If you've never known a gifted old world cook, one who cooked just for the joy of it, then pick up a copy of "Gudrun's Kitchen." (Wisconsin Historical Society Press, $22.95).
Born in Norway in 1902, Gudrun Thue Sandvold came to the United States in an era when immigrants put in hard labor to pay off their passage.
This is her story, accompanied by her recipes, as written by her daughter Ingeborg Hydle Baugh; her son, the late Edward O. Sandvold and her grandchildren Irene O. Sandvold and Quinn E. Sandvold.
It's charming. It's enlightening. And the recipes are wonderful. I read every word and felt teary when Gudrun's story ended, but perked up as I went over each recipe. They're real treasures.
Gudrun prepared the foods of her heritage, so you'll find recipes for smorbrod (open faced sandwiches), herring salad, lapskaus (Norwegian beef stew), Norwegian meatballs, cakes, breads, cookies and more.
Her prince cake with apples (right) is a lovely, buttery-rich dessert. I would make it over and over.
I was delighted to find in the book a recipe for the cardamom-scented raisin rolls that I used to buy from Danish bakeries in Solvang until thrifty bakers eliminated the cardamom and the rolls were no longer the same.
Gudrun had strong arms and worked by hand, chopping almonds to a fine powder and performing other tasks that cooks today turn over to a food processor. And she was thrifty, using the papers that butter was wrapped in to grease pans.
But she was a generous cook, and life for her family and anyone who knew her must have been a delightful feast.
To order the book, call (888) 999-1669 or go to the historical society's online shop.
FRYSTEKAKE MED EPLER
Prince Cake with Apples
From "Gudrun's Kitchen"
1/2 cup sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter
1 egg
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large Granny Smith, Jonathan, Gala or other crisp, tart apple, peeled and diced
Additional sugar for sprinkling on top
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream sugar and butter. Add egg, flour, baking powder and vanilla to the creamed butter mixture and stir until it forms a dough.
Press the dough into a 9-inch cake pan and place the apples on top. Sprinkle with sugar.
Bake until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean, about 45 minutes.
Makes 6 servings.
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