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A Melting Pot ?

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     Lily and I are continuing our virtual trip. Visiting places around the globe where our DNA originates. We are going from our lowest percentages up. We are visiting by making recipes attributed to those areas. From the last story we visited Spain where 1% of Lily's DNA was from. This time we are visiting the Baltic states and Sweden.
    My report said that 1% of my DNA was Baltic. Of course I had to find out exactly where that is. This is an area on the Baltic sea now comprised of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia. So I looked on the web for recipes from that area. I decided on Baltic Lamb and Rice Meatballs.  this recipe was from Women's Weekly and Food to Love. The recipe featured ground lamb, jasmine rice and egg plant cooked in diced tomatoes. (I was able to find fresh ground lamb at Blues Creek Meats not far from where I live. I recommend their shop). I made and shared this recipe during our Christmas celebration dinner with my children and grandkids. I would definitely try this recipe again!
    Next destination, Sweden. 2% of my DNA is from Sweden and Lily 7%. Maybe that explains Lily's blue eyes and blond hair? I searched the internet again for a recipe. I saw quite a variety of recipes but settled on Swedish Rye Bread II. This recipe was on the Allrecipes site, submitted by Ginger P. It featured honey, orange zest and a one to one ratio Rye flour to All Purpose flour. It turned out to be a dense loaf and very tasty. The aroma of the bread baking with the orange zest was quite pleasant in the house. Definitely a try again recipe.
    As I ponder the destinations of our DNA and hunt for recipes to try from the different areas. It occurs to me that like America, "The Great Melting Pot". Every one of us is a great melting pot of DNA. We all have so many different areas represented that we are literally, brothers, sisters, and cousins to virtually the whole world. Wouldn't be nice if we treated all and were treated, accordingly! Happy cooking !


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