the butcher, the baker

 I've subscribed to some blogs and online news outlets that discuss Norwegian culture since I've been studying the language, and came across some things that I'd really like to make and/or eat. This being December, some of them are holiday related. Also, thai food.

a portion my holiday jelly ring(rectangle) production

Sylte is pretty much a norwegian pressed headcheese. I find it interesting that there is a dedicated pressing tool, and it reminds me of the french duck press, except without the blood and... well, honestly they're not at all releated except I know of no other meat-pressing devices.

lussekatter*

Lussekatter are a saffron flavored yeasted bread/cake that is pretty wonderful with tea or hot chocolate. I made some last week for the first time and I fully intend to do it again a couple more times before the winter is through. They're so full of sugar and fat that they keep for a pretty long time, if you can avoid eating them all in a couple of days. I don't remember where the recipe I started with was from, but I changed it around a little bit and recorded the ingredient amounts in metric masses as I put it together. I may get around to making this a blog post, but in the meantime here is my formula, with the kinks not worked out as of this writing.

Thai Street Food is a beautiful book I received for Christmas, full of recipes for things Jenny and I ate in Thailand and I can't wait to start cooking a whole bunch of different things out of it. There's even recipe for black chicken! I've been looking at those darkly-colored birds at the asian market nearby and wondering what the hell to do with them for years. Now I know!


*photo from kj.vogelius via CC license