Lithuania has updated its Cold Beetroot Soup Map, an interactive culinary guide that allows visitors to explore the country’s gastronomic scene and savour the vibrant traditional dish. The revised map features top restaurants and local eateries, providing a simple and straightforward way for food fans to indulge in Lithuania’s authentic flavours and rich culinary heritage.
The country’s national tourism development agency, Lithuania Travel, has introduced the new Cold Beetroot Soup Map, which is a one-of-a-kind guide that will take visitors on a tantalising journey through its vibrant gastronomic scene.
The map provides a user-friendly platform for travellers to help them to discover Lithuania’s best culinary hotspots. The map features renowned restaurants, cosy cafes, and local eateries where visitors can indulge in the finest variations of the country’s iconic Cold Beetroot Soup dish, known locally as šaltibarščiai and internationally as Pink Soup.
Whether you prefer a classic recipe or a modern twist, the map has you covered, guiding you to the most authentic and innovative places serving this Lithuanian speciality.
Some of the more curious options on the menu include a take on šaltibarščiai with crayfish tails and sorrel at the Déjà vu restaurant, a bowl topped with sour cream ice cream in Dubingių žirgynas, and even a slice of šaltibarščiai cake, made at the Patore sesės bakery in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania.
Cold Beetroot Soup dates back to the 17th century. It is a seasonal dish that can be found on many Lithuanian menus during heat waves. One of the most obvious things that define the soup is its colour, which is shockingly bright pink and comes from natural beetroot juice. It has a lovely fresh taste, as it contains kephir, which many will undoubtedly know is considered to be one of the world’s most beneficial food products.
Mixed with cucumbers, dill, eggs, and other secret ingredients, the vibrant pink soup is a summertime favourite and is one of the first ports of call for those wanting to experience an authentic taste of Lithuania’s culinary heritage.
For many, šaltibarščiai is much more than just a soup dish. It is something that evokes feelings of nostalgia, childhood memories, and a sense of comfort. Inside the country, you’ll often find it as a staple ingredient in family gatherings, celebrations or simply as a comfort food that brings people together.
Cold Beetroot Soup has been passed down through generations, and the iconic recipe is considered to be somewhat of a heritage item for the country.
Over recent years, the Cold Beetroot Soup has begun to make its way into pop culture, with visitors and locals alike able to shop around for t-shirts, lighters, keychains, and even šaltibarščiai flavoured snacks. And, at the start of June, Lithuania’s capital city, Vilnius, even dedicated an entire festival to Pink Soup, with murals, installations, a slide, and the numerous costumes of attendants symbolising the fuschia-coloured dish.
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