Quarantine confused but did not destroy Klaipeda and Italian plans to open dessert | Food

Both are not hiding: the quarantine has made us wonder if this is the right time to take that step, but the universe itself and the support of those around it seemed to say that the best time is now. Their joint project is like a baby born after nine months of labor. The plans were thwarted by the quarantine that imprisoned Emiliano in Italy.

More than a couple of years ago, these two people did not know each other. He traveled to confectionery courses in France and other countries, living to the rhythm of his bakery in Barretto, which has been operating for 26 years. The Italian, who has almost 40 years of experience as a pastry chef, speaks from 6 in the morning until night.

Bringing passion for work

It was a common passion for his work that attracted business partners who had started dating on Instagram.

“We discover ourselves through hobbies. We begin to correspond on the ingredients. He sent me a lot of recipes, photos of them. When I opened my studio, a package with all the ingredients arrived unexpectedly on the occasion of the opening. I was extremely surprised. Thus began the communication. Later he went on to lead the chocolate training, teaching innovation. That’s how we met. I shared Emiliano’s dream while saying he wanted to be a business partner. I received praise from him all the time for the desserts I made. They used to say, “Brava, Jelena,” he admired my works, “said Jelena Aleksandravičienė.

“His cakes looked something like that, exceptional in the photos,” recalls Emiliano, who has been floating in Klaipeda for the past few days from morning to night. Traditional Italian and French cakes were born in the kitchen: tiramisu, tartlets, croissants with fillings and Italian breakfast with coffee are very popular bombolini with steamed cream.

“I remember that I was about five years old, we were on vacation in Tuscany. “Bombolini, bombolini” kept echoing on the beach. Even then, I knew it would be a pastry chef, “I said. bombolin (donuts with cream)to display the self-made steamed cream inside, says Emiliano, probably from his grandfather and mother, who worked in a bakery, inheriting a passion for his job.

Such donuts with cream and other delicacies produced by him can now be tasted by citizens and guests visiting Klaipeda, Frederick’s Passage, located at Lalene dessert.

To make whole croissants, Emiliano blew up a special flour with bran from Italy. Butter, pistachio paste, as well as the exclusive brown pistachios used in the production of chocolate candies also came from the country to bake. The first dessert guests were invited to the special opening ceremony.

The Italian will offer chocolate candy to guests in the fall, now the hot weather is not suitable.

Emiliano has no doubts about the success of the dessert and says it will take around a year for Lalene to show the real world of flavors to her clients, offer Italian ice cream in the future, as well as invite to Italian breakfasts, wines and snacks.

Jelena products are completely different. It is a variety of French mousse with many textures.

“Desserts are glazed with mirror glaze. They include cookies, berry inserts, mousse, and definitely chips. The mousse has a lighter texture, like a cloud that melts in your mouth, “says Jelena, who also bakes multi-colored almond morengus, French butter cookies, and other products.

Hanging quarantine

Business partners planned to open the dessert in April, but the coronavirus and quarantine lasted almost three months in Italy. Emiliano, who felt imprisoned in his country of origin, tried to communicate with the Embassy of Lithuania in Rome and the Embassy of Italy in Lithuania, trying to find ways to enter our country. He says that as soon as he received the call that he could arrive, he bought tickets and in early June he reached Klaipeda. With the help of friends who helped clean the floor for dessert, business partners opened the door to the café for the guests after St. John’s Day. Jelena says the incident tore her to tears.

“It just came to our attention then. Here’s my dream. I crossed the bridge here, toward the Friedrich Passage, six years ago on my birthday to meet my daughters. As I crossed the Dane Bridge, Lalene came to mind. I used that name for a long time. We met Friedrich and said: girls, I have a name for my coffee. We raised the first glass here for Lalene Café. It seemed unreal to dream that I would have a coffee here in this special place in Klaipeda. Here is a dream for me … It seemed to me that this was a distant future … I was starting to make desserts, I went to the first courses. The coincidence that a friend gave me morengus almonds brought from Paris that day. Today everything seems incredible “, he says Jelena.

As she crossed the Dane Bridge, Lalene came to mind. I have used that name for a long time. We met Friedrich and said: girls, I have a name for my coffee.

Quarantine has become a major challenge to keep facilities inoperative. Jelena says she is grateful to the owners of the game room, who did not remain indifferent, reduced the rent, and helped obtain a rental subsidy.

Worked like Christmas

During quarantine, the work boiled under the same name in the “Lalene” studio, which opened two years ago, where desserts were baked on demand.

“It just came to our attention then. People really needed treats. There was silence for the first week, and then there was a big boom, more so than Christmas. The support was very high, it seemed like everyone decided to support it. It was very stressful .. After all, I didn’t know how we would survive, how I would pay the taxes for the two rented premises. I took orders myself. Now I think this stage was given to us as if we were preparing to work here for dessert. We learned a lot to work during the After all, we used to take large orders for weddings and similar cakes, and during quarantine we played with small orders and did even more. And where else is the packaging, the response to every message. When writing, one person thinks he he is the only client, everyone needs attention. He was mortally tired … There were tears. On Sundays, I loaded up by the sea again and again. So this stage was a lot of work, “says the woman.

Encouraged by lovers of desserts.

At the time, Emiliano says that he was not working during the quarantine due to the extremely strict control requirements. Attempts to place outgoing orders after a couple of weekends ended because the coronavirus was in full swing. Covid also fell ill with his partner. The man decided that no money would replace health, especially the challenges that were expected when opening a dessert in Lithuania.

“It just came to our attention then. The quarantine was affected, everything stopped … It couldn’t come for three months. Italy was closed. There was an idea that it probably wasn’t the time yet, we hurried. As if the universe in itself a sign that they are not ready yet ”, Jelena shares her thoughts during the quarantine.

Opening the dessert, as its creator says, was driven by the customers themselves.

“All the customers said: opening a cafe is very inconvenient, we want to buy a cake, we want coffee, we want to sit down.” We needed to do something, or make a coffee, or do trainings, seminars in the studio. It was necessary to move somewhere … The studio was suitable for preparing weddings and other Christmas desserts, but this year all weddings moved to August. If we hadn’t opened, I don’t know how we would have lived, “says the woman.

Emiliano believes that there will be no shortage of guests in this special place. The man dreams of spending more time in Lithuania than in Italy, but he still intends to return there to take over the bakery, which has been running for decades. Already in Klaipeda, in the last days, he says that he is receiving calls to return, because wonderful cakes are born in his hands.

“Everything is fine in Italy today. The bakery was closed during quarantine. This is very dangerous for business. Large companies have become small. Really very difficult situation and the start now is very slow, step by step.

The closure was a big shock. I slept two hours … And now it takes time. My dream is to come and stay in Klaipeda for a month, go to Italy for a week, visit parents who are already old. Contacting Lithuania is no problem, “Emiliano smiles, rushing back to work to prepare enough treats for the new dessert guests before heading to his hometown for a short time.