Scandinavian Cuisine

SCANDINAVIAN CUISINE

Compiled By: Neha Bahl Rajkumar Kataria Sudhanshu Tiwari Sumit Saroha

Scandinavian Countries

Scandinavia is the cultural and historic region in Northern Europe consisting of the greater part of the Scandinavian and Jutland peninsulas and the islands in between. The region encompasses these sovereign states: Finland (a sovereign republic since 1917) Iceland (a sovereign republic since 1944) and Faroe Islands (an autonomous region of Denmark since 1948) Greenland (a self-governing Danish territory since 1979) Jan Mayen (an integrated geographical body of Norway) Svalbard (under Norwegian sovereignty since 1920) Åland (an autonomous province of Finland since 1920) The region takes its name from the peninsula, which in turn is thought to be named after the historical province of Skåne (Scania) situated in present-day Sweden at the southern extreme of the Scandinavian peninsula.

The collective label "Scandinavia" nowadays primarily reflects the linguistic similarities, but also the strong historical and social ties between these countries despite their current political independence and different policies during the two World Wars and Cold War and membership in international organizations.

History of Scandinavia The Scandinavians were christianized in the 10th-13th centuries, resulting in three consolidated kingdoms: •Denmark forged from the Lands of Denmark •Sweden forged from the Lands of Sweden •Norway (including Båhuslen, Herjedalen, Jemtland in modern-day Sweden. Also Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands, Shetland and the Orkneys) The three kingdoms then united in the Kalmar Union [6] lasting all of the 15th century when the Union was split into two halves: •"Denmark-Norway" (including overseas possessions in the North Atlantic) •"Sweden" (including Finland and other trans-Baltic possessions)

In the mid 17th century, the Treaty of Brömsebro and Treaty of Roskilde permanently transferred some provinces and islands from Norway and Denmark to Sweden. After the Napoleonic Wars, Scandinavia was reorganized into three personal unions: •Denmark with Schleswig-Holstein (dissolved in 1864; included former overseas provinces of Norway) •Sweden and Norway (dissolved in 1905) •Russia with the Grand Duchy of Finland (terminated in 1917)

Capital: Oslo NORWAY Languages: Norwegian, English Climate: Along the northern coast rain falls as snow in winter. In the south the lowlands have dry warm summers but cold winters with severe frosts.The interior highlands have an artic climate in winter with fine spells in summer combined with long hours of sunshine and relatively high temperatures.The Atlantic coastal regions have mild winters due to the gulf stream. However in general gales, rain and cloud are dominant weather features. Overall the climate in Norway is changable throughout the year. Clothing: In the northern regions clothing suitable for artic conditions must be worn or carried. During the summer months in the south and coastal areas lighter layers of clothing can be worn. Food & Drink: Smorebrod. Fish are common throughout the country,salmon, trout, sea trout, boiled cod and liver, halibut, whalesteak and cured salmon. Meat:: Popular meat dishes are: meatballs, chopped meat, onion, vegetables and potatoes in a stew. Desert: stewed apples, cookie crumbs, sugar and whipped cream, artic cloudberries and cream Typical Drinks: Most hotels or restaurants serve liquor. Local beers are of very high standard and are tasty. Most

Capital: Stockholm Languages: Swedish, English and German Climate: Sweden enjoys a temperate climate. Winters may be bitterly cold, notably in the north, but it is a dry cold. During the winters you may expect heavy frosts and beatiful snowfalls. Summers may be very hot but become shorter as you move further north. Clothing: Lightweight clothing is required for the summer, while heavier wear is recommended for the bitterly cold winters. A heavy overcoat and boots are advisable for the winter. Food & Drink: Sandwiches with different toppings. The favourite hot dishes in Sweden are meatballs, Jansson temptation, a concoction of potatoes, onions and anchovies, followed by cheese and posibly fruit salad and a creamy confection of desert. The meal is traditionally accompanied by schnapps and beer.

SWEDE N

Capital: Helsinki Languages: Finnish, Swedish Climate: During the summer, Finland receives less rain than Holland or England. Southern Finland actually enjoys sunshine for more than half the summer season. Winter in the southern and central part of Finland often see snow at the start of December which does not melt until late April. In the northern Finland it may snow four to five weeks. Clothing: In the summer light to medium with a light raincoat, with warmer clothing for the north, in the winter you are advised to bring a warm overcoat, hat and warm boots. Food and drinks: Menus reflect the season. In the summer new potatoes, fresh vegetables, salmon, whitefish and baltic herring are available. Crayfish are in season from about July till September. During the autumn season you will be able to taste game and mushrooms, and cloudberries, blueberries and lingonberries are often served for deserts. In winter you find fish, such as burbot, whitefish and salmon are hauled from under the ice covering the sea and lakes.

FINLAND

Capital:Copenhagen Languages:Danish,English and German Climate:Rainfall is distributed throughtouit the year.during the summer the temperaturw ranges between 17 to 24 degrees with cooler evenings, winters are with long periods of frost. Clothing:In summers they prefer to wearlight to medium weight with a raincoat , while in winter medium clotheswith an overcoat or a warm raincoat. Food and drinks: Denmark is known for cold food morrebrod thick buttered slices of rye or white bread covered with one or more delicacies, beef, liver paste, smoked eel or shrimps. Meat: ransk bof”, a steak with herb butter and french fries is popular, as ?ngelsk bof”, steak with fried onions and potatoes Deserts: eblekage”, made of stewed apples with vanilla, served with layers of cookie crumbs, topped with whipped cream and apple sauce, sugar and whipped cream and mixture of rye-bread crumbs. Typical Drinks:Beers is the national drink and Denmark has at least 100 breweries. Akvavit, is a local schnapps and is served only with food.

Denmark

The Eating Ritual The Danes and Norwegians only eat one hot meal a day. Lunch is usually a cold(open sandwich). In Norway the breakfast table includes bread with a selection of toppings to choose from.The Swedes differ from this way of eating and generally eat to hot meals a day. Their lunches include light hot dishes such as egg based ones eg. omelette. C the Scandinavian's regularly have coffee and bread or biscuits (very much like the English afternoon tea). This often becomes coffee with cake or Danish pastries. Dinner They love entertaining and have many festivals including Mid-summers Eve and the beginning of the crayfish season along with many more. Tables are laid out with a selection of cold and one or two hot dishes and are decorated with attractive tableware, candles and flowers. Beer and snap's are drunk with the food and dry sherry, sweet Madeira and port are served with the desserts.

Smorgasbord A smorgasbord is a buffet table consisting mainly of cold dishes of herrings, fish, meat, salad and cheeses. Smorgasbord literally means bread and butter table. A selection of food is accompanied by slices of buttered bread. In Denmark and Norway this buffet is called "Koldtbord" (cold table) but the Swedish name is better known internationally and is even gaining popularity in theese countries. Smorgasbords are believed to have originated from country dinner parties in Sweden. Guests would bring a cold dish each to the hosts home. This is now become the responsibility of the host and as a result is becoming less common in the homes in Scandinavia except at large celebrations including Christmas and Easter. Smorgasbord have become popular in large hotels for tourists and large department stores for their customers.

A smorgasbord begins with cured herring's and is followed by cold fish and meat dishes including roasted meats with hot or cold vegetables and a salad. The smorgasbord ends with a selection of cheeses. Accompanied by a selection of breads including rye, white and crisp bread. Beer and snap's are served with the food. Snaps is served from a "klukflask" (burglar) named after the noise it makes when the snaps is poured from it. Drinks are never served before the food as an aperitif, they are to be enjoyed with the meal.

Smorrebrod Smorrebrod are open sandwiches that make up a large part of the Danes and Norwegians diet. Smorrebrod simply means buttered bread, while in fact the bread is usually hidden by carefully laid out toppings. Smorrebrod vary according to the occasion, those that are eaten at school and work are simple and not elaborate. Open sandwiches are prepared with attention to detail. The base is usually made with buttered Danish rye bread but when mild toppings are to be used white or brown bread is used according to taste. Meats and cured fish are often rolled or folded to give height. Lettuce is regularly used to keep the bread dry. Garnishes are choosen to complement the flavour and colours of the topping. Herbs, radishes and tomatoes are just a few of the many garnishes used. Smorrebrod are becoming popular to serve for a dinner party instead of a smorgasbord selection. They are much quicker and far more convenient to prepare than elaborate and time consuming smorgasbord table

Fish Scandinavia is one of the largest fish supplies in Europe. So not surprisingly fish makes up a large part of their diet. In Norway 50,000 people are employed in the fish industry. Sweden is famous for its crayfish, Denmark for its oysters and in Norway for its lobsters and prawns. In Norway fish is very fresh and is often eaten only hours after being caught. In Denmark fish is sold live from tanks. This fresh fish is prepared and eaten in the best possible way simply eg. Poached and accompanied with melted butter and lemon. In the winter months between January and April cod makes up the main part of the Norwegians diet. Cod is dried by hanging in the cold wind, this is known as "stockfish". Cod has been prepared in this manner since the Vikings. Norwegian salt cod is exported to Italy for lent when the Mediterranean supply isn't enough. Norwegains eat almost every part of the cod including the liver, stomach, lips and flesh on the head.

Denmark's Plaice are large and thick and of a similar quality to Dover Sole. Plaice is served with creamy sauces with asparagus, mushrooms and shellfish. Smoked and cured fish eg. herrings, mackerel, cod, salmon and eel are produced commercially for both the domestic market and for exporting. Smoked herrings are known as "Bornholmer" after the island they are produced on Bornholm. Bornholm is an island situated between Sweden and Poland, the island is covered with smokehouses. The herrings are smoked from May-October but production ceases if the quality of the herring falls. Eels in Scandinavia are small unlike the well known large ones. Eels were a daily dish in the past in Scandinavia in the past when they were caught in the hundreds but modern fishing techniques destroys them young now making them a delicacy. The best eel is smoked and is good baked, skinned and served cold with scrambled eggs on rye bread. Cured Cod "lukefish" is traditionally prepared for Christmas in Norway and Sweden.

Meat

With such a large selection of seafood it may surprise many that the Scandinavian's are great meat eaters. Meat is prepared in many ways not only is it roasted, boiled and fried it is also prepared into a farce. This is used in an endless selection of dishes including the famous Swedish meatballs as well as stuffing cabbage leaves and poaching. Traditionally cured and smoked pork, beef and lamb make some of the most delicious dishes. These are often simply boiled and served with seasonal vegetables. Cured baked or glazed ham is a traditional Christmas dish in Norway and Sweden. The Danes are the greatest lovers of meat. The most popular meat is pork and beef while lamb and veal are considered a delicacy. Spring lamb is only eaten making it uncommon and expensive. Veal is prepared in the Dutch way by keeping the calves in the dark and feeding it milk resulting in a pale white meat.

Denmark's has double the amount of pigs to people and are great lovers of pork. In the past fresh pork was only eaten by the wealthy out of season while the poor ate it cured and salted. With the invention of the oven in the 19th century, roast pork (Floeskesteg) became popular before then pork was boiled or pan fried. Pork is prepared into various sausages, sausage stands are a common sight in Denmark where they serve a large selection with your choice of side dishes. Norway with its climate and environment are limited in their selection of meat with little beef. Sheep provides the main part of their meat diet. A famous Norwegian preparation is the cured and smoked leg of mutton. Offal is also widely eaten in Scandinavia with dishes including kidneys and sweetbreads in cream.

Game Game is popular in Scandinavia In the Autumn pigeon is popular and is often roasted. Some other game birds that are popular are pheasant and partridge. Venison and hare are also popular meats which are often accompanied with redcurrant jelly and cream. Reindeer is farmed in Northern Norway in Finmark. Here there are 20,000 Saami, descendants of a nomadic people. The Saami domesticated Reindeers and farm them. Reindeer has provided in the past not only food and clothes but tools and a work animal. Reindeer is sold fresh and frozen. The shoulder and leg is dried, salted and smoked. Dried or smoked Reindeer is dark red and considered as a delicacy. It is often served sliced on potato pancakes with prim ( a whey cheese made from reindeer milk). Fresh reindeer is cooked in very much the same way as venison.

Vegetables Scandinavian's are not meat and two vegetable eaters. Meat and fish dishes are often only accompanied with potatoes and pickled beetroot or gherkins. In winter a wide selection of potatoes are boiled or baked and served as a side dish. Cabbages, leeks and root vegetables are also popular in the winter. The summer months brings with it white asparagus, peas, beans and salad dishes

Cheese

Scandinavian's love cheeses. Cheese is usually served uncooked for breakfast, lunch as a topping for smorrebrod and after dinner. Cheese trays are an important part of smorgasbord and many varieties appear on smorrebrod. A selection of cheeses are served with fresh fruit eg. apple and grapes, nuts, celery, radishes, rye and white bread and crisp bread.. Scandinavia cheese has a smooth texture and served in thin slices not chunks. Some famous Scandinavia cheeses are: Danish Blue, smoked cheese with caraway seeds and Havarti from Denmark, Herrgardsost and Svecia from Sweden and Gammelost and Gjeitost (brown goats cheese) from Norway.

Desserts Seasonal fruit is eaten fresh and stewed and is served with cream and custard. Egg based desserts are made with cream or milk and flavoured with vanilla. Sweet soups are prepared from fruit such as apples, berries and rhubarb and are served hot or cold with cream, croutons and sweet dumplings. Yoghurt pancakes are also popular. There are numerous rum based desserts influenced by the Danish colonisation in the West Indies. The Norwegians bottle and freeze yellow cloudberries and blueberries for all year use. Waffles and ice-cream are a common sight at street stalls through out Denmark. Waffles are sold warm and served simply with sugar as well as cream, jam and chocolate sauce.

Baking

Danish pastries, layered cakes and sponges with cream fillings are bought from konditorier and pastry shops as well as made in the home in Scandinavia In Denmark Danish pastries are known as "wienerbrod", which translates to "Viennese Bread". While in Vienna they are known as Danish pastries. Danish pastry is made in very much the same way as puff pastry with the addition of yeast. Danish pastry is filled with fillings including marzipan, apple puree and pastry cream. Kringle is a special Birthday Danish pastry that is shaped like a giant pretzel and filled with macaroon, currants and candied peep. Almonds are used extensively in Scandinavian baking, both whole as a decoration and filling and ground in marzipan cakes. Small rings of marzipan cake make up a tower like cake prepared for weddings and christenings. Coffee bread is made into cakes, loaves and buns in Norway and Sweden. In Sweden coffee cake is flavoured with saffron and shaped into buns (lussekatter) and baked for December 13th feast of Santa Lucia.

Herring: Favorite Scandinavian Staple Herring is one of the most recognizable staples of Scandinavian cookery. Herring can be prepared in other ways, too. Herring has a prominent place on the smörgåsbord, on open-faced sandwiches, marinated and in salads, and in cold and hot dishes. Herring, like many other traditional Scandinavian foods, was preserved either by salting, smoking, or marinating. Two to three ounces of salted herring provides enough daily protein for an average person to survive through winters, sieges, food scarcity, and other tough times. favorite Swedish comfort food with herring is sillgratin, in English called herring au gratin, herring and potato casserole, or baked herring and potatoes. It's not only a dish you'll want on a smörgåsbord but it's great for a dinner, midnight supper, or an impressive and unusual contribution to a potluck.

Some other herring dishes: •Salted herring (ingald sill): a home-made marinated herring. •Herring salad (sillsalad): served as a cold molded salad. Includes meat (try ham), apples, potatoes, hard-cooked eggs, more. •Herring salad (sillsalad): another version of this cold molded herring salad, with beets, potato, apple, dill pickle. •"Egg cheese" (äggost): traditional dish of Bohuslän, served with herring. •Traditional pickled herring: with red onions, leeks, thin carrot slices, in Swedish white vinegar. •Glassblowers' herring (glasmästarsill): herring and colorful additions like onions and carrots, marinated and presented in a glass jar.

Spicing Up the Humble Cod

The long seacoasts of Scandinavia make fish of many kinds easily available. Cod is standard fare that's been popular in many locales near seashores for millennia -from Scandinavia to Italy to the shores of the United States in the New World. Cod is available in many forms: dried, salted, smoked, as well as fresh and frozen. Fresh and frozen cod can be found as fillets, loins, or other portions. Boiled codfish is commonly served in Scandinavia with dill, mustard or cream sauces or even simply with melted butter.

Try this combination of textures and tastes: boiled codfish topped with melted butter into which you've chopped some hard-boiled eggs, served with a mustard and horseradish sauce. In typical Scandinavian fashion, little is wasted: the stock from the boiled cod is used as an ingredient in the mustard sauce. Serve this codfish dish with boiled potatoes.

Cardamom

Cardamom a unique taste and aroma to Swedish and other Scandinavian baked goods. Its sweet, delicate flavor combines well with almond, another Scandinavian favorite. You'll find it in some Swedish meatball recipes, too, where it contributes both aroma and a spicy sweetness. the green cardamom seed is used in Scandinavian cooking. The Cardamom originated in India and Sri Lanka, but is today also grown in South America and elsewhere. Vikings brought the spice home through their extensive trade route with India and the Far East.

Christmas Table Christmas is the most traditional of Finnish festivals. It is a time for the family, close relatives, friends without family, but above all for the children. The good old traditional dishes appear on the Christmas dining table year after year. Casserole dishes Finnish cuisine at its best can easily be made a few days beforehand. Some of the dishes made during christmas are:

Freshly salted salmon Preparation time: about 25 minutes Salting time: 1-2 days Not suitable for freezing Large piece of salmon, about 41/2 lb. (2 kg) 2 tablespoons coarse salt 1-2 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoon roughly-ground white pepper plenty of fresh dill 1. Fillet the salmon unless bought already filleted. Do not, however, remove the skin. 2. Wipe the fillets with paper towels without rinsing. 3. Sprinkle the bottom of a suitable sized dish with salt and place one of the fillets, skinside down, on the salt. Spread the seasoning over both the fillets, placing the other fillet, skinside up, on top. Sprinkle the rest of the salt and the dill over the fish. Cover the dish tightly with aluminium foil. Put a small weight on top and store in a cool place. 4. Scrape off all the seasoning and cut the fillets down to the skin into thin, oblique slices before serving.

Casseroles •Rutabaga casserole •Carrot casserole Casserole dishes form the main part of the hot dishes served at Christmas. They are very useful from the hostesses' point of view because they can be prepared well in advance. They keep well for two or three days when stored in a cool place the flavor of the rutabaga casserole, for instance, improves with reheating. Homemade casseroles are Finnish cuisine at its best: nutritiuos and much easier to prepare than one would imagine and also exceptionally economical.

Rutabaga casserole Preparation time: 25 - 30 minutes Boiling time for the rutabagas: 30 - 40 minutes Cooking time 1/2 - 2 hours Oven temperature: 350°F (175°C) Suitable for freezing 2 large rutabagas, 3 1/2 lb. (about 1 1/2 kg) 1 1/2 cups (4 dl) cream or mixture of cream and milk 3/4 cup (2 dl) dried breadcrumbs 1/3 cup (1 dl ) dark syrup 1 egg 1 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 tablespoon salt Coating: dried breadcrumbs, butter 1. Scrub and peel the rutabagas. Cut up into large pieces and boil in slightly salted water until soft. 2. Strain, keep the cooking liquid, and mash or blend the rutabagas in a kitchen blender. 3. Mix in the cream and dried breadcrumb paste, dark syrup, beaten egg and spices, and as much of the cooking liquid as is needed to give a loose soft consistency. 4. Turn into a greased baking dish, press the surface with a fork to make a pattern, sprinkle over a thin coating of dried breadcrumbs.

Carrot casserole Preparation time: 40 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes + 1 1/2 hours Oven temperature: 350 °F (175°C) 3/4 cup (2 dl) rice 1 1/2 cups (4 dl) water 1/2 cup (1,2 dl) milk 3 teaspoons salt 3 lb. (1 1/2 kg) carrots 3/4 cup (2 al) milk or a mixture of cream and milk 1/4 cup (50g) butter 3 eggs 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 tablespoon sugar 2 teaspoons salt Coating: dried breadcrumbs, butter 1. Boil the rice in the water and milk mixture and cook until the rice starts to thicken just a bit. 2. Peel and grate the carrots. 3. Mix the grated carrots, milk, melted butter, eggs and spices into the rice pudding. 4. Pour the mixture into a greased baking dish. Sprinkle with dried

Glass masters herring

Preparation time: 30 minutes Soaking time: 12 hours Marinading time: 2-3 days 4 good-sized herrings 3 red onions 2 carrots 30 whole allspice and white peppercorns 4 bay leaves Marinade: 1 1/4 cups (3 dl) vinegar 1 1/4 cups (3 dl) sugar 2 1/2 cups (6 dl) water

1. Soak the fish overnight in cold water or equal portions of water and milk. The liquid can be changed occasionally. 2. Prepare the marinade; boil up all the ingredients and leave to cool at room temperature. 3. Remove the gut and inside belly membrane with, for instance, kitchen scissors. Rinse well and dry with paper towels. Cut up into shortish sections. 4. Peel the onions and carrots and cut into rings. 5. Fill a suitable glass jar with alternate layers of fish slices, onions and carrots, and the spices. Pour over the liquid. 6. Cover the jar and store in a cool place for at least two days. The herrings will keep for a couple of weeks in a cool place, but they are at their best after 4-5 days.

Baked ham Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 45 - 55 minutes/2 lb. (1 kg) Oven temperature: 250 - 300 °F (125 - 150°C) and 440°F (225°C) Ready-salted ham 10 - 15 lb. (5 - 8kg) Coating: 2 - 4 tablespoons mustard 2 - 4 tablespoons brown sugar 2 - 4 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs cloves for decorating

1. Place ham on a wiregrid in the roasting pan, skin side up. Push a roasting thermometer into the thickest part of the ham making sure it does not touch the bone. 2. Put the ham in the oven. It is difficult to give a precise roasting time, it is best to go by the roasting thermometer. When it reaches 170 °F (77°C) the meat is cooked. 3. Remove from the oven and let it stand for a moment. Remove the skin and as much of the underlying fat as required. 4. Mix together the ingredients for the coating and smear over the ham. Put back into the oven at 440 °F (225°C) for ten minutes or until golden brown all over. Decorate the surface of the ham with cloves.

Baked lutefish Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 40 - 50 minutes Oven temperature: 400 °F (220°C) 5 to 6 lb (2 - 3 kg) lutefish 1 1/2 tablespoons salt 1. Set the pieces of fish on aluminium foil or roasting film and sprinkle with salt. Wrap up tightly. 2. Place in a ceramic baking dish or enamel pan. 3. Bake in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes depending on the amount of fish. 4. Discard the liquid formed in the packet. Serve with boiled potatoes and white sauce seasoned with freshly ground allspice or white pepper and salt.

White sauce Preparation time: 5 - 10 minutes Cooking time: about 10 minutes 5 tablespoons margarine 3/4 cups (1 1/2 dl) white flour 6 cups (1 1/2 l) milk salt to taste 1. Melt the margarine in a saucepan, add the flour and stir well. 2. Add the milk gradually while stirring and allow to boil gently for about 10 minutes. 3. Season with salt. When ready the sauce should be smooth and shiny

Liver pate Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 2 hours Oven temperature: 350 °F (175°C) Not suitable for freezing 1 lb. (1/2 kg) ground liver 3/4 cup (2 dl) dried breadcrumbs 1 1/2 cups (4 dl) cream 2 onions 2 tablespoons butter 4 tablespoons potato starch 3 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon white pepper 2 eggs fresh side of pork 1. Line an oblong baking dish with fresh side of pork. When buying the liver ask your butcher to grind it twice. 2. Mix the cream and dried breadcrumbs and leave to swell. 3. Finely chop the onions and fry in butter until transparent. Leave to cool. 4. Mix together the liver and other ingredients, finishing with the lightly beaten eggs. Blend together thoroughly. 5. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, cover tightly with aluminium foil. Set in a pan of water and bake in the oven.

Rice porridge (for 10 persons) Preparation time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 40 minutes Suitable for freezing 2 cups (1/21) water 6 cups (1 1/21) milk 1 1/4 cups (3 dl) rice 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 blanched almond 1. Add the rice to the boiling milk and water mixture. 2. Simmer until cooked. Add the salt and one blanched almond. Serve with ground cinnamon, sugar to taste, and milk.

Mixed fruit soup Preparation time: 5 minutes Soaking time: overnight Cooking time: about 15 minutes about 1 lb. (400g) dried mixed fruit 8 cups (2 l) water 3/4 cup (1 1/2 dl) sugar stick of cinnamon (dash of salt) 3 tablespoons potato starch

1. Rinse the mixed fruit in cold water and leave to soak overnight in water containing a little sugar. 2. Boil the fruit in the soaking liquid with the cinnamon and a touch of salt if desired. 3. Continue to boil over a low heat until the fruit is fully cooked. 4. Transfer the fruit with a slotted spoon to the serving dish and remove the stick of cinnamon. 5. Thicken the juice: remove the pan from the heat, mix the potato starch in a little cold water and add in a thin stream to the liquid, stirring continuously. Bring quickly back to the boil without stirring. 6. Pour over the fruit and sprinkle a little sugar over the top.

Christmas bread (makes 3 loaves) Preparation time: 30 minutes Rising time: 1 1/2 hours altogether Baking time: about 40 minutes Oven temperature: 400 °F (200 °C) Suitable for freezing 4 cups (1 l) buttermilk 2 oz. (50 g) yeast 3/4 cup (2 dl) dark syrup 2 tablespoons grated orange peel 1/2 tablespoon roughly ground caraway seeds 1 tablespoon salt about 3 cups (8 dl) rye flour 1 1/2 cups (4 dl) graham flour about 4 cups (1 l) white flour 1. Warm up the buttermilk. 2. Crumble in the yeast and add the syrup and spices. 3. Mix in the flour and knead thoroughly. Cover with a cloth and leave to rise. If the kitchen is drafty, stand the covered bowl in warmish water. 4. Divide the dough into three and shape each portion into a round loaf. Put in a warm place to rise. Prick with a fork before placing in the oven.

Christmas pastries joulutortut Pastry: 7 oz (200g) soft butter or margarine 1 cup (2 1/2 dl) flour 1/3 cup (1 dl) cold water 1 teaspoon vinegar Filling: sweetened prune puree or plum jam 1. Put all the pastry ingredients into a bowl and mix quickly by hand into a dough. Don’t knead too much. 2. Put the dough to a cold place to harden. 3. Roll out on a floured board, folding a few times to make a puff pastry, and finally make a 1/2 cm thick sheet. 4. Cut the sheet into 7 x 7 cm squares. Split the corners of each square. 5. Place a bit of prune puree or plum jam in the middle of each square. Fold over every other split end onto the center, to form a windmill-like pastry. 6. Brush with beaten egg and bake at 450° F (250° C) until light brown. To make round pastries, cut into circles, fill, and fold in half. Bake as above.

Ginger cookies piparkakut (makes about 200) Preparation time: 30 minutes Cooking time: 10 minutes/batch Oven temperature: 400°F (200 °C)

1 1/4 cups (300 g) margarine 1 1/4 cups (300 g) sugar 3 eggs 1 cup (250g) dark syrup 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons ginger 2 teaspoons ground cloves 1 tablespoon grated orange rind about 7 cups (1 kg) white flour 3 teaspoons baking soda 1. Boil the syrup and spices, add the margarine and beat until the mixture is cool. 2. Beat the eggs and sugar. 3. Mix the soda in with part of the flour and then combine with the syrup-margarine mixture. Add the whipped eggs and the rest of the flour. Do not knead the final mixture. 4. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and leave overnight in a cool place. 5. Roll out the dough, cut up into shapes and bake the cookies in the oven until golden brown.

Christmas glögg 1 bottle of red wine 2-3 tablespoons Madeira (optional) 1/2 cup raw sugar, or to taste 1/3 cup raisins 1-2 sticks cinnamon 5-6 whole cloves peelings of orange 1/4 cup blanched, slivered almonds 1/4 cup vodka to spike it up (optional) In a large kettle, combine all the ingredients except the vodka. Heat slowly, until the drink is steaming hot. Stir every now and then, and taste with a spoon whenever you feel like it. Do not let the drink get even close to boiling. Just keep it warm. Before serving, add vodka if you wish.

FINLAND

Pulla This is a traditional food in Finland. Women have baked this coffee bread every week (usually on Saturdays) and still do, since Finland is a country of tradition, and many of their customs and foods have been around for many, many years. 2 cups Milk 1 or 2 eggs 2 tsp salt 1 heaping tblsp cardamom 1 1/4 cups sugar 1 1/4 cups butter or margarine 1 kg (app. 7 cups) flour (Robin Hood Best for Bread works well) 2 packages dry yeast, or 50g fresh yeast Mix eggs, salt, sugar, and cardamom together. Put butter and milk in saucepan on stove until butter melts. Add to egg mixture. Add flour. Put yeast into cup with a bit of warm water, (If using fresh yeast, let it melt). Make sure dough is no warmer than skin temperature, then pour into dough. Knead dough well, then sprinkle flour on top, and let it rise about 1 hr. Roll dough into 3" balls, or braid into 2 loaves. Put on greased cookie sheet, cover with towel and let rise 15-20 min. Whip one egg, and brush on pulla. Top with coarse sugar. Bake at 350-400F, until golden.

Lefse

NORWAY

2 c Milk, scalded 1 TB Salt 1/2 c Lard 4 c Flour (all purpose) Add lard, salt and 2 cups flour to scalded milk and mix well over low heat. (my friend says make sure there are no lumps). Remove from fire. Sift 2 cups of flour on board, add warm dough and work in flour. Knead well and cool. (knead, knead, knead). This dough can be rolled immediately or kept in a cool place for a couple of days. May be stored in a plastic bag. Make a small patty, about hamburger size, with even sealed edges as you would for pastry. Flour board lightly and with a Scandinavian rolling pin (you can use a regular rolling pin), roll patty in all directions, keeping the dough round. Roll lightly, stretching dough until it is almost as large as the lefse baker (you can use a griddle). Use a pointed stick to transfer dough from the board to the baker (or griddle). Brown lightly, prick air bubbles, turn and brown the other side. You may have to lower the heat. It is a soft bread. Serve with butter and sugar.

SWEDEN Plattar - Swedish Pancakes 4 Eggs, Separated 1 Cup Flour 1/2  Teaspoon Salt 1 Cup Milk 3 Tablespoons Sour Cream Lingonberry Preserves Applesauce Beat yolks until thick. Sift together flour, salt and sugar. Add to egg yolks alternately with milk. Stir in sour cream. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold into batter. Heat pancake pan and butter each depression (if you have a Swedish Pan Cake Pan (see notes). Pour about a tablespoon of batter into each depression and spread out evenly. Brown on one side, turn and brown on the other side. Serve at once with preserves or applesauce. Serves 4. Notes: To be authentically small and very thin, Swedish pancakes ought to be baked in a Swedish pancake pan, which has depressions for each pancake. They can be bought in good housewares stores in Scandinavian supply houses. But these pancakes may also be baked  on a hot griddle by tablespoonfuls. Incidentally, pancakes are a staple in all Scandinavian countries, and basically there is not a great deal of difference between them. The Norwegians often eat theirs folded over.

Much of Scandinavian cuisine is based on home grown ingredients such as pork, fish and cabbage. The home cooking of the country is beginning to gain popularity in some of the top restaurant's along with more elaborate dishes.