The History of Food in LithuaniaKulupenai M. Valancius Basic SchoolBy Edgardas (11) and Valdas (14)

Cuisine of Grand Duchy of Lithuania XIII-XVIIc. (GDL) In XIII-XVIIc., Lithuanian cuisine went through

process of differenciation and division into the cuisine of the rulers and knights, burgers, and peasants.

In the castles of rulers and knights: - big kitchens with cooks and waiters, - big amounts of food stored for the army. - bread of the highest importance: - big bread baking furnace in every castle, - the Grand Duke treats guests with bread and midus (drink), - used as equivelent of money.

Food suplies in GDL

Vegatables: - groving turnips, - buying redishes, cabbages, , garlics, onions;

Meat: 1. beef, 2. pork, 3. goat, 4. horse;Diary products of high importance: - sour cream and cheese – very expensive, for kings and knights‘ menu only Food served in clay or wooden bowls, cut with knives,Eating with the help of spoons and hands.

New imported products in GDL times XV -XVIc. – first tomatoes, corn, coffee, cocoa, tea – but not easily

accepted: - tomatoes were called as „apples of love“ and recommended for soups only; - potatoes were accepted as exclusive plants of a kitchen garden , more consumed as medicine; only in XVIIIc., they were admitted as useful vegetables consumed by poor people, later- on the menu of army. Peasants did not take potatoes as a good vegetable, they thought it could spread out diseases. - coffee brought from Turkey and Egypt. In XWIII c., coffee becomes a drink of modern people of that time. - expensive tea brought from England and Netherlands and first cosumed as medecine. - in XVIIc., chocolate was consumed by wealthy people.

Burgher cuisine in GDL times

For the wealthier residents:- the main dishes – with lots of meat and fish,- white bread and other baked goods;- in XVIIC., in Vilnius,- a grocery store selling peppers, cinamon,almonds, rasins, dried oranges, mustard, cloves, different kinds of sugar;

For the poorer residents: - lots of bread and grain products, - dairy product and eggs, - flax and hemp oil, - meat not often.

Peasant cuisine in GDL times

Grain and vegetables:- mostly brown rye bread, - white bread and tasty baked goods only on special occasions, - buckwheat, oatmeal porridges and puddings,- various pancakes and dumplings, - baked beans, peas with pork fat,- soups with cabbages, beet leaves, - parsnips instead of potatoes.Drinks: - kwass made from dried and barkened bread crusts, - various herb teas, - alcohol.

Cuisine in XIX-XXc.c. influenced by other cultures

German influence: – potato pudding (kugelis), - intestins stuffed with mashed potatoes (vedarai), popular in Eastern parts of Lithunia, -baroque tree cake (shakotis, Lithuanian version of baumkuchen). Similar to Jewish and Polish versions: dumplings, doughnuts, crepes,Eastern (Karaite) dishes: kibinai, ceburekai,From Napoleon‘s passage through Lithuania in XIX c., - torte Napoleon

Ceburekai Baroque tree cake Vedarai

The most popular dishes todayNumber 1 – cepelinai, similar to a

form of an airship invented by Graff von Zeppelin.( made of potato dough and a filling of minced mea

Number 2 – cold beet soup with boiled hot patatoes, (made of baked beet, butter milk, cold boiled water, fresh cucumbers, green onions, dills)

Number 3. Potato pancakes (left), and Samogitian pancakes (right, made of mashed potatoes, flour, stuffed with minced boiled meat (served with sour cream (one of the traditional sauce options).

Number 4. Pork chop (karbonadas)

Number 5. Stuffed cabbages (balandeliai, „little doves“, made of boiled cabbage leaves with filling of meat and rice or barley inside, stewed in tomato souce; ussually,served with hot boiled potatoes)

Sources

http://www.truelithuania.com/food-in-lithuania-and-lithuanian-cuisine-151

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithuanian_cuisine http://www.vug.lt/19-comenius-projektas/277-traditional-foods-of-lithuaniahttps://www.thespruce.com/lithuanian-stuffed-cabbage-recipe-balandeliai-1136761

http://www.sepc.lt/softlanding/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=51&Itemid=57

„Prie stalo visa Lietuva“, Mityba ir maisto kultūra nuo seniausių laikų iki šių dienų, Terra Publica, 2015