Lithuania | My Food Odyssey

Jun 13

Friday Favourites: Cold Beer & Remote Control

Ok, so I’m knackered. My muscles ache, my leg is bruised, my fingernails are filthy and my hair is inexplicable. I really need to spend half an hour standing under a steady stream of hot water. Alas, our shower does not allow for such luxuries. For a start, it takes about three hours to heat the water. You then get about five minutes at a soft trickle before the water starts to run cold. Unless you move at lightning speed you will still be covered in suds by the time the hot water runs out, leaving you to dance about the bath as you do the final rinse with cold water. Read more

Jun 10

38 Comments

Cock Whacking

It appears I have been mollycoddling my cock. I need to treat it a bit more roughly, apparently. To keep it in its place. Easier said than done. My cock woes began the day the fucker arrived. (Sorry, but my thesaurus had no replacements for “fucker”.) He escaped from the run and Arūnas had to wrestle the poor dog to stop him from killing him. In retrospect we should have just let it play out. We spent the next half an hour running round after him like eejits, eventually getting him back, tailless but otherwise intact, into the run. Read more

Jun 6

No-Churn Chocolate Chip Ice Cream | www.myfoododyssey.com

23 Comments

Friday Favourites: 15 Minute Chocolate Chip Ice Cream [Recipe]

This ice cream is a cinch. An absolutely cinch. No cooking, no cooling, no churning, no icy lumps. It’s in the freezer within 15 minutes and ready to eat just two hours later. It’s incredibly soft and creamy while being rich and decadent from the dark chocolate. And all that with just four simple ingredients. This is a win-win ice cream. Read more

Jun 4

6 Comments

Split-Second Story

If looks could kill. I spotted this cat peering into some long grass, about to pounce on an unsuspecting mouse or frog. I tried to sneak a photo but she heard the shutter and spun round to give me her best cat glare. There was such evil in those eyes I actually felt happy for the mouse! Read more

May 30

Homemade Toffee Popcorn | www.myfoododyssey.com

13 Comments

Friday Favourites: Toffee Popcorn [Recipe]

Friday night is movie night here in our house. During the week we each tend to do our own thing – reading, listening to music or watching YouTube videos relative to our areas of interest. Come Friday, though, we like to curl up together to watch something a little trashy. Earlier in the evening we treat ourselves to one of our favourite Friday dinners – burgers (which we had today), pizza, fajitas or such like. Then I like to make a big bowl of popcorn to munch in front of the TV. Throw in a few beers and I’m in heaven. Read more

May 23

Homemade Fajitas | www.myfoododyssey.com

10 Comments

Friday Favourites: Homemade Fajitas [Recipe]

I’ll never forget the first time I had fajitas. I was living in Texas and was brought to a restaurant by one of my colleagues to sample the local Tex-Mex cuisine. I had, of course, heard of fajitas but hadn’t tried them and decided to give them a go. The sizzling platter of meat and vegetables, along with a selection of cold toppings such as sour cream, guacamole and grated cheese, that was delivered to each individual diner fascinated me. I absolutely loved the idea of building my own fajita my way, with my chosen ingredients. Read more

May 21

Homemade Garlic Powder | www.myfoododyssey.com

29 Comments

Homemade Garlic Powder [Recipe]

I absolutely love garlic as an ingredient. I use tons of the stuff – pretty much every savoury dish I prepare contains at least one clove of garlic, probably more. Garlic seems to add so much to a dish – rich aroma, warmth, luxury, a touch of heat and a depth of flavour that seems to linger on the palate long after you’ve finished eating. For me, no other seasoning comes close to garlic. Read more

May 16

18 Comments

Friday Favourites: Homemade Pizza [Recipe]

One of my chief ambitions in life is to rid my kitchen of all commercially processed foods and make everything myself from scratch. While I’ve made some good progress over the past year I still have a way to go. It’s an ongoing journey – I’ll get there little by little. I appreciate that I am fortunate in that I have time to spend in my kitchen preparing my food. Back when I had a full-time job I did my best most nights, making speedy reliables such as pasta dishes or stir-fries, keeping the ingredients as fresh and healthy as possible. But come Friday evening I wanted a treat – something sticky or gooey that could be eaten curled up on the couch in front of a good movie, perhaps with a cold beer on the side. Read more

May 9

4 Comments

(Fun) Friday Favourites

I’m in a funny humour. It could be the alignment of the planets, perhaps residual giddiness from finding my first eggs in the chicken coop this week, maybe even Eurovision madness. Who the heck knows. But everything I read seems to be amusing me. I’m ok with that. I like to be amused! I guess most of us do, especially on Fridays, after a long, hard week. So, just for fun, this week I thought I’d bring you a selection of some of the more humourous links I came across during the week. I hope they brighten up your day! Read more

May 7

24 Comments

Which Came First?

Finally, I have the answer. It’s the chicken. The chicken definitely came first. Six weeks before the egg, to be exact. For six weeks I have been diligently checking the coop every day, patiently waiting for an egg. Friends advised that it might be some considerable time before we got an egg as the hens were so young and their combs and wattles were still quite small. Read more

May 6

14 Comments

Spring

Ah, Spring. A beautiful time of the year when life springs into action once more. Birds return to our trees and build their nests, flowers blossom, weeds shoot up in our grass and busy bees begin again to make their sweet honey. I know that dandelions are generally considered to be weeds (or perhaps wild flowers, if we’re being kind), but I love their deep yellow colour and lush green leaves. This bee seems to like them, too. Read more

May 2

5 Comments

Friday Favourites

It’s been another busy week here on the range. Digging has started for the geo-thermal heating for the new house. It’s not a pretty sight at the moment but it should be worth it in the end. Mr. Cock has become a bit territorial about the chicken house and attacked me yesterday when I went in to clean. We’ll need to see some improvements in demeanor, Cocky, or there may be a very large saucepan in your future. Finally, I’ve been working hard on planting my vegetable beds, often until late evening as it was just too hot during the day. Read more

May 1

Ayrton Senna barrel at Tio Pepe | www.myfoododyssey.com

Letters

A barrel of sherry signed by Ayrton Senna at Tio Pepe, Spain. Can a few letters change the value of a product? My guess is that this barrel will never be consumed, which I guess makes it priceless. Read more

Apr 30

23 Comments

A Little Spring Planting

I am exhausted. Totally and utterly exhausted. But in a good way. My legs are wobbling like jelly and my arms feel like they’re about to fall off. My forehead is covered with little streaks of clay from where I brushed my hair back from my face. Freckles are beginning to appear on my nose, reaffirming my Celtic heritage. Read more

Apr 25

Apple Blossom & Bee | www.myfoododyssey.com

5 Comments

Friday Favourites

Spring has truly sprung here in Lithuania over the past week. The weather has been warm and sunny and there has been an explosion of growth. The fruit trees have blossomed and the bees are buzzing busily gathering nectar for delicious honey. Dandelions have shot up and are providing a welcome feast for my girls. If only they would produce an egg I know they would have the most golden yolks imaginable. Read more