The bread of the Vaiteliški bakers is scooped out with a tongs

Rugilė and Mindaugas Rubužiai, the third-generation residents of Vaiteli who preserve and enrich natural leaven and bake white, black bread and French baguettes, radiate good energy when interacting with customers.

The bakers still feel like newcomers to the market – they bake about 30 loaves for sale in their small home bakery, but with Mother’s Day approaching, they plan to bake about 120 this weekend.
Rugilė and Mindaugas only trade on Tuesdays and Fridays. Fresh loaves of black bread are taken to Gargždis, Kretinga, Palanga, Klaipėda before noon. It is best to order in advance, because the customers grab the fragrant homemade bread. “We went to the luggage market in Palanga, so we didn’t even have time to set up a table,” smiles Mindaugas. Rugilė says that the need is really considerable, although the two have long considered whether it is worth starting a bread baking business. And the relatives were worried about whether they would be successful, after all, the store shelves are full of bread products. Vaiteliškii, previously 15 years old. Having worked in the catering business in Klaipėda, she already had the experience that you need to work hard and use only quality products. So they bake bread with natural sourdough, without added sugar. Rugilė and Mindaugas have been interested in baking methods and ingredients for years, and have been engaged in baking practice without counting the time. “Investments in equipment, special accessories are beastly,” says Mindaugas without losing his good mood, revealing that he now dedicates all his family time to bread. Four-year-old Jakūbas is not yet interested in baking, and twelve-year-old Gabija, encouraged by her mother, even grew a new wheat sourdough called “Gabrielles” herself during the Easter holidays.
Now the people of Vaiteliški bake long-fermented whole-grain wheat and rye bread with natural sourdough, and season it with cranberries, cinnamon, walnuts, whole-grain rye bread with seeds, rye steamed with sunflowers, honey, cumin and malt. Buyers are also tempted by the large French baguette, as well as the French Brioche. The young bakers Rugilė and Mindaugas plan to expand their assortment, this weekend they will also bake bread with olives. “It seems that this is such a simple loaf of bread, and we jump around it for two days, caressing it, until it becomes so delicious for every eater,” reveals Rugilė.

Vilija BUTKUVIENĖ
Auth. photo