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About The Author
I began baking at the age of 5, when my mother gave me a cake mix that had the directions “beat [by hand] 50 strokes.” I now have 70 years of baking experience, which includes passing the “Can she bake a cherry pie, Billy Boy?” test without a cookbook when I went to meet a boyfriend’s parents. My mother and both grandmothers were superb bakers who taught me to make lots of Scandinavian goodies.
I am of Norwegian and Swedish descent, and I grew up celebrating holidays and special occasions with a variety of ethnic goodies, learning how to make many of them from my grandmothers. My first husband was of Icelandic descent, and I learned to prepare a variety of Icelandic recipes from his mother and aunts.
I have a PhD in chemistry. I had an internationally recognized research career in human clinical nutrition, and then became a senior executive at the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service. As the Director of USDA’s largest and most comprehensive research center, I had to be knowledgeable about a wide range of scientific disciplines including nutrition, food science, and food safety. My background in chemistry and nutrition has been extremely helpful in making successful gluten-free modifications of traditional recipes.
In 1988, I was elected the first female District President of the Sons of Norway in the then 90 years of the organization’s existence. I went on to join the Board of Directors of Sons of Norway International for a four-year term. I have been a member of Gyda Varden Lodge in Grand Forks, ND, since 1975. I have traveled to Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland several times. Travel has given me the opportunity to experience Scandinavian baking first-hand.
Our Story
Why did I create this cookbook?
This project began when my daughter invited her gluten-free boyfriend and his family to Thanksgiving dinner. She asked if I could figure out how to make gluten-free lefse. As a retired scientist who used to study food science and nutrition for the United States Department of Agriculture, I immediately tackled her request like a chemistry problem. And, after multiple experiments, I came up with a recipe that worked. When I found out that several of my nieces and grandchildren also couldn’t eat gluten, I decided to work on more recipes.
As I continued to work on recipe development, I learned that gluten intolerance and celiac disease are common among people of Scandinavian descent, so the audience for my recipes is bigger than my family. I decided to create this cookbook and to concentrate on recipes for the Scandinavian goodies that many of us grew up with—those we especially enjoy on holidays and special occasions.
I’ve also included a few recipes that I have never seen published in commercial cookbooks. I chose to focus on cakes, cookies, and desserts to the exclusion of yeast breads. I am of Norwegian and Swedish descent; my first husband was of Icelandic descent. The majority of my recipes have their origins in those countries. However, many of these foods are common to all five Nordic countries (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland).
My goal for this cookbook was to create gluten-free recipes that produce Scandinavian baked goods and desserts as good as those from “regular” recipes. If people can’t tell the difference, then I’ll know I’ve met my goal.
How did I create the recipes in this cookbook?
To achieve my goal, I tested each recipe with at least three gluten-free flours. I first made what, as a scientist, I call a “control” batch. That is, I made the recipe with regular wheat flour so I could compare the products from gluten and gluten-free flours. I found that sometimes a gluten-free recipe needs adjustments in the amount of flour or other ingredients. I also found that sometimes the batter or dough needs to rest for a while to let the gluten-free flour absorb moisture from the wet ingredients. And I found that sometimes baking times are a bit different. Occasionally, it’s necessary to add additional xanthan gum beyond what’s included in the commercial flour. As I experimented, I learned that each commercial gluten-free flour is a mixture of starches and other ingredients in varying proportions. The amount and type of ingredients make those commercial gluten-free flours different in how they work in recipes.
I hope you find this cookbook helpful as you prepare Scandinavian cake, cookie and desert recipes for those who must avoid gluten.
Image Gallery
There may be no better way to communicate what recipes this cookbook includes than through some images. Below are just some of the recipes you can enjoy.
