North Wild Kitchen

Tag: norskmat

  • Rice Porridge Ice Cream (Risengrynsgrøt Iskrem)

    Rice Porridge Ice Cream (Risengrynsgrøt Iskrem)

    Rice Porridge Ice Cream (Risengrynsgrøt Iskrem)Rice Porridge Ice Cream (Risengrynsgrøt Iskrem)2016 has been an extraordinary year, to say the least. This past January, I launched the blog to bring people into the Norwegian kitchen, the Norwegian landscape and the Norwegian culture. A reflection of my journey. My interactions with the community around me. My take on local ingredients. The seasons came and went. Spring’s nettles, ferns and rhubarb, summer’s berries, autumns’s harvest and winter’s cakes and hearty fare. Here we are, coming full circle once again.

    As 2017 draws near, I look back with such awe of all that has transpired and all that I have experienced and been a part of. All of the recipes. All of the stories. All of the people. All of the traditions and all of the innovations. All the highs. So many highs.  (more…)

  • Old Fashioned Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies)

    Old Fashioned Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread Cookies)

    Old Fashioned Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread)Arguably, the most aromatic and popular Christmas cookies in Norway are Pepperkaker. They stand out among all the other traditional cookies with their fragrant presence, crispy and inviting texture, and ability to transform into whatever shape or design or role the beholder so wishes.

    Pepperkaker is more than just another cookie on the table. It’s a transformative dough of make-believe where dreams of candy houses and whole cities are an annual tradition, stories of runaway gingerbread men come to life, and windows and trees become a canvas for warm greetings and decorations.

    Old Fashioned Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread)Old Fashioned Pepperkaker (Norwegian Gingerbread) (more…)

  • Rødkål (Braised Red Cabbage)

    Rødkål (Braised Red Cabbage)

    Rødkål (Norwegian Braised Red Cabbage)Rødkål is a sweet and sour braised red cabbage. A side dish that is a necessity for many Norwegians when it comes to the Christmas Eve meal. Tradition dictates its presence and it is most often paired with ribbe (pork ribs with a layer of crispy fat) and potatoes.

    Cabbage has been an integral part of the Norwegian livelihood for centuries, as well as Scandinavia and the rest of the world. As cabbage can be stored throughout the winter, it makes an appropriate ingredient during the colder months. It is also extremely healthy and in some cultures, a sign of luck and prosperity.

    Rødkål (Norwegian Braised Red Cabbage) (more…)

  • Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges )

    Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges )

    Norwegian Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges and Orange Frosting)Norwegian Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges and Orange Frosting)

    The sound of wood crackling in the fireplace. A good friend stopping by for the day. The trickle of snow seen from the window. Folk music resounding and the smell of fragrant spices filling the air. The atmosphere seems too enticing, as if you could eat it all up. It can only mean one thing. Holiday baking has begun.

    Quite recently I visited the Rollag Bygdekvinnelag, a wonderful group of ladies who meet throughout the year to swap stories, share meals, go on excursions, and maintain traditions, which have been shared and passed down through the women in the area. I was invited to look through some old cookbooks that had been kept within each respective family for generations. Some dated back to the 1800s and some were as recent as the 1970s. Mostly all were handwritten and well-used with smudges and small tears caressing the pages.

    Pages filled with exciting and interesting recipes. Some still popular today, some forgotten, some a bit more unusual and some, perhaps, better left as ink on the page. With the holiday season fast approaching, a few of the traditional baked goods popped out at me. One of them being, sirupskake or syrup cake.

    Norwegian Sirupskake (Layered Spice Cake with Candied Oranges and Orange Frosting) (more…)

  • The Smokehouse (Røykhuset)

    The Smokehouse (Røykhuset)

    The Smokehouse (Røykhuset)The Smokehouse (Røykhuset)An army of snowflakes drape over the valley in a continuous flutter, creating an atmosphere that is quite magical, quite harmonious. A picture of white amidst a mountain landscape. And there, at the edge of the farm and near a trickling brook, stands the old smokehouse.

    Aged timber cloaked in a history and a promising future. A future, which may not have existed had it not been important to revive and maintain this old tradition by the Traaen family.

    The Traaen’s are a great example of those who are committed to their heritage and their connection to nature and the community. I had the privilege of learning about hunting in the Norwegian mountains from Olav and his son, Knut Halvor. Today, they are showing me another important aspect of Norway’s food culture and one they are learning more about themselves. The art of røyking or smoking.

    The Smokehouse (Røykhuset) (more…)

  • Fattigmann (Poor Man Cookies)

    Fattigmann (Poor Man Cookies)

    Fattigmann (Norwegian Poor Man Cookies)The farm has become a blanket of white, with only the contrast of branches and jetting rock to add depth and structure. It’s tranquil and all encompassing.

    With the holidays fast approaching and the weather conveniently allowing for more time indoors, baking is on the mind. For centuries, people have gathered around the oven, the stove, the griddle, and the fire to produce baked goods befitting of a celebration. It’s a social event from the moment the ingredients are combined all the way to the last bite. (more…)