Pilgrim

Suburban Chicago, October 1970. I am ready for the party.

They go back.

Suburban Chicago, January 1961. The man sitting next to Dad was one of Dad's high-school classmates. He and his family joined us for a Sunday dinner.

Dig in.

Verona, Wisconsin, November 2010. Don't forget to try the beets.

Related by Marriage: Breakfast

Madison, Wisconsin, December 1990. Mr. Irene's Parents visit us in our new home.

Related by Marriage: Sunday Picnic

Suburban Chicago, June 1980. Everyone looks more relaxed in this snapshot.

Related by Marriage: Summer Visitor

Suburban Chicago, June 1980. Mr. Irene's paternal Uncle, Ignas, visits the Chicago branch of the family. He's at the head of the table. Mr. Irene's Mom sits on the far left, and Aunt Danutė takes charge of serving (even though she is not the party's hostess). Anthony sits to Ignas's left.

Related by Marriage: An Uncle and an Aunt

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, November 1965. Mr. Irene dines with his paternal Uncle Ignas and his maternal Aunt Martha. The family visit the home of Mr. Irene's maternal Grandparents during Ignas's trip to Chicago.

Babos Receptai (Part 15)

Here's a recipe Tatjana got from her daughter—my Dad's twin sister—Jonė.

 Here's how I translated the recipe:

Streusel Kuchen

Streusel Topping:
1 to 1-1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 stick unsalted butter (not specified in the recipe, but I would add)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract 

Cake:
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 to 2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder (Tatjana probably used one of these)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 sticks margarine
1 stick butter
1 "cup" granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk 

Marmalade or jam 


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and adjust the rack to the center position.

For the Streusel: Mix together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the vanilla. Chill the streusel while you prepare the cake batter.

For the Cake: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set aside.

Cream the margarine, butter, and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla.

Alternately fold in the sifted dry ingredients and the milk, beginning and ending with the sifted dry ingredients. 

Spread the dough on a greased, flat baking pan (size not specified). Spread some marmalade or jam over the top.

Scatter the streusel over the top of the cake. Bake for about 40 minutes. If the cake is not ready after 40 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10 minutes.

Babos Receptai (Part 14)

My paternal Grandmother, Tatjana, baked only a few signature items. She often made (and I still bake) "Babos Pyragas." She also (over)baked Banana Cake. Occasionally, she made Devil's Food cupcakes from scratch. She never frosted the cupcakes, so they were quite dry. (I dislike cupcakes, by the way, because who wants to eat all that hard crust? Isn't it better to eat the soft, moist inside of a cake?)

Here's Tatjana's recipe for the Devil's Food Cupcakes (notice again the chemical formulas):

Here's how I wrote up the recipe:

Devil's Food Cake

(1) First, cream together:
1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 whole eggs

(2) Second, sift together:
 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

 (3) Third, stir together:
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup whole milk
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon vanilla

And now add to the (1) sugar/shortening/egg mixture the (2) sifted dry ingredients and (3) the liquid ingredients. Add the dry ingredients in three additions and the liquid ingredients in two additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.

Bake cupcakes for 20 minutes at 350 degrees F.

A cake (Tatjana used a 10-inch tube pan) bakes for about 45 to 55 minutes* at 350 degrees F.

ADDED: A reader tests this recipe.

*Baking time adjusted from the duration I originally had posted.

It's "World Cepelinas Day"

Are you cooking Cepelinai today? We're not, but it's a nice day to revisit the recipe:

The last time Mr. Irene and I had Cepelinai was when we visited Grand Duke's Restaurant:

*     *     *     *     *

Related by Marriage: Flowers for the Guest

Vilnius, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1983. Relatives greet Mr. Irene's Dad upon his arrival in Lithuania. Dad's brother, Stacey, stands on the left.

Weekend Coffee

Suburban Chicago, 1979. Dad and Mom are guests for coffee. I see a box of slides on the coffee table. It could be a long afternoon.

Gift Exchange

Suburban Chicago, December 1962. I'm on the floor, observing the guests. Hey! That little fellow has a bottle of my favorite soda.

Entertaining

Verona, Wisconsin, November 2011. Poppy considers Baci as she awaits the guests' arrival.

Happy Thanksgiving

Verona, Wisconsin, November 2014. We all remember a happy time.

Related by Marriage: After the Meal

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, November 1965. The family poses in the kitchen of Mr. Irene's maternal Grandparents' home. The group just finished the Thanksgiving meal, and all celebrate a visit from Uncle Ignas.

Standing: Mr. Irene's Dad, Uncle Ignas, Mr. Irene's Mom, and Mr. Irene. Mr. Irene's maternal Grandfather, Stanley, sits at the table.

Thanks to Mr. Irene's Los Angeles Cousin for making this photo available to us.

Related by Marriage: Sunday Gathering

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, 1959. Mr. Irene's Dad celebrates Mr. Irene's christening day. The group sits in the kitchen of Anna and Stanley's home. The back of Anna's head—covered in a hair net—faces the camera lens.

Do you recognize the 7Up bottle partially visible in the lower right corner?

Farewell Dinner

Kaunas, Lithuania, July 28, 1928. The American Consul to Lithuania wrote, "Mr. and Mrs. Moraht [the German Minister to Lithuania] gave a farewell dinner for us this evening and most of our friends were there. Mr. Moraht made a very cordial speech. After dinner there was dancing. We did not leave until about two o'clock . . . . A photograph of the party was taken just before dinner."

Thanks to the Consul's Granddaughter for making this photo available to us.

Related by Marriage: Cheerful

Marquette Park, Chicago, Illinois, November 1965. Everyone enjoys Ignas's visit.

Related by Marriage: Welcome

Vilnius, Lithuanian Soviet Socialist Republic, July 1983. Family members greet Mr. Irene's Dad upon his arrival in Lithuania. The man to the right of Mr. Irene's Dad is Stacey.

I wonder if the photographer intentionally included the lurkers on the right in his frame.