another banana bread.

There was a period of my life defined by the baking of weekly banana bread. It was delicious for a few weeks, until I become more interested in the smell and the process than the taste. Needless to say, I made many friends. Now that I have finally found baking soda in ICA (the main Swedish grocer), I can finally get back to some regular aroma therapy sessions. I also bought honey at the store and, with a box of honey puffed cereal (like "Smacks", but generic), was eager to satisfy my sweet tooth.

check out that toasted cereal!


BANANA-HONEY BREAD
::1/2 c butter (room temperature)
::1/4 c honey
::1/4 c sugar
::2 large uber-ripe bananas
::1 egg
::1 T baking soda
::1 c flour
::1/4 c oats
::honey puffed cereal
::salt
::cinnamon
-cream butter with honey and sugar
-mash bananas with egg
-mix bananas into butter
-mix baking soda, flour, oats, salt, cinnamon, and a handful of cereal
-combine wet/dry mixes (should be very moist)
-put in a butterDusted pan and top with another few handfuls of cereal
-bake at 350 for 45-1.

"Whoa! Wow! Next time you make this I watch."-Swedish roommate. It was his birthday and this was the most excited he got all day. Yeah, banana bread didn't exist here.
This batch came out very moist. The texture was perfect and the honey and crunch of the honey and crunch were suitably subtle and smile-worthy. I will make this again. I still want to add either yogurt or cottage cheese. Luckily you can by pre-mixed cottage cheese yogurt cinnamon snack at the local ICA. hmm...suspect

Your leftovers are my pudding.

I took home some extra vegan bread from the vegetarian/vegan restaurant I work at. It's very dense and has whole roasted hazelnuts, apricots, and raisins mixed throughout. We serve it to every table as they sit down. I can't eat more than a bite without alternating between it and gulps of milk. It's just too dense. But, I figured, why not use it for a recipe? I considered making a bread pudding, or grinding/crushing it and using it as a pie crust (I also make crusts of old cornbread or banana bread, any bread really, try it). After reading Emiline's entry to her food blog contest, I knew the bread's fate: pudding. Delicious, moist pudding.

colors!


CHOCOLATE BREAD PUDDING
::1 c milk
::3 T cocoa
::1/3 c sugar
::2 T butter
::2 t salt
::2 eggs
::1/2 c cream
::dry/stale bread (Challah works best, but use what you have)
-Heat the milk, sugar, salt, and cocoa in saucepan until dissolved and scalded.
-Melt in butter and TAKE OFF HEAT
-Once mix is about room temperature, mix in eggs and cream.
-Add in chunks of bread and let sit for 15 minutes (or cover and place in fridge for hours)
-Pour into buttered baking ban or individual ramekins
-Bake for 35-45 minutes at about 350º (I used glass...so maybe ramekin use 375º)

I served this in a bowl, drizzled with heavy cream. Really tasty. Since the bread was so dense, and could not be fully infiltrated by the custard, there is a great variety of textures. And the surprise crunch of a hazelnut or sweetness of dried fruit really made this batch special. I'm definitely going to have to take home more of this great bread next week!

black and tan and a spoon

A few days ago I decided to take a stroll around the food blogosphere. I do this every once and a while, usually searching for ice cream recipes, inspiration, and delicious pictures. Eventually I came across Sugar Plum, where Emiline had chosen to throw a St. Patrick’s Day food blog event. I've never participated in a blog event before. And with beer plentiful here in Sweden, I knew I must participate. Even before I had made that decision, my mind had started wandering around the "kitchen." This test kitchen, thought mostly fanciful, is unavoidably accompanied by a growling stomach and a half-concealed grin. Anyways.

Some initial thoughts: Beer, cream, ice cream, no ice cream maker, beer, pudding, génoise, no pans, mousse, beer.

I decided a mousse would be perfectly spoonable and elegant. And why not add whipped cream? I've run into a few problems while cooking in my Swedish kitchen the last two months. I don't want to spend (too much) money on kitchen essentials that I know I will leave behind in 4 months. Also, it's just difficult to find certain ingredients. Baking soda and cream of tartar have both eluded me in the grocery stores! Baking soda! And, with this in mind, I set out to make mousse with neither electric mixer nor recipe. dumb

partially inspired by the drink: Black and tan

served in a shot glass.

GUINNESS-CARAMEL MOUSSE WITH ORANGE-ALE WHIPPED CREAM
(not exact, and not portioned well)

::::Guinness-caramel mousse::::
::1/2 c Guinness (room temp preferred)
::1 c sugar
::2 T water
::4 eggs separated
::1/2 c heavy cream
::cream of tartar (I did not use this, but you should)
-heat 1/2 c sugar and water in saucepan on medium-high until sugar dissolves and caramelizes.
-take off heat and add Guinness (it will foam like crazy)
-reduce heat to Low and reduce to about 1/2 c.
-beat egg yolks with about 1/4 c sugar until light
-beat egg whites with a tablespoon sugar and a bit of cream of tartar until stiff peaks.
-beat cream with a tablespoon sugar until stiff peaks.
-beat yolks continuously while slowly adding in hot Guinness/caramel
-alternate folding in spatula-fulls of whipping cream then egg whites
-pour into glasses, cover, chill.

::::orange-ale whipped cream::::
::1/2 c pale ale
::1/2 c sugar
::1/4 c fresh orange juice
::the orange's zest (remember to zest before cutting the orange!)
::3/4-1 c cream
-heat sugar and ale until sugar dissolves over medium-high.
-add zest and juice and turn heat to Low
-reduce until about 1/2 c
-chill
-mix orange-ale syrup with cream and whip until stiff peaks

Okay. It tastes really great. Both parts of this recipe taste fine on their own. The beer and flavoring parings are great. Dark, creamy Guinness with smooth, complex caramel. The light ale whipped with fresh orange. Great.
With proper kitchen appliances I would expect both to have more complex/contrasting textures. And maybe next time chocolate-guinness rather than caramel. Or both?

I'm looking forward to seeing what the other bloggers put together. Should be a delicious moment.

banana bread.

I haven't done any baking in the last two months. It was difficult. But now, with the fumes of fresh banana bread wafting through my corridor, it will be hard to stay away from the oven. I tried a few new things in this "loaf". First, I say "loaf" because I baked in a circular, glass pan. Not quite a loaf, but quite delicious. Who cares about shape anyways? Another new addition: an unmashed, less ripe banana. I caramelized it a bit before placing it, cut lengthwise, on top of the dough. I also used half flour, half oats. I think that will be nice.
If there is one thing I love about banana bread, it's that it reminds me of banana bread ice cream!



(I didn't have a recipe and I have a limited pantry (no baking soda!: oops), so don't be too critical or trusting of this. I'm not)

BANANA BREAD
::1/4 c butter softened
::1/4 c sugar
::2 eggs
::1 large ripe banana
::1 large yellow banana (peeled and sliced lengthwise)
::1/2 c oats
::3/4 c flour
::2 t baking powder
::cinnamon
::salt

-cream butter and sugar
-mix eggs and ripe banana
-combine egg/banana with butter/sugar
-mix dry ingredients
-slowly mix in dry ingredients
-put mix in buttered, circular pan. or use a traditional 5x9 loafer.
-caramelize the fresh banana in a frying pan on medium/high heat. Consider sprinkling it with cinnamon and salt.
-place banana slices on dough before baking for about 45 minutes at 350.

*remember: using a glass pan like I did, please turn the stove down about 20º.

I haven't tried this yet, but it has all the requisites of success. Looks good, smells good, and induces roommates to halt studies and wander toward kitchen. as a note of importance: THIS IS THE FIRST BANANA BREAD MY SWEDISH ROOMMATES HAVE EVER SEEN!

another college feast.

I bought my first package of Swedish meatballs (kötbullar) today. Turns out that, except for special occasion, most Swedes buy this popular food in the refridgerator section. They microwave hot in about 45 seconds. They also heat well on the stove. Tonight I had them with chopped dalakorv (a large, cheap, common sausage. It's ok). And, of course, ketchup. My swedish roommates go through more ketchup than anyone I've seen. Last night one of them ate tortellinni...douced in ketchup.



A quick note: for those who don't know, ketchup and catsup are both legit spellings. The sauce originated in China, where it was used with fish. Try it sometime (not just on fish sticks. real fish too). Or try Heinz Chili Sauce. It's ketchup-like with added zestiness. Worth a try.

Also: I bought soy sauce. I got a really dark one. For some reason I have an uncontrollable craving to eat it with fried chicken.

A brief commentary on Swedish food and culture

What did I know about Sweden two months ago? In Scandinavia. Cold. IKEA. Design. Environmental. Fish. Swedish fish. Let's check my scorecard so far: Yes. No. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Not quite.
Arriving in Sweden, I was quick to assess its culinary realm. However, as an eager exchange student, I had plenty of people, booklets, and roughly translated websites dishing me the stereotypical plate of Sweden.
Potatoes. Pickled herring. Caviar (tubed and jarred). Crisp bread. Sausage. Cheese. Coffee. Licorice.
This is true. All of it. Over the last two months all these items have become more prevalent in my diet. We're they new? Well, except for the tubed caviar and salt covered licorice, no. I have fond memories of sitting in my Ann Arbor kitchen, eating large quantities of crisp bread, jarred and canned fish (I think I described this to a roommate as part of my transitory phase between Ovaltine and adulthood), sausage, potatoes, cheese, and coffee. Lots of cheese. Even more coffee. Regardless, this has been an effortless transition. But the question remains: What is the Swedish culinary reality?
It's hard to tell. You cannot simply walk into a Swedish style restaurant. You cannot, I am sure, because I am certain they do not exist. Some things are certain. Swedes love buffet style service, coffee breaks, sweets, and fish. There abundance is abundant. Everywhere.
I frequent a few different book stores around town. They are quite large, like small Borders. It's hard for me to understand many of the books. They are in Swedish after all, which is a Nordic language, though sometimes if I am not paying attention I swear it sounds like English. But it's not. It's just a language. Anyways, one afternoon I found a particularly inviting fish cookbook. I read the glossy photos and deciphered what I could of the strange arrangement of consonants and vowels. Within minutes this book shared the true story of Swedish food. Delicious.

A quick list: sushi, soups, stews, sesame-saffron, encrusted, pesto, cilantro-lime, tomato-basil, wok-style, gazpacho, kebab.
That is modern day Swedish culinary culture. It is familiar. It is vibrant. It has all the culinary bells and whistles that consumers expect from global culture. At the same time, it has the peasant dishes, the pies, soups, and earthy, root stews that secure its heritage.

And because this post is lacking color:

food fight

This is a really intersting video I found on YouTube the other day. It is a brief history of US-centric war. Countries are represented by their different stereotypical foods. See if you can figure it out. Great animation as well.

enjoy


tourist pictures

yes, I am a college student

I've started booking flights and making travel plans! It's great! It also costs money, like, about 60 containers of swedish ice cream per trip. Yeah, I've adjusted my budget, allocated funds, and changed my diet.
I eat potatoes (mashed, baked, fried, hashed). I eat spaghetti. And not the whole grain type I would get in the states. I eat EuroShopper, the cheapest brand. Imagine shopping at a Spartan store and getting something less expensive than the store brand. That cheap. And rice. Lots of white rice, sometimes with pesto or tomato sauce. And Ramen, the exotic cuisine of college students. In addition my usual addition of egg and sesame oil, I've started adding rice to beef it up.

It's all delicious. And worth the traveling.

gasque then afterward

Saturday I attended my first gasque. A gasque is a long, fancy, proper, festive occasion. I will omit formalities now and generalize the series of events in these words: watch, champagne, sit, sing, drink, eat, sing, sing, drink, eat, sing, drink, sing, drink, stand, drink, dance. Lots of talking and smiling mixed all about. Then dancing. Always dancing.

So, we have a three course meal. We arrive to the starter: seasoned toast with marinated artichokes, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, garnished with dandelion greens. It was a great starter, maybe a little too garlic laden, and not quite filling for the hour singing period before dinner.
Dinner arrived with the white wine. The salmon was moist and flakey, crusted with cheese, breadcrumb mix. The baked, sliced root vegetables were primarily potatoes colored with beets and a heavy amount of pepper. Maybe a little paprika too. Tzadziki acted as the universal sauce, with a high proportion of chopped mint, which seems very popular here. Excellent.

this photo is over-exposed. the salmon's color is washed out.


Dessert was the most enjoyable. Chocolate hazelnut mousse topped with fresh raspberries and mint leaf. Bright, sour raspberries meeting the velvet whipped hazelnut. So rich and dense. Too good.

blood pudding verdict

So, I had purchased a half kilo of blood pudding about 2 weeks ago. I was very surprised by my first impression, and decided not to throw out the remaining blood. So, weeks have passed, and the presence of the pudding on my fridge shelf has inspired my roommates into a blood pudding feeding frenzy. On one occasion, one of them ate an entire half kilo in one sitting! Another time it was eaten along side some falukrov (really common, basic, fatty sausage, probably similar to bologna. I wouldn't know, it just seems like it would be.) and bacon (really common, delicious pig). Regardless, it seemed to be always served with Lingon Sylt (lingonberry jam). Yes. So stereo-typically Swedish. Tonight I gave the blood another chance. A fair one, in fact, by pairing it with Lingon. The lingonberry improves the experience upwards of good enough. Still though, I am not into this. It's a shame. I do see potential using it to richen sauces, maybe a good gravy? This doesn't even get a photo...for now.

waffles.

As I had mentioned in another post, pea soup and waffles is a traditional Swedish meal typically served thursday nights. The waffles (that's right, plural) are served on a plate, plain. Mind you, these crisp around the edged, but moistily gooey innards are eatable plain, but with a small spread of toppings, it's just not as attractive an idea. So, we have: whipped cream (real, in a large dish with ladle for serving), strawberry preserves, and blackberry preserves. I think that's all. Maybe there was something else? Regardless, these waffles go down easy, which is a difficult thing if you've just waited about 45 minutes (yes, there is only one waffle iron in this operation) for your order to arrive. To savor or to relish? Marmalade.

note: this was a fiend's plate. mine was clean and had less toppings to start with.

fat tuesday.

I had all but forgotten of Fat Tuesday until a teacher invited the class to gather for samla. Samla. You may ask, "what is this strange word?" And no, it is not even recognizable as an altered, strange spelling of patzki. That's because it's not a punchki. It is, however, "filled" dough. It's not fried. It's powerded (dusted?). It's not filled. It's split in half and laid with a dollop of whipped cream and a sweet, almondy paste before reconstruction. It's tasty, but nothing exciting. It's what you'd expect from dough and whipped cream. It's sweet, heavy, fattening. It left my stomach with a frown (maybe because I had two, maybe because I used it to supplement dinner? perhaps).

candle-lit

pea soup: tradition

Pea soup and waffles is a traditional thursday night meal in Sweden. I knew this ahead of time. And, naturally, I assumed the familiar: green, split-pea soup with ham. Ham: yes. Green: no. Spit: no. Rather, I was presented with a thick, hearty, salt-pork laiden bowl of delciousness. The peas are whole, though the majority are pulverized from hours of heating and frequent stirring. This meal was from Uplands Nation, and a bottomless bowl cost an easy 20SEK (that's about $3.25 for a full meal!). It is served in a very large stock pot, with two types of mustard, some herbs, chopped onion, and capers (or were they pickles. I don't remember). A large, communal block of cheese and knackerbröd are gratis and the vegetarian pea soup also fares well (not as rich or thick, but decent).



and the vegetarian version. made vibrant with sliced yellow and red peppers.


a future post will be dedicated to Waffles. they're good

current snack: nutella oatmeal. sort of like CoCo Wheats, but with a pleasant hazelnutiness. Next time I'll add banana too.

sweden: open face

Just some thoughts.
It has been hard to ignore the Swedes' love for open face sandwiches. They range from the simple cheese to the heartier meatball with beet salad. One of the first sandwiches I attempted to eat was an open face potato salad with roast beef and veggies. To date, that is the messiest and saltiest meal I've had in this country.
Now that I've become more comfortable in Swedish grocery stores, I've been able to take full advantage of their routine cuisine (nice rhyme, I know). But really, the variety of bread and crispbread (knackerbröd) is astounding. Equally as glorious is the plethora of common toppings. There are the familiar: jam (often lingonberry or marmalade), butter, cheese, cold cuts (very expensive), salami, sausage. And the enticing: caviar (typically red or black), tubed caviar (many flavors, including dill, egg, and banana), tubed paté, messmör (a sweet, spreadable product made from whey). Ok, there are likely more, but that list is comprehensive enough for my first two weeks here.

One of the most common and popular homemade sandwiches: caviar and sliced egg. You won't find this often in cafés or restaurants, but this is what people here eat for a quick, homemade breakfast, lunch, snack, and dare I say...fika (the ever-so-popular coffee break). I have tried adapting caviar to my usual, buttery-delicious, fried egg sandwich. I must admit, the Swedish version is a winner.



Knackerbröd may very well be the culinary backbone of Sweden. Even if it isn't being crunched at, one might ask "Can something be 'good' food if it can't be eaten on knackerbröd?". The answer: slice thin and pile high. It seems like every type of imaginable cuisine is, in some degree, popular here. And yes, if prepared properly, they can all be enjoyed on crisp bread. Oh, and you dont like your crisp break too robust? Pick up a thin, delicate variety. Added omega-3's? They have that too. Knackerbröd comes in all shapes, sizes, weights, flavor, and nutrition levels.



More to come

breakfast: oatmeal

A simple solution.

Since arriving in Sweden, it has been all but impossible to avoid the high price of food. But, seeing that I value a sound breakfast, I have fashioned a simple, wholesome solution: oatmeal. It's an unrefined carbohydrate, meaning it has a better portion of minerals, and it takes longer to break down, meaning you feel fuller for longer and energy is extracted for a longer span. Oatmeal by itself may be somewhat bland. Enter: banana. Cut into thin slices, it mixes well with the oats and boosts flavor and sweetness. A ripe pear, cut into small bits also works well. I've also tried pan frying apples and fresh ginger.

Other additives: lingonberry jam. (or any type of jam/jelly/preserve/marmalade). CINNAMON! butter? maybe

Oh, and what breakfast is complete without a tall coffee? not mine

banana! lingonberry!


apples and ginger!

latkes.

For the first time ever, I made latkes. Yes, I have helped my mother and grandmother prepare and fry potato pancakes throughout my life, but this was all me. And, despite memory of a somewhat long process, this only took 45 minutes from start to clean plate. While this short prep time is likely due to cooking a la solo, nevertheless, it has re-established my noshing desires. This dinner was 20 years in the making. More latkes!



note: no recipe was used. just love.
LATKES FOR ONE
::1 medium sized potato, grated
::1/2 yellow onion, grated
::1 clove garlic minced (yes, garlic isn't a traditional ingredient, but I'm an addict)
::2 eggs
::1/4 c milk
::1/3 c flour
::salt/pepper

now for the hard part?

-mix all the ingredients together.
-pan fry with ample butter until crisp
-eat

because this was a spur of the moment meal, I was not adequately prepared with either sour cream or applesauce. So, in accordance with Swedish cultural practice, I used lingonberry jam. Turns out: delicious. Think cranberry, but smaller, and a more brief, subtle sour.

I will make these again soon.
...sweet potato? turnip? carrot? caviar? too Swedish

quick Sweet Potato soup

I've been cooking lots of dishes recently with only a few ingredients. Though I primarily subsist on garlic, onion, mushroom, potato, knackerbrod, and cheese, I recently picked up a few small sweet potatoes. Though root vegetables, especially carrots and potatoes are very common cuisine in these parts (Sweden, for those of you were not aware of my recent transplant), sweet potatoes are very uncommon. In fact, only one of at least six markets in walking distance carries them.

nearly soup:


Today, though not cold (just below 40º), I was in the mood for something warm and slurpable. So,

SWEET POTATO SOUP for one
::1 small sweet potato diced (leave on skin)
::1 small potato (leave on skin)
::1/2 small onion minced
::1 clove garlic (at least!) minced
::1-2 c water
::1/2 c milk
::cinnamon
::salt/pepper

-Cook onion with butter until tender then add garlic.
-Season with salt, pepper, and cinnamon and cook for additional moment
-Add water, and potato (sweet and regular), cover for about 10 minutes
-Rough smash and add milk before serving.

I like this soup.

eggnog pancakes

There was still eggnog from Christmas in my parents' fridge, so I used it to make some pancakes. Substitute it for milk and add cinnamon and nutmeg. Maybe consider mixing in some holiday/winter beer/ale just before frying.



EGGNOG PANCAKES
::1 c flour (whole wheat flour works great too)
::2 T sugar
::2 t baking powder
::1 t salt
::2 eggs
::1 c eggnog
:: 3-4 T melted butter

Mix dry ingredients. Mix wet ingredients. Mix dry and wet. Thin out with milk if necessary.

some new then old photos

Guinness float: Guinness with homemade Guinness ice cream


making: caramel ice cream base


an ice cream trio: Chocolate Chocolate, Eggnog Latté, Maple Butter Pecan


leftovers spread


Thanksgiving plate

another cinnamon ice cream

I've made plenty of cinnamon ice cream and this isn't much different. But there are chopped up oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

I add about 1 tablespoon of cinnamon per pint of base. Maybe some nutmeg or pumpkin pie spices if you're into that. Or some cayenne (<---I'm into that). Also, it's that time of year. Yes: eggnog time. So, maybe add eggnog too (think: thick custard, tasty, well-spiced...almost an ice cream base on its own).
My friends (all 2 of them) and I make cookies when we are relaxing at our parents’ homes. Since reaching cookie saturation two nights ago, I felt it appropriate to realize the potential of the already toasted, spiced, chocolate-laden oatmeal. So, after a quick chop and some lazy handfuls of cookie remnants, the ice cream was done. It's good.