Product Details
The Swedish Table

The Swedish Table
By Helene Henderson

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Product Description

"Although I never physically fit in . . . being the sole tall, awkward African American among a sea of beautiful blonde, blue-eyed Swedes, it was my home. When I tasted the first potato of the summer, just dug out of the ground, or when I picked the first ripe cloudberry and popped it in my mouth, or when I took in the scent of seawater and we grilled salmon just off the boat, it didn't matter what I looked like - I was Swedish. I was home, and I did belong." -Helene Henderson Drawing on her fondest childhood memories, Helene Henderson offers welcome insight into the treasures of Swedish cooking. From the potato, a Swedish staple, to dessert, the start of Swedish cuisine, The Swedish Table contains more than 125 recipes, including Yellow Pea Soup with Bacon (Artsoppa), Lentil Salad with Radishes (Linssallad), Aquavit and Dill Marinated Salmon (Gravlax), Swedish Meatballs with Gravy (Kottbullar), and the country's traditional pastry, Bulla. Encompassing both traditional Swedish dishes and modern, updated recipes, Henderson combines the ingredients and scents from the past with the produce and flavor of today. The Swedish Table includes an extensive guide to Swedish traditions and celebrations, the foods that accompany them, and a color gallery of photos. With this complete collection of elegant yet easy-to-follow recipes, Henderson takes us on an enticing tour through the magic of the forest, the lakes, and the farms of the Swedish countryside.

Product Details

  • Amazon Sales Rank: #112173 in Books
  • Published on: 2005-04-14
  • Original language: English
  • Number of items: 1
  • Binding: Hardcover
  • 216 pages

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist
Swedish-born Henderson brings to American tables a refined and light version of traditional Swedish dishes. She makes an intense dish such as Jansson's Temptation less leaden by substituting smoked salmon for the usual anchovies, but she retains the cream that creates the dish's special character. Instead of pork shank, Henderson uses chicken and bacon to season her version of yellow pea soup, Sweden's national dish. Her Swedish pancakes lend themselves to both sweet and savory treatments, topping one with berries, the other with wild mushrooms. Her extensive treatment of yeast rolls shows the importance of pastry in Swedish cookery. No less compelling than her food is the story of Henderson's life. Daughter of a Swedish mother and a touring African American jazz musician, Henderson grew up cooking first for her family and then at a French bistro in her hometown of Lulea in Sweden's subarctic north. After a stint modeling in New York and Europe, she landed in Los Angeles, where she married and became a caterer to the Hollywood elite. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

"As someone who loves to eat and has enjoyed Helene's cooking, I certainly recommend this very interesting cookbook." -Barbara Streisand

About the Author

Helene Henderson is an African American, Swedish-born chef who was raised in Lulea, Sweden, where she learned cooking. In 1997, she started Lavender Farms Catering in Los Angeles, specializing in organic foods and feeding some of the most famous mouths in town. She lives with her husband, screenwriter and director John Stockwell, and their three children.

Customer Reviews

Wonderful5
The Swedish Table demonstrates that not only are the French good cooks, but so are the Swedes!

Helene Henderson was born and raised in Sweden. She learned cooking from her grandmother and worked in the family business. She owns a catering business in Los Angeles where she is known for utilizing organic food. She lives there with her husband and three children.

This book has some lovely color photos. Henderson takes us on a journey with each recipe and makes me feel her enthusiasm and love of her heritage. Her recipes are easy-to-read and being she has been living in the United States, she understands what we don't know of her culture and does an excellent job at explaining the food and culture. Her recipes are so well written that this book is perfect for the novice or for the person curious of Swedich cuisine.

The chapters included in this book are: Hot and Chilled Soups; Potatoes; Meat, Game and Chicken; Fish and Shellfish; Vegetables and Salads; Sandwiches; Eggs, Waffles and Pancakes; Desserts, Pastries and Bread; Beverages; and Wild Berry Preserves.

Some wonderful recipes you will find in this book are: Gravlax and Nasturtium Sandwiches with Mustard-Dill sauce, Lentil Soup with Roasted Garlic and Baby New Potatoes, Roasted Baby Beet Salad, Sweet Rolls with Almond Paste.

I would have never thought that I would be a fan of Swedish food, but now I am. This book has inspired me to research more about the country and desires to visit the country.

AMAZING5
An amazing buy, simple easy to use recipies! i never realized how much I would love swedish cooking. I have been using it for almost every meal!

An inviting and unusual blend of dishes which blend traditional Swedish flavors with modern updates5
Author/cook Helene Henderson is an Afro-American, Swedish-born chef raised in Sweden, where she learned to cook: her childhood memories spice The Swedish Table, an inviting and unusual blend of dishes which blend traditional Swedish flavors with modern updates. Discussions of Swedish traditions and celebrations and many color photos spice a fine set of dishes, from a Lox and Cream Cheese Quiche to an unusual Juniper/Lavender Marinated Leg of Lamb. Where the usual Swedish cookbook emphases fish main dishes, The Swedish Table ably demonstrates the diversity of Swedish dishes available to cooks.