Kransekake – A Norwegian & Danish Celebration Cake
Fifteen years ago this month, a kransekake stood tilting on the cake table at my wedding reception. Adorned with tiny Swedish and Norwegian flags, it hinted at the respective heritages of both my groom and myself. I don’t know if…
Relaxed Hospitality: My New Book Club (with Recipe)
Posts may contain affiliate links; read more by clicking here. I started this new year with a new book club, and I couldn’t be happier about the fact that I get to invite a group of women into my home each month and talk about books and…
Roasted Oysters with Rhubarb Mignonette
I sometimes wonder if I was born with a taste for the sea. The first time I stepped foot in Norway, I experienced a deep sense of belonging and longing. It was as if I had finally arrived at a…
Chanterelle, Fig, and Blue Cheese Salad
It was some years ago when I realized I loved September. I don’t think I had actually thought about it until I was an adult, but Septembers have been peppered with sweetness throughout my entire life. Some people gravitate toward…
Fårikål (Lamb and Cabbage), Norway’s National Dish)
I remember the first time I tasted fårikål, the national dish of Norway. I had read for a long time—years maybe—about this stew of lamb and cabbage that is Norway’s national dish. It seemed too simple, I thought—just lamb and…
The Nordic Cookbook’s Finnish Spinach Pancakes (Pinaattiohukaiset)
I’ve been sitting with the book for quite some time now. Perhaps you’ve seen it around, maybe even have a copy of your own. The Nordic Cookbook, by Magnus Nilsson, came out last fall, and ever since it’s become my…
A Vintage Norwegian Cod Dinner: Prince Fish with Asparagus and Wilted Cabbage with Bacon and Dill
The book smells of old cabin wood, dusty, stale, with a hint of cedar. Printed back in the 1960s, it’s more than a half century old, in pristine condition apart from the torn corners of the jacket. Flipping through the unmarked, thick creamy…
Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)
I think it’s time we bring back the recipe card. You know the ones I’m talking about, often with yellowing paper and the swooping script of someone held dear. I have a storage box full of hundreds that my grandma…
Norwegian Rømmegrøt (Sour Cream Porridge)
My bookshelves sag with stories—literature in the form of recipes, memories formed between batter-spattered handwritten lines. I’ve said for a long time that I care so much about Scandinavian food because of the people. My grandparents loved me with medisterkaker…
Norwegian Bløtkake with Strawberries and Cream
When it comes to cake, I know two things for sure: A mediocre one is barely worth eating, and Scandinavia–especially Norway–boasts some of the best in the world. Take the classic Norwegian birthday and celebration cake, bløtkake–which translates roughly to wet…
