1. FROM THE NORTH
Second Nordic Edition: Katrin Björk
I received this cookbook one year as a Christmas gift from my girlfriend. It is called “From The North”. Immediately, I fell in love with this one. It is an enjoyable cookbook to flip through and tells you everything that it is about just at a glance. This is a true Nordic book because it involves fishing, hunting, foraging, and farming. These are staples of all cuisine yes, but much of that is lost these days in other foods. Where as it still thrives in much of the nordic regions.
This book also has many recipes that any home cook can do, which can be rare in many cookbooks today. The market is cluttered with professional chef books that have recipes that are quite the stretch to complete in an average home kitchen. I admit that I am guilty of getting many of these books myself but there is a bit more access to professional kitchens for me.
This specific Nordic book is a little more Icelandic than anything which is another reason This book deserves a place on my list of favorites. And it is uncommon to see an Icelandic cookbook. At least here in the United States.
There are recipes that can be a bit hard to do when it comes to obtaining ingredients. And it can at times seem fancy. But believe me when I say that these recipes are not hard. Katrin keeps things simple when it comes to her food. And I think you’ll love this book as much as i do.
One of my all time favorite go-to recipes in this particular book is actually the recipe for a sourdough starter and bread. These past two years, millions of people tested out their sourdough skills and I can’t say I wasn’t one of them. But I also narrowed down my recipe preference to this specific one. It is a never fail, never disappoint kind of recipe. And it’s absolutely delicious. You need this recipe in your life. Especially if you love bread. And come on, you probably do.
There are also recipes for things like smoked butter, crushed potatoes with horseradish and duck fat, or just a nice stuffed pork tenderloin.
This cookbook is one you must buy for anyone looking for a classic cookbook that allows them to explore foraging style recipes. As well as outstanding fish and game recipes. It is a simple cookbook that is not intimidating and asks for nothing. Just simple food and the love of cooking.
Keep reading for more of my favorite cookbooks! Like this one by Magnus Nilsson.
Buy it here!
Starting with Magnus Nilsson
There are many cookbooks that I go to when I need reference.
In any cuisine that you like to cook. You usually start with something that triggers an interest whether it be a show, specific chef, or a cookbook. (Usually from one of those chefs). For me personally, there are multiple that I specifically go to when it comes to Scandinavian foods.
Magnus Nilsson is a major reference for me. His “Nordic cookbook” is the absolute best reference for any sorts of Scandinavian cooking. You can find almost anything you could possibly think of in this amazing encyclopedia of cuisine.
He created it from years of research collected from traveling all across Scandinavia talking to families and getting recipes that were passed down for generations. He decided to do so at first by creating a poll online across the countries that make up Scandinavia.
The goal was to show that each country had its own cuisine as much as any countries have their own distinctions from each other. He has a very good point considering many think that all Nordic/Scandinavian food is the same. But they are all different countries as much as France and Germany have different foods. As much as thinking that all of America has the same food culture. Even though we are all neighbors, it doesn’t mean that we all have the same food and culture around it.
He also has an astonishing book about his recently former restaurant Fäviken. It is simply called Fäviken. This is a much more in depth look at Michelin quality food but in a way that really shows off the foods of the region surrounding the restaurant. This is a beautifully composed cookbook that is a very interesting as well as easy read. It has a wealth of information about everything in it.
There is even a list of menus in the back that show how the food changes through the seasons. It is a very good example of using what should be available in the seasons and to follow this way of cooking. Some things may taste great in one season when it should really be eaten in another. This book is a beautiful example of an area specific expression of seasonal cooking. It is also, surprisingly simple for what you would expect out of a world recognized Michelin starred kitchen. This restaurant also resided in the list of top 50 restaurants in the world at one point.
There are more cook books by this amazing chef out there that I hope to own someday. He is an amazing example of someone that really believes in his food and culture that surrounds it. I highly recommend looking up his talk on YouTube.com as well as his episodes on Mind Of A Chef on PBS, and Chefs Table on Netflix. He is a visionary of food from the past, today, and the future!