Honey, wine, and mountain ice. Such were the ingredients of the first ice cream served at the table of Roman emperors. Meanwhile, the European history of dairy-based ice cream - the kind that we’re used to - dates back to the 17th century. Soon afterwards, ice cream became popular in Lithuania. 18th-century cookbooks describe the intricate process of making fruit ice cream from cherries, currants, strawberries, raspberries, and sea buckthorn. They also feature recipes for ice cream cake!

Running low on vitamins is a real bummer, but in Lithuania, you don’t need to wait till summer! And everything you need is right on your doorstep. In a country, where forests and meadows are never more than thirty minutes from your door, a walk in the woods will  deliver an ample harvest of such vitamin rich treats as sorrel (spinach’s distant cousin), and nettle (yes, you can eat it and yes, it’s tasty). And if all that foraging in the crisp spring air has built up a thirst, all you need to do is tap a birch tree to get a cupful of sweet birch sap nectar.