ScandiKitchen Christmas: Recipes and Traditions from Scandinavia

by Brontë Aurell

Let Bronte Aurell of The ScandiKitchen Café show you how to celebrate your Christmas Scandi-style by sharing her delicious recipes and family traditions with you.

Anyone who has ever been in Scandinavian in December will know that Scandinavians really love Christmas. From huddling up in candlelit snowed-in cottages to consuming glögg at every opportunity, Christmas is peak-hygge season all over Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Everything reverts back to tradition once Advent Sunday has come along.

From saffron scented bakes to “gingerbread spice in everything!”, Christmas is the time to break the never-ending darkness with edible treats and joyful feelings. Scandinavians visit friends and families taking along something home baked to share. They have Jul-Smörgåsbord parties where old and young celebrate with a spread of traditional dishes and delicacies. Everything they do for Jul is centred around food, tradition, and home comforts.

Join Bronte and feel the warmth, even when it’s cold outside!

Genres: Cookbooks, Christmas, Cooking, Nonfiction, Holiday, Food, Scandinavian Literature

160 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2018

About the author

I’m Brontë, a food writer and co-founder of ScandiKitchen, a café, grocery shop, online store and wholesale business. After I moved from Denmark to the UK and started a career in finance, I quickly realised that wasn’t for me. After some happy years working for Innocent drinks, I launched ScandiKitchen with my Swedish husband Jonas on 10th July 2007 – and gave birth to our first child a few hours later, just for an additional challenge.

So far, I’ve authored a few cookery books and published my own guide to hygge after an essay I wrote about it caused a mini media controversy. My mostly non-food book Nørth: How To Live Scandinavian is a humorous, but incisive look at what it means to be Scandinavian. I also manage to get out of the kitchen to appear on TV and radio as a cook, guest chef and talking about life as an entrepreneur, as well as helping with brand and recipe development for various companies. I created the #proudimmigrant movement in 2014 as a response to my own experiences as someone from overseas living and working in the UK.

Reviews

[J.H. Moncrieff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is by far the best cookbook I've had the pleasure of reading, but I'm sure it helps that I'm of Scandinavian heritage. The photography is gorgeous, and the stories about Scandinavian Christmas traditions were wonderful--I wish I'd read them sooner, but if I'm home for the holidays again next year, I'll definitely incorporate some of them.

There are so many amazing-sounding recipes to try! I'll do an update once I've tried a few, but I'm confident everything will taste as good as it looks.

This inspired me to get more of Aurell's books, even though the last thing I need is more cookbooks.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Scandinavian food. She doesn't say much about Icelandic and Finnish dishes, though--I can't remember any reference to Iceland.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a nice enough cookbook.
I started reading it when I went through a bit of a tough time which meant I had trouble sleeping. I read this book at night in bed and it provided all the comfort you want out of a middle of the night 'lizard brain read' ;)
Although I will probably make one or two recepes from this book and not much more -I did really emjoy the additional informatio the author presented about christmas traditions in different Scandanivian countries. I learned some new things and would love to know ore about Scandinavian traditions and history and how that coïncides with the Nordic mythology I got taught in school and also our own traditions arround the celebrations of the wheel of the year.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

A charming introduction to Scandinavian Christmas traditions and recipes! The book offers a delightful glimpse into the cozy world of Nordic holiday celebrations with beautiful photographs that inspire winter cooking adventures. While I would have appreciated more detailed instructions and background context for some recipes, it definitely succeeds at capturing the essence of hygge and festive Scandinavian charm. The saffron-scented bakes and traditional recipes make me eager for Christmas season. Perfect for anyone looking to add some Scandinavian flair to their holiday celebrations!

[Beverly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again, who really ever finishes reading a good cookbook. Exactly the recipes I wanted for the Christmas season, written for English, Canadian and Scandinavian bakers (meaning that measurements and oven temperatures are included for all of us). And the results are always first-rate. On the shelf with the other "most used" cookbooks.

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I read it in one day so it's a quick read but I really enjoyed the insights into Christmas traditions in Sweden, Denmark and Norway. I can't wait to try the recipes and feel like this book does give you some actual authentic recipes to give you a true feel of Scandinavian Christmas. And, the photos in this book are just beautiful!

[Jacqui · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve yet to be disappointed by a SkandiKitchen cookbook! The book is beautiful and I read it cover to cover. I love the extra info and side by side comparisons of traditions across Scandinavia and have incorporated a few into my traditions at home and in my Swedish bakery.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is only 2 years old. Author is owner of a trendy Scandi kitchen shop and cafe in London. Beautifully photographed, decided that this one needed to come live with me. Will update review when I actually start baking from it.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the coziness of this cookbook and learning about the different Scandinavian traditions for Christmas. I just can't make the majority of the recipes due to my dairy sensitivity.

If you don't have my issue, you should definitely check this out!

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm really interested in Scandinavian/Nordic culture and cuisine and the moment, and this book is a nice collection of recipes that are accessible to most home cooks. The author gives a good bit of an explanation of various traditions and how the foods differ from one country to the next, even though they may have some similarities.

[Juli Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are pretty basic recipes, and you can find versions of most of them in any other Scandinavian cookbook. That makes this cookbook pretty good f\or folks who are new to these cuisines, but a little too basic for me.

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars, need to try the recipes!

[Jodi Johnson-Meyers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent recipes, photos and feel to this book.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

loved the recipes and especially the discussion of various traditions and how different countries in Scandinavia might celebrate differently.

[Pooja Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great recipes

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely worth the read. A nice mix of story, tradition, and recipes. Beautiful photographs

[Stella · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful photos and descriptions of the holiday traditions. But recipes are a little complex with frequent use of ingredients that would have to be special ordered.