Day 19 of 24 Days of a Baltic Christmas is brought to you by
Viktorija. Originally from Lithuania, Viktorija has lived in Denmark & New
Zealand, but now lives in Rīga with her
Latvian husband. Please welcome Viktorija with her thoughts on the Lithuanian
poppy and hemp seed tradition!
Christmas on Cannabis or High on Christmas?
Lithuanians are
weird. Besides being a small country that people can barely find on a map (have
you ever experienced those awkward stares and assumptions that are way off base?),
there is also the connection between poppies and cannabis. Although this
association might not be the first thing to come to mind when thinking of the
country, I promise that all Lithuanians have some exposure to the two.
Historians and those
researching ancient Lithuania claim that the country has always been known for
the courage of its people, and old, lively traditions. Whereas some people
claim that courage and traditions do not go hand in hand, you might be
surprised on hearing another take on that; what if you learned that some lovely
substances (which might have an intoxicating effect) might have been involved?
Historians disagree on this point as there is no significant evidence on the usage
of said substances, however most Lithuanians still eagerly consume them during
one of the holiest events throughout the year, Christmas.
Whereas the
rest of the world can be quick to pass judgement on hearing being “high on
Christmas”, but let me stop you there and tell the archaic story of One
Lithuanian Daredevil Fighter who invented a peaceful tradition… eh, whom am I
kidding, guys. Long story short – Lithuanians are creative people who know how
to make themselves joyous with the help of tiny black seeds that take all sorts
of shapes and forms during the month of December.
Roasted
Cannabis seed
During the holy
evening of Christmas Eve no one in Lithuania will think less of you for
consuming considerable amounts of boiled potatoes with roasted hemp seeds. Therefore
it's important to ensure that this year's Christmas follows in the old Lithuanian
tradition - all you will need is a pack of hemp seeds and some boiled potatoes
(folks from abroad who don't officially get it in shops, please don't ask me
where to get it!).
Once the
potatoes are boiled and soft, prepare your cannabis garnish: in a hot pan (no
oil!) roast a handful of hemp seeds for 2-3
minutes til the room starts smelling warm and peaceful... Those, who have
already had a chance to try this national heritage dish claim that it is
stunning due to its pleasant, simple taste.
Liquid Cannabis
Besides containing
a generous amount of vitamins E and D, people claim that cannabis prevents
depression (surprise surprise!). So to wipe away all the negative thoughts that
you might be having, try consuming cannabis in its liquid form by making some cannabis
seed milk.
To produce the liquid medicine that keeps the gloomy
winter depression away you will need around 7-8 spoonfuls of unhulled hemp
seeds, 1 liter of water, 2 spoons of Agave nectar (maple syrup is ok
too) and a pinch of vanilla sugar. Soak the seeds in cold water overnight,
strain them, and blend with the rest of ingredients until a rich white. Rinse
the leftovers of the seeds and enjoy. After all, when considering the positive aspects of cannabis,
one must remember that it has amazing medical characteristics, right?
Roasted Poppies
It was thought
that the poppy is a kind of an intermediary between a living man and the sky, and
by consuming it the living man has an opportunity to connect with the spirits
(hmmm...). So all kinds of poppies - fresh, roasted, ground & soaked - were
consumed back then, and still are today. I will not dig deeper trying to find
some further historical information on the usage of poppies as an intermediary
between man and sky, but will mention the current situation; possibly heavy
consumption was the main reason why growing poppies is controlled in Lithuania
today.
A mainstay of Lithuanian Christmas Eve (kūčios) is
the Christmas Eve cookie, or “little poppy breads," kūčiukai. For the process of making
kūčiukai you will need: 500gr flour, 200ml water, 15gr fresh
yeast, around 50gr of poppies, 50gr sugar, 2-3 spoons of oil and a pinch of
salt. The process is quite straightforward; mash yeast with the sugar, warm the
water and pour the yeast/sugar mixture along with ½ of the flour into a bowl.
Mix well and set aside to rise. Once the dough has nearly doubled in size mix in
the leftover flour and add the rest of the ingredients. Let rest until the
dough has doubled a second time. Finally form a long "sausage", cut into
small squares, and bake for about 6 minutes at 180°C until the pieces become
golden brown.
(Editors note: for more on kūčiukai, please
see A Baltic Christmas Day 22 - Lithuanian Christmas Eve Biscuits | Kūčiukai)
Liquid Poppies
Poppy milk is
thought to be the legacy of spirits. And as if that weren’t enough, Lithuanians
tend to consume this precious liquid legacy along with the Christmas Eve
cookies (kūčiukai, see above). Double
the power, double the fun they say.
To make some
poppy milk soak a cup of poppies in boiling water and let them sit overnight.
The next day drain the seeds, add around 2 liters of cold water, and blend
until smooth, adding a spoonful of honey or another sweetener of your choice. Strain
out the remaining poppies and enjoy together with the Christmas Eve cookies, or
alone.
You might feel
slightly uncomfortable about the consumption of cannabis seeds and/or poppies,
and might question the historical aspect of consumption. I agree that this is a
grey area that no one talks (too loudly) about, but one thing is for sure; all
four ingredients might have some effect. Lithuanian Christmas folklore talks of
hearing animals speak on Christmas Eve… well, I’ll let you draw your own
conclusion.
Thank you Viktorija! Latvians also have hemp and poppy seed
foodstuffs, including but not limited to hempseed butter and poppy seed buns (magoņmaizītes), but I don’t know that there is the same
link with the holidays… It’s always interesting to consider the roots of such traditions!
Viktorija is a Lithuanian with a global mindset (has worked
in Lithuania, Switzerland, Denmark, New Zealand and Latvia). She is a
copywriter and PR specialist, a foodie and traveler; connect with her here! To read more about Viktorija’s story, please visit Life in Riga for Moving to Latvia: Viktorija’s story.
We’re happy you joined us in what is the final week of the
series, and hope you’ll return tomorrow on Day 20 for more on Latvian mittens!
