North Wild Kitchen

Tag: almond

  • Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)

    Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)

    Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)Norwegian Success Tart (Suksessterte)A name can give away a lot. A name with a bold statement also has a lot to live up to. This is one cake, and I think you will agree, which lives up to its name and puts all its cards on the table. In every way, this cake is a golden success.

    It’s no wonder suksessterte (suksesskake, gulkake) has won the hearts of many. It’s a rich and delicate cake, with a bright hue of yellow. While used year-round for celebrations (confirmations, birthdays and the like), it has, over the years, found a special place during påske/Easter. The bright, golden color and the eggs make it particularly suitable for this time of year. Even nature tends to nod in agreement with the first bulbs of spring sprouting yellow.

    Not to mention it’s gluten-free, with a macaron bottom that proves to be irresistible. The simple custard whipped together with a generous amount of butter doesn’t hurt either.  (more…)

  • Eplekake (Apple Cake)

    Eplekake (Apple Cake)

    Eplekake (Apple Cake) Eplekake (Apple Cake)Apple trees across the valley hang a little heavier these days, their branches full of the fruit which has been growing and ripening over the past few weeks. The ground beneath them is dotted with hues of red and green and yellow as if it were merely a reflection of the tree itself covered in the same hues. The branches hang low and graze the grass, having given way to gravity and appearing in need of having their seasonal burden lifted. And so, kids and adults alike grab baskets and bowls and pluck the fruit from the low branches and climb on ladders to reach those on the very top. It’s a joyous time, when nature’s bounty can be harvested and enjoyed.

    Apples have been a part of Norway and Northern Europe for quite some time, stretching back to the Stone Age and possibly beyond. Linguistically, the word eple is common in Northern European languages. Findings from the Viking Ship, the Oseberg, revealed 54 well-preserved wild apples, which are just slightly smaller than the wild apples we have today. Much of the apples in Norway have been cultivated and have derived from the practice of grafting, or taking a branch from one tree and attaching it to a different tree so that it may heal quickly and become part of that tree. The art of grafting was quite common among monasteries in Norway following the introduction of Christianity in the 1000’s. Nursery catalogs from 1895-1902 talk about wild stems which were sold by the thousands for grafting purposes, leaving the question of just how ‘wild’ are the wild apples in Norway today. (more…)

  • Nettle & Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)

    Nettle & Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)

    Nettle and Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)

    Nettle and Honey Cake (Brenneslekake)Sprouts of stinging nettles and wood nettles (brennesle) have unearthed across our farm following an indecisive spring which left plenty of water and a sudden transition from frosty earth to vibrant patches of green. In only a few short days, they have begun a siege to take over; relentless, swift and full of surprise positioning. While their dominance and sting may prompt many to take up battle, it is their nutrition and use in cooking which have many people, including myself, welcome the voracious growing with open arms.

    Behind the bite of this so called weed, is an incredibly nutritional and diverse super plant. Nettles can be handled and tamed (with some good gloves and boiling water) and have long been valued for their medicinal and health benefits, as well as their textile properties. Even the Vikings understood their value, as nettle fibers were discovered during the Oseberg find; a Norwegian Viking burial ship dated around 834 AD. During World War 1, the German army used nettles as a substitute for cotton when there was a shortage of textiles. And aside from being greatly fibrous, nettles are rich in vitamin C, magnesium and iron and other antioxidants. Ancient Egyptians used infusions of nettle for arthritis and the Romans carried it with them for stimulating circulation for tired legs. Hippocrates (460-377 B.C.) and his followers reported 61 remedies using nettle. Native tribes across America, Ecuador and Canada were also discovered to use nettle for its medicinal properties. And today, it continues to be used for multiple remedies, including allergies, eczema, iron deficiency, and so on. (source)

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  • Wild Blueberry & Almond One-Pan Pancake (Blåbær og Mandel Pannekaker)

    Wild Blueberry & Almond One-Pan Pancake (Blåbær og Mandel Pannekaker)

    It’s the weekend. Which means we usually make a bigger effort with breakfast. And we take a little extra time to start the days. Not that we get to sleep in, mind you. Sleeping is not something my son has grasped the desire for…yet. I’m still hanging onto hope though. Daily. But nonetheless, we sip our coffee slower, hang out in our pj’s a bit longer and take the time  to cook something a little extra special.

    My son has an affinity for vafler and pannekaker (norwegian waffles and pancakes), among other things. And this morning it was his turn to pick breakfast. He also loves blueberries. Therefore, it was only natural he would request blueberry pancakes. Luckily for us, our freezer is full of frozen wild blueberries we picked in the summer. Oh, and it just so happened to be snowing the day before, so he also requested to go sledding outside.

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