The Lithuanian Experience: in Search of One’s Roots

By Robert Duda Wanting to find his roots—and the land of his grandparents—  the author goes to Lithuania and discovers some pleasant surprises. Growing up in a small western Massachuset ts town in the ’50s and ’60s, I was fortunate enough to live my first fourteen years with a pair …

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Let’s Cook Lithuanian: ‘spurgos’ and Other Užgavėnės Dishes: Lean Potato Pudding Liesas Kugelis, Potato Pancakes Bulviniai Blynai, Ancient Lithuanian Hash Senoviškas Šiupinys, Individual Noodle “Kugelis” Lakštininis Kugelis, Fried Cakes Spurgos (Pončkos, Pampuškos), Yeast Pancakes Mieliniai Blynai

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN with Dana Siliūnas. ‘SPURGOS’ AND OTHER UžGAVENES DICHES LEAN POTATO PUDDING Liesas kugelis 10 medium potatoes 1/2 cup sour cream 1 Tbsp. butter or margarine 1 medium onion 4 Tbsps. farina 2 eggs Salt, pepper Peel and grate p o tato es. Add chopped onion, melted butter …

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Our Immigrant Heritage: …Up, Up, But Not Quite Away! the Saga of a Lithuanian Flying Machine

  The Saga of a Lithuanian Flying Machine Edward V. Gillis (Gylys) is the author of the still unpublished book, Growing Up Lithuanian in Old Lithuanian Town of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The book of over 500 manuscript pages deals with Lithuanian life in Grand Rapids from 1885 to 1940 and …

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The Sporting Life: the Unsurpassable Johnny U.

BY TOM GREGG. A generation after his football exploits, star quarterback Johnny Unitas remains a source of Lithuanian pride and inspiration. Michael Jordan doesn’t realize this yet. But twenty five years after he retires, mention of his name is going to evoke mainly blank looks from the offspring of the …

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Delicious Christams Cookies: Earcakes Ausikės, Cream Cheese Cookies Sūrio Sausainiai, Lemon Snowballs Citrininės Sniego Gniuždės, Pineapple-Oatmeal Cookies Ananasiniai-Avižiniai Sausainiai, Gingerbread Ornaments Imbieriniai Papuošalai

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN with Dana Silidnas DELICIOUS CHRISTMAS COOKIES EARCAKES Ausikes 2 eggs 1/2 cup sugar 5 Tbsp. milk and 1 tsp. rum extract or 5 Tbsp. rum 3 cups flour Cream eggs and sugar. Add milk and rum extract or rum. Add in flour. Mix together to form stiff …

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Customs & Traditions: the Lithuanian Wedding a Family Celebration

THE LITHUANIAN WEDDING A FAMILY CELEBRATION THEN … THE MOST IMPORTANT WAY OF PRESERVING AND continuing cultural traditions has always been, and still remains, through the family. In Lithuanian culture, starting a family was not just the couple’s personal responsibility. Weddings were always community affairs joining not only two people, …

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Cool Summer Salads: Snow Pea Salad Žirniukų Salotos, Summer Barley Salad Perlinių Kruopų Salotos, Cucumber & Tomato Salad Agurkų ir Pamidorų Salotos, Cole Slaw Kopūstų Salotos, Fruit Salad Vaisių Salotos

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN with Dana SiliUnas COOL SUMMER SALADS SNOW PEA SALAD Žirniuku salotos 1/2 lb. snow peas, trimmed, strings removed 1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, stems trimmed 1 large red bell pepper, cored and seeded 6 Tbs. bottled reduced-calorie vinaigrette or “lite” Italian dressing Blanch snow peas in boiling water …

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Lithuanian History Highlights: the Lithuanian Women in Legend and History

THE LITHUANIAN WOMAN IN LEGEND AND HISTORY No one has contributed more to the preservation o f Lithuania’s national identity — and perhaps its very existence — than the Lithuanian woman. Throughout all the turbulent times o f Lithuanian history; the Lithuanian woman played an important role and often assumed …

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The “Family Jewels”: Hot Beet Soup Burokėlių Sriuba, Potato Pudding Kugelis, Rhubarb Cobbler Rabarbarų Pyragas, Mushrooms With Sour Cream Grybai su Grietine, Tiger Ears Tigro Ausytės

LET’S COOK LITHUANIAN with Dana Siliūnas. The “Family Jewels” HOT BEET SOUP Burokeliu sriuba 1 lb. boiling beef 2 1-lb. cans of beets 1 1-lb carton sour cream Vinegar Sugar Cook the boiling beef. To the broth add the beets, which have been shredded; salt, pepper and pinch of mixed …

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The Lithuanian Experience: Hurray for Hollywood: Lithuanians On the Silver Screen

A MOVIE IS IN TROUBLE IF THE FINAL CREDITS are as interesting as the picture. But study the closer on Disney’s blockbuster “The Lion King”. In the five long minutes it runs, you will acquire a sense of where today’s $80 million budgets are coming from. And you will see, …

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