The smell of eggy batter cooking atop a skillet is almost unmistakable. It draws you in as it evokes loving memories to the forefront.
Pancakes (pannekaker) are deeply embedded into the Norwegian food culture. They’re typical “farm to table” food, with the ingredients sourced from a working farm – eggs from the hens, grain from the fields, and milk from the cows.
(more…)
Not long after we moved to Norway, I was served kaffegraut “coffee porridge” at the Rollag Station Kafe in Rollag. It was presented simple enough. A bowl with a thin layer of cinnamon and symmetrically placed raisins on top. What lied beneath the brown layer, though, was unknown to me. I was curious, perhaps even a little skeptical being that it was porridge and all. But one bite in and my slightly tensed shoulders relaxed. My eyes widened as my thoughts began to process what I had just encountered, and I couldn’t help but smile as I took in the smooth textures and subtle buttery and sweet flavors.
(more…)
The near year is upon us and sometimes that means getting back into the swing of things takes a little more time. Even in the kitchen it’s nice to start with simple dishes following an excess of holiday meals and over the top dishes you reserve for one last bang to end the year on.
When thinking about the first dish of the year to share with you, I couldn’t help but continuously glance over at the egg basket sitting near the kitchen window. It was full to the brim. And the excess eggs, somewhere around 48 eggs were taking up far too much space in the corner. You see our hens had stopped producing eggs when the weather turned toward the middle of autumn. The egg basket was empty. Mid-December, we peaked in the coop to discover a good handful of fresh eggs. We haven’t been able to use them up as fast as they have been coming, so a simple egg dish seemed not only appropriate but somewhat imperative.
(more…)
The snow continues its graceful decent from above – large flakes producing a thick, white blanket as far as the eye can see. It’s a winter wonderland and today is the last day of any work and school obligations before celebrations truly take hold. With only a few days to go before juleaften, I wanted to share one more favorite baked good with you: serinakaker. (more…)
Brune pinner directly translates to “brown sticks” – a direct reference to their appearance, but an understatement in terms of their taste. They’re somewhat similar to gingerbread/pepperkaker, but with a strong hint of syrup and cinnamon, and a topping of sugar and almonds to accentuate every bite. (more…)
“Lefse uten gomme er som grøt uten salt”.
(Lefse wthout gomme is like porridge without salt)
Gomme goes by many names, including gumme, gubbost, and dravle. It’s created by cooking down fresh milk – curds and whey and all – to achieve a soft and spreadable sweet cheese. It’s been around for centuries, perhaps one of the older desserts known, and has had a central place among Norwegian milk dishes. Life on a self-sustainable farm meant a limited supply of cow’s milk during certain parts of the year. Therefore, since gomme was made of fresh milk, it is reasonable to assume it was a highly treasured dish that was reserved for special occasions and high holidays. (more…)