self-sufficiency | My Food Odyssey

Mar 12

Orange Glow

For the bulk of my childhood heating in our house was provided by fire. We had a stove in the kitchen that afforded both heat and an always-on cooking surface. The fire itself was safely tucked away behind a little door that was opened only when a draft was required to spur on the flames. But in our sitting room we had an open fire, and this was the one I loved. I could sit and stare into that fire for hours on end as another child might watch TV. There in those orange flames I saw rabbits and fish and ghosts and princesses and endless other creatures. It was an ever-changing story dancing before my eyes. It fuelled my imagination at a time when I was still reading fairy stories. I’m sure I wrote some of my own, at least in my head. We haven’t had a fire in our house for a long time, so these days the only time I get to stare into the flames is when we cook šašlykai (Lithuanian barbeque). I’m sure people think I’ve had one beer too many as I gaze into the flames and smile at the story that unfolds before me. Read more

Mar 9

Honey Bee in Fruit Tree | www.myfoododyssey.com

31 Comments

A hive for the honey bee

“Ouch, I’ve been stung”, I said, looking down to see a bee stuck to the leg of my corduroy jeans. “Ouch, I’ve been stung”, my friend’s younger brother mirrored behind me. “There’s no need to mock”, I said, before feeling another sharp prick, this time on the back of my hand. It was only then that I heard the low hum of the hive and realised that we were completely surrounded by bees. Read more

Feb 28

36 Comments

House Hunters International: The Video

I’m so excited – my 15 minutes of fame is finally here! (Actually, it’s 22 minutes, but who’s counting?) I was just enjoying my morning coffee when the post lady pulled up outside. She jumped out of her car brandishing a fancy-looking envelope and I knew immediately that our House Hunters DVD had arrived. Read more

Feb 25

28 Comments

All in a day’s work

“Do you guys, like, work?”, the TV executive asks as she makes her notes. While I understand what she means by the question, it irritates me immensely. I try to be cognisant of how our life here differs from the “norm” and politely explain that we both work very hard, but that neither of us is currently earning a regular income. I can tell by her reaction that it isn’t the response she’s looking for. Read more

Jan 28

Lithuanian Cepelinai (Potato Dumplings) | www.myfoododyssey.com

80 Comments

Cepelinai for Beginners [Recipe]

The first time I made cepelinai I failed miserably. And the second time. And probably the third time. After that, I called it quits and resolved only to eat cepelinai that had been prepared for me by someone who knew what they were talking about – either at a restaurant or by one of our Lithuanian friends. Read more

Jan 25

Lithuanian Cottage | www.myfoododyssey.com

65 Comments

Project House: The Reveal

So, here it is at last – our final house after our complete renovation and remodelling project. There is still some work outstanding but I’ve kept you waiting long enough, so I’ve decided to go ahead and show you around. Read more

Jan 19

23 Comments

Project House: The Transformation

I realise it’s been quite some time since I last gave you an update on our house renovation project. I had taken so many photos during the renovations process that the task of sorting through them seemed overwhelming and I kept putting it off. Now that the festive season has passed I am using the short, dark days and miserable weather as the perfect excuse to curl up with my laptop and get lots of writing done. Read more

Jan 7

Christmas Chalkboard | www.myfoododyssey.com

10 Comments

Of Turkeys and Dancing

“We’ll never all fit”, I said in a slightly panicked tone as I looked out into our conservatory. It’s not a small room, but with the oversize Christmas tree and several chunky pieces of furniture there wasn’t much space left for dancing. There were 11 of us here for Christmas dinner and I was struggling to figure out where we would all sit, never mind where we would put the dance floor. Read more

Dec 29

16 Comments

Warmth

I think the week between Christmas and New Year is probably my favourite week of the year. The stress of Christmas is behind us, tummies are full, hearts are happy and the fridge is full of leftovers. The weather is just cold enough that I don’t feel guilty curling up with a good book and a hot whiskey but not so cold that I can’t get out for a long walk with the dog to work off some of that stuffing. Read more

Nov 6

15 Comments

Descent

We’re off on our travels again. The car is packed with sleeping bags, food for the journey and a month’s worth of clothes, books and DVDs. We’re making what is becoming an annual trip to Denmark where we will work for a family that grows Christmas trees and runs a Christmas shop. Arūnas will be working in the fields, cutting and collecting the trees, while I will be working in the shop and hopefully doing some cooking for the family. It’s an intensive month but one we’re very much looking forward to. A change is as good as a rest, as they say. This photo was taken from our bedroom window during last year’s trip. We were both tired from a day’s work and watching the sun’s slow descent over the horizon was very soporific. We both slept well. Read more

Nov 4

Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Soup | www.myfoododyssey.com

16 Comments

Pumpkin & Peanut Butter Soup [Recipe]

Now that Halloween is over many shops and farmers’ markets have pumpkins available at reduced cost. Despite our penchant for turning them into jack-o’-lanterns, pumpkins actually make for very good eating. This simple soup, ready in about 30 minutes, uses peanut butter to enhance the flavour and texture of the soup. Pumpkins are a little sweet and contain very little protein. The addition of the peanut butter, rich in protein and good fats, makes this a well-balanced and hearty winter meal. Read more

Nov 1

14 Comments

Cover Art

We all have one good book in us. Or so they say. I’m convinced I have at least one in me but have yet to figure out what it will be. I don’t read much fiction and can’t imagine myself writing anything in that space. That said, I do have a vivid imagination and would love to write something that brings the reader into a completely new world – something akin to “Alice in Wonderland”. More likely it will be my food memoirs – my passions, my challenges, my philosophies, my journey – told around a lifelong love of food. Read more

Oct 20

Wheat Field, Lithuania | www.myfoododyssey.com

17 Comments

A bit about writing

“It’s all a bit beige”, Mrs Weaver concluded as she surveyed my plate. “We eat with our eyes”, she said over her shoulder as she walked on to the next student having barely tasted a bite. It was our end-of-term exam and I had been practising each element of this dish for weeks. I had proudly served a crisp vol-au-vent (made from scratch) filled with chunky morsels of monkfish and prawn smothered in a creamy velouté sauce, gently spiced roasted cauliflower and duchess potatoes, impeccably piped and toasted to perfection. Every element looked and tasted as it should but, now that I reviewed it as a whole, I had to agree with Mrs Weaver that the colours were all a bit similar and, well, beige. We eat with our eyes and this dish looked distinctly unappetising, despite the expensive ingredients and the care that had gone into the making. Mrs Weaver had 18 plates to get through and if I wanted her to stop and pay attention to mine I needed to make it beautiful as well as delicious. Lesson learned. Read more

Oct 17

Winter Sunset, Lithuania | www.myfoododyssey.com

13 Comments

Dreamy

The evenings are getting shorter, there is a distinct chill in the air and golden trees are rapidly giving way to bare branches. After a mild and sunny September winter is suddenly closing in here in Lithuania. Much as I love warmth and sunshine I am very much looking forward to winter. We have a warm and cosy home. We have a wonderful new kitchen where I will make comforting stews and slow roasts. We have a stock of homemade wine and beer which we will sip curled up in our panoramic conservatory, looking out at the dreamy winter landscape. We will read, write, savour, enjoy. We are ready. Bring it on. Read more

Oct 11

Chicken Eye Infection | www.myfoododyssey.com

35 Comments

Help! My chickens are sick!

My poor girls. They’re just not well. A few weeks back we noticed that one of our grey marans had started to develop a bit of a cough. None of the other birds seemed to be affected so I wasn’t overly worried. Not wanting to rush to the vet with every little sneeze I googled to see if there was a natural remedy I could administer. Read more