The 700th anniversary of the capital is a great opportunity to get to know better not only the city's history and culture, but also its gastronomic heritage. During this period, the culture of the city was also shaped by coffee, after all, it is not for nothing that we have coffee breaks or meet for a chat over a cup of coffee. How coffee has changed along with Vilnius and what its historical taste is, "Caffeine" will search together with the gastronomic culture researcher prof. Dr. Rimvydus Laužikus will deliver in the spring.
Coffee has taken an honorable place in the diet of a common Lithuanian. Prof. Dr. R. Laužikas says that Jonas Sobieskis, the ruler of the Republic of Both Nations, can be named as a coffee influencer, first this drink spread in his estate, then in the XNUMXth century. the first coffee shops began to appear in cities, and taverns also adapted to the needs of society, offering coffee to their visitors.
True, for many years coffee was a luxury, prof. Dr. R. Laužikas says that in the 30th century a pound of beans could cost from 1 kopecks to one ruble, when the same amount of black bread cost 2-200 kopecks, and an industrial worker earned about XNUMX rubles a year, so it was natural that not everyone could enjoy it, and certainly not every day.
It's natural that centuries ago, the townspeople who got to know the new drink improvised and looked for their own coffee-making recipes, so the perception of the taste can make people raise their eyebrows today. Prof. Dr. R. Laužikas says that there was a prevailing understanding that coffee must be bitter, so this effect was sought to be created by long boiling, strong roasting or adding chicory.
Gediminas Sereika, Head of Coffee Quality and Training of the Cafe chain "Caffeine", says that even today, Lithuanians, especially the older generation, often prefer bitter rather than acidic coffee. However, according to him, today some of the preparation methods used by the ancient Lithuanians are no longer suitable. "We haven't been making coffee for a long time, it's natural that some of the ingredients used by our ancestors are no longer relevant or acceptable to the taste of modern people, however, it can be noticed that some trends are returning, or maybe they haven't changed at all," the expert shares his insights.
Looking for an idea of what to present to Vilnius on the occasion of the anniversary, Lina Kaminskaitė, marketing and communication manager of "Reitan Convenience Lithuania", which manages the cafe chain "Caffeine", says that the idea came to turn to the coffee culture, which is an integral part of the city, not only locals visit here, but also tourists, guests of the city, baristas often not only help to choose coffee, but also advise which places to visit in the city. "We want to give our customers the opportunity to taste coffee that contains the history of Vilnius in a cup. It's true, since this coffee will be intended for modern people, we are looking for flavor combinations that would not only reflect history, surprise, but also be attractive to today's urbanite", says L. Kaminskaitė.
It is planned that Vilnius coffee will be introduced in the spring, so far it has not been revealed what taste guests can expect.
