The Republic of Lithuania is an Eastern European country, compactly located on the shores of the Baltic Sea. The first information about Lithuania dates back to 1009.The formation of the state of Lithuania began with the unification of a number of large, distinctive Baltic peoples. The independent strong tribes of Zemaitija and Aukstaitija, who had their own cultural traditions, entered into a military alliance to oppose the German crusaders.
History of national Lithuanian cuisine
At the beginning of the 16th century, the lands of the Lithuanian princedom became part of the Rech Pospolita state, and from the 18th century the original Lithuanian territory was occupied by the Russian Empire. Lithuania acquired independence only after the collapse of the USSR in 1990.Neighboring countries and regions( Latvia, Poland, Russia and Belarus) had a great influence on the national Lithuanian cuisine. Over time, the Lithuanian people adopted features of Russian, Polish, Belarusian and Latvian cuisine.
In the 14th-18th centuries, the dishes of an independent Lithuanian direction dominated on the tables of the representatives of the Lithuanian nobility - the kitchen of the Lithuanian gentry( the Old Polish culinary branch).In the 19th century, recipes for Lithuanian cuisine no longer belong to the Old Lithuanian cuisine, which indicated the emergence of a new direction for the development of Lithuanian cuisine, which is still very popular in Lithuania.
Newlite cuisine is due to the poorest layers of the population. Searches and delicacies were rare guests on ordinary people's tables, so the recipes for the new Lithuanian cuisine consisted of products that they could get. And it was in Novolitovskaya cuisine that the peculiarities of the cuisines of other Baltic nations were reflected. Let's try together to understand the traditional dishes of the Old-Litovsk and Novolitovsk culinary traditions.
So, the old-fashioned cuisine is impossible without its own technical features of cooking and ingredients used. Some Lithuanian dishes even entered the world culinary tradition. So everyone knows the Lithuanian sorcerer( pelmeni), Lithuanian borscht or goose canoe - Lithuanian delicacy. The Lithuanian state has always had close trade, political and economic relations with the peoples of the East.
Lithuanian cuisine traditions and dishes
Lithuanian cuisine was once replenished with the ingredients and tastes brought to it by the Ottoman Empire and the Golden Horde. As the basis for Lithuanian cabbage cabbage cabbage with meat( pork) or mushroom filling with sour cream sauce, eastern dolma performed. Once these cabbage rolls were made from grape leaves, and their filling was a mixture of lamb, dried apricots and pomegranate juice. The ancestor of Lithuanian fish dishes, for example, pike with horseradish or sour cabbage, became another oriental dish - a mousaka. On a special situation in the Old-style cuisine there were dishes on honey. No feast of the Lithuanian nobility could do without gingerbread with honey and honey brags.
Novolitovskaya cuisine had its own characteristics and traditions, although some of its elements were based on borrowings from the old-style cuisine. So everything was also actual, smoked meat and fish. The honey remained on the dominant positions - all of them also made sweets and boiled brags. But nevertheless the New Litovsk cuisine became different.
To begin with it is necessary to tell about the ingredients. The basis for new dishes are simple and affordable products. In dishes, more meat was given to meat semi-products - corned beef, lard and sausage. In addition, a separate and popular dish stood out potatoes. Boiled potatoes were served with butter and greens, and on a snack meat sausages and lard served. Also in large quantities, Novolitovsk cuisine features dairy products.
There are no soup or broths in Novolitovsk cuisine or there are minimal quantities of soups. Also rare guests in Lithuanian cuisine are spices. Lithuanian chefs can add onion, parsley, dill, cumin and marjoram in small quantities. In this case cumin and marjoram are national Lithuanian spices.