Welcome to this space dedicated to Scandinavian cooking! I’m Kristen, and I’m very excited to share recipes and cooking demonstrations for some family favorites, as well as try out making Scandinavian dishes that are new to me.

My inspiration

My maternal grandparents were both born and raised in Norway. When they were alive, they passed on Norwegian cultural traditions to the family. So even though my mom was raised in the US, she grew up surrounded by Norwegian relatives and friends, learning important traditions like making krumkake at Christmastime, or marching in the Syttende Mai – Norway’s Independence Day. When my sister and I were kids, these traditions were also passed to us.

My grandmother (I called her Bessa), really instilled a love of good food and good times, along with a love for Norwegian culture. I’m inspired by Bessa’s legacy – she really is the starting point for all of this. 

Bessa was a really good cook. So good, that she cooked food for her restaurant in New York. Their customers gobbled it up! Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren also gobbled up the special foods that she made for us too.

(If you’re interested in hearing more about Bessa, please check out Bessa’s Story, a podcast that shares incredible stories from her life. Visit bessastory.com or listen to her story on Apple Podcasts.)

What we’ll cook here

Bessa taught me how to make a few Norwegian dishes. And that’s where we’’ll start! We’ll make krumkake, rice pudding, Norwegian pancakes, Norwegian waffles, and Norwegian meatballs. I’ve made those dishes too many times to count. 

I’m excited to learn how to make other Scandinavian foods – things I haven’t made yet, like lefse, potetskaker, and kransekake. I’m also looking to go beyond Norway, and explore Swedish treats, and perhaps beyond.

Come join me on this exciting journey! And thank you so much for visiting! Please bookmark this site and come back for more.