Queen’s Berries Martini
I grew up sipping gold from crystal glasses. Martinelli’s apple cider was the champagne of holiday feasts at my paternal grandparents’ house, and even as a child I interpreted that cider as I should have: a symbol of true Norwegian…
Kvæfjordkake: Norway’s National Cake
Update on 7/1/20: Find an updated version of the recipe, without a paywall, here. If you’ve ever eaten a slice of Kvæfjordkake, you probably know that the cake pretty much speaks for itself. With its layers of buttery cake, delicate meringue, silky…
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…
Celebrating with Norwegian Bløtkake
When I was growing up, my birthdays always involved a special meal (or two or three, to be honest–I love birthdays) and the cake of my choice. There were the assorted decorated cakes–Barbie one year, a pink frosted sheet cake…
A Cake for Syttende Mai: Verdens Beste Kake
Gratulerer med dagen! Wherever you are celebrating Syttende Mai, I wish you a great day. To mark the occasion, I baked you a cake. It’s called Verdens Beste, or World’s Best, which may seem like quite a claim unless you’ve…
Composed Salad of Smoked Salmon, Cucumber, Mâche, Egg, and Asparagus
I think it’s part of the collective food-lovers’ experience to crave salads as soon as spring rolls around. In contrast to the hearty dishes that have dominated our kitchens for months, salads seem to represent the fresh air, lightened moods,…