Change is in the air. That time again when the sun stays a little longer each day and the once, all-white landscape has become a collage of earthy tones. We are edging towards spring and that means we are also edging toward the cusp of lent with the celebration of Fastelavns, ‘the fast evening’.
The typical fare for Fastelavns in Norway is a sweet bun with a layer of whipped cream in the middle called Fastelavnsboller (you can find my recipe and the history here). You will also find different names and slightly different ways of serving these buns across Scandinavia, but the heart of the treat is always the same. The bun. (more…)
This is part 2 of my @noodleholicsparty challenge – where a group of food bloggers shared their favorite noodle dishes from around the globe. If you missed part 1 from last week, I created an elegant version of 
Mother nature has been busy these past few days. Our snow has almost entirely melted and our skies have been clear and bright. The sunrises and sunsets have been a vibrant aura of orange, red, yellow, pink and purple hues. Temperatures have been higher than normal and it almost feels as though spring is just around the corner. The weather has a calmness to it, like the stillness of a snow globe when it rests on a shelf, unsuspecting of change. Seemingly ignorant that at any moment everything could change. 
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.
Traditions are like threads. Threads pieced together from generation to generation. Some threads break loose and are replaced with newer ones, but others remain at the core. The dishes we eat are just a few of those threads. Everyone has their favorites, their must-haves, and when those are satisfied, there’s room for a few new threads.
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.
