self-sufficiency | My Food Odyssey

May 16

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 13

2 Comments

On the Move

One of my favourite “on the move” shots from our trip around Europe last summer. You can just make out the “Europe on a shoestring” and “Wines of the world” books on the dashboard. We didn’t pass many other cars so I thought this one, plus the surrounding view, were noteworthy. 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

Apr 23

Peneda-Gerês National Park, Portugal | www.myfoododyssey.com

5 Comments

On Top

This is one of my favourite photos from our trip around Europe. Taken in Peneda-Gerês National Park in northern Portugal, it captures Arūnas taking a coffee break on top of a small stone shack. Close to the top of the mountain, the vistas surrounding us were superb. The photo completely captures the joy of camper van life – you can take your coffee break wherever you like! Read more

Apr 22

Palanga, Lithuania | www.myfoododyssey.com

11 Comments

Life’s Simple Pleasures

There is nothing in the world I like better than gathering around a big table with friends to eat food. If that table happens to be outside in a sunny day, all the better. So it was on Easter Sunday that we spent the afternoon on our friend’s porch, eating wonderful food, sipping cool white wine, chatting, laughing and enjoying life. Read more

Apr 18

4 Comments

Friday Favourites

It’s been a tough ole week. I have concluded that if our marriage can survive these renovations it can survive anything! On the plus side, things are moving quickly. The piping was laid for the under-floor heating & the concrete floors poured. The upstairs insulation is almost complete & work on the lights is underway. And we managed a trip to IKEA to pick out our new kitchen – utter heaven for a girl who loves to cook. Read more

Apr 14

8 Comments

Monument

The Monument aux Mort (War Memorial) in Marseille, France. The inscription reads “Aux Heros de l’Armée d’Orient et des Terres Lointaines” – “For the Heros from the (French) Army of the East and from Distant Lands”. About 36,000 of these memorials were erected around France shortly after World War 1. This one opened on April 24th 1927. Read more

Apr 11

4 Comments

Friday Favourites

I can’t believe how quickly the week has flown by – it only seems like yesterday that I posted the last set of Friday Favourites. It’s a beautiful Spring day here – clear blue skies with just a hint of bite in the air. The weekend promises something similar, so hopefully I’ll get started on planting out my seedlings. We’re also hoping to build a greenhouse using the old windows from the house. Busy, busy. Read more

Apr 9

Lithuanian Koldunai (Meat Dumplings) | www.myfoododyssey.com

61 Comments

Lithuanian Koldūnai | Meat Dumplings [Recipe]

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. In my case, this was particularly true. In the early days of our relationship I remember plying my man with rich stews of lamb shanks in red wine sauce served with super-creamy mashed potato, mixed seafood platters served on a lazy Susan with a big bowl of chips and a selection of dipping sauces set in the middle and regular full Irish breakfasts. He still jokes about how he could hear the “chitzzz” of a fresh beer being opened as soon as he set an empty bottle down on the table. Read more