For your Kūčios table

HERRING WITH VEGETABLES Silkė  daržovių  rinkinyje 2 herrings 3 potatoes 3 carrots 2 red beets 2 onions 1 cup green peas 1/3 cup beans 2 Tbsps oil Vinegar, sugar Cook potatoes, carrots, red beets, beans and peas. Cut potatoes, carrots, and red beets into attractive slices or pieces, using a …

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Restoring Faith and History

by Val Ramonis photographs by the author Two sanctuaries in Vilnius reflect the nation’s desire to revive its neglected and forgotten religious, cultural, and historic heritage. EVERY TIME I AM IN VILNIUS, I MAKE A POINT I I to revisit some of my favorite sites, or to discover new ones …

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It’s apple time, again

APPLE CAKE Obuolių pyragas 1¼ cup butter ¾ cup sugar 2 eggs 2 cups flour ½ tsp. salt 1 tsp. baking soda 2 cups chopped apples (cube-shaped) 1 cup chopped nuts 1 cup chopped dates or raisins Beat butter with sugar. Add and beat eggs one at a time. Mix …

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The When, How, and Why of the Lithuanians in Scotland

BY JOHN MILLAR (JONAS STEPŠIS) MY INTEREST IN THE LITHUANIAN COMMUNITY in Scotland stems, firstly, from the fact that I am the Scots-born son of Lithuanian immigrants who settled in Scotland at the beginning of the 20th century. Secondly, from a deep, compulsive desire to find my roots. When I …

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Latvia: a Look At Our Northern Cousins

BY JAMES M. BOUBONIS Lithuanians often refer to their northern neighbors as “the nation of brothers.” But how many similarities and differences can we find between the two countries? THE CULTURE OF LATVIA BEARS A STRONG RE- semblance to that of its ethnic and linguistic sister to the south – …

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Cool salads for those hot days

CABBAGE AND CARROT COLESLAW Kopūstų ir morkų mišrainė 2½ cups shredded cabbage ½ cup shredded carrot 3 Tbsps light mayonnaise 2 tsps sugar 2 Tbsps nonfat sour cream 2 tsps mustard (Dijon preferred) Salt and pepper to taste In a large bowl, combine cabbage and carrot. In small bowl, combine …

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Joninės… or Is It Rasos?

In Lithuania, the midsummer night and day are still celebrated with rituals and ceremonies whose origins date back to pagan times. ROMANCIENT TIMES, PEOPLE MARKED THE time of the return of the sun and the year’s longest day. In olden times in Lithuania this day was called Rasos or the …

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Spring delights

LITHUANIAN BEEF BIRDS Lietuviški riestiniai 3 lbs. tender beef 2 oz. butter 2 onions 1 cup black bread crumbs 4 dried mushrooms 1 egg 1 Tbsp. flour 1 carrot ½ cup sour cream 1½ cups broth Salt, pepper to taste Cut meat into thin square slices against the grain, being …

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Respond With a Song

by Janina Birutė Litvinas The Lithuanian Song Festival tradition in America is almost as old as Lithuanian immigration itself. From its early beginnings in 1914, this tradition has continued almost uninterrupted to this day. MY ALMOST SACRED RELIC, A TRAVEL BOOK from my Father’s library, Lithuania, Guiding Facts for Tourists, …

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Easter Sweets

FLOWERPOT CHEESE Saldus sūris, “Paska” 6 hard-boiled egg yolks ¼ lb. butter 1 cup sugar 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened 1 (16-ounce) package firm cottage cheese 2 tsps. vanilla extract Juice from 1 lemon 1 tsp. grated lemon rind ½ cup almonds, sliced ½ cup light raisins or currants …

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