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.
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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.
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The slender tree branches, laden with luscious, dark sour cherries, seemed in dire need of relieving their seasonal burden. As always, it’s on a first come first serve basis: us or the birds.
As I walked through my friend’s delightful garden teeming full of berry bushes and fruit trees (each with a long history and proclamation to the land which their roots sink deep into), I couldn’t help but begin to recount all of the times my friends and I would use the garden as our own playground when we were little. We would pluck fruits from the trees in such earnest that our hands would be stained, the lower parts of our shirts became makeshift baskets, our conversations became limited as we kept our mouths full of our succulent findings, and our greediness was shown outright as we left with full bellies and more fruit than we could carry. (more…)
Spring officially marked its entrance on the meteorological calendar, but it has yet to arrive (or come close to arriving) in our valley.
I’ve been conjuring up ideas for spring dishes with pops of color and fresh greens that have just sprouted up from the once frozen earth. But alas, the snow seems to be standing its ground with a fierce endurance that will undoubtedly result in its presence until the very last moment when hope for a timely and long spring has all but dwindled.
So, I turn to the kitchen to take up battle by making spring-inspired dishes (as if by making a dish that is reflective of spring I will somehow will spring into arriving faster). But battle seems like a harsh stance, especially since this winter has been one of the most charming and delightful winters we have had in Numedal since moving here and I look forward to a few more ski trips leading up to påske (Easter). I suppose even if spring is still a long time away, one can always bring it to the plate a little earlier. (more…)
Some days you just need something with a bit of depth and a bit of warmth. An all-in-one meal straight from the oven and dished out directly from its hot container. Nothing too fancy or fussy. A good, classic meal that you can always count on. Understated, but gives you that cozy feeling with each bite. For me, that’s fiskegrateng.
Fiskegrateng is the very definition of comfort food. This is a beloved and popular dish throughout Norway and has had a constant place in cookbooks and homes throughout the 20th and 21st century, possibly even before. It’s an ideal way to use up leftover fish or just serve fish for dinner that everyone is bound to enjoy. It’s almost like a mac & cheese – just swap out the cheese for the fish. (more…)
There’s nothing quite like the smell of homemade bread baking in the oven. The warmth of the oven encompassing the kitchen and the anticipation of taking the first bite.
Bread is an absolute staple in Norwegian cuisine. You can usually count on a couple of slices for breakfast and lunch, each with a topping of choice. You’ll find, more often than not, an emphasis on hearty breads that rely on a variety of flours, whole grains and seeds. And while it may be easy to just pick up a loaf from the local bakery or store, nothing beats the taste of homemade bread.
