Latest Posts

Monday Meal Review: Luxembourg

THE SCENE

I slowly make my way to the table, balancing the heavy, ceramic tureen as I go. For twenty dollars at the local flea market my soup plays dress up, looking quite fancy as she swims in the tureen’s old-fashioned angles. I feel like Martha Stewart for a moment, as I lift off the creamy white lid with a flourish.

Still… Luxembourg’s famous Green Bean Soup, now steaming and beckoning, barely makes an impression on me. Sure – it’s good. I know that because I snuck a taste five minutes ago in the kitchen. But my mind, ever restless, rattles on, past dinner, to the upcoming Apple Cake.

They are going to love it, I tell myself proudly as I ladle the soup into Ava’s bowl. I’m thinking of the powdered sugar and cinnamon when I instruct her to put a few sausage slices and crumbles of bacon in her soup.

As her little hands begin the process of garnishing her bowl, I’m dreaming of the cake’s delicate, moist crumb and sweet apples.

I eat my soup absently, glancing over at the cake, as it cools on the kitchen counter. I can practically taste the thick, apricot glaze.

Two bites into my soup, I realize I forgot to garnish my bowl. I reach my hand to take a couple of sausage slices, only to find my fingers touching cold porcelain. The bowl is empty. Snapping to attention, I look around.

Ava’s bowl and Mr. Picky’s bowl are both loaded up with sausage and bacon. In fact, she has two pieces in her hand, happily munching. The bacon is piled high in everyone’s bowl and I’m left blinking.

She keeps eating.

Before I can say anything, their bowls are empty and Ava asks for more. To be specific, she asks for more meat.

Seriously?

Dessert never comes. Their bellies are too full. I know better than to force the matter.

In a happy moment of inspiration, I put the cake away until the next day, when we’d eat the cake in it’s own hour of glory. During a small Lithuanian Honey Spirits tasting.

And this time I’d pay attention to what they are eating.

As for the sausages and bacon? I lock them up for the night.

Potato Fritters (Gromperekichelcher) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

Aside from the memories, I love the crispy crunch of the potato mixed with the faint taste of parsley and sweet onion. They cook up quickly and are easy to keep warm in the oven. Mr Picky adored them and even Ava, who wasn’t entirely convinced she should try one, nibbled away rather happily.

What I liked least about this dish:

I had a little trouble getting mine to stick together at first, but adding more flour seemed to be the key (possibly I didn’t squeeze the shredded potatoes out enough). Once I got the flour right, they were easy to pat into discs and slip into the shimmering oil.

Green Bean Soup (Bouneschlupp) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I love the bright clean flavors – this isn’t a thick, sludgy soup. It’s fresh and bright and tastes like spring. Ava loved everything about this soup – sprinkling on her own bacon and sausage was a huge treat (in fact, she ate more meat than anything else). Mr Picky was a fan as well, and told me to add it to our regular rotation. I’m happy to do so!

What I liked least about this dish:

I couldn’t find a good, spicy sausage in time for this soup, so I went with a sweet, smoked German-style sausage. While it tasted divine, I would like to try the recipe with something spicier for comparison’s sake.

Apple Cake (Äppelkuch) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

This was so soft and moist… the apples had just enough bite. The cinnamon on top really shone. Ava, of course, loved it and Mr Picky complained for days afterwards “Why do you have to have cake on the counter, tempting me??” (Because that’s my job, sweetie… that’s my job).

What I liked least about this dish:

This extraordinarily tendercake must be cooled almost completely to be removed safely from the pan. Keep this in mind, or you might end up with broken cake all over your counter. And don’t think of putting it in a springform, because it will leak. Unfortunately, I speak from experience.

Ava’s Corner

Dainty Apple Cake | Äppelkuch

In the southern reaches of Luxembourg, in an area called Gutland, live a happy collection of orchards where apples, plums, cherries and berries ripen in the sun. Now… I knew, without a doubt, that I absolutely, positively wanted to make a plum cake when we got to Luxembourg, however the seasons were against me. Since it is January and not a plum in sight, I somewhat grumpily resigned myself to making a traditional apple cake, a.k.a. Plan B.

One bite in and I knew this was a fantastic choice. Made with a buttery dough and a wet custard, the two layers literally combine in the oven, creating a moist, incredibly delicious cake. When topped with a heavy dusting of cinnamon and confectioner’s sugar, all feels right with the world. Right… and very apple-tastic.

NOTES: Use a 8″ cake pan with standard 2″ inch sides (no shorter). Do not use a springform pan, as the milk mixture will certainly leak out. The easiest way to remove the cake from cake pan is to let cool until just warm, run a butter knife around the edges, invert onto one dish, then quickly onto a second dish (the serving platter). Comes out perfect every time!

Ingredients:

Dough:

2 cups flour
2 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 stick (½ cup) salted butter, cubed
1/2 cup milk

2 apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces, or thinner.

Topping:

2 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup sugar

Garnish:

apricot jam or jelly thinned with a little hot water
Powdered sugar
cinnamon

Method:

Play a little Luxembourgish music… perhaps the National Athem. Now, find a happy spot to bake a cake via Stovetop Travel. I’m choosing the kitchen in Vianden Castle. Dreamy!

Vianden Castle. Photos by Christophe Finot and Benotzer.

Next, preheat the oven to 375F.

In the bowl of a food processor fitted with dough blade, add a happy flurry of flour, sugar and baking powder. Pulse to combine.

Next, add hunks of butter and pulse until pea sized pieces form.

While pulsing, stream in the milk until…

… a soft, shaggy dough forms… one that can easily be pressed together into a ball.

Take the dough and press it into a greased and floured 8″ cake pan. Then slice the apples …

… and press them firmly into the dough, overlapping as you go (important or they’ll float up).

Whisk together the topping ingredients:

And pour it on top of the cake. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Please note that this…

… will turn into this…

Which is just okay. But once you brush it with apricot glaze and top with plenty of powdered sugar and cinnamon… it’s … just… so full of love.

Enjoy with whipped cream, berries, or even currants, as pictured here.

All of that will turn into a big smile.

I never thought I’d be so glad it isn’t plum season.

A road in Luxembourg. Photo by Les Meloures.

Wishing you a lovely journey, wherever you happen to be today.

And don’t forget… sometimes Plan B works out just fine… just fine, indeed.

Dainty Apple Cake | Äppelkuch
Votes: 4
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Made with a buttery dough and a wet custard, the two layers literally combine in the oven, creating a moist, incredibly delicious cake. When topped with a heavy dusting of cinnamon and confectioner's sugar, all feels right with the world. Right... and very apple-tastic.
Dainty Apple Cake | Äppelkuch
Votes: 4
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Made with a buttery dough and a wet custard, the two layers literally combine in the oven, creating a moist, incredibly delicious cake. When topped with a heavy dusting of cinnamon and confectioner's sugar, all feels right with the world. Right... and very apple-tastic.
Ingredients
Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 Tbsp baking powder
  • 1 stick butter (salted), cubed
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 apples , peeled, cored, and sliced in 1/4" pieces
Topping
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3/4 cup sugar
Garnish
  • apricot jam , thinned in a little hot water
  • powdered sugar
  • ground cinnamon
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
  2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with dough blade, add flour, sugar and baking powder. Pulse to combine.
  3. Add hunks of butter and pulse until pea sized pieces form.
  4. While pulsing, stream in the milk until a soft, shaggy dough forms one that can easily be pressed together into a ball.
  5. Take the dough and press it into a greased and floured 8" cake pan.
  6. Then slice the apples and press them firmly into the dough, overlapping as you go.
  7. Whisk together the topping ingredients and pour it on top of the cake.
  8. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
Recipe Notes

Use a 8" cake pan with standard 2" inch sides (no shorter). Do not use a springform pan, as the milk mixture will certainly leak out. The easiest way to remove the cake from cake pan is to let cool until just warm, run a butter knife around the edges, invert onto one dish, then quickly onto a second dish (the serving platter). Comes out perfect every time!

Green Bean Soup | Bouneschlupp

As a teenager in Luxembourg, I never really thought about high class cuisine. We spent a lot of time over at Quick, the aptly named fast food place. If we weren’t there, we were eating a the local pizzeria, bar, or patisserie. It’s a shame, really, because the world’s first and only female winner of the Bocuse d’Or, a highly competitive culinary competition, is from Luxembourg and has two restaurants right around the corner from where we hung out.

Talk about missed opportunities.

The chef’s name is Lea Linster and her impeccable dishes show that country food can be just as classy as city food. As I watched her speak about this traditional green bean soup, I knew I had to try it. With a few simple flourishes, she turns a country-bumpkin dish into something I’d be willing to serve at any dinner party. Especially because she insists on inlcuding the same special ingredient I do: lots of love.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, diced (about 5 cups)
1 onion, diced
1 small leek, sliced and rinsed
1/2 cup celeriac, peeled and diced (or substitute celery)
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
6-7 cups of cold water, or as needed
Salt and pepper
2 cups diced yellow potatoes, (about 3)

Garnishes (to taste):

sour cream
bacon, cooked, then chopped or crumbled
Cooked, sliced German sausage (preferably spicy). Smoked sausage works well, too.

Method:

Let’s go to Luxembourg. We can have a country meal, even in the city.

Downtown Luxembourg. Photo by Cayambe

The first step? Chop a mountain of veggies.

Don’t be scared by the celeriac. Just cut off the gnarliness and cube the pretty white insides.

Rawr.

Now, melt the butter in a large pot and whisk in the flour, until a smooth paste forms (a light roux) – cook for about a minute. Do not let color.

Whisk in the water, a little at a time, so as to avoid lumps. Start with 6 cups. You can add more at the end if you’d like a thinner broth.

Now, add all ingredients except for the potatoes and the garnish. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, take a stroll on a quiet road in Luxembourg’s countryside. Go in the winter or the summer, the choice is yours.

Bertrange, Luxembourg. Photos by Cayambe.

When you get home, add the cubed potatoes and continue cooking until tender.

Garnish with the sausage and …

… plenty of crumbled bacon.


Enjoy on a lazy Saturday with a good book or a happy conversation.

Have a great weekend, friends… see you on the other side!

Habschter tunnel in Luxembourg.


Green Bean Soup | Bouneschlupp
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Garnish with the sausage and plenty of crumbled bacon.
Servings
4-6 people
Servings
4-6 people
Green Bean Soup | Bouneschlupp
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Garnish with the sausage and plenty of crumbled bacon.
Servings
4-6 people
Servings
4-6 people
Ingredients
  • 1 1/2 lbs green beans , fresh, diced (about 5 cups)
  • 1 onion , diced
  • 1 small leek , sliced and rinsed
  • 1/2 cup celeriac , peeled and diced (or sub celery)
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6-7 cups cold water , or as needed
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 cups yellow potatoes , diced (about 3)
Garnishs (to taste)
  • sour cream
  • bacon , cooked, then chopped or crumbled
  • german sausage , cooked, sliced
  • smoked sausage , cooked, sliced
Servings: people
Units:
Instructions
  1. Don't be scared by the celeriac. Just cut off the gnarliness and cube the pretty white insides.
  2. Melt the butter in a large pot and whisk in the flour, until a smooth paste forms (a light roux) - cook for about a minute. Do not let color.
  3. Whisk in the water, a little at a time, so as to avoid lumps. Start with 6 cups. You can add more at the end if you'd like a thinner broth.
  4. Add all ingredients except for the potatoes and the garnish. Bring to a simmer and cook 20 minutes.
  5. Add the cubed potatoes and continue cooking until tender.
  6. Garnish and serve.

Crispy Potato Fritters | Gromperekichelcher

My first taste of Luxembourg’s Gromperekichelcher was during the annual Christmas market. The town square buzzed with happy shoppers and carolers whose voices floated down from the bandstand. The smell of fried potatoes and onions was just about enough to send anyone straight for their wallet so, of course, I happily complied.

While most Luxembergers dunked their fritters in apple sauce, I went straight for the ketchup. It was an easy thing to do and it made my new home a little more familiar – a little more like the United States, which I had left back in 1992. The irony is, of course, that now I eat the fritters with ketchup because it reminds me of Luxembourg. It’s amazing how memories travel with our taste buds, wherever we go.

Even though I left Luxembourg after high school, in 1998, I simply have to smell fried potatoes to go back there. In those moments, I remember the friends and the food. The troubles and the laughter. The tears and the songs. It all comes bundled up together, and sometimes the best thing to do, in good times and bad, is to simply enjoy whatever peaceful moments we can find in the now – and, then, when it passes, to take another bite of life… to see what’s next.

Makes about 8

Ingredients:

2 large russet potatoes (about 2 lbs total), peeled and grated
1 onion, diced
a handful of parsley, chopped
2 eggs
2-6 Tbsp flour (as needed to get them to hold together)
salt & pepper

oil for frying

Method:

Come with me to Luxembourg. She twinkles at night, just like a little star.

Luxembourg at night. Photo by Benh LIEU SONG.

While you’re there, make some Gromperekichelcher.

First step? Wash, peel and coarsely grate the potatoes. Watch out for your knuckles – trust me, you don’t want to grate them.

When you’re done, put the potatoes in a cloth and press all the moisture out.

Add the potatoes to a large bowl with the chopped onion, parsley, eggs, and flour. Add enough flour to thicken the potatoes so that they hold their shape when placed in the oil.

Now, sizzle-fry the potato mixture in hot oil (about 350-375F). While you can deep-fry it, I simply put 3/4 inch in a skillet and that worked well enough for us folks at home.

Fry on both sides until deep golden brown. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with ketchup or sweet, homemade apple sauce [recipe].

Enjoy with a happy collection of friends, no matter what the occasion.

Bichermaart on the Place d’Armes in Luxembourg, where kids sell their used schoolbooks. Photo by JWH.

Let each bite be a smile. 

Yum!

 

Crispy Potato Fritters | Gromperekichelcher
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
While most Luxembergers dunked their fritters in apple sauce, I went straight for the ketchup.
Crispy Potato Fritters | Gromperekichelcher
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
While most Luxembergers dunked their fritters in apple sauce, I went straight for the ketchup.
Ingredients
  • 2 large russet potatoes , peeled and grated, about 2lbs
  • 1 onion , diced
  • 1 handful parsley , fresh
  • 2 eggs
  • 2-6 Tbsp all-purpose flour , as needed
  • salt
  • pepper
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Wash, peel and coarsely grate the potatoes.
  2. Put the potatoes in a cloth and press all the moisture out.
  3. Add the potatoes to a large bowl with the chopped onion, parsley, eggs, and flour. Add enough flour to thicken the potatoes so that they hold their shape when placed in the oil.
  4. Sizzle-fry the potato mixture in hot oil (about 350-375F). While you can deep-fry it, I simply put 3/4 inch in a skillet.
  5. Fry on both sides until deep golden brown.
  6. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with ketchup or sweet, homemade apple sauce.

Menu: Luxembourg

In the gift shops of Luxembourg, right next to the key chains and novelty mugs, you will find postcards that read “Sunny Luxembourg.” A casual tourist might not think twice, but live in Luxembourg for longer than a week and you’ll realize this couldn’t be further from the truth. Let’s just put it this way: the landscape is lush green for a reason. Loads of rain and gauzy cloud cover persist throughout the year.

When faced with what to make this week for “sunny” Luxembourg, a country I spent more than three years in, I went back to memories. I decided to relive, via Stovetop Travel, two of the very dishes that I enjoyed while living there. These recipes include my weak spot as a teenager – fair food – and a big bowl of country cookin.’ Of course, it wouldn’t be an Adventure without trying new food, so I added a traditional apple cake to the mix that I am pretty sure I’ve never had.

The good news? With Stovetop Travel, you never need an umbrella.

What sounds good to you?

Potato Fritters (Gromperekichelcher)  [Recipe]
Potatoes, onions and parsley combine forces to make ultra crispy fritters. Pack your bags – these crunchy bits of potato goodness will transport you to a Luxembourgish market quicker than any plane I know of.

Green Bean Soup (Bouneschlupp) [Recipe]
A surprisingly light broth loaded with green beans, potato, celeriac, and leeks, topped with crumbles of bacon and German-style sausage.

Apple Cake (Äppelkuch) [Recipe]
Harvest apples directly into this cake, a sweet and moist treasure great for any occasion. Serve with a dusting of confectioner’s sugar and cinnamon.

About the food of Luxembourg

The river Alzette in Luxembourg Pfaffenthal. Photo by Cayambe.

My first afternoon in Luxembourg, my family took me on a tour.

“There’s downtown” my foster dad said.

“Where?” I asked, spinning my head around. I looked just in time to see a street blur by.

“You missed it,” he deadpanned.

It wasn’t until he said, “I’ll turn around” and actually did that I realized he wasn’t kidding.

Luxembourg is tiny, yet still ranks as “only” the 24th smallest country in the world. We could cross the entire country in about 45 minutes (the long way).

Luxembourg terraces. Photo by Владимир Шеляпин.

Despite her small size, or perhaps because of it, Luxembourg is an amazingly diverse community. Almost all the locals speak three, sometimes four languages – usually Luxembourgish, English, German, and French.

The food is usually characterized as a blend of French and German food, and that is pretty accurate, as long as you account for a healthy dose of country cooking. Most of Luxembourg is very rural, filled with endless rolling hills. Cows and other animals dot the grassy slopes. As you dip in and out of the hills, radio signal comes and goes – but it doesn’t matter because the scenery is so beautiful, you hardly notice.

Our house wasn’t quite ready for us to move into those first few nights, so we stayed at a small hotel – really more of a grey, crumbling, stone B&B. The bustling yard clucked and bleated to welcome our arrival. It was my first time to set eyes on so many baby sheep. That night’s dinner was a hearty stew and, although I can’t quite remember the ingredients, the down-home feel of the experience stuck with me.

Our entire grade 12 in 1998.

What I eventually did learn was that Luxembourg approaches food seasonally. Their simple green bean soup (Bouneschlupp [Recipe], topped with a spicy sausage and bacon reigns supreme because the ingredients can be easily grown in Luxembourg. Jut mat gaarde Bounen, or smoked collar of pork with broad beans, is generally considered the national dish and, again, features regional, seasonal fare. Highlights in the patisseries include local plums, pears and apples which, when in season, become glorious components of tarts, cakes [Recipe] and more.

Then there’s the fun food – every country has some. The best place to find it? At the Christmas market which pops up downtown every December. There, you can find mulled wine [recipe], gingerbread [recipe], and fried foods, like a deep-fried hashbrown snack  [Recipe] that can be enjoyed with applesauce [recipe] or ketchup. The technical name? Gromperenkichelcher. That’s what my Luxembourger friends tell me, anyway. Let the record state, I copied and pasted that word.

My bestie and I, Marianne. Apparently I have, in fact, made a "duck face" before. Who knew!

I’ll always remember the three years I spent in Luxembourg as an intense time of emotional growth. Slowly and imperfectly, I began the process of cleaning up my act -something sorely needed after my wild years in Paris. That’s not to say I wasn’t still doing things I shouldn’t, but I was learning right from wrong. In retrospect, I believe my growth had great part to do with living a block from a pasture.  Full of the worst kind of teenage angst, I often ambled down to the fence where I sang “Under the Bridge” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers to any cows or horses who would listen.

It was incredibly therapeutic. For me, anyway.

What are your favorite foods from the region?

Maps and flag courtesy of CIA World Factbook

Monday Meal Review: Lithuania

THE SCENE:

We start off with twelve Lithuanian deviled eggs, more than enough for two adults and a toddler. We each eat one. Mine is gone in 2.8 seconds. Ava takes a minute to nibble on hers. Keith, a.k.a. Mr Picky, barely makes it. He shudders a little and holds his nose while he eats his egg, all in one bite because he simply can’t bare to make it last any longer. This is serious work for him; hard-boiled eggs and mushrooms are two of his least favorite ingredients.

Watching him struggle, I can’t help myself. I giggle uncontrollably. The more I feel bad for him, the funnier it gets.

He looks at me as he chews. I see payback in his eyes.  A twinge of fear runs through me.

“They taste a lot better than they smell,” he says.

Curious if he means it, I ask him to eat one more. We debate. He begs. I beg. Ava watches us pingball the idea around. She offers him one. Finally, he eats one more, purely for her benefit.

“See how brave, papa is?” I say, genuinely proud of the man.

But before I can say one more word, the platter of eggs catches my eye.

Eight eggs still remain. It’s just that … well… they’re half eaten eggs. I watch, stunned, as Ava picks up one and takes three small bites before returning it to the platter.

That’s right, folks. In the time it took me to beg Keith to eat two deviled eggs, Ava sampled one of every. single. egg. And then she put them all back, nice and neatly on the platter.

“More?” she asks, innocently.

I can’t help but laugh.

Payback doesn’t always come the way you expect it, that’s for sure.

I took this photo early on and didn't even notice the two eggs on the platter missing bites.

THE FOOD:

Pork Roast with Boozy Prunes [Recipe] 

What I liked most about this dish:

This was the first time I, or anyone in this house, has made a juicy piece of pork. I think the wine helped immensely, as well as pulling it a little sooner to get a perfect medium. Keith very much enjoyed the seasoning, but not as much as Ava who ate three slices (I kid you not). I don’t know she did it.

What I liked least about this dish: While I loved the prunes soaked in the white wine and drippings, Mr Picky and Ava weren’t crazy about them. While they both sampled it, they didn’t ask for more or eat 8 of them (like I did). And, in case you’re wondering, I feel fine, thank you very much.

Lithuanian Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

The fried mushrooms and onion give these deviled eggs a decidedly earthy flavor. Ava loved them and sampled every single one. Mr Picky, on the other hand, had to hold his nose shut while he ate. Amazingly, he said it tasted better than it smelled. Not that he wanted a second one, but I still claim this as a major victory considering he hates, hates, hates hard-boiled egg and thinks mushrooms are hateful themselves.

What I liked least about this dish:

The mushrooms do add a bit of texture which I don’t totally mind, but Ava did notice and said they were “kunchy” (her way of saying chunky). You can mince the mushrooms even finer to make them less noticeable (and remember, they shrink a lot when cooked).

Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

This was my first time working with horseradish. It was too spicy for Ava and too “weird” for Mr Picky. As I happily gobbled up my portion, it led Keith to ask “Why do you like everything – how can you?” … I suppose I think of it as a fun experiment. I have to eat a whole portion to really put myself in those people’s heads.. or tastebuds.

What I liked least about this dish:

Even with all my willingness to try foods, this slaw is at once shocking in color and flavor. I love beets, but the horseradish was harsh and I think a bit more beets might have mellowed things out.

Homemade Lithuanian Honey Spirits (Krupnikas) [Recipe]

What I liked most about this dish:

I’m not a big drinker, but I could always go for Honey Spirits. Fresh, crisp, and full of just… countless spiced goodness… It’s an amazing item to share with friends, neighbors, and family. Keith says it tastes like Christmas and Ava… well, she can’t have any but she did say it looks like sunshine. Between you and me? It tastes like it, too.

What I liked least about this dish:

The sediment that settles on the bottom of the glass is a bit strange – it kind of looks like thick fog. You can filter it out, if desired, but some Lithuanians actually like to shake their spirits up before pouring. It’s up to you!

Ava’s Corner:

Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish

It may have happened when you were five. Or maybe, just maybe, not until today. Either way, this much I know for sure: there comes a time in every person’s life when they come face to face with the mighty beet. Some will cower or run away, while others – like the Lithuanians, will chow down with enthusiasm. In this traditional slaw, roasted beets blend with tear-inducing horseradish and vinegar…creating a spicy, sour accompaniment that goes particularly well with beef and fish.

P.S. Start this recipe a day or two before you need it, to give the ingredients time to mingle.

Ingredients:

3/4 lb beet(s) (or 1- 1 1/2 cup(s) roasted, grated beets)
1 cup grated horseradish (about 1 whole horseradish, peeled & grated)
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
10 peppercorns, cracked or coarse ground pepper
sugar, to taste
salt

Method:

While this recipe will work with any old red beet, it’s always better to find the most GIANT beet in the world. Look how this one dwarfts my loaf pan… it’s actually 1 1/2 pounds of pure beet-town. I really only needed half of it, but it was easier to peel a large one than several little ones. Plus, leftovers are great in salads.

Cover your beet(s) with foil and roast at 350F until tender and easily pierced with a knife. Most beets take an hour or so… but this one took 2 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, peel and grate the horseradish. Watch the fumes… they’ll make your eyes water.

Add the grated horseradish immediately to the vinegar, water, peppercorns, salt and sugar. This will cause a chemical reaction that will keep the horseradish from becoming too pungent. Set aside and go for a walk…

Perhaps through the sand dunes (!?) of Lithuania. Yes. It’s true. Let yourself get lost in a dreamy walk…

Grey dunes in Neringa, Lithuania. Photo by Kontis Satunas.

But not too lost; you don’t want to burn the beets!

Once you’ve peeled the roasted beet(s), grate them and add to the horseradish mixture, to taste. I used about 1 cup for a really spicy slaw, but you can add as much as you’d like.

Set aside overnight for the flavors to mingle and get happy.

Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
In this traditional slaw, roasted beets blend with tear-inducing horseradish and vinegar...creating a spicy, sour accompaniment that goes particularly well with beef and fish.
Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
In this traditional slaw, roasted beets blend with tear-inducing horseradish and vinegar...creating a spicy, sour accompaniment that goes particularly well with beef and fish.
Ingredients
  • 3/4 lbs beets -OR-
  • 1-1 1/2 cups beets , grated & roasted
  • 1 cup horseradish , grated
  • 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 10 whole peppercorns , cracked
  • sugar , to taste
  • salt
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Cover your beet(s) with foil and roast at 350F until tender and easily pierced with a knife. Most beets take 1-2 hours.
  2. Add the grated horseradish to the vinegar, water, peppercorns, salt and sugar. Set aside.
  3. Peel the roasted beet(s), grate them and add to the horseradish mixture, to taste.
  4. Set aside overnight for the flavors to mingle.
Recipe Notes

Start this recipe a day or two before you need it, to give the ingredients time to mingle.

Pork Roast with Boozy Prunes

Remember the Sunday afternoon roast? How, as it slowly sizzled and crackled in the oven, the most wonderful smell crept throughout the house until there was nowhere to hide, and you were so hungry you almost couldn’t stand it? Eventually, playing outside was the only possible distraction. Even then the smell snuck out, through cracks in the wall, enticing you until you mysteriously found yourself infront of mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, just about anyone who would listen, asking “Is it ready yet?” … only to find yourself shooed back outside again for another agonizing half hour.

As you know, waiting was always worth it.

In the spirit of those wonderful Sundays, I bring you a Lithuanian-inspired Pork Roast. This moist platter of deliciousness features the regionally adored prune and the most popular meat in the country – pork. The best part about this roast is splashing the prunes with plenty of white wine. The sweet, dried fruit takes on a universe of flavor… and looks like a shimmering, liquid sky.

Say hello to happiness.

Vilnius, Lithuania. Photo by Eugenijus Radlinskas.

Recipe inspired by Art of Lithuanian Cooking by Maria Gieysztor de Gorgey.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 lb pork loin
vegetable oil

Rub:
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 cup white wine
12 ounces prunes

Method:

Get ready to make your family’s tummies rumble.

Preheat the oven to 350F.

Truss the pork, if needed. The one I bought came wrapped up in netting. I highly recommend leaving the netting on; it holds the meat together, plus you’ll end up with pretty marks on the roast (just cut it off before slicing).

Now rub it all over with oil and a mix of rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper.

Roast until internal thermometer in the thickest part of the pork reads about 125F, then add prunes and white wine to the bottom of the roasting pan, being careful not to get burned by the steam.  Remove pork from oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 145-150F (roasting times vary, depending on thickness of roast- keep an eye on it) Which makes it just a little pink in the center and outrageously juicy.

Now, tell your family they have to wait ten more minutes, for the meat to rest. Shoo them outside to play, if you have to.Unless it’s nighttime, of course… in which case they should just go read a book by lamplight.

Old Town Stikliu street at night. Vilnius Lithuania. Photo by Umnik.

Finally, when they don’t seem like they can wait one second longer, bring your entire family around this roast.

You’ll be glad you did.

Happy cooking.

Happy Sunday.


Pork Roast with Boozy Prunes
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This moist platter of deliciousness features the regionally adored prune and the most popular meat in the country - pork. The best part about this roast is splashing the prunes with plenty of white wine.
Pork Roast with Boozy Prunes
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This moist platter of deliciousness features the regionally adored prune and the most popular meat in the country - pork. The best part about this roast is splashing the prunes with plenty of white wine.
Ingredients
  • 2 1/2 lbs pork loin
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine
  • 12 ounces prunes
Rub
  • vegetable oil
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pepper
  • 1 tsp rosemary (chopped)
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
Servings:
Units:
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Truss the pork, if needed.
  3. In a medium bowl mix the rosemary, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
  4. Rub mixture all over the pork.
  5. Roast until internal thermometer in the thickest part of the pork reads about 125F.
  6. Add prunes and white wine to the bottom of the roasting pan.
  7. Remove pork from oven when it reaches an internal temperature of 145-150F

Lithuanian-Inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms

Once, when I was in my first decade of life, I stared at a platter of chilled, “eyeball eggs,” as I called them, and vowed to never, ever eat one. A temper tantrum may, or may not have been involved. Now, two decades later, here I am, on the other side of the fence, albeit somewhat mystified how it came to be that I now scan buffets for the little suckers.

I think the name says it all; like the neighborhood bad boy, the deviled egg is a love-it or hate-it treat. And, as with wine and coffee, appreciation almost always comes later in life. Unless… you live in Lithuania. There, eggs are as adored as apples, and more so on a cold buffet with additives like fish or mushrooms – the stinkier the better.

For this week’s Global Table, I made a Lithuanian-inspired Deviled Egg, complete with fried mushrooms, dill, and sour cream. Why mushrooms? As one Lithuanian reader noted, “Mushroom foraging is like a sport in Lithuania (especially in the South) and I do not know anyone who doesn’t like it, or who cannot distinguish poisonous mushrooms from edible ones. It is essentially in your Lithuanian DNA.” Now that’s an endorsement, if I ever heard one.

As for the combination of eggs and mushrooms? Talk about polarizing…

You’re going to scream, one way or another.

Recipe inspired by Art of Lithuanian Cooking by Maria Gieysztor de Gorgey.

Makes 12

Ingredients:

6 eggs
6 button mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and chopped
1/4 cup minced onion
2 tbsp butter
fresh dill, to taste
salt
pepper
3 Tbsp sour cream, or as needed

Method:

Put on your walking shoes. We’re headed to Lithuania via Stove Top Travel.

First, simmer the eggs for 12 minutes, or until hard boiled. Chill in ice water for thirty minutes.

Tip:  By experimentation, I’ve learned that if you crack each egg and take out a small section of the shell and inner membrane, the water will seep between the shell and the egg, making it easier to peel. This works better the longer it sits in the water. While your eggs enjoy this leisurely bath, brown the mushrooms and onion in butter until happy. They’ll sizzle and fill your home with “good,” transporting you to in the beautiful forests of Lithuania, where mushrooms grow wild. Gosh, I could just walk down this rusty road forever…

Prancūzkelis, Mykolas. Photos by Hugo

When your feet become drowsy and tummy begins to rumble, go home. Peel and halve the eggs. Set the whites aside. Add the yolks to the mushroom mixture and season generously with salt, pepper, and dill.  Stir in enough sour cream to make a smooth mixture – something you can pipe through a large piping tip. Check seasonings one more time for good luck.Now, add the filling to the egg whites. I used a giant “open star” tip (#199). And I’m going to be real. Piping is harder than it looks.

But the good thing is, these lil’ devils taste just as good no matter how you pipe ’em.

Serve chilled on a frosty day, with a warm smile……perhaps while overlooking a sweet Lithuanian town. I’m the second house from the left…

Nemuno, Lithuania. Photo by Tomas Čekanavičius… won’t you be my neighbor?

Lithuanian-Inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
I think the name says it all; like the neighborhood bad boy, the deviled egg is a love-it or hate-it treat. And, as with wine and coffee, appreciation almost always comes later in life.
Servings Prep Time
12 deviled eggs 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 minutes 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 deviled eggs 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 minutes 30 minutes
Lithuanian-Inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms
Votes: 0
Rating: 0
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
I think the name says it all; like the neighborhood bad boy, the deviled egg is a love-it or hate-it treat. And, as with wine and coffee, appreciation almost always comes later in life.
Servings Prep Time
12 deviled eggs 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 minutes 30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 deviled eggs 15 minutes
Cook Time Passive Time
12 minutes 30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 6 eggs
  • 6 white mushrooms , cleaned, stemmed and chopped
  • 1/4 cup onions (minced)
  • 2 Tbsp butter
  • fresh dill , to taste
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 3 Tbsp sour cream , or as needed
Servings: deviled eggs
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a large pot, cover the eggs with 1" of water and simmer the eggs for 12 minutes, or until hard boiled.
  2. Chill in ice water for thirty minutes.
  3. In a large pan brown the mushrooms and onion in butter.
  4. Peel and halve the eggs. Set the whites aside.
  5. Add the yolks to the mushroom mixture and season generously with salt, pepper, and dill.
  6. Stir in enough sour cream to make a smooth mixture.
  7. Let cool then add the filling to the egg whites.
  8. Serve chilled.

Lithuanian Honey Spirits | Krupnikas

The holidays are over. We stuffed our wrapping paper back into the closet and swept the confetti into the trash, right on top of the party hats that say 2012. The cookies and the friendly buffets of family favorites are long since gone, replaced by soulless detoxes and way-too-skinny drinks.

I know some of us are even thinking about spring – scanning the frozen ground, vainly hoping to see some stray spot of green, willing a warm gust of air to come our way, instead of a moveable wall of ice.

But can we just… pause for a second, in the interest of good planning? Would you be very mad if I asked you to make a few presents for next year? Right… now?

Hear me out.

They say Lithuania has the largest collection of amber in the world – known as the gold of the baltics – but I uncovered a far more enticing “gold” in their liquor cabinets: Krupnikas, or Honey Spirits. This boozy drink tastes like heaven on fire – a sweet, fragrant blend that is almost too complex to describe… sure there’s honey, but there’s also orange peel, an entire vanilla bean, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and so much more. Krupnikas is my own photo. Amber rocks by Lanzi. Amber necklaces by Adrian Pingstone. The layers of flavor are baffling, considering the modicum of effort involved (dump in a pot and cook, then let settle and mellow). You can make a half gallon of Honey Spirits to bottle and save for next holiday’s giving season in less than an hour. Heck, you can wear your pajamas while you work, if you’d like.

While Krupnikas is ready to drink just two weeks after you make it (I can personally attest to this), the drink mellows and becomes even better six months to a year later. UPDATE: It’s better a year later, but you can drink well beyond that time – there’s no expiration date on the drink.

Getting done with next year’s holidays in January? Now that’s a golden opportunity.

Makes a little over 2 quarts

Ingredients:

All spices should be cracked lightly if possible to maximize flavor.

8 whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
10 cardamom pods, cracked
1/2 whole nutmeg, cracked
5 allspice berries
1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
1 tsp fennel seed
3 inch piece of ginger root, cut into 4 pieces
2 inch piece turmeric, cut into 4 pieces
The peel of 1 orange
The peel of 1/2 a lemon
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 1/2 lbs honey

1 quart water
750 ml Everclear (190 proof grain alcohol)

Method:

Take a stroll through your kitchen and gather up all the spices… you’ll need a large heart to hold all this goodness. Next, bring the honey and water to a simmer. Skim off any foam that surfaces, then add in all the spices (everything but the Everclear). Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, or until the mixture smells like “good” and tastes even better.Meanwhile, take a walk in the crunchy snow and listen to the clouds whisper.

Pier in Klaipeda, Lithuania. Photo by Kontis Satunas.

When you’re done, go home and remove the pot from heat. Add the Everclear to the still-hot mixture, stir to combine and then strain the mixture. (Tip: use the spices again to flavor a vanilla ice cream base, chocolate, flan, etc- yummmmm) Pour the golden goodness into sterile bottles (run them through the dishwasher before using) and set aside for two weeks (or up to a year). Explore your world while you wait, even if you just go down the street a little ways.

Vilnius, Lithuania at dusk.

Through the quiet of this winter, the heat of next summer and the chill of autumn, the spirits will settle. They’ll go from super cloudy… And end up clear as day. Just like a well-traveled human spirit. But don’t be fooled. Even in this clarity, there is depth and an entire universe of flavor.The gunk that settles on the bottom of the bottle is perfectly safe. Some Lithuanians like to shake their Krupnikas up, while others go so far as to filter it out. I love the idea of using it to add a bit of boozy oomph to a fruitcake.

Distribute the bottles to friends and family who could use a sweet sip of love. And be sure to save a bottle for yourself and sip until you feel like you’re glowing, from the inside out.

Norviliškės Castle, Lithuania. Photo by Ampyx.

Now that my friends, is Lithuanian Gold.

Sip with friends, family, and – when you’re done – do it all over again.

Enjoy!

Lithuanian Honey Spirits | Krupnikas
Votes: 5
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This boozy drink tastes like heaven on fire - a sweet, fragrant blend that is almost too complex to describe... sure there's honey, but there's also orange peel, an entire vanilla bean, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and so much more.
Servings
2 quarts
Servings
2 quarts
Lithuanian Honey Spirits | Krupnikas
Votes: 5
Rating: 4
You:
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
This boozy drink tastes like heaven on fire - a sweet, fragrant blend that is almost too complex to describe... sure there's honey, but there's also orange peel, an entire vanilla bean, ginger, cardamom, allspice, and so much more.
Servings
2 quarts
Servings
2 quarts
Ingredients
  • 8 whole cloves
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 10 cardamom pods , cracked slightly
  • 1/2 whole nutmeg , cracked slightly
  • 5 whole allspice , cracked slightly
  • 1 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp fennel seed
  • 3 inch ginger , cut into 4 pieces
  • 2 inch turmeric root , cut into 4 pieces
  • 1 orange peel , peel of a whole orange
  • 1/2 lemon peel , peel of a half lemon
  • 1 vanilla bean , split and scraped
  • 1 1/2 lbs honey
  • 1 quart water
  • 750 ml Everclear , 190 proof grain alcohol
Servings: quarts
Units:
Instructions
  1. In a large pot bring the honey and water to a simmer.
  2. Skim off any foam that surfaces, then add in all the spices (everything except Everclear).
  3. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes
  4. Add the Everclear to the still-hot mixture, stir to combine and then strain the mixture.
  5. Pour into sterile bottles (run them through the dishwasher before using) and set aside for two weeks (or up to a year).
Recipe Notes

While Krupnikas is ready to drink just two weeks after you make it (I can personally attest to this), the drink mellows and becomes even better six months to a year later. UPDATE: It's better a year later, but you can drink well beyond that time - there's no expiration date on the drink.

Menu: Lithuania

The other day we took Ava on a hike in the woods and pretended we were exploring Lithuania. We brought a backpack to carry her when she got tired, which I expected to be about three minutes down the trail considering she’s only 2 1/2. Fortyfive minutes later she was still happily scrambling over the trails.

That day, Ava walked more than a mile; clearly I’ve been underestimating her tiny baby legs. Now she gets to walk a lot – I let her walk the half mile to the library, school and grocery store. She loves it, singing and running almost the entire way!

But there’s a wicked side effect…

After every walk she comes down with the hungriest hunger.

This week, our Lithuanian menu is partially a solution for this, the appetite of an insatiable toddler. I’d say, given their beautiful forests, they have some experience with hungry hikers like Ava.

Lithuanian forest. Photo by Dubysa

Lithuanian-inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms [Recipe] 
I know, I know. But this kid loves her eggs. And her mushrooms. When I read that Lithuanians do, too, well.. I knew I had to make these.

Rosemary Pork Roast with Boozy Prunes [Recipe] 
Hello, cozy afternoon with white wine infused sweet prunes and rosemary garlic pork roast. You are the dreamiest way to stovetop travel. And possibly the easiest. And Ava loves you.

Roast Beet Slaw with Spicy Horseradish [Recipe] 
Don’t be fooled by this pretty-in-pink concoction; she’s spicy. Lithuanians use this salad both as a slaw and a condiment – enjoy it with fish, meat, or just because.

Homemade Lithuanian Honey Spirits (Krupnikas) [Recipe] 
Winter will never feel too long when you have this drink in hand. And, please forgive me in advance. I’m going to ask you to make this very, very soon… for next year’s holiday gifts. (Does tomorrow work for you?)

*All recipes and the meal review will be posted by Monday morning.