S
wedish was often spoken by both sets of grandparents, usually when my cousins, sisters and I weren’t supposed to know what was said. My paternal grandparents, Gust and Emma, were first generation immigrants to the U.S. Emma came in 1913 and Gust in 1911. Gust was born in the village of Lillarmsjö about 38 miles west of the city of Umeå on the northeast coast of Sweden. His name was Jonas August and he changed it to Gust when he came to America. Emma Johannsdotter was born in the rural area of Veinge in the south-west of Sweden. My maternal grandparents (Grandma and Grandpa Franklin) were second and third generation Swedish immigrants. Most of my favorite Swedish memories are of the Swedish food served. My Grandma Emma served heart-healthy food with carrots or raisins mixed into it but no sugar or butter was allowed. “Ät nu!” (eat now!) she said to encourage me to eat. (My Grandma F served lots of sweet butter-filled food.) However, I survived my Grandma Emma’s cooking and learned about a different Scandinavian food. When I was young, a Norwegian neighbor brought our family some lefse. That was the last time I ate lefse until many years later, when a friend and I took classes on how to make lefse. I have since taught my daughtersin-law, Beth and Nancy. They now have their own griddles, sticks for turning, rolling pins and pastry boards. Beth has had more than one open house for friends to learn how to prepare lefse, and my granddaughter Emily has been making
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Treats
Hemma hos
à la Karen Gale
lefse every Christmas since she was five. My second recipe is ostkaka. This recipe is from my Grandma Franklin’s side of the family. I’ve added some of my own changes to make it easier. In the old way you had to use rennet but I use ricotta cheese. It tastes the same and I love it … hope you do too. When my husband Robert, of British and Scot descent, was alive, these two dishes were his favorites. Since his recent death these are given to you in honor of him. Enjoy! By Karen Gale
Ostkaka Ingredients: • 15 oz of ricotta cheese • 4 whole eggs • 1/2 tsp salt • 1/2 cup white sugar • 1 tsp vanilla • 1 pint whipping cream.
Karen Gale and her granddaughter. Photo courtesy Karen Gale
Preparation: Beat eggs. Add sugar, salt, vanilla, and cream. Then add cheese. Mix lightly. Dust with nutmeg. Bake in buttered 8 or 9 inch pan at 325 degrees F for about 1½ hours (after it puffs and the middle doesn't jiggle). Goes well with raspberries, strawberries, lingonberries or cloudberries.
Lefse Ingredients: • 8 cups of Hungry Jack Potato Flakes put in large bowl Boil: • 5 cups of water • 2 Tbs of sugar • 1 Tbs salt • 1/2 cup butter Add to flakes and mix. Then add: • 1 cup of half-and half cream • 1 cup of whole milk.
Preparation: Mix all together. Chill covered overnight (or 3 – 4 hours). To roll out: Use 2 cups of potato mixture to 1/2 cup of flour. Can use hands to mix. Form a ball the size of large golf ball or very small tennis ball and roll out. Makes about 30 lefse. To freeze, lay 3 stacked lefse flat and place in a gallon size freezer ziplock bag.
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Swedish Press | February 2021 25
