Cooks from all over the world compete for the title of the best in baking this extremely tasty treat. It is believed that the longer the branches, the better the cook. In 2008, a record was set at all - the height of the baked cake was 2.5 m. Shakotis, with its centuries-old history, attracts even those who are indifferent to sweet dishes.
A traditional Lithuanian dessert is apple cheese. In fact, it is dried and then pressed apple marmalade, but it turns out to be much tastier. Sliced ​​apples mixed with sugar are left in a saucepan overnight to give juice. The next day, the resulting mass is boiled and brought to a puree state with a blender. Received applesauce mixed with sugar and boiled again - until the mass resembles a very thick marmalade. By the end of cooking, candied fruits, sometimes dried fruits and ground cloves are added there. The boiled mass must be placed in gauze and squeezed. Then cakes are formed, which are placed on top of each other, interspersed with boards as a press. Then dry for a week. Traditionally, this cheese is prepared in the fall - during the harvest season. The delicacy can be stored for several years.
Lithuanians also bake cookies - pumpernickel. Hazelnuts, cinnamon and ammonium carbonate must be put into the dough from flour, butter, eggs and sugar. Cookies are baked in the oven in the shape of diamonds. A popular drink in Lithuania is beer, so one of the most common dishes among pastries is fingers to it. They are yeast dough sticks that are sprinkled with salt and cumin before frying. Shvituris cake is also considered a favorite sweet dish in the country; it is baked with walnuts.

The drinks

Abroad, Lithuania is called the beer kingdom. The traditions of home brewing are still present here: brewers pass on old peasant recipes from generation to generation. Lithuanian beer is different excellent taste and good quality, it does not hit the head, perfectly quenches thirst. The alcohol content in it starts from 2.8%, so even if you drink a lot, there will definitely not be a hangover. You can buy a foamy drink on every corner in any city.
There are many breweries on the territory of the state. Homemade beer is also valued here, the region of Lithuania called Biržai is famous for it. The number of beer bars here is also large; a lot of beer drinks are served here. unusual snacks. Grilled cheeses, bread with garlic, pork ears or tails, grilled sausages, boiled peas with bacon - all this will amaze even the most inveterate gourmet. Visiting guests in bars are treated to beer with karka - pork shank with a side dish of cabbage or peas. Lithuanian cities for beer lovers are just a heavenly place.
Among non-alcoholic drinks, various kissels, teas and delicious kvass. The latter has a different recipe for preparation, this process is quite easy, but the taste of the drink is excellent. It is prepared on dried black bread and yeast, adding raisins to the finished drink before infusion. An important ingredient for it is also lemon juice or lemon acid. When visiting Lithuania, you should definitely try the local kvass - its excellent taste will be remembered for a long time.

Despite the gastronomic diversity of the Lithuanian national cuisine, it can be seen that the products in different dishes basically the same ones are used. For a side dish, this is potatoes cooked in a variety of ways, pork is always found in meat dishes - either as the main meat or in the form of lard for frying. They like to use beets and sour cream in soups, and many desserts are prepared using apples. Lithuanian cuisine is unobtrusive and obligatory for use when traveling through the expanses of the glorious Baltic state.

If you come to Lithuania to relax and gain new pleasant impressions, you need to try and appreciate the delicious and, at the same time, inexpensive dishes of the Lithuanian national cuisine. In their national cuisine, Lithuanians mainly use potatoes, pork, raw dairy products and seasonal vegetables. Dishes are distinguished by a simple recipe, satiety and affordable price.

In Lithuania, there are specialized restaurants and cafes called “Lituviškai patekalai” (Lithuanian dishes) where you can taste traditional Lithuanian dishes. However, you can find these dishes not only there, but also in the menu of almost every restaurant or cafe. And we will help you figure out what and how they are made, so that you can choose the recipe you like by the name of the dish in Russian and Lithuanian.

Where to stay if you plan to relax and enjoy Lithuanian cuisine:

Lithuanian first courses

Šaltibarščiai

Don't forget to try this Lithuanian "pink miracle" - the famous cold borscht. This is a beetroot soup with cucumbers and greens, made on fatty kefir with separately served hot boiled potatoes and an egg. Sometimes smoked meats are added. This is my favorite light and refreshing soup. It is especially pleasant on a hot summer day.

Soup in bread (Sriuba duonos kubilėlyje)

There is another delicious culinary miracle - a soup in a rye "pot" with forest mushrooms (usually porcini). A small loaf of homemade rye bread is cut off the top and all the pulp is removed. Cream soup with mushrooms is poured into the resulting “pot” and covered with a rye lid on top. Bread pot soup is just as delicious as mushroom soup.

Main dishes of Lithuanian cuisine

In Lithuanian dishes, meat, garnish and salad are never served separately, as in Russian restaurants. If you order meat (fish), then they will automatically bring a side dish, salad, fresh vegetables and sauce (you can choose any side dish, sauce yourself, but this will not change the price).

For sauces wild mushrooms (porcini and chanterelles) are traditionally used, as well as spinach, cheeses (and its derivatives), herbal spices.

cabbage rolls in Lithuania it is served with potatoes and sour cream. Therefore, this is a fairly satisfying and inexpensive dish.

Zeppelins (Didžkukuliai)

The main culinary "attraction" of Lithuania, which every tourist should try and appreciate, is the famous zeppelins, or they are also called Didžkukuliai - these are large fragrant potato "airships" with juicy ground meat inside (they are available with cottage cheese, and mushrooms are also delicious ).
They are boiled and served with sour cream sauce with crispy cracklings, onions or mushroom sauce (your choice).
There are also fried zeppelins, but who has a good stomach! For those who cannot boast of it, zeppelins are made from boiled potatoes (this is not for everybody). Please note that such zeppelins are not served everywhere!
Each serving contains two fairly large zeppelins. However, if you wish, you can order half a portion (we advise you to order everything in half a portion for testing), as they are not small, but Lithuanian dishes are hearty.

Vedarai

Vedarai is another hearty Lithuanian dish. Fried onions, cracklings, brisket, herbs and spices are added to grated raw potatoes. Pork intestines are stuffed with this mass and baked in the oven or on the grill until crispy. Served with bacon and sour cream.

Kėdainių blynai

Kedainiu blinai are fried potato pancakes made from grated raw potatoes with minced meat inside. Pancakes are served with sour cream sauce or sour cream.

Kugelis (Bulvių plokštainis)

Kugelis (potato headstock) - fried onions, cracklings, brisket and spices are added to grated raw potatoes. Formed, laid out on a brazier and baked in the oven. Served with white sauce, bacon and mushrooms.

Žemaičių blynai

Žemaičiu pancakes are made from boiled hot potatoes in their uniforms, passed through a meat grinder, stuffed with boiled ground meat with the addition of spices, sauteed onions. Then flat pies are formed and fried in a pan. Served with sour cream sauce or sour cream. When ordering, you can always choose the sauce and serving size.

Stuffed potatoes

This is boiled potatoes in their skins stuffed with mushrooms and fried onions or salted salmon. Served with kastinis or sour cream sauce.
The dish is light and not greasy - for those who do not want to gain weight.

Kastinis (Kastinys)

Be sure to try kastinis - an ancient Samogitian fermented milk product of a special consistency, made from whipped homemade sour cream and butter, with garlic and spices. The secret of the special delicate texture of kastinis is in the whipping technique. A tender and fragrant mass is served in a cafe with potatoes cooked in their uniforms.
Castinis can be bought in the dairy department of any supermarket.

Lithuanian sausages (Lietuviškai dešreliai)

Onion, garlic, spices are added to the pork passed through a meat grinder, and thin pork intestines are stuffed with minced meat. Sausages are boiled, then grilled and served with stewed sauerkraut or mashed potatoes.

Kibinai

Kibinai - a national dish indigenous Karaite Tatars, who have long lived in Lithuania (mainly in Trakai). These are very tasty and satisfying hot pies made from tender shortcrust pastry with minced meat or minced meat (pork, lamb, veal or poultry). They are baked in the oven and served hot.
Kibinai are sold not only in cafes, but also in supermarkets, where they have their own confectionery. But the most delicious kibinas can only be tasted in Trakai, the homeland of the Lithuanian Karaites.

Drinks and snacks

One of the best in the world! There is a lot of beer in Lithuania - tasty and different! There is light beer, it has less alcohol, and dark beer - it is more "thick" and alcoholic, there is filtered and unfiltered, the so-called "live" beer.
In several breweries in Vilnius you can taste this old traditional drink, which is produced using only natural malt, hop cones and brewer's yeast.

Beer snacks

For beer, be sure to take delicious crackers with garlic and cheese, peas with cracklings, boiled-smoked pork ears with garlic sauce. It's all very tasty!

Peas with cracklings (Žirniai su spirgučiais)

Peas with cracklings is a snack for beer, which consists of boiled peas and well-fried cracklings placed on top (everything is mixed before eating).

Pig ears (Rūkytų ausų)

Pork boiled-smoked ears - a great snack for beer. Lightly smoked, they have a pleasant aroma and taste. They are served with spiced garlic sauce.

Soft drinks

In addition to beer, all kinds of cold and hot soft drinks made from sea buckthorn, quince, cranberries and wild berries are common in Lithuanian cuisine.
You will surely enjoy the branded homemade rye kvass with raisins (not bottled), which Lithuanians make in a special way old recipe, and natural teas with the addition of wild berries are very tasty and healthy!

desserts

Šakotis

Shakotis is a very tasty and popular Lithuanian cake, shaped like a Christmas tree. It is made from egg dough and baked by rotating on a spit, over a fire or in a special oven.
Traditionally, it is served at weddings, and it is stored for up to six months. You can buy Šakotis in the Lithuanian market or supermarkets, but you will find the freshest and most delicious cakes in branded stores that make these particular cakes.
Such a gift from Lithuania will be pleasant to your loved ones and will please everyone as a delicious Lithuanian souvenir.

What delicious to bring with you from Lithuania

Lithuania is famous for its bread (especially dark rye varieties, usually with caraway seeds, and different varieties grains), eat rye bread with dried fruits. This bread retains its aroma for a long time and does not get stale.
The most famous and popular varieties are "Vilnius" (lit. Vilniaus), Bochyu (lit. Bočių) with cumin and gray "Palanga" (lit. Palanga).
Among national meat products Dried and smoked meat and sausages are well-deservedly popular. Skilandis - chopped dried pork meat in a pig stomach - you can buy to go.
Fried biscuits "brushwood" (Žagarėlis) and a delicious cake made of "brushwood" doused with honey - "Skruzdelinas" are very popular.

From dairy products, preference is given to cheeses (hard, cottage cheese, smoked or traditional), cottage cheese, curdled milk and sour cream.
Be sure to try sour cream specially whipped with garlic and spices with homemade butter - this is kastinis (kastinis). Delicate and fragrant mass is served with jacket potatoes. Castinis can be bought in the dairy department of any supermarket.
Buy the famous hard cheese "Džiugas", smoked curd cheeses. Try a special apple or plum cheese of a refined taste (you can buy it at fairs and in the market from local farmers).

The gift version of Lietuviškas midus honey tinctures, which contain 6 types of tinctures from 14 to 75 degrees, is very good for a souvenir.

The famous strong drink "Suktinis" is named after a popular Lithuanian folk dance. It contains bee honey, carnation flowers, poplar buds, oak acorns, juniper berries and many other valuable plants. The strength of the drink is 50%.

Having tasted the products and dishes of the Lithuanian national cuisine, you will appreciate their satiety, deliciousness and budget!

We have prepared this article especially for those who are going to visit Lithuania and do not know what is so tasty and unusual to try in this wonderful country.

Every traveler, in addition to eating in Lithuania, is undoubtedly interested in money question. So, even though Lithuania has switched to the euro since 2015, prices in the country have remained quite democratic, in any case, eating in Lithuania is much cheaper than in other countries of the euro area. For example, a full lunch or dinner for two with drinks will cost 20-25 euros.

So, in our opinion, having arrived in Lithuania, first of all, you should try the dishes of national cuisine, and after that, everything that you like in appearance. After all, it is not at all necessary for all of us in every country we visit to eat exactly what is a national dish in a given area, since many things will turn out to be simply unusual for us, which will remain invaluable and incomprehensible.

The first dish that you should definitely try in Lithuania is the national dish of Lithuanian cuisine, consisting of potatoes - zeppelins. Lithuanians, like Belarusians, love potatoes and in their cuisine it is present in many different variations.

Zeppelins

The second name of this dish is Didzkukuliai.

Outwardly, zeppelins (Lithuanian name Cepelinai) look like large dumplings of a peculiar shape with all kinds of fillings. The classic filling is meat, it can also be started from vegetables or cottage cheese.

The taste of zeppelins is quite tasty, with boiled grated potatoes on top, and minced meat filling inside. I liked them, but Vladimir not so much. Try it and draw your own conclusion.

Zeppelins are served with sour cream and sauces of your choice. classic sauce for zeppelins - a sauce of cracklings (roasted from lard) and sour cream. You can also choose just sour cream, mustard sauce or vegetable.

Each serving contains two zeppelins. Each of the zeppelins is quite large, I never finished my two. So for two people one zeppelin dish and one salad is enough. Portions of salads in Lithuania are also large. Salads of Lithuanian cuisine are varied, mainly consisting of vegetables and various dressings.

We don’t know what attracted us so much to zeppelins and the whole Lithuanian cuisine, even strangely, but we constantly remember them with nostalgia. It happens that we specially go to the nearest towns of Lithuania, or stay for a few days longer to taste these amazing dishes.

In second place in popularity - soup in a bun

There are soups in bread in Lithuania different types, basically it's mushroom cream soup. The whole joke is that this soup is served in bread, black or white.

The soup tastes like soup, just instead of a plate it is poured into bread. In a small loaf of bread, shaped like our glass, only larger in size, cut off the top and remove all the pulp so that only crusts remain. Ready-made soup is poured into this formed bowl. You can also eat a bread bowl from under the soup.

Hot pies with fillings

Small hot pies come in various shapes and with all kinds of fillings - meat, vegetable, cheese, cottage cheese, mixes. They are served hot. It tastes just like a song, goes especially well with hot coffee or tea.

Meat and fish dishes

Meat and fish dishes in Lithuania also deserve special attention. They are all delicious, fresh and always of high quality.

From meat, mainly pork, chicken or beef, second courses are prepared in various variations, from just a fried piece of meat - chop, steak or steak to a variety of sausages and sausages. Here, you certainly can’t advise anything specific, what you like and choose.

The Lithuanian menu will never have separate meat or fish and garnish as in our restaurants. If you order meat (fish) in Lithuania, then they will automatically bring a side dish, fresh or salted vegetables and sauce. Portions are big enough.

Lithuanian borscht

Lithuanian borscht is not our usual hot soup with beets and cabbage, although beets are also present in Lithuanian borscht. Lithuanian borscht is a cold soup consisting of beets, vegetables and several meat products - smoked lard, ham or beef. Outwardly and to taste it resembles our beetroot.

The taste is so-so, we didn’t like it, although if you eat it on a hot July day, it might be the most. Our okroshka is tastier. We didn’t even take pictures of this soup, probably in vain, but it didn’t arouse such a desire.

According to the Lithuanians themselves, the recipe for cold borscht is of Old Lithuanian origin. He came to them from those distant times when the Old Litovian cuisine existed.

pig ears

Pork ears are quite common in Lithuanian cuisine. They are cooked in different variations - smoked, boiled, boiled-smoked, fried, salted, dried.

Pork ears are served both as snacks and as an independent dish with various side dishes and sauces, often garlic.

These ears go especially well with beer. In our opinion, this is all they can be eaten with. As an independent dish, it’s definitely not tasty, at least you can’t eat a lot of them, and we were not used to it.

Drinks - Lithuanian beer and hot berry tea

beer Lithuania has many different species and varieties, from light to black. All of it is delicious and the price is not expensive at all, cheaper than the German one.

As for us, we would put Lithuanian beer on a par with German and somewhere close to Czech.

Our favorite was wheat unfiltered.

In addition to beer, all kinds of cold and hot soft drinks are common in Lithuanian cuisine.

We once sampled sea buckthorn-strawberry tea . It was so delicious that we ordered every evening. And most importantly, this tea is completely natural, it is prepared from sea buckthorn and strawberries. I drank tea, then ate berries with a spoon.

Tea is served in tall glasses.

Pictured beer and berry tea

Desserts in Lithuania

Sweets are loved by tourists of all ages, from children to adults.

In Lithuania, this is not a problem. On every corner you can find a bakery or coffee shop, where you can always find a variety of buns, cakes, cookies and jellies. It's just that they don't taste good. Or rather, you can eat, but you do not get pleasure.

It is possible to single out only different cookies. They are sold in confectioneries, of which there are many in any Lithuanian city. They are not cheap, but they are tastier than rolls in coffee shops.

Two sweet dishes can be especially distinguished in Lithuanian cuisine - šakotis and donuts..

Shakotis

Shakotis (Lithuanian name sakotis, Polish - sekacz), traditional Lithuanian or Polish cake unusual shape, consisting of egg dough, baked on an open fire. Translated from Lithuanian, it means “branchy”, it is listed in the Lithuanian National Culinary Heritage Fund. In another way, it is called bankuhen or stag. Such a cake in Lithuania is traditionally served at weddings and celebrations.

To prepare shakotis, flour, eggs and sugar are mixed, and cooked with a stick, rotating it over an open fire and pouring the resulting mixture on it. In this form, shakotis can be stored for up to six months.

You can find shakotis in confectionery or supermarkets in Lithuania.

Before the trip to Lithuania, of course, we prepared and read on the Internet that shakotis is prepared in cafes and restaurants right on the streets, roasted on an open fire on a spit. But we have not seen this dish in restaurants in any Lithuanian city. It was sold only in supermarkets ready-made and packed in cellophane, and very much large sizes. Of course, we would have tried something fresh and straight from the fire, but we didn’t feel like buying it in the supermarket, so we never tried this Lithuanian sweet.

Donuts

Donuts are donuts with a variety of coatings - berry, fruit, lemon, mint, chocolate and, of course, classic.

Donuts are actually an American dish. Dunkin Donuts is an American (now international) chain of donut coffee shops, one of Dunkin Brands chains. It is represented by more than 10 thousand points in 32 countries of the world, approximately 6.7 thousand points are located in the United States and more than 3 thousand in other countries of the world. Lithuania is no exception.