FRACKVILLE, Pa. — Since 1914, folks with Lithuanian Heritage have been celebrating their traditions, culture and foods during Lithuanian Days! The festival, held in Schuylkill County is the longest consecutive running ethnic festival in the USA! To get ready for the big 112th celebration, Home and Backyard visited the home of Attorney and Mrs. Paul Domalakes Members of the Knights of Lithuania Council #144, the council that sponsors the annual Lithuanian Days festival.
As a part of getting ready and learning more about the Lithuanian Days celebration, Mrs. Patti Domalakes generously shared her culinary talents by teaching us how to make Šaltibarščiai, a traditional Lithuanian cold beet soup. This vibrant pink dish is not only delicious and refreshing, but also a beautiful representation of Lithuanian culture and cuisine. FULL RECIPE FOUND AT END OF THE ARTICLE
The process began with baking fresh beets in the oven until they were tender. Once cooled, the beets were carefully peeled and placed in a food processor to be finely chopped. Patti then added finely diced onions and cucumbers—two ingredients that give the soup its crunch and fresh flavor. She also boiled 1 cup of water and added bullion and set it aside, after the bullion dissolved she combined it with the beets, onion and cucumbers. To achieve the soup’s creamy texture and signature color, she mixed in milk, buttermilk, and a generous spoonful of sour cream. The ingredients were blended together until smooth and well-combined and chilled.
When it came time to serve, the chilled soup was ladled over a warm, boiled potato an traditional essential finishing touch that balanced the coolness of the soup with a bit of comforting warmth.
We also learned how to make Sauerkraut salad which is perfect for a picnic or fun family gathering,
SEE BELOW FOR FULL RECIPES FOR BOTH DISHES
Thanks to Mrs. Domalakes, we not only learned how to make a classic Lithuanian dishes, but also gained a deeper appreciation for the traditions and the heritage of Lithuanians,
The 2025 Lithuanian Days Festival will be held August 16-17 (11am-6pm on Saturday and 12pm to 5pm on Sunday) at Catalpa Grove at Lakewood Park Barnesville, PA. The 2 day event is filled with food, music, performances, vendors with goods from Lithuania, history and more. Whether or not you have Lithuanian heritage, everyone is Lithuanian during Lithuanian Days and is invited to enjoy the celebration! Mėgautis!
RECIPES:
SALTIBARSCIAI Cole Red Beet Soup
Ingredients:
6 Red beets
4 Tbsp chicken soup base (or granules)
1 cup boiling water
2-4 Tbsp sweet onion, shredded
1 1/2 (or 12 oz.) cucumbers, peeled
4 cups whole mill
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups sour cream
6 small potatoes, cooked
dill (for garnish)
Method:
Place red beets in shallow pan filled with about 2 inches of water. Cover pan with foil and bake for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees or until beets pierce easily with a fork (larger beets may take more time). Cool beets for 20 minutes or until easily handled. Peel skin from cooked beets with small pairing knife. Discard skin. Meanwhile, in small saucepan over medium high heat, dissolve bullion in 1 cup water then pour into large bow and set aside. Shred beets, cucumber and onion in food processor, scrape into bowl containing the dissolved bullion. Mix. Blend in milk, buttermilk and sour cream and mix thoroughly. Chill thoroughly. Serve cold soup over warm, cooked potato (one per bowl) and garnish with dill.
Sauerkraut Salad
2# bag of kraut, drained
1 c. green peppers, chopped
1 c. celery, diced
1/4 c. onion, finely chopped (or to taste)
1/4 c. red peppers (optional)
1/2 c. salad oil
1/4 c. white vinegar
*1/2 c. sugar
Heat salad oil, vinegar, sugar until sugar is dissolved. Cool slightly and pour over chopped ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 24 hour, stirring a few times.
Patti uses slightly more sugar and Heinz Vinegar)