Before the advent of modern aeronautics, men first attempted flight by wearing wings and jumping off towers, then tried hang-gliders, ornithopters, hot-air balloons, and steam-powered, heavier-than-air flying machines—aerodynes. Aleksandras Griškevičius (1809- 1863), a Lithuanian philosopher and inventor, experimented with such early modes of flying and combined their most promising features …
Read More »The Tatars and Karaim of Lithuania
The first Lithuanian State, the Grand Duchy of Lithuania (GDL), which existed from the thirteenth to the eighteenth century, was basically an emanation of the Lithuanian people, but also a multinational and multicultural state. The Lithuanians concentrated at the core were about one third of its population; the rest were …
Read More »Hot soups for chilly winter days
SAUERK RAUT SOUP Raugintų kopūstų sriuba 1 lb. sauerkraut, drained 1 lb. meat, pork or beef 1 onion, quartered 1 carrot, grated 4 peppercorns 2 bay leaves Salt to taste Cut meat into medium pieces, cover with cold water and bring to a boil, remove scum. Add sauerkraut and onion. …
Read More »Seeking Lithuania’s Past in Belarus
On each of our trips to Vilnius, my husband Paul and I make it a point to leave Old Town, where we always base ourselves and spend most of our time, to stroll along Gediminas Prospect in New Town. It’s a one-mile walk along a route lined with cafes and …
Read More »Traditional Kūčios Dishes
CHRISTMAS COMPOTE Vaisių kompotas 4 cups water 1 (8-ounce) package mixed dried fruit 1 cup pitted prunes 1 cup dried apples ½ cup golden raisins 4 cloves Juice of 1 lemon 1 cinnamon stick ½ cup fruit brandy or kirsch (optional) In large saucepan, combine water, mixed fruit, cloves and …
Read More »Lithuania On the Map: Cartography in Lithuania From the Sixteenth to the Eighteenth Century
Cartography (from the Greek Khartes, papyrus, and graphein, to write) is a witrecreated at a later date from his writings. We are aware of several fifteenth-century maps of Central Europe that present a topographic image of Lithuania, but they were compiled by Italian mapmakers from the data given by Ptolemy …
Read More »Apples – fall’s favorite fruit
APPLE AND PEAR SALAD Obuolių ir kriaušių salotos 6 sweet-sour apples or pears 3 cups water 1 cup sugar 1 lemon 5 cloves 5 aromatic peppers ¼ stick cinnamon Dash of salt Peel apples, cut into quarters and core. Cook 2-3 minutes in marinade, on low heat. Remove apples and …
Read More »Lithuanian Soldiers in Combat in China and the Philippines
Recently, Lithuanian troops have deployed as part of the coalition fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, but this is not the first time Lithuanians have seen combat in Asia. In 1896-1899, they fought in the Philippines, then in 1899-1901, in China. Lithuanians served as volunteers in the US armed forces, but …
Read More »Stay cool as a cucumber
COLD BEET SOUP Žaltibarščiai 3-4 fresh red beets (canned beets can also be used) 2 small cucumbers 2 hard-boiled eggs ½ cup sour cream 2 cups buttermilk 4 cups cold water ½ cup chives, chopped Fresh dill, chopped Salt to taste Pinch sugar, if desired Cook unpeeled beets in water …
Read More »Captain Cook’s Naturalist, Georg Forster, in Lithuania 1784-1787
Today, Johann Georg Adam Forster is not a household name. This contrasts very much with his own time, when he was the author of a celebrated book about James Cook’s second voyage to the South Pacific, A Voyage Round the World. As a traveler and naturalist, he made major contributions …
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