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My Road to
Thanksgiving
Stories and Recipes
from an American Abroad
Elke Marie Hou Carleton
1
Copyright © 2021, Elke Marie Hou-Carleton
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted by any
means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise without the prior written
permission of the copyright owner, except for brief quotations in a book review.
To request permissions, contact the publisher at emc@carleton.dk
Forlag:
Carleton
Version:
1. Edition
ISBN: 978-87-973246-0-8
Text:
Proofreading:
Editing:
Photo:
Layout:
Print:
Elke Marie Hou Carleton
Johathan David Bauer
L.M.Klein
Fotograf, Anders Trærup
Linda Riis Jensen
Vinderup Bogtrykkeri, en del af Johansen Grafisk
En Route
My Journey
to Thanksgiving
Stories and Recipes
from an American Abroad
3
Prologue........................................................................................................6
My Journey to Thanksgiving..................................................................7
1976-1996 - The power of observation.....................................................10
Denmark 1996-2021 - The influence of all that is “hygge”...........22
Thanksgiving............................................................................................27
Appetizers.................................................................................................. 41
Mother’s Crab Dip............................................................................................... 44
Homemade Crackers......................................................................................... 46
Homemade Knækbrød (Danish crispbread)........................................47
Æggesnaps (Egg Schnapps)........................................................................... 48
Eggnog (Danish-influenced)......................................................................... 50
Eggnog (Original)................................................................................................. 51
Starters.......................................................................................................52
Grandma Fern’s Shrimp Cocktail.............................................................. 54
Danish Rejecocktail........................................................................................... 56
Prawn Salad............................................................................................................57
Prawns on Danish Rugbrød..........................................................................58
Salmon Steaks....................................................................................................... 59
Pumpkin Soup......................................................................................................60
Turkey and Stuffing.................................................................................62
Turkey and Stuffing (the Traditional Way).......................................... 66
Stuffing Baked Outside the Turkey..........................................................67
Turkey my way..................................................................................................... 68
Stuffing Baked Inside the Turkey............................................................. 70
Trussing the Turkey ..........................................................................................72
Stuffing the Turkey.............................................................................................73
Roasting the Turkey...........................................................................................74
Roasting Times......................................................................................................75
Turkey Gravy (Thick American Style)................................................... 76
My Turkey Gravy..................................................................................................77
Danish Brun Sovs (Brown Sauce)...............................................................78
Cranberry Sauce.................................................................................................. 79
Cranberry Chutney............................................................................................ 80
4
Potatoes......................................................................................................82
Sweet Potatoes......................................................................................................84
Rosemary Mashed Potatoes..........................................................................87
Creamy Mashed Potatoes...............................................................................88
Boiled Potatoes..................................................................................................... 89
Sides............................................................................................................ 90
Green Bean Casserole....................................................................................... 92
Sweet Corn.............................................................................................................. 94
Celery-Root Puree with Leaks and Truffle Butter.......................... 95
Apple Walnut Salad with Cranberry dressing................................... 96
Dinner Rolls...............................................................................................98
Dinner Rolls..........................................................................................................100
Pumpkin Rolls..................................................................................................... 101
Shaping the dough: 3 options.....................................................................102
Biscuits.................................................................................................................... 104
Cornbread.............................................................................................................. 105
Dessert......................................................................................................106
Pie shell................................................................................................................... 108
Pumpkin Pie..........................................................................................................110
Pecan Pie................................................................................................................. 112
Apple Pie.................................................................................................................. 113
Sage Ice Cream..................................................................................................... 114
Whipped Cream with Spices....................................................................... 115
Mulled White Wine (Gløgg).......................................................................... 116
Acknowledgments................................................................................. 119
Glossary of Translations and Metrics...............................................121
5
Prologue
Traditions are the roots of our heritage and culture. They give us
a fast foothold in the unknown, the changing, and that which is
different. They are a manifestation of who we are and where we
come from, and we can take them with us wherever we venture
in life. As we experience the world and meet new people, our traditions
will be enriched with new experiences. They will change
and we will grow, and from there our roots will also grow.
This book, En Route, is a journey to explore the many influences
we have in our lives that nourish our roots - the ones that form
the core of our identities and act as cultural markers. It is also my
own journey of self-discovery, traced through the food cultures
and rules of etiquette that I grew up in.
One of the most defining elements in a society is its food heritage
and culture. That is as true for nations as it is for individual families.
Food unites the few and the many, and it tells a story about
traditions that link us to a certain place and time.
En Route is an account of my personal story seen through the
lens of one of the most important holidays of my youth - Thanksgiving.
It is a holiday I have carried with me across oceans into
adulthood in a changed but recognizable way.
My wish in writing this book is three-fold. First and foremost,
this cookbook is a gift to my children and my Danish niece and
nephew. It is an embodiment of hope that they will carry our
family traditions with them always, no matter where in the world
they venture. I also hope to give my entire family on both sides
of the Atlantic - even those who have taken me in just for a short
time - a book of beautiful shared memories and insights into how
those moments have shaped the life I live today.
Secondly, for my American friends, Thanksgiving is no stranger.
My hope is to give some perspective on why I took this tradition
with me “across the pond” and offer inspiration for your next
Thanksgiving Day meal.
Lastly, for my Danish friends, I hope to share with you an introduction
to one of the American traditions that I celebrate to this
day with my Danish family. American holidays like Halloween,
Black Friday, and Valentine’s Day have wiggled their way into the
Danish calendar, but Thanksgiving hasn’t. Maybe it’s too closely
tied to U.S. history and culture, but a day of thanks with family
and great food certainly feels like a perfect fit for the Danish love
of hygge.
Love, E lke
Both miles and years have influenced the Thanksgiving recipes in
this book. Familiar dishes have been spiced with new traditions,
adapted to changing taste buds, flavored with new ingredients
when traditional ones could not be found, and infused with an
abundance of inspiration from my multicultural life.
When living a life like mine, holding on and reaching out go hand
in hand. To thrive, the “why” in everything you do becomes very
important. So does learning how to invite others into your life
when you want them to grab ahold of traditions that are yours
and could be theirs. After all, without a community to keep them
alive, traditions fade.
6
My Journey
to Thanksgiving
7
8
Some of my best memories are of the times
I rode with my dad on his motorcycle.
Sometimes, on a long-haul trip, it would
rain all day.But these trips taught me
that endurance and a positive attitude can
have great rewards - like when I finally
saw the sun come out above the tree line on
the Blue Ridge parkway after one of those
day - long downpours.
My Journey
Although my life journey, with detours, could literally be tracked
on a map, there is no doubt that the influence of people - those I
have met on my way, and the sum of their cultural diversities -
have left a much more memorable and deeper footprint on my life.
I’ve been to many different places. Some for long periods of
time, and others for just a short while. Each and every place has
influenced me in some way: the local culture, history, language,
traditions, holidays, nature…and of course the food.
In all the places I have lived and visited, the most life-changing
experiences have always been centered around my relationships
to people, learning from them. And, surprisingly, many of the
memories I have of those experiences come from the ordinary
moments: the food that we shared or the conversations we had
while sitting around the table or in the kitchen, riding in the car,
or visiting different places together.
My anchor to people has always been my curiosity and acceptance
of things that are different, a readiness for change and
my ability to welcome new influences into my life. This same
openness is also seen in my ability to share things that matter
with others; what I know and what I believe, and my love for the
traditions that I observe - both those that I have inherited from
my childhood and those that I have adopted along the way.
These journeys and experiences have undeniably changed me,
but more than that, they have enriched and nourished every
memory from my past, giving them life in my present.
This book is not about my entire life’s journey thus far. Instead, it
is about the experiences that brought me to where I am today and
how these have influenced one of my greatest passions: cooking.
Along the route from my past to my present, I have met many
people that encouraged my passion for cooking and baking. A few
of them stand out because of the way they sparked my interest in
a world bigger than the one I’d known or imagined to that point.
In becoming part of each other’s kitchens, we became part of
each other’s worlds, although I’m not really sure which came first.
What I know is that the more I learned about the world, the more
I wanted to know about the way other people lived in the warmth
of their kitchens and dining rooms. At the same time, whenever
someone invited me into their home, the more I wanted to understand
the wider world they lived in.
This book is full of teachers. Some of them openly shared their
knowledge or their recipes with me, but others I learned from
by merely observing what they did and how they lived. All my
teachers have shown up at different times, and they come from
all over the world.
9
1976-1996
The power of observation
I was born and raised in a little town in Wyoming in the United
States. Wyoming is a beautiful state with diverse nature and
landscapes. It boasts mountains, plains, deserts, forests, rivers,
lakes, streams, national parks and it is a wildlife sanctuary with
diverse species and habitats.
My hometown of Lander is at the heart of the state. It is, in the
truest sense of the words, a cowboy and ranching community, as
well as an outdoor mecca for nature and outdoor sports enthusiasts.
I grew up in a place where people spent time in the outdoors,
where gardening and ranching and hunting were common for
most families and a way of life…though not for mine.
Growing up, I wasn’t a cowgirl. I preferred Birkenstocks. I didn’t
live on a ranch or have anything to do with horses or rodeo. I lived
in town, and my family didn’t depend on hunting game for food,
like many of my friends. I’ve only shot a gun once at a friend’s
house (with her dad), and I never felt the need to try again. I don’t
know if I really stuck out, but I didn’t fit in like a puzzle piece.
I didn’t go to 4-H (Heads, Hearts, Hands and Health) or take agriculture
in school like many kids did. And I only participated in
the state fair once with hand painted porcelain and baked goods,
where I submitted dinner rolls - from a box. In reality, at this
point in my life, I hadn’t made the connection between the skills
shown and the food that was put on the table before me.
As far as the outdoors goes, I didn’t go mountain climbing or
hiking and camping on a regular basis, but they were a part of my
childhood. If we camped, it was with our friends or my dad. (Side
note: I was lucky to grow up with two dads. My Daddy David,
who is my biological father, and Guy, the father that adopted my
sisters and me when I was eight years old, but who has been in
my life since I was four. I just call Guy “my dad.”) I remember
climbing into my dad’s old truck, driving up the switchbacks, and
camping under a tarp that was stretched over a tree. My mom
didn’t go - she thought glamping was barely surviving, let alone
camping under a tarp! My dad might have taken us fishing, but
most likely hotdogs would have been on the menu. (I didn’t actually
like fish then, which is putting it nicely. On one camping trip
with a friend to Yellowstone, the one and only thing we had to eat
for dinner was the fish her dad and uncle had caught - probably
rainbow trout. I didn’t eat that night, however rude it was). That
camping trip was never about the food, though. It was about my
dad being with his new daughters and us being with him.
We did do other outdoorsy things once in a while. There are quite
a few lakes in driving distance from Lander, and we went a couple
of times as a family. Mostly, though, I went with friends, since my
parents didn’t own a boat, raft, or water scooter. And although we
didn’t own a snow scooter, we did have cross country skis. We also
went downhill skiing a few times.
Our favorite outdoors adventure, though, was visiting my
great-grandparents’ cabin. It was in the Shoshone National Forest,
about twenty minutes from our house, and it had an indoor toilet
that incinerated your you-know-what. It sounded like the furnace
from Home Alone. From the front windows of the cabin, we saw
bears and their cubs, as well as deer. We went swimming in a little
spring close by - all three of us girls in our Wonder Woman underwear.
We also drove to Sinks Canyon in the Wind River Basin
to watch the Popo Agie River spring run-off, and to see its rise
and fall as the river vanished underground near the mouth of the
canyon and returned a mile or so down river, where I remember
feeding the huge rainbow trout.
Outside those cabin trips, the way my family experienced the
great outdoors was mostly from inside our 1981 Mercury Grand
Marquis station wagon. (Yes, the big boxy kind with the wood
paneling.) My parents often took us to the drive-in theater, the
“Diane Drive-In.” With the speakers set and adjusted on the open
car window, we watched many movies with pop (soda, for you
fancy people), licorice, and popcorn in our laps.
That was the same car we took on epic road trips. We’d drive for
hours to shop and eat somewhere, or just to sightsee and experience
the beauty of our state. I always loved to travel with my
parents. Getting in the packed car, putting my seatbelt on, and
snuggling in was always one of my favorite moments. And the
snacks! You can’t travel with my family without snacks. To this
day, they are of utmost importance - coffee, pop, chips, candy, you
name it. When we were kids, we rarely got a “no” from the front
seat when we asked for a snack break. Today, my own family also
10
travels a lot by car. I was lucky to marry someone who loves it as
much as me. (And yes, snacks are always included!)
Back then, we sometimes drove to Dubois (where we always
stopped to get snacks), Jackson, and Yellowstone to the west of
Wyoming, and sometimes to Casper or South Pass City to the
east. We drove up the sinks and around the loop road through to
Red Canyon. Once, we did it with my aunt and uncle who are avid
bird watchers. (That trip stands out in my memory because stopping
to watch birds took a long time, and we didn’t have enough
snacks.)
Once, when I was around eleven or twelve, my dad drove all
five of us plus my Grandpa Leonard in our family truckster to
California. They were taking us to Disneyland and Sea World. In
true Griswold Family Vacation style, the air conditioner went out
while driving through the Mojave Desert. What a picture it must
have been to see us driving along with wet dish towels jammed in
the windows as our emergency DIY air conditioning!
for the first time. My family was going “back East” to Maryland to
meet my dad’s family. Even though we never left the country, it
felt like I’d gone to a new world. Some things I remember vividly:
the rocks and the ocean, and riding the subway and seeing a lady
with big purple lips. I also remember seeing my first lobster - a
live one in a fish tank. It didn’t change my opinion on fish (in fact,
it probably reinforced my disdain), but it did help me understand
where my dad had come by his love of seafood.
My experiences went way beyond the food we ate (and didn’t eat)
on those trips, but I did learn that food traditions can be different
between neighbors but similar between people who live far away
from each other. These adventures also taught me that what you
read in books and magazines isn’t always right and that you can
learn from someone else’s experiences, even though those experiences
are subjective. Without going beyond the borders of my
own country, I learned lessons I would later take with me across
the ocean.
Only a couple of my most memorable trips didn’t involve our
trusty station wagon. One of those was a cross-country trip with
my dad on his BMW motorcycle - or rather, two trips in opposite
directions. The first trip, in April 1988, when I was eleven, was
west towards California to Monterey, where we were going to see
the races. But that trip was cut short after just one day. We had
to turn around in Salt Lake City when my Great-Grandma Fern
passed away. On our second attempt, we headed east, and made
it all the way to Maryland. It was the first and only time I drove
through the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina and
Virginia, and, in Rapid City, South Dakota, It was the first and
only time I drove through the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway in
North Carolina and Virginia, and, in Rapid City, South Dakota,
saw a BMW motorcycle rally. There were other firsts, too, like the
time I saw an Amish woman. What a surprise it was to see her
walk out of a convenience store holding a gallon jug of pop and
hop into her buggy! Then there was the much-less-fun experience
of eating food that we had made by pouring boiling water into a
bag. We even ate it right out of the bag. On the bright side, I didn’t
have to set the table and we could just throw the “dishes” out!
Of all those trips, one that really stands out was one that happened
all the way back when I was only five and I got on a plane
11
12
Childhood food and etiquette
Growing up, I was in many ways an onlooker. I took part from
the sidelines, especially when it came to cooking. By watching
the world and those in it, I learned what to do and what not to
do. Because I spent so much time watching others, my childhood
memories of food (and most other things) are therefore centered
around the important people in my life: my great-grandparents,
my mom, my dad, my sisters, my friends, and my church. Those
that led me. The memory of them, and how I perceived them, fills
my heart.
I didn’t have much interest in making food, myself back then, but
I’ve always been interested in creative activities. Writing, photography,
and singing were some of the most important to me while
growing up. Looking back, it is easy to see how my love of creative
things is part of my love for cooking and baking today.
That said, the lawyer (jurist) in me always finds exceptions to the
rule (in this case, the “I was a watcher, not a do-er” rule), and I do
remember the time I got off the sidelines and invited my friends
over for a “black tie dinner.” We were five or six girls in the fifth
grade (if I remember correctly). The food was not fancy at all - I
think we made something from a box - but it was served with love
on my mom’s best china and silverware, and we drank pop out
of wineglasses. One of my friends had come and helped me get
everything ready, though she was really mad at me afterwards
because she said she felt like the maid!
You can’t blame my parents for my lack of etiquette with my poor
friend. When it came to manners, they raised me right. I guess they
just couldn’t take bossy out of the boss. And still can’t to this day.
Even though I would still never have said food and cooking was
especially important to me at that point in my life, I had already
unconsciously formed an idea of the impact that sitting together
around the table and eating had on people and my relationship
with them.
When we were little, my sisters and I played outside until we
were called inside, often when it was time for dinner. Even when
my dad had to work late, he always came home to eat dinner.
Afterwards, if he had to go back to work, he would. We’d even eat
dinner at my parents’ store once in a while. For dinner, we were
together. At home, we ate at the dining room table, laid out with
cloth napkins that we folded and reused for a week. We had to
eat properly and with good manners. That meant that you placed
your napkin in your lap and your knife on the upper right edge
of the plate when you were not using it. It also meant you sat up
straight, kept your elbows off the table, and cut your food nicely.
You rested your left hand in your lap while eating, and when you
weren’t eating, both hands were folded and resting in your lap.
My mom and great-grandma Fern, on more than one occasion,
had to remind my sisters and me to get our hands and elbows off
the table. “Hands and napkins in your lap!” was heard a lot. And
to my mom’s irritation (and I’m pretty sure my dad’s amusement),
my oldest sister was a fan of the “two-finger grip” rather than her
silverware. However, my all-time-favorite manners “oops” is the
time when my dad passed out in the potatoes on Christmas Eve at
my great-grandparents’ house. (I’m saving that story for a Christmas
cookbook edition.)
It sounds like a lot of rules, but in reality, our dinner etiquette was
no stiffer than that of Miss Sophie and her butler James in Dinner
for One as the evening moved along. We had rules but also lively
conversations, debates, and sometimes arguments. As children
we could talk about anything and everything, and we often did -
especially around the dining room table or in our kitchen. Many
of these conversations sparked ideas and interests for me, especially
about traveling and food. My dad had great stories about
both, from the story about how he didn’t like peas (his mom once
put them into watered-down scrambled eggs and served them for
breakfast) to a whole collection of stories from the time he rode a
motorcycle around Europe.
As we got older and afterschool sports and activities filled more
and more of our afternoons and evenings, we didn’t sit down
together to eat in the same way every night. I was a Lander
Dolphinette and a Tiger. I’d found my athletic home in track and
field, competitive swimming, and synchronized swimming, and
my sisters had their own commitments, too. There were fewer
evenings around the dining room table and a lot more evenings
spent talking in our kitchen while eating from paper plates. It
was around this time that gathering all together for holidays and
special occasions became even more important to us.
13
Kitchen duty
My dad made chili or spaghetti for dinner once, but until we kids
were older and were expected to be responsible for dinner on certain
days, my mom was the one that prepared and cooked most of
our meals.
My mom made lots of different types of foods, and she liked
to experiment. Some of her experiments were more successful
than others. I loved her tater tot casserole. Once when I was sick
with pneumonia and couldn’t eat at the table (usually a no-no), I
remember that’s what she made. She was also known for trying to
sneak “food” into food. One time she snuck zucchini into a cake,
which for most is known as Zucchini Bread! It was a first for us,
though, and it was a success.
My family ate a wide variety of things. There were foods from a
box, bag, or jar, like Hamburger Helper and TV dinners, peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches, tuna sandwiches with pickles and
chips, and boxed macaroni and cheese. We also ate homemade
dinners like lasagna, burgers and fries, or steak and mashed potatoes.
My dad loved seafood like crab, lobster, clams, and shrimp
- not always easy to come by in the middle of Wyoming. He also
loved Chinese food - from a can - served with chow mein noodles,
also from a can. (I liked the noodles as much as I liked fish.)
As for me…I wasn’t as open-minded. Not only did I not like fish
or my dad’s famous canned noodles, but I didn’t care for mushrooms,
pancakes, chocolate, cake icing, or ice cream. If I’d had my
choice back then, I would have eaten chili con carne or omelets
every day for my meals, likely rounded out with Oreo cookies, Pop
Tarts, Easy Cheese with crackers, and some sunflower seeds. The
sunflower seeds were thanks to a good childhood friend. That
same friend also served me my first-ever jalapeño pepper, straight
from her garden (which I admired a lot).
I also loved the egg sandwiches that one of my other besties
taught me to make: bread, a fried egg, salsa, and mayo. Never
EVER has a sandwich tasted so good than the first time she made
one of those for me.
Eating out
Like many families, we did eat out. From a Danish perspective,
we probably ate out a lot. Trying different things in new places
challenged my picky and somewhat stubborn nature as a child.
As we traveled, I was alternately surprised, disappointed, and
delighted by what we discovered. And I found that needing to eat
away from home opened the door to all kinds of memorable new
experiences.
On Sundays we’d usually go to one of the local restaurants or
diners after church, though we sometimes drove three hours
to Casper, Wyoming to go to the movies, eat lunch, and shop at
the local mall. And every Tuesday, we’d stop for tacos from Taco
John’s when my dad picked me up from Synchro (synchronized
swimming). One of my good friends (she of the sunflower seeds
and jalapeños) loved coming home with us on Tuesdays and
spending time with us, eating tacos and talking in our kitchen.
There used to be a restaurant in Lander we visited called the
Hitching Rack. You could get great steaks and fish, but we didn’t
go there for those. Well at least my mom, my sisters, and I didn’t.
My mom’s motto was “Life is short, eat dessert first,” so it was no
surprise that we went for the “Swedish Cream,” a dessert with a
recipe that was subject to strict confidentiality. I can still remember
the taste of it today. I’d dare to guess that it had crème fraiche,
cream, sugar, gelatin, and maybe vanilla. But who knows? I really
need to try and recreate it. My favorite food when eating out?
Chili and cottage cheese. It might sound weird to some, but to me,
it’s perfect. So simple, familiar, and good. But once in a while, I’d
get pulled into doing something different. I remember my dad
taking us girls out to eat one time without our mom. Now, I trust
my dad, but this time he had an agenda. He wanted to get us to
try something that for some was a delicacy. He ordered snails. I’m
not sure if it was him or us that pulled the chewy suckers out of
their shells, but thank goodness for butter and garlic. I’m not sure
anyone else at that time in my life could have gotten me to eat
them, but my dad could. I’ve always looked up to him. I loved him
from the minute I saw him.
We did eat fast food, but not on a regular basis, except for the tacos.
One night when I was little, I remember that my parents were
busy painting our living room, so we were just going to make
14
simple sandwiches to eat. Boring! I begged for about an hour to
go and get takeout. I won that negotiation - an early peek into my
future as a lawyer, I guess!
Besides the tacos, my favorite fast foods were the Cheesewheel
from Dairy Land in Lander (imagine a cheeseburger deep fried
in a seasoned batter) and Breadboard sub sandwiches - can you
say yummy?! I actually worked at the Breadboard for quite a few
summers during and after high school, which is where I learned
how to use (and store) avocados and sprouts. By the end of my
tenure at the Breadboard, I was queen of the bread ovens, responsible
for baking off the pre-baked bread.
within the U.S. However, most of my knowledge and connections
to different people and cultures came through my formal and informal
education. Until I was seventeen, my knowledge of foreign
countries and cultures was almost entirely based on second-hand
information from my parents, my circle of friends, my church, my
teachers, piles of books, and from religiously reading magazines
like Time and Newsweek.
When I look back on all these influences, the stories that I was told
stand out the most. Some of these stories came from my dad, who
had been to Europe, and some came from the exchange students
we had at school. And then there were the stories that Lilly told.
Food and community
Like many others in my town, my family was active in our
church. We went to Sunday School and Services every Sunday,
and we joined our Church Youth Group when we were old enough.
Our church played a large part in our lives. It was and is the foundation
for many of the traditions that my family observes.
Church is also where I learned to drink coffee - or rather, milk with
sugar and a little bit of coffee - and church camp is where I learned
to bake cookies. At camp everyone took turns helping out with the
chores and cooking. One day, my group had kitchen duty, so we
lined up in a single file line ready for “work.” My job was to bake
the chocolate chip cookies laid out on the baking sheets. Unfortunately,
I forgot an important part of my job: setting the timer.
While standing there in the kitchen with the cookies already in
the oven, I realized that I didn’t actually need the timer. I could
see and smell when cookies were done baking. This knowledge has
since been one of my best baking mates. The cook was quite happy
with my baking results, though she was less impressed when I
wiped my brand-new white sneakers with the kitchen towel.
Lilly came to us through the church. She was from Honduras and
had a patch over her eye. She was staying with us because she
was having eye surgery - hence the eye patch. In a mesmerizing
accent, she told great stories about her home and her life - unbelievable,
humbling stories.
My dad was the one whose stories around the dining room table
had first put dreams of Europe in my head. Lilly, she was the one
who opened my heart to the necessity of sharing our experiences
to connect as humans.
I studied Spanish in high school. At first it was because I had to,
but my interest grew. Eventually I taught it to a class of third
graders with my sunflower, jalapeño, and Taco Tuesday friend. It
seemed practical at that time; something everybody should learn.
Kids needed to “broaden their horizons.” But even though my
friend and I learned about the history of the Spanish language
and the countries where Spanish was spoken, even though our
teaching project earned us a second place at the Future Business
Leaders of America state conference that year, and even though
we loved what we thought of as “Mexican” food, the importance
of the cultural element hadn’t really hit me yet.
In many ways, my childhood was sheltered, which affected my
picture of the world. My knowledge of different cultures - including
food cultures - was limited. Often sadly so. My idea of
a chef was the cook working over a hot, greasy grill. But I was
very curious and loved meeting people from other towns, states,
or countries and learning all about them. When I was young, I
was lucky to meet a lot of different people and see many places
For that, something else would have to happen. I would need to
experience a new place and a new culture first-hand.
The funny thing about community is that a strong one is often
the support you need to be brave enough to step away from it.
Growing up, I was lucky to have a lot of strong communities,
including my family, my church, my athletic teams. All those
15
16
My life in the kitchen
as I knew it, was
about to change.
17
communities made me brave, but it was through swimming that I
was encouraged by a friend to set out on one of the biggest adventures
of my life.
there were of course also differences between one Swedish family
and the next, one classmate and the next, one exchange student
and the next, just like in any other place.
I wanted to swim where all of the really good swimmers I knew
came from: Sweden.
The power of an invitation
In the fall of 1993, I boarded a plane for the second time in my life.
The plane I was on this time was headed for Sweden, and my final
destination was Västerås, where I would spend my senior year of
high school as a Rotary exchange student. It would turn out to be
the first of two life-changing adventures.
I was going to live with the Spong family on their farm in a little
town just outside of Västerås called Tortuna. They grew canola and
had cows in the barn, though I can’t remember whether the cows
belonged to them or to their uncle up the road. One of the first
weekends that I was there, we went to a fair to promote canola oil
- and to look around and taste some locally produced food. It was
something quite familiar to me because of where I’d grown up.
The fair wasn’t the only thing that felt familiar. My host sisters
and mom went square dancing, just like my parents did when I
was little. And my host mom had lived in England for a time and
spoke fantastic English, so it was easy for us to talk and get to
know each other. In some ways, it was like coming home, except
that it wasn’t. I found out quickly after arriving in Sweden that
people’s life experiences are unique, even when they have many
things in common.
The perspective you get when reading or hearing about something
or seeing it on the news or in a film is very different from
experiencing it. I was a teenager who had grown up in a sheltered
town in a sheltered life, and there were many differences between
what I experienced living in the U.S. and what I experienced,
observed, and was told while living in Sweden. Some of the most
important and recognizable differences - at least at that time in
my life - were Sweden’s healthcare for everyone (including me, a
visitor), free education from daycare all the way through to university,
and free school lunches for all students. But even though
there were these larger differences between Sweden and the U.S.,
When I exited the plane, I walked into a temporary life in a
country where the difference between the rich and poor was
noticeably unostentatious, and where the people and places that
I visited seemed very homogenous on the surface (and indeed in
some ways were) but also offered significant cultural diversity.
As I observed those around me and participated in and listened
to discussions among classmates and teachers, Rotarians, other
exchange students, and the members of my host family, that diversity
became clear. Even being introduced to Swedish customs -
which in and of themselves had been influenced by other cultures
- was evidence of the diversity that did and does exist in Sweden.
The Swedish food culture I experienced was exactly the same:
ethnically Swedish and multicultural.
I didn’t just get to experience it, either. And by “experience” I
mean taste and eat. For the first time in my life, except for church
camp and home economics class, I was invited into the kitchen to
be taught to make food from scratch.
It wasn’t only Swedish food that I made in Sweden, but American
food as well. I wanted to share the American food culture
that I knew with the people I was getting to know. This was the
first major step on my journey to bringing people together with
homemade food.
Mamma Ingalill’s table
My host mom, Mamma Ingalill, was a great cook and did most of the
cooking in the house. She also taught others how to cook and bake,
including her children, and especially her daughter Anna. The two of
them were often in the kitchen together, and I joined in sometimes.
For Mamma Ingalill, it was as natural as breathing to welcome me
into the kitchen. I learned quite a lot while watching her.
If you asked her what memory she has of me in the kitchen, it’s
likely of me being the slowest potato peeler she’s ever met. But
hey, we never peeled our potatoes at home in the States, and they
really eat a lot of potatoes in Sweden.
18
Farmor - my host sisters’ paternal grandmother - lived just next
door, a hop-skip-and-a-jump away, and she also opened her home
to me. At Christmas, she invited Anna, Emma, and me over, and
we baked pepparkakor togther all afternoon. Pepparkakor are
Swedish Christmas cookies that taste a lot like gingerbread cookies,
but then again, they don’t! They don’t have molasses, allspice,
or vanilla for one, and the texture is thin and crisp. Today I still
have the container that she gave me to keep my cookies in.
Pepparkakor are delicious. However, there were plenty of traditional
Swedish foods that I never really learned to appreciate (or
make), including Kalle’s kaviar (cod roe spread), surstrømning
(sour herring), and blodkorv (blood sausages). But there were
so many more traditional foods and meals that I came to love.
Smörgåsbord (an extravagant buffet), limpa (Swedish spice loaf),
knäkkebröd (crispbread), sour white cabbage salad, köttboller
(Swedish meatballs), crawfish, Swedish cheeses, and the many
delicious cookies and cakes. My host mom made semlor (creamfilled
rolls) at Easter with Anna, and they were mouthwatering. I
think that was the first time I ever tasted marzipan.
Of course, Sweden, like the other Scandinavian countries, is also
well-known for fish. I was ready for that, by which I mean that
before arriving, one of the things I’d made sure to tell my host
family is that I didn’t like or eat fish. But one of the first nights
there, while staying with another host family for a few days, a
huge side of salmon was put on the dinner table right in front of
me. I was horrified. I’d never seen such a big slab of fish - and I’d
never seen salmon. This, after I’d already sat and watched as that
same family fried chanterelles in butter and ate them on toast
for lunch (mushrooms, you might remember, were also not my
favorite). This time, however, there was no saying “no.” I wasn’t
ten years old and sitting at a campfire with my best friend and her
parents. I was on a cultural exchange.
I ate the fish.
a new love for fish and seafood. I also made sure to take Mamma
Ingalill’s recipe for fish with curry and rice. It was one of many
recipes I took with me.
Besides many of the traditional Swedish foods, my family ate
many homemade meals that were very multicultural. I also tried
many foods that had ingredients that I recognized, but in dishes
that were very Swedish or at least very Mamma Ingalill. We ate
lasagna, spaghetti, hamburgers, steaks, and fries, and my host
mom used ingredients like chicken, pork, fish, rice, potatoes, you
name it. I even remember that my host mom took peanut butter
along on our trip to Stugan, their cabin up north. (I also remember
that there was so much snow that we had to dig our way in!)
American food wasn’t typical, though, and there were certain
American foods that we didn’t eat, like macaroni and cheese, or
standard two-slice sandwiches (instead of the Swedish open-face
style). In fact, when I went home in the summer of 1994, we were
served “regular” sandwiches on the plane and I remember just
kind of looking at mine for a minute. I was probably just thinking,
“wow!” or “yay!” It was enough of a pause that the person sitting
next to me kind of looked at me funny, smiled, and said in perspicuously
punctuated words, “That. Is. A. Sandwich. We. Eat. Them.
With. Our Fingers.” “Yes, clearly,” I thought. I just smiled, picked
up the sandwich and ate it.
Sandwiches may have been hard to come by, but in Sweden you
could get Indian food, Chinese food, and other ethnic foods - and
of course McDonalds. I can’t deny that some of my allowance
ended up there, as well as in the local camera shop where I got my
film developed. (Yeah, it was in “those” days.) I also tried Kurdishstyle
pizza that year. It was round and thin but also crispier
than pizza in the U.S., and it didn’t have very much cheese. More
interesting, you could get it topped with shrimp and pineapple
- what?
I found out later that the two host families had been in cahoots
and together planned “The Serving of the Salmon” for that first
dinner. My host mom was determined to introduce me to good,
fresh saltwater fish that she assumed I’d never had and was sure
I would love. It’s a conspiracy that I am thankful for today
because one of the things I took with me when I went home was
19
Finding community in Sweden
I traveled quite a bit in Sweden and met many different people.
Although some of those connections were casual and I probably
wouldn’t remember those people’s names if I met them on the
street today, there are other people who I’d feel like I last saw yesterday.
These relationships were formed by a mutual experience,
meaning they are somewhat limited. Still, they gave me many
new perspectives on life and made me want to know more about
not just Sweden, but the world.
My host sister Anna was one of the best friends I had in Sweden.
She loved to read and watch movies, just like me. We talked for
hours in her room. We wrote notes and letters to each other. And
we spent a lot of time together in the kitchen sitting around the
table talking or cooking and baking. Anna was always curious
to learn about and help prepare the few American dishes that I
made. I always admired the way she helped her mom in the kitchen.
It was watching her with her mom and spending time with
her myself in the kitchen that I realized cooking together could
be even more of a bonding experience than eating together.
I treasured all these distinctly Swedish experiences, but my time
in Sweden led me to more than Familjen Spong and the community
in Tortuna. It was also a door into other countries and cultures.
When I wasn’t with my host family or with my class, I was lucky
enough to be with other Rotarians and exchange students and
their families, often taking weekend trips to different places.
With Rotary, for example, I took an overnight ferry to St. Petersburg,
Russia. As much as my experience “back east” was
an eye-opener when I was five years old, my trip to Russia as a
seventeen-year-old was just as much of one. While being shuttled
around with a bodyguard and a private guide, it was evident that
we had entered a country that had been in a constitutional crisis.
When my Rotary host gave our museum guide a tip for guiding us
through and behind the scenes of the Zoological Museum at the
Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences as a private favor,
the guide had tears in his eyes, even though it was “only” a few
American dollars. My heart ached for the children that tried to
sell us used pop bottles, pencils, and erasers for money.
To this day, I wish we’d had the chance to visit a little café or
restaurant frequented by the locals instead of eating our bagged
lunches from the ship, but it was too dangerous. That trip was
when my sheltered mind became truly aware of lives different
from mine - not by reading a book, but through my lived experiences.
I knew then that I wanted to make the world a better place.
What I didn’t know was what the path to this dream would be.
Rotary also gave me my first experience of the finer things in life
and a picture of what you can achieve when you put your heart
where your mind is. In December of that year, I was one of about
twelve students Rotary invited to attend the Nobel Prize Ceremony.
There, I drank my first-ever espresso and watched from
the back balcony as Toni Morrison received the Nobel Prize for
Literature. I did it in the prettiest dress I’d ever owned, which I
had bought in the shopping district of Stockholm.
The front doors to many countries in the world are open to those
who want to visit. As a tourist, you can learn about a country’s
history and the lives of its citizens. You can learn about its government.
You can enjoy the arts. You can listen to the local radio
station and hear ethnic songs or listen to the news and advertisements
while inside a taxi. You can visit restaurants, museums,
or other tourist attractions, and you can buy souvenirs or local
specialties. You can even just walk down the street and “take it all
in.” The whole time, you can take pictures to remember, and you
can send postcards to those with whom you want to share your
experience.
But though I was in Sweden a relatively short time, I wasn’t a
tourist. I wanted to be part of a family, a class, and a community.
In my attempt, I became cognizant of the fact that building
relationships of deeper understanding would totally depend on
me learning the language, verbal and non-verbal. Anything less
would be just an introduction to the country, not truly getting to
know the people or my host country. I wouldn’t understand why
they relate the way that they do, say the things they do, or do the
things they do. Even then, I saw language as a major catalyst for
understanding and building community within and between
nations. Lilly’s words were with me.
20
Unfamiliarity with a language becomes, for those who don’t
understand, an untold story about the lives and traditions of
the people in a country. Understanding their humor, irony or
sarcasm, or the meaning behind the words they use that can’t be
translated, such as lagom or fika in Swedish or hygge in Danish,
is requisite. Things get lost in translation. Besides, living through
a few classes, parties, and meals where you have no idea what
is being said - not even the answer to “What am I eating?” - sure
makes you want to learn the language.
I took learning the language seriously. I had Swedish lessons and
used to practice translating sentences in my head while riding the
bus. My host mom was also an encouraging factor. She would sit
next to me and help me translate homework, and she gave me a
motherly push to start speaking it aloud. I didn’t have the courage
to do it on my own (I think I was waiting to be perfect at it), so she
simply stopped speaking English to me. And I adjusted - as she
always believed I could.
Not only did I come home pretty fluent in Swedish at the end of
the year as a result, I knew that I wanted to take another cultural
exchange in college and learn yet another language. Germany
seemed like a good place to go since my first last name, Kersenbrock,
originated from there, so I began taking German.
I did cross the Atlantic again, just as I had planned. However, love
and opportunity changed my direction, and instead I went north
to Denmark.
21
Denmark 1996-2021
The influence of all that is “hygge”
On the 27th of July 1996, when I was just nineteen, I arrived in
Denmark with my oldest sister, two large duffel bags, an open-ended
round-trip ticket, and an acceptance letter from the University
of Aarhus Law School. My sister went home two weeks later, as
planned, but I haven’t returned to the U.S. permanently since.
By the time I started college, my dreams of journalism had been
replaced with international relations and law. My new dream
was to someday work for an American embassy. My experiences
in Sweden awoke a profound interest in human relations, in connecting
and understanding, even when you disagree. Later in life,
that interest would extend to negotiation and mediation.
As a Scandinavian country, Denmark shares economic and social
policies and cultural practices with its Nordic brothers and
sisters, including Sweden. And just like Sweden, Denmark can
seem very homogenous and free from obvious class distinctions
on the surface, but digging beyond the surface reveals a touch of
multi-ethnicity and some capitalistic influences in both places.
Once again, arriving in a new country felt like “going back” to
something that essentially was familiar - except that it wasn’t.
While Danes are typically curious in nature and educated, they
tend to be quite reserved in their demeanor and conservative
when it comes to accepting new things and people into their
private sphere. They are proud of their country and their heritage,
and the preservation of their Danish lifestyle is very important to
them.
When I moved to Denmark, I was still really young and inexperienced.
In the same way that I had met Sweden as a sheltered girl,
I met Denmark as a somewhat sheltered young adult, truly on her
own for the first time. But I wasn’t totally unprepared.
Thankfully, I’d already gotten a taste of what it was like to live
abroad, and I’d fallen in love with seeing the world through the
eyes of those living in it – seeing it from their perspective, not just
my own. My first openings into this private sphere, and into the
lives of the Danes around me, came through my schooling and
Danish family. I learned the language, and I made sure to take
part in many different traditional holidays, parties, and events,
where food (and alcohol) was the center of it all.
Denmark is a country where hygge, traditional food, family, and
close friends lay the foundation for all traditions and holidays.
They are therefore thoroughly intertwined with and completely
inseparable from every aspect of life. One of the things I noticed
and experienced firsthand early on was the Danes’ love of being
at home. It was different from what I was accustomed to from living
in the U.S., where we mostly met people outside of our home
- at church, sporting events, restaurants, or for activities.
But with the Danes, it was (and is) totally natural to invite people
- albeit usually only the closest of friends and family - into their
homes. Their homes are their heart, and they use a lot of time and
money on making the home cozy or hyggeligt for themselves, and
welcoming for their guests. Hygge is a concept and a word that
is hard to fully capture in English. Entertaining family and good
friends is hyggeligt. So is watching a movie at home with candles lit,
and a good bottle of wine or pop, with some chips or candy at hand.
Going out to a restaurant, café, or the movies can also be hyggeligt,
but it’s not the same as being at home. The most important thing,
though, is just being together. Whether you are doing something
special or just hanging out doesn’t matter, as long as it’s hyggeligt.
Hygge was (and remains) one of the most important tools I had
to work my way into the heart of the Danes. I love the Danish
culture of entertaining. I love it just as much as I love to show up
on people’s doorsteps with a loaf of bread, a pie, or cookies in true
American fashion. Both are hyggeligt. And show up is what I did.
Of course, being American helped a lot too.
While I was working on my bachelor’s degree, I met my first lifelong
Danish friends. Some of them were people that I studied
law with, and others were those that I met through family and
friends outside of the university. It was through these friendships
that my love for cooking and baking was truly awakened. And it
was here in Denmark that my talent finally unfolded.
Finding community in Denmark
I remember sitting in the kitchen, watching Jette, (my former
boyfriend’s mother) and sometimes his father Ole make home-
22
made bread. I was really impressed they made it from scratch.
They were so busy, and yet they found the time - and took the
time. Jette baked mostly French bread and rugbrød, which is a
dark, very dense and heavy but moist Danish rye bread with a
sourdough base. She always left the rugbrød to rise on the radiator
in a bread pan. Sometimes I would take the cloth off to look at
the dough and touch it ever so lightly. I had baked bread before,
but not like this. I loved rugbrød from the first time I tried it. The
best way to eat it? Piled high as højtbelagte smørrebrød, a Danish
open-faced sandwich. These mouthwatering pieces of heaven,
both flavorful and colorful, can be bought in specialty shops and
bakeries or made yourself. They consist of a piece of buttered
Danish rye topped with a combination of meats, seafood, cheeses,
vegetables, and condiments. My favorite? Roast beef with lettuce,
pickles, fried onions, remoulade, and horseradish.
learned from her. She taught me how to make (and form) the Danish
meatballs, frikadeller. And I finally learned to peel potatoes -
after they were boiled. I remember once asking her what herbs to
put in a dish when I was helping her in the kitchen, and her reply
was, “All of them.”
Kristine bakes every Christmas, and I was always lucky to get a
container full of all the different types of Danish Christmas cookies
she’d made: brunkager, vaniljekranse, pebbernødder, kleiner,
fedtebrød, and Jødekager. I, like my dad, was a born cookie monster,
so this was such a highlight for me. They typically came after
my winter exams, which made them extra nice. Even though the
different cookies reminded me of some American and Swedish
Christmas cookies, they were not the same. I learned a lot about
the Danes’ preferred taste (not too sweet!) and how they like the
consistency (crisp!).
At some point during this time, I inherited an old American Better
Homes and Gardens New Cookbook from one of my American
friends here in Denmark, and I started baking the bread (and
cookie) recipes in it. Today I bake all types of bread, and every
Saturday and Sunday morning I bake rolls for our family breakfast.
Weekend mornings have become important family time, and
I take the time to make each one ours. My mother-in-law truly did
teach me a very special lesson.
So did my friend Kristine, whom I met around 1998. She was this
beautiful party animal, and she was also a chef. I’d also call her
the poster child of what it means to be Danish, if one can be that.
The thing about Kristine is that her incredible lessons and advice
about cooking came with so much insight into Danish food traditions
and Danish culture as a whole. She could make the fanciest
gourmet meals, but her heart was in traditional Danish food. Hygge
was her thing.
She once brought calves’ hearts in cream sauce home from work
so I could try it. She also made Danish potato salad served traditionally
with pølser, or hotdogs. She dished up boller i karry, or
meatballs in a curry sauce (a favorite of Danes since just before
the mid-20th century), rump roast with potatoes and brown
sauce, and so many more traditional Danish foods.
Even though I never baked with Kristine, I began baking my own
cookies around this time, experimenting with tastes and consistency.
A few years later I began sharing my own interpretation
of American sugar cookies with those that wanted to try. After I
moved to Struer, I even started selling them at local markets under
the name “By Elke,” and I held a few baking courses. Many of
my sugar cookie recipes incorporate traditional American flavors
like peanut butter and chocolate chip, but they include Danish
twists, like dried fruits and seasonings…or swapping any mention
of Crisco for butter.
Kristine and I did a couple of catering jobs together to make some
extra money. Afterwards, I continued to cater under the name
Miss McCow while I lived in Aarhus and Horsens. I served mostly
American foods because that is what many people wanted,
though I refined American recipes for the Danish tastebuds or, in
many cases, changed them out of necessity when I couldn’t find a
certain ingredient.
As long as I can remember, Danes have been infatuated with
American culture, not least American food culture. Today there
are many well-known American food chains and small diners in
Denmark. But before all of these started showing up, you could
see the Danish fondness for “American” foods in McDonalds
I had some fantastic eating experiences with Kristine, but I also
23
(of course), and in many chain steakhouses like Jensens Bøfhus
and Hereford Beefstouw.
That said, it wasn’t easy to get American food products at regular
grocery stores in the late 90’s and early 2000’s, and there were no
American food stores where I lived. You could order through a
company and have it delivered, but it was really expensive. Macaroni
and cheese cost around twelve dollars a box, Pop Tarts about
fifteen, and a can of pumpkin or cream of mushroom soup would
set you back about seventeen dollars.
Needless to say, my student budget didn’t leave much room for
that sort of extravagance.
At that same time in my life, I was a member of a two-person food
club. My friend Britta and I got together and made (and ate!) lots of
different foods. I would make up the recipes, and she tasted them.
She also faithfully helped me through many catering jobs. She was
a keeper. Not surprisingly, she is still around despite time and distance.
I hope she, unlike the childhood friend who helped me with
my black-tie dinner-from-a-box party, never felt like “a maid.”
Inviting others to my blended table
Before my catering days, when we invited people over for dinner, I
would make old recipes off the top of my head, using the ingredients
I could find because I wanted to share something American
with guests. I didn’t have any recipes with me from home, and
the internet was not yet the greatest or easiest place to find them.
Thus, I began recreating many things from memory. But not
everything was Betty Crocker perfect or shortcut-free.
The first time I had someone over for dinner - a real dinner, where
I actually cooked the meal instead of ordering out or grabbing
a pizza - was a few months after I moved to Denmark. I served
Knorr Lasagna from a box (kind of like Hamburger Helper), but I
added corn, cheddar, and some chili to make it “a little Mexican.”
Our guests loved it, and I was so proud. I probably wouldn’t do
that today, and my cooking skills have thankfully developed over
the years. But this was my start.
During the first ten years or so, I made what I could with what I
had. Once again, I took Tex Mex with me from home. I learned
to make homemade salsa and guacamole, and for one of my
birthdays, I served taco salad, which I had also made for my host
family in Sweden. Most of my birthday guests had never even
tried a taco, much less a salad “with meat and chips blended together
with tomato sauce,” as one of my friends put it. People still
talk about it, and it is one of my husband’s favorites. When I made
chili con carne for another birthday, my guests were surprised
that I served it with cornbread and not white rice. It was also new
for them to eat chili made with shredded beef instead of ground
beef. Today, in contrast, you can buy everything Tex Mex in Denmark,
and people do eat tacos - hard and soft shell. (Though one of
my biggest pet peeves is that the Danish name for tortillas is mad
pandekager, or food pancakes. Come on!)
Back at that time, I also used to make sub sandwiches for people.
I mean real sub sandwiches, with all sorts of different fillings.
When I moved here, sandwiches were not as mainstream as they
are now, and the Danes didn’t yet have the knack for making
really good sandwiches. I remember biting into one with ham, a
lot of really strong, stinky, warm cheese, and a single tomato. It
was gross.
24
I couldn’t get American, Colby, jack, or provolone cheeses, but I
could get cheddar and mozzarella, and I learned to work with
blue cheese. I could get ham, roast beef, and salami, and I learned
to use roast pork and Danish rullepølse. There is a sub shop in
Aarhus where I used to live called Dee Dee’s that, at the time,
was owned by an American expat. I worked there for a few years
when I was completing my masters. I loved it, but it made sense,
as I’d been there and done that years ago in the U.S. at the Breadboard.
Dee Dee’s has always been the exception to the general
rule regarding the quality of sub sandwiches in Denmark.
Today, Danish cafés and convenience stores serve sandwiches,
but they just don’t compare. If you come and visit you will most
likely find chicken and bacon with a curry dressing or ham and
cheese sandwiches on the menu.
Stepping into a grocery store today, you will now be able to find
many American products - many more options than when I came
twenty-five years ago. The Danish food culture has been enriched
by all types of international foods since then, including American.
But even so, I only indulge in buying American food products
like boxed mac and cheese once in a while. Mostly, I continue to
make things by hand just as I have done all these years.
a dog and a hungry dad to eat at a restaurant that is unexpectedly
closed in Harz, Germany. Yeah, what I wouldn’t do for a food
experience!)
The exact impact that these food encounters have had on the
way I experience and prepare food is perhaps unclear, but one
thing is for certain: the food I make cannot always be described
as American or Danish, but it’s definitely “Expat.” I take what I
know, what I like, and what is available, and I put it all together in
ever-changing dishes. The fact is, I have been inspired, and I have
taken that inspiration and used it to enrich my life and other
people’s lives in ways that I never would have or could have if I
hadn’t been so blessed.
In Denmark, I have planted new roots and they have grown and
intertwined with the ones I brought with me. They are nourished
by those I have met and the things I have experienced.
I have found so many things to love here, like the outdoors and
nature. I found a new sport to love, running, as well as downhill
skiing and hiking. And I found my love for creating experiences
and moments of hygge for people where food is at the core. It’s
a calling I never really knew I had until I met this little country
called Denmark.
Being in Denmark for so many years has without a doubt influenced
my cooking. Mormor, a.k.a. Henny, my husband’s grandma,
gave me Frøken Jensens Kogebog about a year before she died.
It’s a cookbook of classic Danish dishes from the same era as
The Good Housekeeping Woman’s Home Cookbook. I love to read
the recipes, and I have a few tried-and-true that I make, mostly
for the Christmas holidays. Today, I am one of four avid foodies
who routinely get together to make and eat great food.
With as long as I have lived in Denmark, I have traveled to many
different places in Europe. It seems that on every trip I take,
I bring back a little bit of something new. Not a souvenir as such,
but an experience or thought that I hadn’t had before. In many
cases, it has to do with a food experience, like learning to eat (and
coming to love) sauerkraut; drinking wine spritzers on a terrace
looking over the mountains in Germany; carving, deboning, and
eating an entire fish served on a plate in front of me in Croatia;
or eating corn-on-the-cob on the beach just like an ice cream cone.
(Or in another case, walking uphill four kilometers with two kids,
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Thanksgiving
I grew up with the story of the first Thanksgiving. The story I
heard was focused mostly on the Pilgrims who had sailed over
from England on the Mayflower and settled at Plymouth Rock.
The first winter was hard, but those that survived the sickness
and famine were befriended by the Native Americans, who taught
them to cultivate corn, squash, and beans in the New World. In
celebration, and to give thanks for the first successful harvest,
they held what came to be known as the First Thanksgiving with
the Native Americans.
When I was young, we celebrated this historic harvest feast every
year in honor of the alliance between the Pilgrims and the Native
Americans. We made turkeys out of construction paper, using
our hands as a pattern. We colored pictures of Pilgrims with big
black hats and shoes with buckles. We colored pictures of Native
Americans with buckskin shirts and pants. We read stories that
described what they ate at the feast and looked at pictures that
depicted them sitting together as they ate, talked, and laughed.
And then, when Thanksgiving Day came around, we had the day
off from school, watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, and ate
tons of yummy food.
The things I remember most about Thanksgiving at home are
Grandma Fern in her apron and cardigan, my mom basting the
turkey in her pretty clothes and apron, my dad being home with
us, and my sisters and I helping to set the table and put the food
out. Our favorite pastime while waiting for dinner? Putting the
black olives on our fingers and eating them - you know, the same
olives we were supposed to set out on the table.
Years later, when I had my own family, I read my children the story
of the first Thanksgiving and we celebrated the holiday every
year. We still do. Some years, I have been lucky enough to celebrate
the day with my family at home in the U.S., even bringing
my daughter along once. Since my childhood, however, as many
others my age have also experienced, the story of Thanksgiving
has changed. My perspective has changed. And the reason that I
celebrate Thanksgiving has changed.
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The true story of Thanksgiving
The accessibility of information has shed light on a fuller, truer
story surrounding the first Thanksgiving. People’s ability to
speak up and tell their side of history in such an extensive way
has given new and very different perspectives as to why we even
celebrate Thanksgiving.
The story of the first Thanksgiving isn’t as romantic as depicted
in the story books of my childhood, and much of it is just that - a
story. Europeans were not strangers to the Native Americans
when the Separatists or Puritans (otherwise known as the Pilgrims)
arrived in the New World - or rather, in their new settlement.
Indigenous tribes had been trading with Europeans for
years. Before the Pilgrims arrived in 1620, many of the tribes had
been devastated by a combination of infectious diseases and the
indigenous slave trade, both introduced by European tradesmen.
When the Pilgrims landed on “Plymouth Rock,” they settled on
land that lay desolate, but which had once been the home of the
Patuxet tribe, a band of the Wampanoag Nation. The Pilgrims
looted what they found in the remains. Among other things, they
pilfered native seeds to sow when it turned out that their own
seeds couldn’t be grown in the “new world.”
Long story short, the Pilgrims did not land on a rock and make
instant friends with the natives. Rather, in time, they made an alliance
based on a treaty that had many facets. Most important to
them was the need for protection and survival, though the temporary
peace between them was also significant in preventing
hostilities. The Pilgrims, with their guns and cannons, could help
the Wampanoag fight off bordering enemy tribes that threatened
to attack now that the Wampanoag were so few. The Wampanoag
could in turn teach the Pilgrims the necessary skills to hunt and
grow food, as well giving them gifts of food. There were also trade
benefits for the Pilgrims. By trading with the Native Americans
and then shipping goods to England for sale, the Pilgrims could
repay the investors who had financed their trip over the Atlantic
on the Mayflower. (Yeah, no, they didn’t just hop on a boat and sail
west.)
One of the names in the first Thanksgiving story I heard as
a child was that of Squanto. He was always mentioned as the
Native American who could speak English and who taught the
Pilgrims to plant and cultivate the different seeds using, among
other things, herring as fertilizer. The parts of the story that I
learned later were that Squanto - actually Tisquantum - spoke
English because he had been enslaved in Spain and England.
When the Pilgrims met him, he had returned to his native home
and become an important liaison between the native tribes and
the Pilgrims. Interestingly, he was the last of the Patuxet tribe, on
whose lands the Pilgrims were living.
The Thanksgiving feast and celebration lasted three days, not
just one, and the Native Americans were not specifically invited
to the November 1621 harvest feast. A historic writing described
that the Wampanoag heard shots when the Pilgrim fired guns
while out hunting for fowl for their religious feast. Curious, the
Wampanoag checked it out and, on their own accord, joined in on
the celebration, bringing with them five deer and ninety men.
The peaceful relations between them lasted fifty years.
The true spirit of Thanksgiving
Considering all that, it isn’t surprising that the national holiday
Thanksgiving Day - or Turkey Day, as some (like my dad) call it -
hasn’t come without controversy.
Many people perceive the celebration of Thanksgiving to be
adding insult to injury, given the killing, religious persecution,
and forced relocation of indigenous tribes that followed the first
Thanksgiving. Others say that Thanksgiving is not a celebration
of any allegiance or friendship between cultures, but rather a sort
of blind acceptance of the atrocities that were inflicted on Native
Americans, before and after this short time in history.
If we don’t acknowledge our history and seek to find a deeper
meaning for celebrating Thanksgiving, then, yeah, the “adult me”
would have to agree.
But at the same time, I have found historical evidence that this
holiday has roots that grow deeper into our national history - and
has a deeper meaning - than the story of that harvest feast. The
fact is, Americans for hundreds of years have held special days of
fasting and Thanksgiving, just like the Pilgrims did.
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After the first Thanksgiving, the Pilgrims continued to celebrate
the holiday in the form that history portrays until 1623. They
continued to hold days of fasting and thanksgiving after that
time, but in a purely religious context. Many other New England
colonies or states did the same. During the American Revolution,
the Continental Congress designated one or more days of
thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 President George Washington
issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation made by the national
government.
In his proclamation he wrote:
“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence
of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits,
and humbly to implore his protection and favor…. [W]e may then all
unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks - for his
kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to
their becoming a Nation - for the signal and manifold mercies, and
the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced
in the course and conclusion of the late war - for the great degree
of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed
- for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been
enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and
happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -
for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed…”
George Washington signed the proclamation on October 3, 1789,
designating Thursday, November 26, as a National Day of Thanks
and Gratitude to God for the care of Americans prior to the
Revolution, and in achieving their independence and establishing
the constitutional government through ratification of the U.S.
Constitution. Many of his successors did the same, but of their
own free will. It wasn’t an official national holiday yet.
The change of focus came, perhaps, through the stamina of a
certain lady who had gained great influence through her work as
a noted poet and editor of a popular woman’s magazine. Her name
was Sarah Josepha Hale, and she had been lobbying for a National
Day of Thanksgiving for years. Through her writings, editorial
decisions, and letters to presidents and other leaders, she advocated
for a day of celebration to heal a divided nation. To celebrate
Thanksgiving for the sole purpose of bringing people together, if
for just one day, to reconcile, unify, and heal.
It was in 1863, during the American Civil War, that her efforts prevailed
with President Lincoln. In his Thanksgiving proclamation,
Lincoln wrote:
“The year that is drawing towards its close has been filled with the
blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties,
which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the
source from which they come, others have been added, which are
of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate
and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the
ever-watchful providence of Almighty God…. It has seemed to me fit
and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully
acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American
People. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part
of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who
are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last
Thursday of November next as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to
our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens. And I recommend
to them that, while offering up the ascriptions justly due to
Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with
humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience,
commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans,
mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which
we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition
of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation, and to
restore it, as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes, to
the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility, and union.”
From the time of Lincoln’s presidency, Thanksgiving became a re
curring holiday, celebrated when presidents called for it through
National Thanksgiving Day proclamations. It wasn’t until 1941, by
joint resolution of Congress, that Thanksgiving became an official
national holiday, celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in
November.
Between these lines you could read a vast amount about the history
leading up to the holiday becoming official, but I’ll leave you
to read that on your own.
So, what is the true spirit of Thanksgiving? Or rather, why do so
many of us celebrate Thanksgiving, and can we reconcile that
celebration with the history of our country?
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There is no doubt that feeling blessed and wanting to give thanks
for those blessings is an honorable reason to celebrate Thanksgiving.
But perhaps we should all be more aware and take a more
thoughtful stance, where we not only give thanks to “Him” or to
those closest to us, but honor and remember those who sacrificed
- or were sacrificed - for our prosperity. And perhaps in our
endeavors to give thanks, we should humbly thank those who
have forgiven us.
As for me personally, I have chosen to take the heart of Thanksgiving
with me into my adult life. By “heart,” I mean what
Thanksgiving should have been in its best, purest form: a day
of connection and gratitude and service. I wanted that message
to be a part of my life and my children’s lives. And since I’ve
found myself on the other side of the world, Thanksgiving has
been both a familiar comfort for me and an open window into
my childhood and my culture that I could share with others. My
Thanksgiving celebrations are a witness to the simple truth that
I am an American. It’s been a joy to go home and celebrate it with
my American family in the U.S., and it has been a joy to stay home
and celebrate it with my Danish family.
As life has led me down new paths, I have realized that our understanding
of the world can be so different from the way others see
it, even when we are sitting right next to each other. A tradition
like Thanksgiving is perceived and celebrated in very different
ways throughout the U.S. and for expats outside of the U.S. But
the defining similarity seems to be our thankfulness for the gift
of life and the blessings bestowed on it, as well as the fact that
we can live this life together, no matter the differences we might
have.
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Thanksgiving in Denmark
The first few years that I lived in Denmark, I was so caught up in
submerging myself into Danish life and culture that I didn’t really
encounter or meet very many Americans. I went to a Danish
university, and, despite taking mostly international courses the
first couple of years, I was surrounded by Danes, both in school
and at home.
That said, I did not just leave my American roots behind never
to look back - even though my mom might say differently. I was
just distracted and a little distanced from them. However, I still
experienced a nudge of nostalgia, and that feeling of missing out
every once in a while. Probably more than I admitted.
One of those times came during my first year of law school.
Several of my international courses were taught by American professors.
I remember distinctly having one specific professor for
two of my courses: The American Legal System and International
Environmental Law. During one of our classes the week before
Thanksgiving, he told us that he was holding Thanksgiving for
some friends that weekend. Immediately, and without thinking,
“Could you save a piece of pumpkin pie for me?” came flying out
of my mouth. And he did! He brought me a piece on the following
Monday, and it was fantastic. I hadn’t realized until that point
just how much I had actually missed home. Taking the first bite, I
felt a sense of longing for the first time. I missed my family with
each and every bite after that.
You might be thinking that at this point I would have begun
celebrating Thanksgiving with friends or my Danish family, but
I didn’t. The story didn’t change until I had been in Denmark for
two years - when I made a life-changing move into a new apartment
building.
It just so happened that one of my new neighbors was an American.
She had heard me talking one day and could hear that I was
American too. So, in her heartwarming American style, she slid a
Post-it note through my mail slot and invited me to coffee. Later,
she ended up inviting us to Thanksgiving dinner with a club she
was a member of - The American Women’s Club of Aarhus.
Here I found a Danish path straight back to my American roots.
Among many things, I started celebrating Thanksgiving again. I
had found my own “Little America” in Denmark. For those of us
from Wyoming, “Little America” is a destination and a passthrough
just outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming, off of I-80. A place to take a
rest before getting on the road again. My parents know that my life
as an expat started at Wyoming’s Little America in the spring of
1993, when I first learned I was going to Sweden. In the same way,
my own Little America in Denmark was a safe place to take a rest
before continuing my journey as an expat.
I continued to go to the American Women’s Club Thanksgiving
dinners for many years. It wasn’t until after I met my husband
that we started to celebrate Thanksgiving privately with our
Danish family. It’s a tradition we have continued for the past
seventeen years, and one I hope my children will share with their
families and friends when the time comes.
Thanksgiving preparation and etiquette
Thanksgiving started early in our house in Wyoming. And by
early, I mean days early, not early in the morning. Thanksgiving
was important in our family, even though Christmas was “the big
one.” All of us girls and our mother participated in getting things
ready. All the porcelain, silver, and crystal were washed and polished.
Tablecloths and napkins were ironed. And the house was
cleaned from top to bottom, inside and out. To this day, when I tell
people that we would literally wash the walls, I get a quizzical,
wide-eyed kind of look. Usually followed up with, “Why didn’t you
just paint?” (I wonder what they would say if I told them that we
even cleaned out all the kitchen cupboards, where no guest was
ever going to look?)
Getting our house shipshape, even though we didn’t love the
chores, was an important part of the celebration. It made things a
whole lot nicer.
Looking back, I think the cleaning was mostly about my mom
always wanting to give us girls the perfect holiday. For her, the
foundation of that was having the home in order. And although I
remember all the cleaning, what I most remember is that our holidays
were always fun (and crazy!). My mom definitely succeeded
in making incredible memories for us.
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Our house was always decorated intricately after the season in a
fashion that my Danish friends and family might think of as being
too much or in bad taste, but it fell sweetly into the tastes and
traditions of our American holiday. It was always my mom that
did the holiday decorating. It would take her days. I loved coming
home from school and seeing it as it changed from day to day. The
excitement made waiting to get out of school for vacation even
harder.
I’ve used the tablecloth almost every year since. That’s despite
the fact that it doesn’t fit our ever-growing table and despite the
fact that my brother-in-law once burned a little hole in it. (That
was the same year that he and my husband ate all the turkey
leftovers. They’re lucky to be alive. They just don’t understand the
importance of those oh-so-lovely, scrumptious leftovers. In any
case, the tablecloth, the husband, and the brother-in-law are still
around every Thanksgiving…in that order.)
Thanksgiving Day started early in our house as well, as I assume
it does for most people. You’ve got to get the turkey in the roaster
or oven on time! I wouldn’t say that our Thanksgiving was centered
around the turkey, but it sure got a lot of attention up until
the time that we gobbled it down (no pun intended). It was cared
for by “the grownups,” and the mouthwatering smells of it roasting
made it hard for anyone to forget its presence in the house.
Just as we did most days, we ate at the dining room table on
Thanksgiving - a sit-down dinner if you will - and we always set a
beautiful table with my mom’s or my great-grandma Fern’s china
and silver. The table was always covered with a tablecloth, and it
was our job to fold the cloth napkins and put them into napkin
rings. My mom always had a centerpiece of flowers and candles
on the table, but it was just a little bit fancier on Thanksgiving,
and we actually lit the candles. It was a special day, and we all felt it.
As a child when we sat down to eat Thanksgiving dinner, good
table manners, like always, were a must. Maybe more so during
the holidays. They were a huge part of my upbringing and I’ve
definitely taken these traditions with me into my adult life. Or
at least I’ve tried. It definitely isn’t unheard of to hear me say,
“Put your napkins in your lap!” or “Sit up straight!” or “Get your
elbows off the table.” But it isn’t etiquette here to put your napkin
or your hands in your lap while eating, and the etiquette for using
utensils when eating is quite different than in the U.S. I’ve had to
make peace with that. Let’s just say my children have the tools
they need when they visit my family in the U.S. and leave it at that.
Today I put a lot of effort into my table settings. Some are more
elaborate than others, but they’re always important. For me, table
settings are the invitation, like the cover of a book that pulls you
in or the front door that leads you somewhere great. The table setting
is my way of welcoming my family and guests to a moment
of togetherness and sharing. Besides, a meal just tastes better
when it’s placed on a table that looks as great as the food.
For our first Danish Thanksgiving dinner, I purchased a linen
tablecloth and napkins from Magasin, one of the large department
stores here in Denmark. I hadn’t gone in to buy a tablecloth.
I was just looking around. I remember exploring the top floor and
walking by all the linens and seeing this amazing tablecloth in an
oh-so-perfect Thanksgiving fall color. For some reason, it reminded
me of home, and I purchased it.
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The Grace
I was blessed to grow up in a family that didn’t want for anything.
And I have parents that always made sure to tell us that there
were so many others that did.
We always said grace before dinner while holding hands. This was
a part of our daily lives, but it felt extra special on Thanksgiving.
We gave thanks for all that we had and sent blessings to those
who were in our thoughts and prayers. After grace, our attention
always turned to the food before us, and conversation took over. I
can still hear my dad say, “Dig in!”
Other families often take extra time during the Thanksgiving
grace to go around the table and have each person, in turn, tell
something that they are thankful for. I don’t remember ever really
doing this when I was young, but I sure remember having to
do it when I celebrated Thanksgiving with the American Women’s
Club in Denmark for the first time - together with forty or so people
that I didn’t really know. It was a little traumatizing, maybe
because I was already “too Danish” by that point. I’ve never really
gotten comfortable with the idea of telling others what I am
thankful for in this way. And I am definitely not the only one.
In 2013 I invited a guy that I had only recently met to the American
Women’s Club Thanksgiving dinner. Now, you have to realize
that it was already a culture shock for him. (You try going to an
American gathering for the first time, looking from the outside in
- we are a special breed of human!) But there were no exceptions
for joining in the ring of thanks, and we waited - very patiently -
for our turn. I’ll never forget the look on his face when he finally
had to speak. It was a total “I hope you’re worth it!” kind of look.
(Spoiler: I was. Or at least he thought so, since his Thanksgiving
trial-by-fire didn’t stop him from marrying me some years later.)
Needless to say, I didn’t take this custom with me into my “adult”
family Thanksgivings. However, I did take him. I thank my lucky
stars every single day.
When people ask me what I’m most thankful for in life, I don’t
mind answering, but it isn’t a very easy question. How does one
choose? But if I had to name one thing, I am most thankful to
bear the Carleton name. It’s the most precious gift I have ever
received. It has shaped me, led me, and nourished the very being I
am nearly my entire life. Behind the name is a man, a family, and
a value system that guides me to this day.
Traditions
Now, football and Thanksgiving go hand-in-hand in the United
States, as well as watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.
I reckon that a lot of Thanksgiving turkeys have been devoured
in front of TVs across the States throughout the years.
These traditions were just never our thing. The only thing “football”
in our family was selling sub sandwiches during the Super
Bowl in January in order to earn money for our church youth
group. And as for hanging out on the sofa, eating our Thanksgiving
dinner - well, that never happened. The same goes for the
somewhat horrific holiday tradition of Black Friday.
For us, the hotspot in the house was not in front of the television.
It was in our kitchen, where we talked and made dinner. I guess
we were each other’s entertainment in that crazy, crazy kitchen.
The same was true in our everyday lives. I’ve had some of the best
conversations in our old kitchen.
When Thanksgiving is over, in our house, it is Christmas. When
I was young, the Christmas season was usually launched with a
viewing of A Christmas Carol, immediately after Thanksgiving
dinner or the next day. Our first family Thanksgiving in Denmark
was no exception. After dinner we sat down and watched
it. Today we still watch A Christmas Carol, but not always in conjunction
with Thanksgiving. We do, however, always turn on the
Christmas music between Thanksgiving dinner and dessert.
For the record, I do have many conversations with the universe in
which I contemplate all the blessings I have in my life. And as for
telling someone that I am thankful for them, well, I prefer to do
that in person.
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Guests and family
My memories of Thanksgiving are imprinted with the faces of my
mom and dad, my sisters, and my great-grandparents, especially
my great-grandma Fern. There might have been a time or two
when someone joined us, but I don’t remember. I have many
friends that celebrate Thanksgiving together with friends and/or
extended family, but our gatherings were just us.
Grandma Fern was a staple at dinners and celebrations. It was
by following her and my mom around the kitchen over the years
and watching them prepare the dinners that I was able to prepare
my very first Thanksgiving in Denmark. After she passed on, her
beautiful porcelain and silver heirlooms continued on at our table
during the holidays. Some of the pieces, including much of her
kitchenware, I love and use today in my own kitchen and dining
room.
Thanksgiving in my family was always family time. For me, it still
is, and we spend it with our closest Danish or American family.
The Food
What are some of the basic ingredients of American Thanksgiving
recipes? Turkey, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and
corn. Pumpkin, fish, shellfish, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, green
beans, and salad. Fruit, cheese, cream, and bread. Ginger, nutmeg,
garlic, rosemary, sage, thyme, and marjoram. Most of these
ingredients are therefore also ones you will find in the recipes in
this book.
On our table at home in the U.S., I remember always having
shrimp cocktail to start…and a whole lot of black olives (those
that my sisters and I hadn’t already eaten off our fingers while
setting the table, anyway!). We ate turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed
potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, green bean casserole, probably
something else green, celery, cranberry sauce, and dinner rolls.
For dessert we had pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies with whipped
cream.
Usually, I took two bites and was stuffed. Everything I ate after
that was a pure show of will and the fact that the food was irresistible.
But that’s okay. Thanksgiving is all about the leftovers
anyway. Eating everything would just be wrong.
Finally - the food! Thanksgiving is just as much about the food
as for giving thanks. The food is a blessing - a ton of yummy richness
weighing heavily in your tummy!
I’m not going to go too far into all the regional Thanksgiving dishes
that families eat around the United States. That would take a
whole separate book. While in eastern states you might find crab
cakes and corn on the cob on the table, in southwestern states you
might be served frog eye salad! And while Texas families might
have fried turkey, I used to know a girl whose family skipped the
turkey altogether and ate ham. The food is as diversified as the
ways in which we celebrate Thanksgiving.
Despite the diversity, there are certain similarities that tie the
recipes together with our common origin. Those similarities
might be easiest to see in the ingredients. On most Thanksgiving
tables you will find some key ingredients that have been used and
combined in many different ways, making for very diverse tables
with similar origins.
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Pumpkin rolls, page 101 – Sweet potatoes, page 84
Starters, page 52 – Gravy, pages 76-78
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The recipes
Many of the recipes found in this cookbook are ones that I have
used off and on over the years. I am always adding things to recipes,
especially if I have extra veggies or herbs lying around. As a
result, every year the same dish might taste just a little different,
but not in such a way that it is unrecognizable. Thanksgiving is
tradition, and being true to the recipes is a big part of that. The
recipes in this book are therefore the same recipes I used in 2004,
the first time I held Thanksgiving with my husband’s family.
But I’ve included notes with extra tidbits of information on how
I have changed or experimented with the recipes at different
times.
The amounts stated are approximations of what I do. I never really
use measuring cups or spoons except when I am baking. But
even then, I measure by sight most of the time. However, if you
stick to the amounts stated, you will have a tasty dish to share at
the end.
Serving sizes and portions are also approximate. How much you
need (and just as importantly, how many delicious leftovers you’ll
have) will depend on how many different dishes you are making
and who is coming for dinner (hungry teenagers or great-grandma?).
For my family of eleven, I make the recipes as written,
except for the starters. For those I calculate in accordance with
how many guests are coming that year. I haven’t had to double a
recipe yet, and there are always leftovers.
As a bonus, I have added some original recipes, as well as some
very basic American and Danish recipes. They’re mostly there for
fun and to show you how the different influences I have had over
the years have wiggled their way into my kitchen.
Finally, please remember that this cookbook is not just about the
recipes. It’s about finding time to gather and enjoy a great meal
that you make especially for your guests - or together with your
guests.
Don’t be afraid to experiment and make these recipes your own.
Add what you think sounds good. If you keep to the proportions,
you should be all right when changing the recipe or substituting
ingredients. And remember to taste your dish throughout the
whole process, not just at the end before serving. (Though this
might be why I’m so stuffed after just two bites of the actual-
Thanksgiving dinner!)
Happy Thanksgiving
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Appetizers
I don’t remember many appetizers from when I was little, but
they’re certainly an important part of Thanksgiving now that I’m
an adult. When I’ve gone home for the holiday, we’d usually sit
around and eat appetizers before dinner - usually shrimp cocktail,
crackers and cheese, and veggies with dip. And I’m certain that
there is always a bottle of wine on the coffee table as well.
I’ve kept that tradition here in Denmark. Our family shows up
at around one o’clock in the afternoon, and we eat around two or
three. We always start out with appetizers and drinks around the
coffee table. (Okay, I run back and forth between the coffee table
and the kitchen, but you get it.) I like to share my favorites from
the States with them. We always serve my mom’s crab dip with
crackers (sometimes store-bought, sometimes homemade) and
occasionally vegetables. We also serve eggnog, which is a family
favorite. It’s more of a Christmas thing in the U.S., but I wanted
my Danish family to try it as well. Because we don’t spend Christmas
together, we’ve made it into a Danish Thanksgiving tradition.
(Besides, as I mentioned before, Thanksgiving has always been the
transition into Christmas for my family!)
Eggnog is a drink that some Danes know from American movies
(thank you Hallmark), but you won’t find it on a Danish menu or
in a local grocery store. Denmark does, however, have something
similar called æggesnaps, or egg schnapps. It is made with egg
yolks and sugar, whipped until very thick and creamy. I’ve never
tried it, but when we’re sitting around the coffee table, someone
from the older generation always makes a comment about the
memories the eggnog brings back of their childhood.
Eggnog is a special part of our family Thanksgiving and not just
because it’s a tradition I wanted to share. It’s turned out to be a
reminder that the connection between people is as much about
the ways that we’re different as it is about the things we have in
common. Our differences can bring us closer together by teaching
and inspiring us. They help us understand who we are as individuals.
Sitting around the coffee table, relaxing with a drink and appetizers,
is a wonderful invitation to talk about our common ground
and our differences - to connect.
41
42
43
Serving for 6-8 people
Mother’s Crab Dip
Dip:
a couple of cans of crab or fresh crab chopped,
about 1 cup.
1 package cream cheese, about ¾ cup.
1 finely chopped young spring onion or scallion
1 finely chopped green pepper (optional)
1-2 tsp horseradish, either prepared or fresh-grated
salt & pepper
Cocktail sauce:
4 tbsp tomato puree (approximately)
1 finely chopped spring onion or regular onion
1 or 2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Instructions:
Mix all of the ingredients together
Place in a covered bowl and put in the refrigerator
to rest overnight
Serving:
When ready to serve, take the crab dip out of the
bowl. It should be firm enough to form a round
ball. If not, no worries. Just put it in a pretty dish.
Place on a serving plate and pour the cocktail
sauce over the crab dip. Serve with homemade
crackers, carrot and celery sticks, or other vegetables.
44
Tip!
Want to add a little heat and depth?
Try putting a little dried chili (about 1/2 tps.)
into the coctail sauce.
45
Homemade
Crackers
Tip!
You can use any combination of different flours:
wheat, barley, rye, corn, or all-purpose.
If you like, add sweetness with about a teaspoon of
honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar.
As you experiment, keep wet/dry proportions in
mind. If you add wet ingredients, subtract a
similar volume from the 1/4 - 1/2 cup water.
One baking sheet, enough for 2-4 people
Although I’ve included my base recipe here, I invite
you to flavor your crackers with your preferred
combination of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme,
basil, sage, and mint. You can also add lemon rind,
fresh onions or onion powder, fresh garlic or garlic
powder, freshly chopped chili or chili powder,
or smoked or regular paprika. Start with small
amounts and (as always!) flavor to taste.
1 ¼ cup flour(s) of your choice
4 tbsp butter or oil
¼ - ⅓ cup water
sea salt to sprinkle on top
Preheat oven to 400° F (210°C)
Measure out dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl.
Cut butter into the flour until it is in pea-sized clumps. Add water and
other liquids, and stir until you get a uniform dough (if you are using
oil instead of butter, add it to the flour mixture along with the water).
Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter and roll dough out on
it, about the thickness of a penny or Danish five crown coin. You can
sprinkle the dough with flour to keep it from sticking to the rolling
pin. The thinner the cracker, the crunchier it will be after baking, but
be careful not to make them so thin that they become fragile and break
when dipping or burn in the oven.
With a pizza cutter or sharp knife, cut into desired shapes. Sprinkle
with sea salt and bake for about 10 minutes, or until they begin to turn
golden.
Slide crackers off the hot baking pan and let cool on the parchment paper
or cooling rack. When they are completely cool, store in an airtight
container to keep them crisp.
46
Homemade
Knækbrød
(Danish crispbread)
One baking sheet, enough for 2-4 people
½-¾ cup flour(s) of your choice
(gluten-free also works)
½-¾ cup finely chopped nuts or seeds of your
choice
2 tsp salt
1 egg
2 tbsp neutral oil
herbs and seasonings
(see Homemade Cracker recipe)
Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). In a small mixing bowl, combine flour,
nuts/seeds, salt, and any flavorings. Mix well.
Add egg and oil to the flour mixture and stir until well-combined. The
dough should be sticky and wet, but not runny. If it is too dry, add a
little water. If too wet, add a little flour.
Place a piece of parchment paper on the counter. Place the wet dough
on the parchment paper and lay another piece of parchment paper on
top. Roll the dough thinly, about the thickness of a penny or a Danish
five crown coin.
Remove the top layer of baking paper.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, carefully press down into the
dough to cut the desired shapes.
Sprinkle with sea salt and bake for about 20-30 minutes.
Slide knækbrød off the baking pan and let cool on the parchment
paper or a cooling rack.
If rolled thin enough and baked long enough, the knækbrød will get
crunchy as they cool. When they are completely cool, store in an airtight
container to keep them crisp.
47
Tip!
Æggesnaps
(Egg Schnapps)
Replacing the sugar with powdered sugar
will make it easier to whip the eggs.
You can add many flavors to the egg
schnapps: vanilla, cocoa, citrus, nutmeg,
allspice,Baileys, rum – you name it!
Make it as unique and as strong as you
like.
Serves 1 person
This is the classic recipe for egg schnapps. It can
also be made with whole eggs, just make sure to add
another 4 tsp of sugar per egg.
Put the egg yolks and sugar into a small mixing bowl. Whip together
until they’ve achieved a creamy consistency and there are no longer
visible sugar grains in the mixture.
Pour into a cup or glass and enjoy!
2 pasteurized egg yolks
5-6 tsp sugar
desired flavorings (see note)
48
49
Tip!
Eggnog
(Danish-influenced)
You can make this a couple of hours beforehand
and chill until serving. When you take it out of
the refrigerator, blend it again for about
10 seconds, then serve.
Makes about 6 cups, or 12 servings
6 pasteurized eggs
2 cups milk
⅓ cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
light rum or bourbon (to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or, for more flavor, remove the
seeds from a whole vanilla bean and mix them into
the sugar)
ground nutmeg (optional)
Instructions (for a Danish-influenced drink)
Put the eggs into a blender and blend on high for about 1 minute,
until thick.
Add the milk and sugar and blend 30-60 seconds.
Add the whipped cream and blend on low for 5-10 seconds.
Add the vanilla along with rum and bourbon to taste, then blend
again on low for about 10 seconds.
Pour into chilled glasses or a punchbowl, sprinkle with nutmeg,
and serve.
50
Eggnog
(Original)
6 pasteurized eggs
2 cups milk
⅓ cup sugar
1 cup whipping cream, whipped
light rum or bourbon (to taste)
1 tsp vanilla extract (or, for more flavor, remove the
seeds from a whole vanilla bean and mix them into
the sugar)
ground nutmeg (optional)
Instructions (Original)
In a large saucepan, combine the eggs, milk, and sugar. Cook over
medium heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture coats a metal
spoon.
Remove from heat and cool quickly by placing the pan in a sink or
bowl of ice water while stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the vanilla.
Chill for at least 4 hours, but overnight is best.
Before serving, whip the cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar until
soft peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the egg mixture, sprinkle with nutmeg,
and serve at once.
Add rum and bourbon if you please, or serve it virgin.
51
52
Salmon steaks - page 59
Starters
The one thing that consistently changes in my house from year to
year - besides the table decorations, that is - is the starter.
We’ve had everything from smoked salmon to pumpkin soup,
salads to shrimp cocktail, and many others. But no matter what
the starter is, the way it is presented does not change. It is always
plated because that’s my way of welcoming the family to the table.
Now, I never did like fish growing up, but I always liked my greatgrandma
Fern’s shrimp cocktail. It wasn’t necessarily the shrimp
I thought was great, but the cocktail sauce, and the fact that it
was served in champagne bowls. I was quite surprised when I
came to Denmark and saw shrimp cocktail on the menu - but
served with lettuce, and oftentimes white or green asparagus, avocado,
and Thousand Island dressing in a classic ice cream glass!
I doubt my grandma ever put lettuce in her shrimp cocktail, but
if she did, I don’t remember it. There are of course many variations
on both sides of the pond, but the simplicity of Grandma
Fern’s was the best.
Today, I love fish and shellfish, and that is normally what is on
the menu as our Thanksgiving starter. The youngest members of
our Danish family don’t always love it (or eat it) but for me, it is so
important that they experience these things in their childhood.
Although they might not love it now, they may when they are
grown. Perhaps we might then share the same childhood story:
learning to love shellfish because of the intervention of a special
person in their life.
53
Serves 6-8 people
Grandma Fern’s
Shrimp Cocktail
Ingredients
3-5 cups (1 ½ -2 lbs. or 500-1000g) fresh or frozen
cleaned, cooked shrimp, with or without the tails
Sauce:
1 cup ketchup, or ½ cup tomato puree and ⅔ cup
water
1 cup chili sauce
4 tbsp grated raw horseradish
½ tsp sugar
1 tsp each salt and pepper
2 tbsp lemon juice
12 drops hot sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 clove garlic, pressed
a small handful chopped parsley, dill and chives
Instructions:
In a small bowl mix all the sauce ingredients
together and adjust flavors to taste.
Chill for at least 2 hours.
Spoon sauce into the bottom of a martini glass or
champagne bowl.
With tails: Place several fresh shrimp on the rim
of a martini glass, tails pointing out.
Without tails: Place a handful of shrimps over the
sauce.
Serve with lemon wedges.
54
55
Tip!
Danish
Rejecocktail
(original)
This recipe calls for double the amount of
shrimp as most recipes. I really like shrimp,
but you can cut back if you like!
In Denmark, tomatoes and roe (fish eggs) or
eggs are not uncommon on shrimp cocktail.
Make your starter as decadent or as simple
as you like – this is your welcome dish!
Serves 4
2 cups (1 lb) fresh or frozen cooked, cleaned shrimp
2 cups or about 3 handfuls of lettuce or mixed
greens – any type you like. Arugula and baby lettuce
are great.
8 green asparagus, bottoms removed and cut in half
or in thirds
1 avocado cut into small chunks
Thousand Island dressing (store-bought or
homemade)
watercress or dill for garnish
4 tsp mayonnaise
lemon wedges
Warm the asparagus on a hot, dry frying pan for about 5 minutes.
You can also just use them fresh.
Place the lettuce or greens in an ice cream glass, cocktail glass, or
whatever else you think will present well. I once served shrimp cocktail
in pretty porcelain coffee cups.
Add the shrimp, avocado, and asparagus.
Pour a couple of tablespoons of Thousand Island dressing over the
cocktail, then garnish with the dill/watercress and a teaspoon of
mayonnaise.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Quick-and-Easy Thousand Island Dressing:
Mix together a couple teaspoons of crème fraiche and mayonnaise.
Add paprika, 1 clove garlic, 1 pinch sweet pepper, cayenne pepper,
a little Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper. Mix well.
56
Prawn
Salad
Serves 6-8
2 ½ cups (1 lb) large prawn shrimp, peeled
Sauce:
2 heaping tsp grated raw horseradish
juice from one lemon
a handful of dill
Mix the horseradish, lemon juice, dill, and salt together into a sauce.
Marinate the shrimp in the sauce for at least a couple of hours or
overnight.
When ready to serve, place a bed of greens in the middle of each serving
plate. Add a couple spoonsful of shrimp. Decorate with fresh dill,
carrots, and spring onion.
Serve with a lemon wedge.
Salt to taste
1 carrot, julienned
1-2 spring onions, julienned
mixed greens
lemon wedges for garnish
Tip!
For a unique presentation, I sometimes place
the greens and shrimp in an avocado that
has been cut in half, peeled, and placed in a
small bowl . You can also serve it on a puff pastry.
57
Prawns on
Danish Rugbrød
Serves 6-8
2 ½ cups (1 lb) large prawn shrimp, peeled
Sauce:
2 heaping tbsp tomato purée (optional)
2 heaping tsp grated raw horseradish
1 clove garlic, crushed or pressed
1 green onion or scallion, finely chopped
juice from one lemon
a handful of dill
Mix the tomato purée, horseradish, garlic, chopped green onion, lemon
juice, dill, gin, and salt together. Marinate the shrimp in the sauce for at
least a couple of hours or overnight.
When ready to serve, grill the carrots and the spring onions with salt
and pepper and a little oil if you like. You can grill them in the oven or
in a pan.
Place a piece of the bread in the middle of a serving plate. Place carrots
and spring onion on each piece of bread. Add a bed of greens on top and
then a couple spoonsful of shrimp.
Add a few pieces of diced cucumber on top of the shrimp and serve
with lemon wedges.
1-2 tsp gin
salt
Toasted Danish rugbrød, or a dense rye or
pumpernickel bread
1 carrot, julienned
1-2 spring onions, julienned
1 cucumber, diced
mixed greens
lemon wedges
Tip!
You can also drizzle some of the sauce over
immediately before serving.
This dish was inspired by the Danish højbelagte
smørrebrød. In addition to being a great
Thanksgiving starter, it would be wonderful at
a luncheon or as a light dinner.
58
Tip!
If you love sweet stuff, than use the full
amount of honey and sugar. If you don’t use
half! Skip the butter and just use the sauce
if you want something a little less heavy.
Salmon Steaks
w/ White Wine Butter
on a Bed of Tossed Greens
1 cup dry white wine
1 shallot, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
¼ cup white wine vinegar and lemon-flavored
vinegar, mixed half and half or ¼ cup white
wine vinegar and 1 tbsp lemon juice
1-2 tbsp honey
½-1 tbsp sugar, to taste
1 bay leaf
handful fresh dill
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
2 sage leaves (optional)
1 tsp lemon zest
2 tsp mayonnaise
2 tsp Dijon mustard
⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 salmon steaks, each about ½ lb
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
about 3 handfuls of mixed salad greens
¼ cup pecans and almonds, roasted
Serves 4-6
Combine wine, shallots, garlic, white wine vinegar (or lemon flavored
vinegar), honey, sugar and bay leaf in a heavy 1- or 2-quart saucepan. Bring
to a boil over moderately high heat and cook about 20 minutes, until the
mixture becomes thick and jam-like and is reduced to about ⅓ cup.
Remove and discard bay leaf.
Set a small bowl into a slightly larger bowl of ice water. Transfer the
white wine mixture into the small bowl, then stir until cool, about 5
minutes. Remove from ice water and use a fork or rubber spatula to
stir in dill, rosemary, sage, zest, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, softened
butter, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper until all ingredients are
evenly incorporated.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with foil.
Pat fish dry, then brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Bake fish until just cooked through, about 8-10 minutes.
When ready to serve, place a handful of the mixed salad greens in the
center of each plate.
Cut each steak into 2 or 3 pieces and place one piece on each bed of greens.
Top with 1-2 tablespoons of white wine butter and sprinkle with nuts.
59
Tip!
Pumpkin
Soup
This soup can easily be made a day ahead
and kept in the fridge. Before serving, take it
out of the refrigerator and warm up over low
heat until just warm. You can also substitute
butternut, acorn squash, or even sweet potatoes
for the Hokkaido pumpkin...or your own custom
mix of all three.
Serves 6-8
2 tbsp butter
2 large carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 small red pepper, chopped (optional)
1 large onion, chopped
1 Hokkaido pumpkin, peeled and chopped into
½ inch pieces
6 cups boiling water
2 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp nutmeg (optional)
Roast pumpkin in the oven for about 20-30 minutes at 400° F (200°C).
While it is roasting, sauté carrots, celery, and onion in butter until
tender.
Combine the pumpkin, sautéed vegetables, cloves, nutmeg, and boiling
water in a blender and purée. (Alternatively, combine them in a soup
pot or casserole and puree using a stick blender.)
Pour the soup slowly into a casserole and warm it up slowly on low
heat. Stir in the cream and honey/maple syrup, or the coconut milk and
ginger. Bring just to a simmer, being careful not to overcook.
Serve in a bowl with rolls, crackers, or toasted rugbrød spread with
honey.
butter for sautéing
½ cup cream with 4 tbsp honey or maple syrup,
OR ½ cup marscepone cheese, OR (for a non-dairy option)
½ cup coconut milk and ground ginger to taste
60
61
62
Turkey My Way- page 68
Turkey and Stuffing
It’s time for the turkey - the star of the show.
The one dish that you absolutely don’t want anything to go wrong
with because there just aren’t any second chances. No one wants
a re-enactment of the dried-out turkey scene from National
Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, because if your turkey were to go
that wrong, it wouldn’t be comic on any level. But should the very
worst happen on your Thanksgiving, try to look on the bright
side. There is so much food on Thanksgiving that nobody will
starve. Besides, I’ve been to a lot of Thanksgiving dinners in my
life, and I’ve never been served a turkey that was so dry that it
couldn’t be eaten. That’s what the gravy is for!
I learned to roast a turkey by watching my mom and Grandma
Fern. When I started roasting my own turkeys, I followed the
memory of that, as well as some instructions from an old American
cookbook.
After all the work that goes into cooking that turkey, it’s no
surprise that many Americans treat the carving of the bird as
the highlight of dinner. In my house, it was always my dad that
carved the turkey from the head of the table where he sat. Today,
I always walk out with the turkey and show it off to my family,
but then I take it back into the kitchen. Instead of carving it, I pull
the wings and legs off. Then I pull the rest of the meat off in small
and large chunks and serve it on a platter with the stuffing.
This tradition started when we celebrated our very first Thanksgiving
over seventeen years ago. At that time, our apartment,
and therefore our table, were so small that the only place there
was room to carve the turkey was in the kitchen! Bringing the
turkey out for show-and-tell may have come out of necessity,
but it stuck and it’s now one of the most memorable parts of our
Thanksgiving dinner.
My mom always cooked the turkey in a roaster, and she basted it
all day. I’ve never seen a roaster in Denmark (though I could probably
find one if I wanted to), so for now, the oven it is for our birds.
I don’t baste the turkey, either. Instead, I add a layer of butter
under the skin for both flavor and moisture.
Although turkeys are not commonly eaten here, you can find
them in well-stocked supermarkets, and most butchers can get
them for you. For many years, we have driven out to a local turkey
farm here in Denmark to get ours. I think this is the coolest thing,
because I certainly never did that in the U.S.
63
Our turkey in Denmark is cooked and served
with stuffing in the true American style. Danes
don’t really use stuffing, as a rule. At Christmas,
many Danes cook duck stuffed with apples or
oranges and dried dates and prunes, but they
don’t really “stuff ‘em” the way many Americans
stuff their Thanksgiving turkeys. When it’s
time to pack up the Thanksgiving leftovers
in our house, there’s always plenty of
stuffing left. My Danes just don’t like
it. They do,
however, always taste a little to be
polite. So why do I keep making it?
Well, remember my Swedish salmon
story?
And then there are the cranberries. Those
tangy, sour suckers that, until recently,
were not held in highest regards by Danish
taste buds. Probably not so surprising, since
cranberries are native to North America and
were originally used by Native Americans for
medicine, dye, and food. Native Americans introduced
the Pilgrims to these “bearberries,” and in
1663, a recipe for cranberry sauce showed up in The
Pilgrim Cookbook.
Today cranberries are cultivated in the U.S., Canada,
Chile, and some eastern European countries. They
are most commonly found in Denmark in a
dried form in salads, but you can find
fresh ones at most well-stocked
grocery stores. For many years,
though, I had to go to specialty
shops or markets to find them.
Believe it or not, they were always
frozen Ocean Spray cranberries
imported all the way from home.
Fun fact:
Did you know that
turkys really do say
“gobble-gobble” ?
64
65
Turkey
and Stuffing
(the Traditional Way)
1 turkey (around 1 to 1 ¼ pounds per person),
thawed according to instructions below.
salt and pepper
Remove the neck and giblets from inside the cavity of the turkey.
Using paper towels, pat the turkey dry inside and out.
Drizzle salt and pepper inside and on all sides of the turkey.
If your turkey is frozen, thaw it in the fridge
accordingly.
Let the turkey sit out while you prepare the stuffing.
4–12 pounds: 1 to 3 days
12–16 pounds: 3 to 4 days
16–20 pounds: 4 to 5 days
20–24 pounds: 5 to 6 days
66
Stuffing
Baked Outside the Turkey
Tip!
This recipe requires you to leave the bread
out overnight. If you’re running short on time,
though, just toast it for a few minutes under
the broiler.
1 loaf of bread, torn or sliced into ¼” cubes and
left out overnight to dry out
½ cup butter
½ pound sausage (optional)
1 large onion, diced
4 stalks celery, thinly sliced
2 carrots, diced (optional)
2-4 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound sausage (optional)
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp minced fresh sage
1 tbsp minced fresh thyme leaves
½ tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
salt and pepper
2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth
2 large eggs
Handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add sausage and cook
until browned. Add onion celery and carrots and sauté until soft and
fragrant, about 8 minutes. Stir in garlic, parsley, sage, thyme, and rosemary
and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper.
Combine the bread and sautéed sausage and onion mixture in a large
bowl. Toss to combine.
In another bowl, whisk eggs and chicken broth together, then slowly
pour the egg mixture into the sautéed sausage and onion mixture.
Season generously with salt and pepper and toss until the bread is completely
coated with the egg mixture.
Place the stuffing in a 9 x 13 in. buttered or non-stick pan.
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 40 minutes until golden
Sprinkle the chopped parsley over the stuffing just before serving.
Notes: If you are juggling oven space or time on Thanksgiving Day,
you can prepare the stuffing the day before and then warm it up in the
oven, about an hour before serving, with the other sides.
Because this recipe contains unpasteurized eggs, I don’t recommend
baking it inside the turkey for safety reasons. However, if you decide to
do so, measure the internal temperature of the stuffing to make sure it
reaches a minimum internal temperature of 165°F (75°C) before serving.
67
Turkey
my way
Ingredients
1 turkey (around 1 to 1 ¼ pounds per person),
thawed according to instructions
About 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
About 6 fresh sage leaves
6 tbsp butter, room temperature
1 ½ tsp orange zest
Instructions
Remove the neck and giblets from inside the
cavity of the turkey. Using paper towels, pat the
turkey dry inside and out.
Chop the rosemary and fresh sage. Add both the
herbs and the orange zest to the butter and mix
well.
Carefully cut into the skin of the breast on each
side of the turkey. Using your fingers or a butter
knife, work your way between the skin and the
meat to create one pocket on each breast. (If
preferred, you can also make a bunch of small
pockets.)
Insert the herb butter into the pockets, then
massage to spread it around.
Let the turkey sit out while you prepare the
stuffing.
68
Tip!
I encourage you to use a mixture of fresh
herbs that you have handy. Use your sense
of smell to guide you.
69
Stuffing
Baked Inside the Turkey
(original)
Tip!
I love fresh herbs best, but dried will work.
Amounts will vary depending on whether you
use fresh or dried, so taste as you work!
1 loaf of bread
1 cup celery, chopped
2 onions, chopped
½ cup butter
2 tsp dried or fresh sage
2-3 cups chicken broth
1 bundle of spring onions
1-2 tsp dried or fresh parsley
Cut the bread into cubes and toast them lightly in the oven under the
broiler. Place in a large mixing bowl.
Melt the butter in a frying pan and add the celery, onions, and sage.
Sauté until the celery and onions are soft and the sage very fragrant,
about 5 minutes.
Add the sautéed celery/onion mixture, spring onions, and fresh herbs
to the bread cubes. Add the chicken broth a little at a time, mixing
thoroughly each time, until you reach the desired consistency. Different
kinds of bread absorb different amounts of liquid, so take it slow;
the breadcrumbs should be moist but not soggy.
1-2 tsp dried or fresh thyme
1-2 tsp dried or fresh marjoram
70
Don’t leave ´em hangin´out
in the oven - for too long
71
Trussing the Turkey
You can truss the turkey if you want, or you can just put
it straight into your preheated oven after stuffing it.
Trussing the turkey will give it the shape depicted in
most pictures of the classical Thanksgiving turkey.
When you have stuffed the turkey, press the legs together
as closely and tightly as you can. Secure them with
kitchen twine by wrapping the twine around the legs
a couple of times and tying it firmly. Cut off any excess
twine.
The first step, before stuffing, is to close the neck flap.
Turn the turkey over, breast side down. Pull the neck
skin up and over to neatly cover the hole. Using a long
skewer, secure the neck flap to the turkey.
Secure the wings with small skewers.
Turn the turkey back over so the breast side is up.
The second step is to stuff your turkey and then close off
the breast cavity. See instructions for stuffing the turkey
Stuffing the Turkey
You’ve already prepped the turkey with all sorts of yummy
butter and herbs. Now you need to stuff your turkey and close
it all off.
Stuffing the turkey is easy! Using a spoon or a ladle, add stuffing
until the breast cavity is so full the stuffing is almost falling
out. Normally, you can calculate around ½ to ¾ cup stuffing
per pound of turkey.
If you can’t get all the stuffing in, don’t worry. You can bake
the rest of the stuffing (or all, if you prefer) in the oven at 350°F
(175°C) for about 30-45 minutes, depending on the amount.
Roasting the Turkey
Preheat the oven to desired temperature - low and slow
cooking is best, but you can turn up the heat a bit if
you’re short on time (see “Roasting Times”).
Set your turkey in a roasting pan with a rack and place
it in the oven.
Bake until the skin is a light golden color, then cover
loosely with tinfoil or parchment paper to keep moisture
in and prevent over-browning. If using tinfoil, you can
remove it during the last 45 minutes or so of baking to
brown the skin.
When roasting my turkeys in the oven, I cover them with
parchment paper (baking paper) the entire time, until
the turkey is done. The paper allows the turkey to brown
slowly and evenly throughout the cooking process.
The turkey is done when the thigh meat reaches a
temperature of 180° F (80°C) at its center and the breast
meat reaches a temperature of 170°F (75°C). If you have
cooked your stuffing inside the bird, it should reach
165°F (70°C).
When the turkey is done, remove it from the oven and let
it stand for 30 minutes.
You can carve the turkey in a nice old-fashioned manner,
standing at the head of the table when serving, or you
can do like I do and pull it apart in big and small pieces,
then serve it on a platter.
One word of caution: parchment/baking paper is not the
same as waxed paper. Although I want you to experiment
with these recipes and make them your own, that’s one
substitution I don’t recommend!
Roasting Times
A rule of thumb for roasting your turkey is to calculate
13 minutes per pound for an unstuffed turkey and
15 minutes per pound for a stuffed turkey. I found this
guide many years ago. I don’t know where, but I have
used it faithfully and it has never failed!
If your turkey weighs 8 to 12 pounds (4 – 5.5 kg)
325°F (165°C) for 2¾ to 3 hours
If your turkey weighs 12 to 14 pounds (5.5 – 6.6 kg)
425°F (220°C) for 2¼ to 2½ hours
350°F (175°C) for 2¾ to 3 hours
325°F (165°C) for 3 to 3¾ hours
If your turkey weighs 15 to 16 pounds (6.5 – 7 kg)
425°F (220°C) for 3 to 3¼ hours
350°F (175°C) for 3½ to 3¾ hours
325°F (165°C) for 3¾ to 4 hours
If your turkey weighs 18 to 20 pounds (8 – 9 kg)
425°F (220°C) for 3½ to 3¾ hours
350°F (175°C) for 4 to 4¼ hours
325°F (165°C) for 4¼ to 4½ hours
If your turkey weighs 21 to 22 pounds ( 9.5 – 10 kg)
425°F (220°C) for 4 to 4¼ hours
350°F (175°C) for 4½ to 4¾ hours
325°F (165°C) for 4¾ to 5 hours
If your turkey weighs 24 pounds (over 10 kg)
425°F (220°C) for 4¼ to 4½ hours
350°F (175°C) for 4¾ to 5 hours
325°F (165°C) for 5 to 5¼ hours
Turkey
Gravy
(Original thick American Style)
Tip!
If desired, you can replace the milk with
a cup or so of the stock. Whisk it into the
flour or cornstarch until completely
combined. This will give you a lighter,
less creamy gravy.
Stock:
4 cups chicken broth
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, cut into large chunks (optional)
1 bay leaf
turkey giblets (you will find them inside the bag
you remove from the turkey’s chest cavity)
pan juices from turkey, strained through a
fine-mesh sieve
Slurry:
4 tbsp flour OR 2 tbsp cornstarch
½ cup milk
Put the broth, onion, carrot, bay leaf, and giblets into a saucepan. Bring
to a boil, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer. I like to let this simmer
for a couple of hours while the turkey is cooking, adding water as
needed to keep it from boiling away.
Take the stock off the heat and let it rest until serving time.
When the turkey comes out of the oven, strain the onions and giblets
from the stock.
In a separate dish, mix the flour or cornstarch with the milk until
completely smooth.
Bring the stock to a low boil, adding the strained pan juices from the
turkey. Then add the milk slurry, stirring or whisking constantly until
thick.
I recommend 1 tablespoon flour (or ½ tablespoon cornstarch) per cup
of broth. If you like an even thicker gravy, double the amount of flour/
cornstarch.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve immediately, or turn the heat to low to keep warm.
76
My Turkey
Gravy
Tip!
When making a roux for gravy, I don’t recommend
cornstarch unless for dietary reasons.
It gives an opaque gravy and no flavor.
Stock:
4 cups water
1 onion, quartered
1 carrot, chopped
½ orange, cut in half again
2 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
neck of the turkey (you will find it inside the
bag you remove from the turkey’s chest cavity)
Roux:
Put all of the stock ingredients into a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then
lower the heat to a gentle simmer. I like to let the stock simmer for a
couple of hours while the turkey is cooking, adding water as needed to
keep it from boiling away.
Take the stock off the heat and let it rest until serving time.
When the turkey comes out of the oven and is resting, strain the stock
and bring it to a low boil.
Melt che butter in a separate pan. Add the flour or cornstarch to the
melted butter and mix until there are no lumps remaining. Add the pan
juices and whisk until incorporated. Then carefully pour the boiling
stock into the roux mixture, stirring constantly, until it is fully incorporated
and the gravy has reached the desired consistency.
Serve immediately, or keep warm over low heat.
2 tbsp melted butter
2 tbsp flour OR 1tbsp cornstarch
pan juices from turkey, strained through a finemesh
sieve
77
Tip!
Danish
Brun Sovs
(Brown Sauce)
Sauces and gravies are wonderful to tweak to your
tastes. For a thinner sauce, add a little more stock
or milk. For sweetness, add a bit of jelly or sugar.
For a richer flavor, add pan drippings!
Personally, since I typically make brun sovs
alongside boiled potatoes, I like to add a bit of the
cooking water from the potatoes to the stock.
If you would like to try an alternative type of gravy
or sauce with your turkey dinner, I recommend this
authentic Danish brown sauce.
Put butter in a pot and melt over medium heat. Let it brown a little,
just until it’s fragrant, but not too much.
Whisk the flour into the butter. Stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Sauce:
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 ¼ cup of beef or pork stock
½ cup milk
salt and freshly ground pepper brown food coloring
(light or dark)
When the butter, vinegar, and flour are all mixed into a smooth paste,
gradually add your stock, stirring with the whisk. Bring to a boil, continuing
to stir.
When the mixture comes to a boil, add the milk and turn down the heat
so the sauce doesn’t burn.
Add the food coloring (if you want) to adjust the color of the sauce.
Brown sauce should be brown!
Season your brown sauce to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper,
and let it simmer for five minutes on low heat.
78
Cranberry
Sauce
(Original)
⅔ cup sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
⅓ cup water
⅔ cup orange juice
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed
and drained
Bring sugars, water, and orange juice to a boil
Add cranberries and lower the heat to a simmer. Cook until berries
have burst and desired thickness has been reached. Ten minutes will
give you a slightly thick sauce. For a more fluid sauce, shorten the
cooking time; for a thicker product, lengthen it. Remember, it will
thicken somewhat as it cools, so don’t overdo it.
When the mixture is done simmering, let it cool slightly, then pour it
into a serving dish and chill for at least 4 hours in the refrigerator or
overnight.
The texture of cranberry sauce has divided nations
…or at least families.
Experiment to find your perfect sauce.
See below for ideas...
Notes:
For a smoother cranberry sauce, blend the mixture with a stick blender.
For jelly, put the mixture through a sieve, pressing firmly with a rubber
scraper or large spoon to separate the liquids from the berry skins. If
the jelly doesn’t stiffen as you like after cooling, put it into a pan and
bring to a boil until it reaches a temperature of 220° F when measured
with a candy thermometer, or it coats a metal spoon.
79
Cranberry
Chutney
Ingredients
¼ cup diced dried apricots
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and
drained
½ cup raisins
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp ground allspice
1 pinch ground cloves
1 cup water
¾ cup sugar (I prefer to mix white and brown)
½ cup apple cider vinegar
1-2 tsp orange zest (optional)
Instructions
Mix the apricots, cranberries, raisins, and spices
together in a bowl.
In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil.
Add the dried fruit mixture and vinegar to the
saucepan. Bring to a boil again, then reduce heat
and gently simmer for about 10 minutes, until
cranberries have burst and the sugar is dissolved.
Remove from heat and stir in the orange zest.
Then allow to cool.
I usually mash the cranberries and fruit with a
potato masher, just to give it more of a marmalade
consistency, but it can be served as-is.
Transfer the chutney to a serving dish and chill
overnight or serve immediately.
Notes:
You can also add different herbs to the cranberry
chutney; rosemary or mint with the orange zest
are good.
80
Tip!
Cranberry sauce, jelly, and chutney are great with all
types of meat. We eat them on bread after Thanksgiving
too– they taste especially good as a spread on turkey or
roast beef and horseradish sandwiches.
Jelly tends to be sweeter, good for spicy or salty meats.
Chutney is more savory-sweet, good to balance richer,
sweeter foods.
81
82
Potatoes
Potatoes are in many ways, underrated. Not only are they filling
and very yummy, they are so versatile. You can make so many
types of potatoes. Have you ever eaten anything involving a
potato that didn’t taste good? Naah, didn’t think so.Thanksgiving
potatoes are no exception. Mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, yummy
potatoes. I dare say that potatoes in some form or another are
served at every Thanksgiving dinner. As they should be!
In Denmark, potatoes are a mealtime staple. Cold potatoes are
eaten with tomatoes, mayonnaise, and quite a bit of salt on a piece
of rugbrød for lunch. For dinner, many people eat boiled potatoes
with brown sauce. Danes do eat mashed potatoes as well, just not
as often as we do in the U.S., where mashed-potato-making is a
true art form. Who makes the creamiest potatoes is often a point
of discussion around the dinner table. For many, the creamier the
better. Not for me, though. I’m sorry, I love clumps - nice, chewy
clumps. And I leave the skin on, too. Yeah, I might have a hint of
crazy in me.
Sweet potatoes are a different story. When I first moved to
Denmark, I don’t ever remember seeing sweet potatoes at the
store - or anyone serving them, for that matter. Up until about
five years ago, I had always gone to a special market to find them.
Sometimes I had to use pumpkin instead. Today, however, you can
find them everywhere.
Finding sweet potatoes wasn’t the only obstacle I had. Making
them in a way that Danes would like was another challenge.
Danes don’t have a sweet tooth in the same way that Americans
do. A traditional sweet potato dish - you know, the kind with
brown sugar and marshmallows - is just too much for them. (If
I’m being honest, I never liked it as a kid myself.) So, when I was
preparing for the first Thanksgiving dinner, I decided to combine
the mashed potatoes and the sweet potatoes into one dish that
had a lot of taste and a good Thanksgiving vibe, but without the
sweetness.
A huge part of my education in cooking has been learning to be
flexible. That means figuring out to re-imagine, for example, sweet
potatoes for my Danish guests (or any other favorite dish for
someone who can’t eat or doesn’t like a certain ingredient), but it
also means figuring out what to do when I’m standing in my
kitchen with my apron on and realize that I am missing a certain
ingredient. My friend Kristine was truly my godsend in that
regard. She taught me to go with the flow and work with what I
have…and to always remember to taste along the way!
83
Tip!
Sweet
Potatoes
(Original)
People’s preferences vary quite a lot when it comes
to sweet potatoes.
These would be more “Elke-like” if chili, allspice
and sage were added to the recipe! Also, I only add
half the sugar.
So, have at it.
Experiment and make these your own!
Serves 4-8
1 ½ lbs. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into
1-inch cubes
¾ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup butter, softened
1 ½ tsp salt
½ tsp vanilla extract or vanilla sugar
½ cup finely chopped pecans, divided
Neutral-tasting oil
Preheat oven to 350° F or 175°C.
Cook the sweet potatoes until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
Drain the sweet potatoes and add the brown sugar, butter, salt, and
vanilla. Mash the potatoes with a potato masher or fork. Fold in half of
the pecans.
Transfer the potatoes into a 9x13 buttered or non-stick baking dish.
Sprinkle with the remaining pecans and top with marshmallows.
Bake for about 25 minutes, until the marshmallows are golden brown.
2 cups miniature marshmallows
84
85
86
Rosemary Mashed
Potatoes
with Yams, Garlic, and Parmesan.
This recipe is great for experimentation.
You can substitute pumpkin for the sweet
potatoes or better yet, add a little to the
potato/sweet potato mix and use all three.
And although roasting the garlic adds a
lovely deep flavor, you can also use fresh
garlic, crushed and minced. Just reduce
the amount by about half, as it’s quite a
bit stronger.
Serves 4-8
4-8 cloves garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
1 ½ lbs potatoes, cut into 1-inch cubes*
1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes, cut into cubed*
½ cup milk or cream
¼ cup butter
2-3 sprigs of fresh rosemary
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
Peel the garlic cloves and sauté them whole until they are soft and
fragrant. Take them off of the heat and crush them in the pan with a
wooden spoon or potato masher. Add the butter, cream, and rosemary
to the roasted garlic and let cool. This gives the flavors time to incorporate.
Boil the potatoes and sweet potatoes until tender, about 15-20 minutes,
and drain.
I leave the potatoes in the pot, but you can transfer them to a mixing
bowl if you like. Let the potatoes stand until they are no longer steaming.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
*To peel or not to peel - that is the question. Sometimes
I do, sometimes I don’t. Peeling will give
you the smoothest potatoes, but don’t be afraid to
embrace the peel if - like me - you love some texture
in your potatoes.
I toss the sweet potatoes with neutral oil and roast
them in the oven at 425° F until they are caramelized.
I make sure to turn them every 10 minutes or so to
prevent burning.
Add the garlic mixture to the pot. Mash with a potato masher or fork
until you get the consistency that you want.
Mix in ¼ cup Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a baking dish and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
Bake them in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until heated through and
golden on top.
I make the potatoes the day before and keep them in the refrigerator.
They can be warmed up with the other sides (at 325-350°F/150-175°C)
when you take the turkey out of the oven
87
Creamy Mashed
Potatoes
(Original)
Tip!
Stir in some sour cream for tanginess,
or substitute cream for the milk for
an extra-rich version. Or, to be extra
bad, you can add 1/4 - 1/2 cup of
mascarpone cheese to your potatoes.
It gives them a rich taste and a very
creamy texture.
Serves 6-8
8 lbs. Russet or Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and
cubed
1 tbsp salt
4 tbsp butter
⅓ cup milk
salt to taste
Place the potatoes and salt in a large pot and cover with water.
Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and let the potatoes
simmer until they are very soft and fall apart when pierced by a fork. It
takes about 15-25 minutes, depending on the size of the cube and type
of potato.
Drain the potatoes thoroughly and let all the steam evaporate.
This is important, so give it time! Meanwhile, heat the milk gently on
the stove until it’s warm.
Add the butter, warm milk, and salt and mash the potatoes with a
potato masher or fork. Some use a hand mixer, but I find this results in
sticky potatoes. Add more milk if you need to.
Transfer to a serving dish and drizzle with butter and any herbs you
might have handy!
You can make the potatoes the day before and warm them up in the
oven before serving (at 325-350°F/150-175°C), but I recommend waiting
to add herbs or other toppings until just before serving.
88
Boiled
Potatoes
(Original)
Serves 6-8
2 ½ lbs. new or baby potatoes
1 tbsp salt
After the potatoes are washed, cut any particularly large ones so the
potatoes are all approximately the same size. This way, they will be
cooked tender at the same time.
Place the potatoes and salt in a pot and cover with water.
Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and let simmer for about 10-
20 minutes, depending on the type and size of the potatoes.
You can see if the potatoes are ready by sticking a fork or little herb
knife into the potatoes. When it can go through without resistance,
they’re done.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the potatoes rest in the water for
5 minutes.
Drain and serve hot with gravy, or peel the potatoes if desired. (Scratch
the top of the potato with the tip of a small knife, lifting the skin, then
peel it away gently.)
89
90
Sides
The sides that I serve for Thanksgiving haven’t really changed all
that much from the original recipes that many Americans make,
including my own American family. Most of the ingredients have
always been easily found here in Denmark, and most of them
appeal to the Danish taste buds.
When it comes to green bean casserole, cream of mushroom soup
has been replaced with a plain white sauce or roux, thickened
with flour and butter. Although I’ve always been able to buy cream
of mushroom soup from the American food stores, it’s expensive,
and for me, unnecessary. A few times, I have sauteed a handful of
mushrooms in the butter with fresh rosemary and thyme
before adding the flour. It gives a really nice flavor, but I don’t
do it every year. The basic recipe is already good and very easy.
Some Thanksgiving dishes are more complicated, I prefer not to
make this - or any other recipe - more complex or time-consuming
unless there’s a good reason.
I think it’s generally good advice when it comes to the side dishes
that I have in this book. Well, except for the salad. It’s easy to add
all sorts of things to bring flavor and color to your salad. Open up
your pantry and your fridge and have at it!
91
Tip!
I use one 25-ounce bag (4 1/2 cups) of frozen
green beans, cut in half while still frozen.
I like this dish thick and saucy!
Play with the amount so you get the consistency
and texture that you like. Using the mushrooms,
rosemary and thyme gives you that cream-ofmushroom
flavor.
92
2 tbsp flour OR 1tbsp cornstarch
Green Bean Casserole
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Handful of your favorite mushrooms, finely
chopped (optional)
2-3 sprigs of rosemary (optional)
2 tsp thyme (optional)
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium
heat. Sautée the mushrooms, rosemary and thyme
in the butter. Stir in flour or cornstarch with a
whisk until smooth.
1 tsp salt
1 tsp white sugar
Add the salt, sugar, onion, and sour cream. Stir
well. The mixture will be thick. Fold in the green
beans until evenly coated.
¼ cup onion, diced
Transfer the beans to an ovenproof dish or casserole.
Spread the cheese over the top, along with
the crackers, breadcrumbs or dried onions.
1 cup sour cream
1 bag frozen green beans, thawed and drained OR
3 cans (14.5 oz each), drained
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or any other
cheese that you like!)
Just before serving (when you take the turkey out
of the oven), bake for about 30 minutes at 350°F
(175°C) until golden and bubbly.
½ cup crackers, breadcrumbs, or crispy dried
onions
I make the beans the day before. They can be
warmed in the oven with the other sides at 350°F
(175°C).
93
Sweet Corn
Serves 6-8
4 cups fresh or frozen corn, thawed and drained
¼ cup whipping cream
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp flour OR ½ tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp sugar, or to taste
½ tsp salt
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour or cornstarch
and stir with a whisk until smooth.
Add the cream, sugar, and salt, and stir well. The mixture will be thick.
Add the corn, stirring until evenly coated, then transfer to an ovenproof
serving dish.
Bake until just warmed through, about 15 minutes.
Note: I make the corn the day before and keep it in the fridge.
It can be warmed in the oven with the other sides at 325-350°F/150-
175°C.
Note:
The simplicity of this recipe makes it a great one to play with to suit
your family’s tastes. If you prefer a sweeter corn dish, for example, you
can follow the example of some American households and use up to
2 tbsp sugar. If you prefer a thinner sauce, skip the flour/cornstarch,
warm all the ingredients in a pan, and serve. You can even sprinkle a
touch of your favorite herbs or spices into the mix.
94
Celery-Root
Puree
with Leaks and Truffle Butter
Serves 8 people
3 lbs. celery root (celeriac, about 1 large), peeled
and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 ¾ lbs. potatoes (about 3 large), peeled and
cubed
1 leek, diced
1 small onion, diced
1 cup heavy whipping cream
4 oz black truffle butter or cream cheese
with truffle
salt and pepper
Boil the celeriac and potatoes in a large saucepan until very tender.
In another saucepan melt 1 tablespoon butter and sauté the chopped
leak and onions until soft. Add the cream and truffle butter, and simmer
over medium heat until the butter is melted.
When the potatoes and celeriac are done, drain thoroughly and transfer
to a food a blender. Add the hot cream mixture a little at a time
until smooth. (If you don’t have a food processor or a blender, a regular
potato masher or fork will work.) Add salt and pepper to taste and
serve hot.
Note: If truffle butter is hard to find in your neck of the woods (or just
not your taste), this recipe is also delicious with cream cheese or regular
butter. And dare I say, that you can substitute half of the celery root
with pumpkin or squash?
I make this dish the day before and store in the fridge. It can be
warmed up in the oven with the other sides at 350°F (175°C).
95
Apple Walnut
Salad
Tip!
Sometimes I omit the cranberries from the dressing.
Instead, I bake the cranberries in the oven with a
little oil, cinnamon, and sugar and then add them as
a topping over the salad.
with Cranberry dressing
Serves 6-8
¼ cup fresh or frozen cranberries, rinsed and
drained
juice from one orange
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon (optional)
⅛ cup neutral oil
4 cups mixed salad greens of your choice.
Put the cranberries, orange juice, sugar, Dijon, cloves, and ginger into
a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth, then add the oil in a
steady stream (or a little at a time) until blended.
Wash the salad greens and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To serve, place the greens in your serving dish. Drizzle the cranberry
dressing over the leaves, place the apples around the salad, and sprinkle
with nuts.
*To roast the walnuts, put them in the oven for 5-10 minutes at 375°F
(190°C)… or any other nut that you like. I’ve tried many. But watch them
carefully and pay attention to when they first start to smell toasted -
they go from perfect to burnt in a flash.
1 red apple cored, sliced, and drizzled with lemon
or orange juice to prevent browning
½ cup walnuts, roasted*
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98
Dinner rolls- page 100
Dinner Rolls
When it comes to dinner rolls, well, all I can say is that Danes and
Americans are polar opposites. Not only are their preferred textures
different, but their tastes as well. Even the meal where rolls
are typically served is different.
Danish bread is typically either coarser with large holes and
tunneling like French and sourdough breads, or more dense and
heavy (as in the case of rugbrød). And while Danes usually serve
baguettes for dinner, rundstykker or rolls are typically a breakfast
item.
Bread must be a little bit magic, though, because in spite of the
difference, I don’t think that I have ever made any bread or rolls
that someone disliked. I have an old recipe for Amish white
bread that most everyone I’ve served it to here in Denmark loves.
So, with that in mind, I kept to tradition when making rolls for
Thanksgiving, but added a few extra American recipes in the
beginning just to see what people preferred.
The first year I hosted Thanksgiving, I made pumpkin rolls and
biscuits. Other years, I have made cornbread and plain dinner
rolls. However, the last few years, I have only made pumpkin
rolls. They are my family’s favorite, especially my sister-in-law’s
and the kids’, so I just make more of them and save the others for
other occasions.
It was important for me to learn that it was okay to serve a recipe
“as is.” You don’t always need to change a recipe to fit others’
tastebuds. Give people a chance to get to know your food. While
you are sitting around the table eating, they will for sure let you
know what they think. They might love it as-is, or they might
have new ideas that you can take with you for next time.
99
Tip!
Dinner Rolls
(Original)
I invite (and encourage!) you to combine other
gluten-containing flours to find your own special
dinner roll flavor profile. However, keep in mind
that whole grain flours are made from the
endosperm, germ, and fiber-rich bran.
The germ makes flour products denser with less
rise even though they have a high protein content,
meaning they will result in a denser bread.
Makes about 24 rolls
1 cup milk
¼ cup water (or cream)
2 tbsp butter
4 tbsp sugar
2 ¼ tsp packages of active dry yeast or 1 ounce (½
block) fresh yeast
4 cups all-purpose flour (or blend other wheat flours
you like - see note)
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
Tip!
For a lighter roll, ensure no more than 1/4-1/3
of the flour you are using is whole-grain/rye/
etc., and the rest is all-purpose or bread flour.
In a saucepan, heat the milk, water or cream, butter and sugar until
lukewarm.
Pour into a mixing bowl, add the yeast and stir until the yeast is dissolved.
Add 1 cup flour and mix thoroughly.
Stir in the eggs and salt, and beat well by hand or using a stand mixer
with dough hook attachment.
Add the remaining 3 cups flour. If not using a stand mixer, knead the
dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let
rise in a warm place.
When the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour), punch it down and
divide into 4 parts. Using a dough scraper, cut each fourth into smaller
pieces (about six per part). Form them into round balls, pulling edges
under to make a smooth top, and place on a baking sheet or baking pan
about 1 inch apart.
Cover with a damp tea towel. Let rise for an hour in a warm place until
double in size. And give the dough time to rise!
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake at for 15-20 minutes depending on the size and distance between
each roll. If you’re not sure whether they’re done, test a roll by tapping
gently on the bottom - it should sound slightly hollow.
100
Pumpkin Rolls
(Original)
Makes about 24 rolls
2 packages of active dry yeast or one
50 gr. package of fresh yeast
1 ½ cups lukewarm (not hot) water OR milk
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp salt
2 eggs
½ cup melted butter or ½ cup neutral oil
1 cup canned pumpkin or 1cup flesh from a
baked Hokkaido pumpkin*
7 cups flour
melted butter for brushing
Mix the yeast in the warm water and stir until dissolved.
Add 1 cup flour and blend well.
Stir in sugar, salt, eggs, ½ cup melted butter, and pumpkin. Mix well.
Add 2 cups of flour and beat well, either by hand or using a stand mixer
with dough hook.
Add the remaining flour. If not using a stand mixer, knead the dough
on a lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic.
Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel, and let
rise in a warm place.
When the dough has doubled in size (about 1 hour), punch it down and
divide into 4 parts. Form the dough into desired rolls.
*To bake a Hokkaido: Preheat oven to
325°F/175°C.
Cut pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds.
Drizzle a small amount of oil on the flesh, then
place cut-side down on a baking sheet covered
with parchment paper. Bake the pumpkin about
20-30 minutes, until very soft when pierced
with a fork.)
Place your rolls on the baking sheet or baking pan, cover and let rise
for an hour in a warm place, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending on the size and distance between
each roll. If you’re not sure whether they’re done, test a roll by tapping
gently on the bottom - it should sound slightly hollow.
P.S. This dough is an incredible base for actual cinnamon rolls, too!
101
Shaping the dough:
3 options
Cut the dough into about 24 pieces and shape each one into a ball, pulling edges
under to make a smooth top. Note: The rolls double in size, so make the balls
half the size of what you would like.
Cut the dough in half and roll each half into a 12-inch circle. Brush with melted
butter.
Cut each circle into 12 wedges. To shape, roll each piece from the wide end to
the point.
Roll the dough out into a square, spread with softened butter, and roll as
though you were making a cinnamon roll. Slice the roll into rounds and lay
them flat on the baking sheet to rise.
102
103
Biscuits
Makes about 6 large or 12 small
2 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
2 cups flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp sugar (optional)
1 tsp salt
¾ cups cold butter
¾ cup cold milk
Preheat the oven to 425°F (210°C).
Mix the dry ingredients and the thyme together in a bowl. Cut the ¾
cup cold butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the milk and stir with a spoon to combine.
Once the dough is combined, fold it in half over itself. Then rotate the
dough ninety degrees, flatten a little and fold again. Repeat about 4
more times.
Using your hands, flatten the dough until it is about 1-1 ½ inches thick.
2 tbsp butter, melted
Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter, cut circles in the dough.
Make sure to press straight down so as not to twist the cutter. Otherwise,
they the biscuits will not rise as well. Repeat until all dough has
been used.
Place on a baking sheet or pan and bake about 12 minutes or until
golden brown.
After removing the biscuits from the oven, brush immediately with
melted butter.
104
Cornbread
(Original)
Makes about 10 slices
½ cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup cornmeal
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 cup buttermilk
¼ cup honey (or maple syrup)
2 large eggs
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
Lightly grease a 9 x 9-inch ovenproof baking dish and put in the oven
to heat.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking
soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, honey, and eggs, then add
them to the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined.
Add the melted butter and mix until just combined.
Take your hot baking dish out of the oven and pour the batter into it.
Bake for about 20 minutes until the cornbread begins to brown on top
and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before slicing into squares or wedges and serving.
105
106
Dessert
My family always had pie for dessert. Pumpkin, pecan, and apple,
all served the same way with Cool Whip (non-dairy whipped
“cream”) and coffee. Well, except for the year that our dog Nicky
ate my dad’s pecan pie in three bites. That year, my dad didn’t get
any pie - at least not the one he wanted. I’m sure we had a box of
oatmeal cookies lying around, and he probably made do with that
rather than settle for pumpkin pie.
In our house the pies were at least as important as the turkey. Especially
for my mom and her sweet tooth. Definitely not the kind
of thing you’d want to realize you’d forgotten to take out of the
freezer to thaw when you were scraping the last bits of mashed
potatoes and gravy off your plate. I’m not saying that this ever
happened, but I’m also not saying that it didn’t.
As an adult I bake the pies by hand, so I’ve never run into that
problem. However, forgetting them and leaving them in the oven
for too long when warming them up is also not that great - not
that I’ve ever done that....
My Danish family has always been a little ambivalent when it
comes to the dessert at Thanksgiving. They want it and yet they
don’t. And not just because Danes don’t traditionally eat pie. For
them, the meal in and of itself is already so extravagant and filling
that they really don’t feel the need for a dessert. They haven’t developed
their eat-until-you’re-stuffed-and-then-add-a-little-moreon-top-’cause-it-won’t-kill-ya
skills. On the other hand, it’s dessert!
So, they are doing their best to learn.
A couple of new Thanksgiving traditions have arisen because of
this. Usually the ladies (except for me, since I’ve been on my feet
all day) take a long walk, and the men go to the grocery store and
buy alcohol or whatever else they think we need. The guys usually
walk through the door with a beer in hand, a smile on their faces,
and almost ready for more. The ladies have rosy cheeks and a
positive attitude when they get back. “I might be able to eat a little
bit,” they say.
For dessert we have pumpkin pie with homemade whipped cream.
Pecan pie has never been a tradition here, not because you can’t
get pecans, but because they are very expensive. The first couple
years, I made or bought ice cream as well, and I served the pie with
a cold Danish mulled wine. But there really just isn’t enough room
for all that, no matter how long we wait. So, for many years, I simplified
it to pie with whipped cream, coffee, and dessert wine.
A couple of years ago my sister-in-law took over the dessert. She
now serves her own recipe for pumpkin pie with whipped cream,
and she brings ice cream for the kids. (I don’t know what it is with
the Danish/half-Danish kids in my family, but they just don’t like
pumpkin pie! But Danes love ice cream - all year round!) I love her
pumpkin pie. When it is served, I am always so humbled by the
fact that she grabbed hold of a tradition that was mine and is now
hers, and her family’s. I wish the same for everyone as they go out
and cook and share in a Thanksgiving feast together.
107
Pie shell
(Original)
Tip!
If you are using a recipe that calls for a prebaked crust,
you can brush your unbaked pie crust with egg whites
to prevent a soggy bottom.
1 ¼ cup flour
⅓ cup (75 g) cold butter
ice water
Put the flour into a large bowl or food processor. Pulse the food processor
or cut the cold butter into the flour using two forks or a pastry
cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add a tablespoon of ice water at a time, mixing it into the dough until
the dough just comes together - usually 3-4 tablespoons. Flatten the
dough into a disc, then wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for a couple of
hours or overnight.
When ready to use, take it out of the refrigerator and roll it out to fit a
9” pie tin. Place carefully into your pie tin or dish, and shape the edges.
108
109
Pumpkin Pie
(Original)
Ingredients
Pie shell:
Pastry for one single 9-inch pie shell.
Filling:
1 ½ cups whipping cream or one 14 ounce can
sweetened condensed milk
½ cup whole milk
⅔ cup brown sugar OR a mix of brown and white
sugar
2 eggs
1 can pumpkin or the meat from about half of a
large Hokkaido pumpkin, halved and baked in the
oven at 350°F (175°C) for about 20 -30 minutes or
until soft
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
½ tsp allspice (optional)
½ tsp dried sage (optional)
¼ tsp pepper (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 425°F (210°C).
Roll out your pie shell and place it in a buttered or
non-stick pie tin or dish.
For the pie filling:
Separate the eggs and beat the egg whites until
soft peaks form.
In a separate bowl mix the pumpkin, egg yolks,
sugar, milk, and spices until smooth. Gently fold in
the egg whites, then and pour the filling into the
prepared crust.
Bake for 15 minutes, reduce the heat to 350°F
(175°C) and bake for about 40 minutes more or
until the center of the pie is set.
Turn off the oven and let the pie cool inside the
oven.
Serve with ice cream or whipped cream.
Note:
This might be wrong, but sometimes I have
skipped beating the egg whites seperately and
have just added whole eggs to the other ingredients
from the get-go.
110
111
Pecan Pie
(Original)
Pie shell:
Pastry for one single 9-inch pie shell.
(See recipe on page...)
Filling:
2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped, but you can save
a few whole ones for decorating (For my Danish
friends, this is an expensive pie!)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup maple syrup
½ cup brown sugar
1 tbsp barley malt syrup
4 tbsp butter, melted
½ tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract (or the seeds from a whole
vanilla bean, mix with ½ tsp sugar to avoid clumping)
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll out your pie shell and place it in a buttered or non-stick pie tin or
dish.
In a medium bowl, whip the eggs together with brown sugar, syrup,
molasses or malt extract, butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth.
Spread the pecans in the bottom of your pie crust. Pour the filling over
the pecans.
Arrange your whole pecan halves on the surface in a decorative pattern.
Dip them just below the wet filling and let them rise again so they
are coated with filling.
Bake for about 60 minutes. Cover with parchment paper (baking paper)
to prevent the pie from browning too quickly.
When done, remove the pie from the oven. It might be a little poofed
up, but it will settle as it cools. Do let it cool completely before cutting,
or the filling won’t be set.
Serve at room temperature with ice cream or whipped cream.
Note:
If we are being honest, you can use a blend of different nuts if you like.
It won’t give you an authentic tasting pecan pie - but it will give you a
fabulous one still!
112
Apple Pie
Pie shell
Two 9-inch pie shells.
(Double the recipe on page 108
Filling:
8 cups thinly sliced apples
(about 8 medium)
⅓ cup sugar
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
⅛ tsp salt
½ cup marzipan, crumbled
⅓ cup butter (optional)
Roll out half the dough to make your pie shell and
place it in a buttered or non-stick pie tin or dish.
In a large bowl, mix the apples, sugar, flour, spices,
and salt. Spoon into the crust. In a seperate bowl
blend the marzipan with the butter and scatter the
mixture between the apples.
Roll the other round of pastry out and gently fold
half of the crust over your rolling pin. Drag and
cover the top of the pie and press down on the rim
to seal. You can flute the edges if you like. Cut slits
so steam can escape.
Put the pie in the refrigerator for about one hour
before baking (while you heat up your oven), so the
butter firms up again.
Bake at 425°F (210°C) for 40 to 50 minutes or until
the crust is brown and juice begins to bubble
through the slits. Cover with parchment paper
(baking paper) to keep the pie from browning too
much.
Let cool a bit to set, and serve warm with ice cream
or whipped cream.
113
Sage Ice Cream
Bring the milk, sage, lemon zest, half the sugar and a pinch of salt to a
boil in a heavy saucepan, stirring constantly.
Remove from the heat and let it steep for 30 minutes, then transfer to a
blender and blend until the sage is finely ground.
In a medium bowl, beat together the yolks and the remaining sugar
until the mixture is thick and pale. It will take a minute or two.
Add the milk mixture to the egg mixture in a steady stream, beating
until combined well.
Pour the mixture into the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring
constantly until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon and
has a temperature of 175°F(80°C)
1 cup milk
A handful fresh sage, finely chopped (optional)
A handful fresh mint, finely chopped (optional)
zest from one lemon
¾ cup sugar, divided
salt
9 egg yolks
3 cups heavy cream
Remove from the heat immediately and pour through a fine mesh sieve
and into a metal bowl that you have put into a larger bowl with ice
water.
Stir until cold, about 10-15 minutes.
Stir in the cream and freeze in an ice cream maker or in a plastic
container with a tight lid, making sure to shake the container every 30
minutes until frozen.
Keep in the freezer to harden for about 3-4 hours.
Take the ice cream out of the freezer about 30 minutes before serving
to soften.
114
Note: you can also make this ice cream with basil or mint.
Whipped Cream
with Spices
Tip!
To be just a little more naughty, you
can add 1 cup cream cheese, 2 tbsp
powdered sugar and 1 tbsp vanilla sugar
to the whipped cream!
Enjoy!
1 cup whipping cream
1 tbsp sugar (optional)
Put the whipping cream and spices or other flavors in a bowl.
Whip with an electric mixer or a whisk until it reaches the consistency
that you prefer. Adjust flavors to taste, gently folding in more as necessary
with a rubber spatula.
Flavor options:
Pinch of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all spice,
cloves
Lemon zest & vanilla bean*
Minced sage and lemon zest
Minced basil with vanilla bean*
* Cut the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the
seeds and seperate them in a small amount of
sugar.
115
116
Mulled White
Wine
(Original Gløgg)
1 bottle of white dry wine
1 bottle of vodka
½ cup port
½ cup sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tbsp cardamom pods
½ tbsp whole cloves
In a large saucepan, bring the sugar and the white wine to a gentle
simmer until the sugar dissolves. Add all the spices and simmer for a
couple of minutes.
Take the pan off the heat and add the port and ¼ bottle of the vodka.
Put a lid on the saucepan and let it sit overnight.
Before serving, strain all the spices and taste. Add more vodka if
needed.
Can be served cold or hot.
peel of one orange
117
“There is nothing in
the world
so irresistibly contagious
as laughter
and good humor.”
A Christmas Carol
118
Acknowledgments
So many people have made this book possible.
I am blessed with a community that is greater than any space in
these acknowledgments will allow me to convey, but I give thanks
for them every day.
To my family:
Mother. You are my strength. You protected me and believed in
me when no one else did. You gave me the childhood that you
dreamed of.
Daddy. You are my guiding light. You have taught me so many
things. Your impact is immeasurable. You made me into the yuppy
that you are. Thank you.
Andreas. The patience you have is astonishing. I love you most.
The end. I win.’
Emilia & Aleander. My children, my life, my heart. My legacy.
You two are my story. You were the inspiration for making this
book. It’s yours.
Marianne. You are love encapsuled. But you also have an opinion
about everything and everyone. I fight to be the daughter-in-law
that you know I can be.
Camilla. Your heart is guarded, but your feelings flow through
your eyes like an open book. I see you. I hear you. Thank you for
filling my heart with insight and truth. Your opinions mean the
world to me.
Erika & Eva. In the words of Rosemary Clooney, “Sisters, sisters,
there were never such devoted sisters. Never had to have a chaperone,
no sir. I’m here to keep my eye on her! In all kinds of weather,
we stick together. The same in the rain or sun. Three different
faces, but in tight places we think and we act as one.”
Dan, Clara, & Max. This book is for you. I know that sentimental
traditions are not your fave, but hygge is right up your alley.
I hope that when you read this book, you will remember all the
hyggelige moments we spent together as a family.
119
To my friends:
Alisha. You were and are the angel that made me want to be
better. A little sisterly rivalry goes a long way. To this day you are
the best sunflower seed, jalapeno, Spanish, taco Tuesday, synchro,
swimming friend one ever had.
Michelle. I met you in swimming. You were an icon of persistence.
You encouraged me to apply for the Rotary Exchange. I remember
telling you no, but you didn’t give up. My life would not be the
same if it weren’t for you. The rest is, as they say, history.
Betina. You taught me to drive and to make those fabulous egg
sandwiches! And you are the one that started the chain of events
that brought me to where I am today. Thanks for inviting me to
join Synchro.
Monica. You were definitely not a maid that night long ago when
we made dinner for our friends at my house. And I know I didn’t
eat the fish camping in Yellowstone, but we laughed and laughed
so hard in the camper. Until that night, I had never snuggled next
to 4 people on one camper bed – or felt so much at peace.
Mamma Ingalill. You are such a force - an elegant woman making
her way in a farming family. And you were a fantastic teacher in
life and in the kitchen. Thank you for teaching me that needing
others was not a weakness, but a strength.
Anna. Thank you for being my Swedish strength and opening
your heart to the person I am.
Jacob, Sisse, Johan, Stine, Ole, and Jette. You loved me and inspired
me. Thank you.
Kristine. Your Danish heart - it is the strongest I’ve ever known.
You love with all your might.
Terri & Mary Anne. You two. What would I have ever done without
you? You have always treated me like a daughter. You are
two very special gifts I have from the American Woman’s Club of
Aarhus.
To those that made this book what it is:
Linda. My heart grew three sizes bigger when I saw your picture
of how this book should be. You captured all of my quirky and crazy
ideas and most of all me, in your design. I can be challenging
so thank you for holding on with all your might to keep the sled
from falling off the cliff.
Laurel. Thank you for taking such good care of this precious
story.
Anders. Thank you for capturing crazy ideas in beautiful pictures.
Jonathan. Thank you for turning my “gebrokken” English into a
readable piece of work.
Britta. You know it girl. You are my fire. You could make Mr. Bean
laugh - out loud. Turkey and all.
And many thanks to all who took their time to read through
several drafts of this book and give me your unreserved opinions.
It would never have gotten this far without your generosity.
Citations
In writing the history of Thanksgiving, I drew from many sources.
Especially helpful for me - and recommended further reading
- are National Geographic’s November 2018 article “A Few Things
You (Probably) Don’t Know about Thanksgiving” and
History.com’s April 2021 article “Thanksgiving 2021.”
Christina, Kirsten, Maria. My fellow “jura-dåser.” Thank you for
being my defenders and lifelong supporters.
Carry. My birthday twin. You are the lady that helped me to unify
all that is American and all the is Danish in my life. Thank you for
putting that sticky-note through my mail slot so many years ago.
120
Glossary of Translations
and Metrics
121
American English Danish Swedish
Meat Kød Kött
turkey kalkun kalkon
shrimp rejer räka
salmon laks lax
crab krabbekød krabba
Fruits & Vegetables Frugt & Grønsager Frukt & Grönsakker
orange appelsin orange
apricot abrikos aprikos
raisin rosin russin
potato kartoffel potatis
sweet potato sød kartoffel sötpotatis
green beans grønne bønner gröna böner
corn majs majs
pumpkin græskar pumpa
tomato (paste) tomat(puré) tomat(puré)
cranberry tranebær tranbär
red pepper rød peber röd paprika
carrot gulerod morot
celery selleri selleri
green onion forårsløg vårlök
onion løg lök
garlic hvidløg vitlök
horseradish peberrod pepparrot
Herbs & Spices Urter & Krydderier Örter & Kryddor
sage salvie salvia
rosemary rosmarin rosmarin
thyme timian timjan
marjoram merian mejram
oregano oregano oregano
chili (powder) chili (pulver) chili (pulver)
cinnamon kanel kanel
ginger ingefær ingefära
cloves nelliker kryddnejlika
allspice allehånde all krydda
salt salt salt
pepper peber peppar
122
American English Danish Swedish
Dairy Products Mejeriprodukter Mejeriprodukter
milk mælk mjölk
whipping cream fløde (piskefløde) vispgrädde
eggs æg ägg
butter smør smör
Parmesan cheese parmesanost permesanost
cheddar cheese cheddarost cheddarost
Dry Goods Kolonial & Tørvarer Koloniala & Torra Varor
flour mel mjöl
corn flour majsmel majsmjöl
corn starch majsstivelse majsstärkelse
sugar sukker socker
brown sugar brunfarin brunt socker
marzipan marcipan mandelmassa
Cooking Techniques Teknikker Teknik
stir røre rundt vispa (rör om)
beat / whip piske piska
mix blande blanda
bake bage baka
sauté sauter fritera
fry stege på panden steka i panna
roast stege i ovenen steka i ugnen
cool off køle ned kyla ner
Utensils & other things Redskaber Køksredskab
baking paper / parchment paper bagepapir bakplåtspapper
tinfoil stanniol aluminium folie
frying pan / sauté pan stegepande stekpanna
pot gryde pott
pie plate or pan tærteform pajform
baking sheet bageplade bakplåt
whisk piskeris vispa
123
U.S. Standard Fluid Ounces Pounds Metric Grams Dry Grams Butter
½ teaspoon (tsp) - - 2,5 ml 2,5 g -
1 teaspoon (tsp) 1/6 fluid ounce - - 5 g -
1 tablespoon (tbsp) ½ fluid ounce - 15 ml 15 g -
⅛ c (2 tablespoons) - - 30 ml 16 g -
¼ cup - - 60 ml 32 g 57 g
⅓ cup - - 80 ml 43 g 76 g
½ cup - - 120 ml 64 g 113 g
⅔ cup - - 160 ml 85 g -
¾ cup - - 180 ml 96 g -
1 cup 8 fluid ounces ½ lb 237 ml 128 g 226 g
1 ¼ cup - - 300 ml - -
1 ⅓ cup - - 315 ml - -
1 ½ cup - - 350 ml - -
1 ⅔ cup - - 400 ml - -
1 ¾ cup - - 415 ml - -
2 cups 16 fluid ounces 1 lb 473 ml - -
2 ¼ cups - - 530 ml - -
2 ⅓ cups - - 550 ml - -
2 ½ cups - - 600 ml - -
2 ⅔ cups - - 615 ml - -
2 ¾ cups - - 650 ml - -
3 cups - 1 ½ lb 715 ml - -
3 ¼ cups - - 775 ml - -
3 ⅓ cups - - 800 ml - -
3 ½ cups - - 830 ml - -
3 ⅔ cups - - 865 ml - -
3 ¾ cups - - 875 ml - -
4 cups 32 fluid ounces 2 lb 946 ml - -
4 ¼ cups - - 1000 ml - -
4 ⅓ cups - - 1030 ml - -
4 ½ cups - - 1065 ml - -
4 ⅔ cups - - 1100 ml - -
4 ¾ cups - - 1125 ml - -
5 cups - - 1200 ml - -
124
ISBN 978-87-973246-0-8
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