Celebrating the Kräftskiva: a Swedish Crayfish Party Tradition
A few weeks ago, before the season began its visible transition from summer to fall, I took part in one of the most charming of Scandinavian celebrations, the kräftskiva, or Swedish crayfish party. A tradition every August in Sweden, it’s…
Norwegian Baking Class in Seattle, January 24
In a few hours the clock will strike midnight and Christmas Eve will be upon us. There are a few more gifts to wrap–plus my husband and I just decided a few hours ago to host Christmas dinner at our house–but all…
Syttende Mai: Seattle, 1980s
Old Ballard was about as Scandinavian as you could get. Though far from the Nordic countries, the little neighborhood north of downtown Seattle had drawn immigrants by the thousands over the years. It used to be as easy to find lefse as it was…
An Evening with Noma’s René Redzepi
Raindrops pattered on the clear canopy above us, illuminated by the street lamps and Christmas light-wrapped trees in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square. The 150 or so of us had braved the cold, wet November evening to dine outdoors with René…
Salad with Tomatoes, Radishes, Dill, and Danish Blue Cheese
To paint with light–that is what photographers do. That idea, a way to reshape the way I look at the world, is the one nugget that’s stayed with me all these years since I was first studying photography. Fast forward…
Picking Strawberries at Biringer Farm
Summer in the Pacific Northwest is one of the most pleasant, enjoyable combinations of time and place that I can imagine. Neither chilly nor too hot, the days are typically sunny and just warm enough to allow for flip flops…
Seattle’s Copper Gate Closes its Doors
One week ago tonight, on an evening just as sunny–even brighter, in fact–than this, I walked through the open door of the Copper Gate shortly after it opened and took a seat at the bar for closing night. With a…
