The main ingredient of these breads is golden wheat flour of the highest quality, which is white in colour. Hence very often they are called “white breads”. But don’t let the word mislead you. These breads are “white” only compared to our “dark” breads. They also contain rye.
As we know it today, it dates back to prehistoric times. Chroniclers say that invaders from Mongol and Tatar lands spread it around Europe and Russia after their raids on Turkey. Later Nordic Vikings took this precious grain to Albion.
An inexperienced observer might not even see the difference between the ears of grain of wheat and rye. Meanwhile their structure and gluten characteristics are so distinct, they need different processes at the time of bread making. One of the proper ways to treat a rye dough is scalding part of the flour with boiling water, and then adding it to the rest of the ingredients. Only this way the the gluten structure will develop the way they are supposed to, so when the piping hot loaf cools down, its crumb is soft and open, letting the caraway seeds fragrance thrill you the way only our Plikyta bread can do.
A true family loaf of bread should be big enough to share among all members (and neighbours as well!), should have great flavour and should be universally suitable for all toppings, spreads and accompaniments as in every family there is some sweet tooth, some meat-eater Norman and some devoted vegetarian. Our “Peiniskas seimos batonas” ticks all the boxes. Try it for yourself!
It was a great journey of 7000 km from America to Europe and about 200 years until in XVIII century sunflower seeds became what we know them now for – a source for good fats, a cheap and nutritious animal food and a great tool for infusing a lovely nutty flavor into breads and pastry. Our bakers add generous amount of sunflower seeds into this bread, so you can experience an intense nutty flavor and rich texture, without the crumb being too oily.
This bread's name means “laved by the sea waves”, as Palanga city where it originates from was built on the coast of the Baltic Sea. Being so close to the tide-line means that the fishermen's hut windows get constantly “washed” either by the sea waves or fistfuls of sand in the low tide. Legend tells that one day an enormous piece of amber was found ashore near Palanga. But it never made its way to the local king because of a group of vikings advanced inland on the same day. Many years later a huge Thor's hammer made of amber appeared in a tomb discovered in Ireland. Coincidence? We wouldn't know...
As for the bread – its taste is full and subtly sweet. If you think about amber, Thor and his hammer while eating our bread... you might even hear the waves crashing and gulls screeching above you.
