Aguonų pienas

1. 1Ground poppy seeds as the defining ingredient
2. 2Steeped/blended into a milky liquid (aguonų = poppy, pienas = milk)
3. 3Sweetened, typically with honey or sugar
4. 4Served as part of the meatless Kūčios (Christmas Eve) supper
5. 5Traditionally drunk together with kūčiukai (small biscuits)

Scalding and grinding poppy seeds

Softens the seeds and releases their oils so they emulsify into a milky liquid

Steeping / blending

Extracts color and flavor, producing the pale grey 'milk'

Sweetening

Balances the nutty-bitter poppy with honey for the festive drink

Served

Poured into a bowl or glass, often with kūčiukai floated in

Temperature

cool or room temperature

Portion

bowl or glass

Pairs with

kūčiukai (poppy-seed biscuits) · Kūčios Christmas Eve supper

• Poppy seeds → Other seeds or nutsinadmissible

  Loses the defining poppy-seed identity entirely

• Honey → Sugaradmissible

  Acceptable sweetener swap

• Water → Plant milkadmissible

  Richer but departs from the traditional water steep

• Not grinding the seeds finely enough so it stays watery, not milky
• Skipping the scald, leaving the poppy harsh
• Over- or under-sweetening, unbalancing the nutty-bitter poppy
• Treating it as a savory drink rather than a sweet festive one

A traditional Lithuanian Christmas Eve (Kūčios) beverage, part of the meatless twelve-dish Advent-ending supper.

Claimed by: Lithuania

1. 1.Lithuanian Kūčios Christmas Eve tradition

Confidence: medium