A cool summer shower often provides the rare opportunity to turn on the stove and oven during the hottest months of the year. When that next rainy day arrives—and the temperatures dips—one great way to brighten up the afternoon is to follow in the footsteps of a group of people very familiar with a more temperate summer season: Norwegians.
With an average high temperature of 77 degrees Fahrenheit in July in Oslo, Norwegians enjoy cooler temperatures than many of their American peers. Imagine a Pacific Northwest summer climate—but with a midnight summer sun.
Diane MacLennan, Grand Circle’s Area Manager for the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, shared with us two recipes that have earned rave reviews from our travelers—both during and after their Norwegian Coastal Voyage & Lapland CruiseTour.
Lapper
Buttermilk pancakes might evoke memories of lazy Sunday mornings here in the U.S., but in Norway, such memories tend to have been made in the evening hours. Lapper, traditional Norwegian pancakes, are a popular dinner entree or dessert treat—topped with fruit or jam instead of maple syrup. Imagine a slightly lighter pancake than American versions, a hybrid between pancakes and crepes.
Ingredients:
4 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
4 ¼ cups buttermilk
2 tsp. baking soda
2 ¾ cups wheat flour
5 Tbs. butter, melted
Preparation:
- Mix eggs, sugar, buttermilk, baking soda, wheat flour, and butter in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Pour portion of mixture slowly into a preheated, non-stick pan, frying until golden.
- Use a spatula to remove lapper from the pan.
- Repeat until the entire mixture has been used.
Servings: Yields 10-12 pancakes
Ginger Lace Cookies
Since German immigrants brought gingerbread to Scandinavia in the 13th century, baking with ginger has become a source of regional pride. In fact, Bergen, Norway, presents a holiday city made out of gingerbread, Pepperkakebyen (“Gingerbread City”) annually.
A lighter form of ginger baking is more appropriate for the summer months, and these ginger lace cookies serve as a delightful warm-weather treat. Easy to make, ginger lace cookies are rolled before cooling, which gives them a lovely presentation—and they fill your home with their sweet scent while baking.
Ingredients:
3 Tbs. margarine or butter, softened
3 Tbs. sugar
½ tsp. ginger
¼ tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat margarine, sugar, ginger, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
- Add flour, mixing until smooth.
- Spread the batter in 3-inch circles on a greased and floured baking sheet.
- Bake on the center oven rack for 5 minutes.
- Loosen cookies with a sharp knife. Bend or roll immediately while soft.
Servings: Yields about 20 cookies.
Enjoy Norway’s sweet side—and more—on our Norwegian Coastal Voyage & Lapland CruiseTour.