I have never been to Lithuania; chances are, I never will be. I know next to nothing about the country. But Lithuania will always hold a special place in my heart because, back in college, I had a friend whose parents hailed from there. This was at the end of the Soviet period and my friend was actually able to do a year abroad there after the fall of the Soviet Union, though her experiences there were, perhaps, not what she hoped so. I lost touch with her after college, and she seems to be one of those people who is invisible to the internet, but I do remember her fondly and I wish I could get back in touch with her. So Dalia, if you ever come across this, please e-mail!
As far as I've learned, Lithuanian cuisine is, like most cuisines, a cuisine of the land. For centuries it's relied on cereals and legumes and later potatoes, on foraged mushrooms and berries, on dairy products and hogs - though hunting was common before. Foods are hearty, fit for the cold weather, but also represent a multitude of influences, including that of Germany, but also of France and Italy due to royal inter-marriages and cooks. Perhaps none of these were represented on the dishes I made, but these seem to be among the most typical of the country rather than of the Baltics as a whole.
Related cuisines I've cooked so far: Belarusian, Estonian, Gagauz, Latvian
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