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-inspired Deviled Eggs with Mushrooms [Recipe] I know, I know. But this kid loves her eggs. And her mushrooms. When I read that Lithuanians …
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Every country is special. And I don’t mean that in a trite way. Time and time again, this Adventure has shown me how every country has it’s bragging rights. Well, it turns out lil’ ol’ Lithuania is literally the center of Europe. Not too shabby. Some French researchers figured it out (read more about how they determined this). So, this week, while we dive into the food of Lithuania, let’s imagine ourselves perched atop a picnic blanket on that grey compass which marks this nexus of all things Europe. Since the winters can get very chilly (think sub zero), we’re better off having our picnic in the summer, when it temperatures generally bob around in the 60’s. The food is definitely Baltic, stuffed to the brim with those cold weather comforts like pickled herring, hearty rye everything (bread/ale/kvass/you-name-it), warming soups, and dumplings. But what stood out to me are Lithuania’s wild mushrooms, grown in the shade of her cool forests. The intense flavor of freshly foraged mushrooms makes even the simplest egg dish divine [Recipe] , and …
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THE SCENE: The timer’s high pitched chirp let’s me know; time to serve the King’s Cake. While I’d rather curl up in bed and wait for the fever to subside, the bright scent of orange zest and warm, sweet raisins lure me onward. I pull the hot rolls from the oven and brush them with three coats of apricot glaze. They take on a glossy shine and begin to smell like a fruit orchard in autumn. Then comes the sugar – a snowfall of crunchy, sparkly turbinado goodness. It sticks easily to the glaze. Instantly, my mood lifts. Proudly, I carry the King’s Cake into the living room and offer everyone a slice. As the first hand reaches to take a piece, I dive forward. “Wait!” I cry, swipe the tray away, and rush back into the kitchen. I rummage through the cabinets and emerge a moment later with a single almond. “Noone look,” I laugh slyly, and slip the almond into one of the small rolls, mentally taking note of the location. “Ava,” I say, “would …
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When I told Keith, a.k.a. Mr Picky, what was for dinner this week, he said “Bless you.” You try saying it – Käsknöpfle – and see if you get the same response. Some words just sound like a sneeze, I guess. But don’t let that fool you. This week’s Käsknöpfle is … ahem… nothing to sneeze at. This wonderful, cheesy pasta dish enjoyed in Liechtenstein is like mac and cheese, but all grown up … a meal that has had a few years to explore the world and came back refreshed and refreshing – a great, big bowl of alpine comfort… A free spirit, if you will. This recipe is for the days when you don’t want everything all wrapped up in a neat little bow. When you want things to be squiggly. And cheesy. And oniony. Trust me, it’s not too much to ask for. Just ask Liechtenstein. The fine folks of Liechtenstein recommend three cheeses… Fontina is creamy and has a bit of tang, Gruyere is salty and a bit drier (a bit reminiscent of Parmesan), and Emmenthalier is like a mild …
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Sometimes I buy fruit and it just… sits there. Life takes over. I go for hikes, I play catch with my daughter, I eat the candy from my stocking, and… before I know it, I just forget to eat them. I do this a lot with apples because they last so long and are so forgiving. Eventually, the time comes when they lose a bit of shine and a few bruises pop up. If this should happen to you, applesauce is the way to go. I didn’t realize how easy it would be to make until I did it this week. Trust me, you can do this. In countries like Liechtenstein applesauce is the go-to side dish for all sorts of meals, like Schnitzel [recipe] and Käsknöpfle (recipe will be up this weekend). The fresh flavor will totally make you forget that you left your apples just …. sitting there… for so … long. Best part? No fancy equipment required. Just a plain ol’ wooden spoon. That’s love right there. Here’s the easy, peasy recipe: Makes 2 …
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Epiphany. People use the word to say they had a great idea. Like the proverbial lightbulb going off over one’s head. But we’re not going to eat lighbulbs today. Nope. Epiphany is the time of year that Liechtenstein, as well as many other countries around the world, celebrate “little Christmas.” This national holiday is celebrated on January 6 and is a nod to the late arrival of the 3 kings to the very first Christmas party… afterall, they did hike quite a ways to get to Bethlehem. Calling the Dreikönigskuchen a cake is somewhat a misnomer as it is really more of a sweet roll. You can find it fresh in bakeries all over Liechtenstein. Filled with fresh citrus rind, sweet raisins and bound with the richness of milk and butter, it’s a fantastic treat on a cold winter’s day. The best part? A single almond is hidden inside one of the rolls. Whoever finds it gets to be King (or Queen) for the day. It’s a beautiful and fun game for kids. Once the winner is …
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Let’s make the best of this thing called “winter.” Let’s wear our favorite slippers, snuggle up to a cheesy bowl of pasta, homemade applesauce and the most epic King’s Cake around. With a menu like this, there’s really no reason to get out of bed, let alone leave the house. Especially if you get to be Queen for the day. Congratulations, mom! So go ahead, bite into this vegetarian meal from Lichtenstein… (and if you’re looking to make the King’s Cake for Epiphany, the recipe will be up tomorrow). Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to play dress-up with Ava. Morning is an especially good time to play royalty. Or so I’ve heard. *What sounds good to you? Triple Cheesy Pasta with Sweet Onion (Käsknöpfle) [Recipe] Yes, yes, yes. You heard me right. Three cheeses on spaetzel-like pasta. With caramelized onions. That’s Liechtenstein in a nutshell and I want to go there… right now. Wooden Spoon Applesauce [Recipe] The name says it all: so easy to make, all you’ll need is a spoon. PS. You may …
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What’s 16 miles away from you right now? The grocery store? Your favorite museum? Perhaps the beach you like to splash around in during the summer? What about your mother’s house? Or the mountains? Now imagine this: Liechtenstein is exactly 16 miles long (and 4 miles wide). No more, no less. You could cross the entire country in the time it takes you to go to that special place. She’s teeny weeny and, yet, there are still five other countries in the world smaller than her. Awesome. It almost goes without saying that she’s not easy to find. Tucked away in the Alps, between Switzerland and Austria, very few maps write out her name (there usually isn’t room). I had to zoom in 3 times to even see her on google. This, of course, led to a small panic attack when I thought that perhaps I’d dreamed Liechtenstein really existed. Take it from me, she’s real. You just have to zoom in a little. Once you take a closer look, you’ll also find her 30,000 people …
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THE SCENE: Birth day. Ava’s nephew. Keith’s grandson. Kaiden Ray. He is here and he is beautiful. The night he was born Ava held this oh-so-new life on her tiny lap, so amazed. Spellbound. Once a few minutes went by, she honed in on her most serious concern for this tiny being. She wanted to know if Kaiden would have toys to play with. “Kaiden have toys?” she asked Alexis, his mother. “He doesn’t need toys right now,” she smiled, still radiant the way a new mother is. “One toy.” Ava insisted, her brow furrowing in increased concern. The entire room chuckled. One toy, okay? she repeated, not seeing what was so funny. A few days later the new family went home with their little boy and we were back to our old routines. It was dinner time. We’d already had the Latvian birthday cake in honor of Kaiden. We’d already had the apple pancakes in honor of apple season. Today was simply a day for pork chops and cranberry sauce. Simple, nothing fancy. But sweet …
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This recipe is so familiar. Each bite feels like a nibble straight out of my childhood. The funny thing is I’ve never, ever had this recipe. But, with cinnamon, cardamom, apples and pancakes-so-thin-they’re-basically-crêpes all rolled together with heaps of honey and yogurt, I can practically see my mom buzzing around the kitchen table. I smell the butter melting, crackling, sizzling, and I go right back to those days when I was too short to see into the mixing bowl. Thanks to this new-to-me recipe, I can taste my childhood all lumped together in this happy breakfast treat from Latvia. I’m totally into it. I suppose it’ll seem familiar to you, as well. After all, we’ve seen thin pancakes all along this journey, from Argentina to Ireland, and from Hungary to Eritrea. Today’s pancake is typical of the the Baltic and – even though they call it a pancake – the soft batter is almost thin enough to call a crêpe. Latvians love adding spiced apples to their pancakes. To be totally traditional, be sure to serve them with …
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Cranberries. Right now. It’s their time to shine. Latvians know what’s up when it comes to the cranberry. They eat it whipped in clouds of pudding, layered with breads, and beyond. Today, however, is about a mountain of sugar. A squiggle of orange zest. A few minutes on the stove and you’re done. It’s really that simple. Here’s what I did: 4 cups cranberries 1 cup water 1 cup sugar, extra to taste 2 tsp strips of orange zest. Quickly look through your cranberries as you put them in the pot – weed out any squishy, yucky ones. Add all the other ingredients to pot. Bring to a simmer and cook 10-15 minutes. Taste and add more sugar if desired. Refrigerate until cold. Don’t be scared of the popping. It’s just the cranberries saying hello. You can add cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger, or whatever suits you to fancy it up. And then, to eat it, dress up in a pretty bowl and spoon the sweet tart goodness all over a thick pork chop, Latvian-style. Eat …
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Birthdays are fun but birth days are even more so. Family and friends hugging, smiling, crying – everyone in wide eyed at the wonder of a new child’s most innocent gaze. Since Keith’s grandson was born last week, I thought it appropriate to make a birthday cake in his honor. I sought out such a thing in Latvia,only to find something very unexpected. Latvians have a tradition of baking pretzel-shaped sweet bread – not exactly cake – and topping it with candles. The Klingeris, as its called, can be used to celebrate birthdays and name days – which, as it sounds, is the day dedicated to celebrating your particular name. From what I’ve read, Latvians celebrate name days with gifts and parties, and often these celebrations are even larger than their standard birthday celebrations. So let’s get to celebrating, Latvian-style. Welcome to the world, little Kaiden Ray. Recipe inspired by Latvia (Cultures of the World, Second), in which this treat is called by the more Scandinavian name Kringel) Makes 1 large pretzel Ingredients: 2 tsp yeast 1/2 …
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