VB Ways

Love to explore, share and smile

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Gone fishing… Warm spring of 1993, sun-kissed freckly curious girl can’t take her hands off of a fishing rod, way too heavy to be held on her own. Under the masterful supervision from her uncle, the blondie is running the show of whoever catches more bleak. Ever since that sunny May evening the little girl was dazed. Summer days would start alike with an early wake up for the morning round, no matter sun or rain eyes focused on the float for the slightest wince. Hands, hair, clothes, eventually all around covered in the fishy stench. Years passed, passion vanished. Fast forward 20 years, the same girl looking for refreshing solitude – some characters of the story gone yet the setting is undoubtedly familiar. The old good bamboo rod, larvae for lure, river and me…

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On a way back the road was surrounded by storks, some getting cozy in nests raised by the cottages while the others were picking up fresh snacks from the ploughed up fields. None spotted in the sky, so no little ones on the horizon for a while. A slight detour due to road maintenance brought us to Raudone castle. The red brick beauty makes a great setting for a fancy shoot or a romantic sunset picnic. For the myths lovers down the park there could be found remains of Gediminas oak, the one that provided shelter for Duke Gediminas on his last supper. Historic rooms serve nicely as a school since 1960s. For the piece of your own history, there is a red brick mill on sale, which under the watchful eye of heritage surveyors could be turned into your fantasy premises. Elated by beautifully maintained surroundings, we have moved onto another brown sign of historic heritage – Belvederio dvaras. Sadly, what remains is the array of trees marking the grand entrance to a decaying, once spectacular bright white manor. Built in Tuscan manner on the top of the hill with the most beautiful view, hence the name Belveder. Shielded by scrubs, it seems to be conveniently used as late night fun spot. Let’s just hope renovation crew is on its way.

[vballtheway-blog]

For a Sunday outing we have chosen a route on the brink of the break-through. It is widely described as the undiscovered gem of central Lithuania, yet the crowds are still on a way, so we carried out the explorations pleasantly undisturbed. Kicked off the tour at the most distant Panemunes castle, recently renovated it boasts a historically themed hotel and a compact exposition corner. To encapsulate the centuries long history, built by rich Hungarian landlord Eperjesh at the end of 16th century, inherited by the generations of skint family it turned into a ghost of its glorious beginnings. Long lost splendour was brought back by Gelgaudai family. Sadly mutiny of 1831 has wiped out the newly found prosperity. A living witness of those days – jail in the vault under south tower. Peeking down the hole into the cellar still overwhelms with a image of torture. Climbing up the tower itself was a good exercise, but rather a disappointment once at the top. Neatly tiled with small windows it gave an impression of granny’s loft. The section I truly enjoyed was the non-renovated quarters with the remains of ancient wall paintings. As the windows are covered in muted film it gives a dim light perfect for a dreamy portrait. Unexpectedly courtyard was filled with local craftsmen fair. The taste of bonfire fried pancakes and stodgy fish soup under the afternoon sun made an exuberant moment.

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It is always fun to share the stories of joy and success. Yet this time I had to swallow a bitter pill of failure. What brought me to this low point is the challenge to make a French macaron. 3 trials and 3 very miserable fails. It all started naively with quickly going through couple of youtube clips. Set for an afternoon attraction, got ingredients neatly measured in recipe-advised proportions. The remainder of the process seemed equally ordinary – egg whites whipped to form firm caps, mixture of sugar powder and almond flour mixed in. About then it all went downwards – the batter got sticky and thick, could not even squeeze it through the tip of pastry bag. Once baked my little green gnomes had very little resemblance to their French counterparts and tasted more like almond cookies. The unfortunate result was written off to wrong proportion of almond flour, so second time simply added less of it (smart!). Whatever went wrong, but ended with even less presentable and tasty pink flats. Third time lucky, well it wasn’t. I deduced my previous miss to the mixing, in fact too much of it. So was extremely careful with my latest trial counting the turns and looking for that shiny smooth consistency. Once reached have transferred the batter quickly to the parchment-lined baking sheets. Yet again what came out of the oven were same flat unimpressive flops. Will let it settle down and look for my way of perfecting the iconic French dessert.

[vballtheway-blog]

Time to time I get these cravings for anything great from our nation’s historic past. To admit, we have very little of it publicly available and even what is there for us seems like a romantic picture coated by the later generations. A true gem personally is Kernave mound. It does not pose on a cover of tourist guidebook with a splendid castle or polished oldtown, but radiates the energy of the generations that have called the place home! Once a seat of Grand Duke of Lithuania, now a super silent village with just over 300 citizens. Medieval plots have penetrated the valley celebrating victories and drowning in sorrows. As the settlements those days were mainly wooden, none of them have a stood a chance to meet XXI century. What remains is a bundle of hills. The most impressive – Lizdeikos kalnas, named after the advisor to the duke, a senior figure in pagan hierarchy. Not sure how much of the medieval sacrifice and sorcery has been performed on site and if anyone by this name has ever stepped a foot on that land. But what could be a better place to make a wish. Loads of hard work, motivation and sparkle of old time mystery will be my omen.

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Sunday afternoon is fun by itself, but brunch with the lovely ladies makes it even more enjoyable. For our little gourmet gathering light prepared a selection of salads and starters. Mix of bright green and orange came in a form of lamb’s lettuce, avocado and grapefruit salad. Topped up with honey mustard dressing, it provided amplitude of textures and flavours. Secondly, a lazy Sunday essential - mini mocarela balls, cherry tomatoes with a sprinkle of pesto. Salads went down great, yet hands down, salmon tartar came out as the queen of the party. The simplicity of chopping salmon, onion, mixing in some capers with a splash of lemon juice and olive oil takes a focus to each single detail. Getting them all right guarantees a crowd pleaser. To complete the selection small shrimp tartlets filled in with sour cream and parsley blend delivered a delightful taste. No champagne this time, but all the great food and company turned Sunday afternoon into a joyful occasion.

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11th of March – Day of Restoration of Lithuanian Independence. National holiday – not only a chance to celebrate, but also to take a new look to the native land. This year we have headed up north. Right beside Panevėžys, the beautiful newly renovated Bistrampolis country estate. Once a seat to a wealthy Bistram family, now a hotel with well maintained garden, pond and stables. For those dreaming of a fancy wedding - a place to go on a wishlist. On a way back we have stopped at the tiny towns and villages, simply walking around and admiring local churches, which have been a centre of villagers’ life for centuries. Last stop of the great trip - stone Rapolas – nothing of the impressive sort, but humorous name and well maintained environment makes it a good spot for a stroll just outside Krekenava. Day very well spent – long live Lithuania!

[vballtheway-blog]

Historically winter in Lithuania was long, dark and grim hibernation, stereotypically spent by the dim candle light. For past 400 years all this misery has been wiped out by Kaziukas fair. For first couple of decades primarily religious affair gradually grown into yearly all-absorbing feast. Citizens would turn into merchants offering hand-crafted goods, villagers would come to offer the results of their winter toil. Fast-forward to 21st century, Vilnius old town for the entire weekend gets occupied by revellers. Bunch of violinists, guitarists and all other sorts of noise makers fill up the streets with cheerful clamour. Smell of braise pork mingles with the one of fresh gingerbread. Retail-wise, you can buy practically anything called traditional and much more. Have only brought 10 Eur this time, so escaped unhurt.

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3 hours well spent to step up to my toughest Culinary Challenge so far – Beef Wellington. The recipe I have followed: https://darauble.wordpress.com/2013/10/16/kaip-daryti-velingtono-kepsni (very well put together) Would like to share the points that made a challenge worthwhile. Quality of beef – may sound lame, but 2 different cuts can create 2 different dishes. Hence, tenderloin is an essential investment. Adding rosemary and thyme to sizzling hot pan, gives a strongly flavoured crust, which only intensifies mustard relish. Filo pastry – have bought a frozen sheet. Making one from scratch would take a challenge to a completely new level. Otherwise, extremely satisfied with the result. Could have used portobello mushrooms or different type of mustard, will experiment in many trials to come. All in all, Wellington had all the crucial points – crusty pasty cap, juicy mushroom layer and luscious beef. Looking for a new opportunity to put those gastronomic skills to the test some time very soon.

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Hi! Spring has come! On this high note I am embarking on a journey of prolific writing and visual expression. Where do I come from? I read and do read quite a bit, but never have I shared my reflections in written. I travel, but tend to choose the far away destinations, not given the sights nearby fair exploration. While staying at home I love perfecting my little edible creations.  What started as a wish to document my views, developed into motivation to dive in these hobbies and share the frills publicly. Let’s grasp the bliss of daily wonders!