A FAMILIAR FACE

My ex-coworker Bria cooked for the Persian New Year on Fox 5 "Good Day Cafe" this morning (New York time)..



:)

POTATOES & PLOPP

Mom was over for lunch. I sliced potatoes, carrots and chopped up yellow onion, mixed it with canola oil and dried rosemary. Shoved it in the oven for 30 minutes, 225C/435F. Served it with a side of crème fraîche that I had stirred a little wasabi paste into.
Thereafter we walked to a store a 7 minute walk away where I found this! The chocolate bar Plopp has been around for a while, but I haven't tried this new (?) liquorice version, woah; it was TOO good! A creamy caramel center with a hint of liquorice.. yumm..

BREAKFAST, BABY..

One of my favorite food products discovered last year is "Fårsalami"; or in English Lambsalami. Last week I put it on my very first homemade pizza with some blue cheese. It actually contains beef as well, but NO pork. It has a milder taste than the distintictive salami flavor, and contains less fat!I used to only eat poultry and seafood as far as it goes for dead animals, but after moving to Sweden I have had lamb and beef (the salami) and also moose; mostly grounded which I have used in Chili con carne.

This morning I made a crispbread sandwich with messmör (an ironrich whey butter that one can find at IKEA's Swedish supermarkets), salami and cherry tomatoes, yummy!

BERRY GOOD

Residing 2 1/2 hrs northwest of Stockholm in the beautiful province of Dalarna has been rough this winter. According to people that has lived here for years there's been a whole lot more snow than usual. I'm - first of all - NOT a fan of winter or being cold. It gets dark in the early afternoon and it's dark when you head to work in the morning as well. It kinda SUCKS. It's not difficult to become fairly depressed here unfortunately. BUT NOW; spring is on its way! It seems like.. It's been sunny for a few days and snow is melting and yesterday I made myself a vanilla/blackberry/raspberry smoothie which I enjoyed on my terrace (I live in an apt by the way). It was easily made in my fantastic pink OBH Nordica blender by mixing a non-added sugar vanilla & blackberry yogurt and frozen raspberries! So yummy.

In the evening my gorgeous friend Linda came over for dinner. Since bikini season is upon us and also because I've made the decision to cut down on the alcohol consumption in general; we had the non-alcoholic Amé blackberry & raspberry "wine" that I purchased at a local health store, it tasted like cider; but not as sweet as the ones that are a popular party drink in Sweden, it contains herbs and was pretty refreshing. Amé info.

For dinner I boiled wholemeal pasta and made a carrot sauce like this:

Peel and chop a yellow onion and a couple of garlic cloves very finely. Peel and shred 3 carrots. Saute onion and garlic in oil, but don't let it get any color. Add carrots and stir. Add 2 cans of crushed tomatoes (a 400 g) and one tablespoon concentrated vegetable buillon.

Let it simmer for 15 minutes. Add 1 1/2 cup (2,5 dl) cream, 3 tablespoons frozen (or fresh) parsley, 1 tsp salt and a pinch of black pepper. Simmer for another 5 minutes, serve over pasta. Level: quiet freaking easy.

Though if I'd do it again I would go for a less fat cream not to get over-powered by that creamy flavor.

Being chocolate lovers - both my friend and myself - I decided to bring out a bag of chocolate I got in Stockholm last week at a chocolate store and cafe called Chokladfabriken ("The Chocolate Factory"). When I visited with a friend from Sthlm we picked up some small pastries of various kinds that were pretty delicious, for example a Cointreau ball that I really liked! Then I also bought some smaller truffles with different flavors that - I realized - weren't as much fun. There were: rosehip, liquorice, cloudberry, ginger and black currant. I think the currant was the best if I had to pick one.

PRESENTATION

Howdy,

I played with the thought while back to start blogging about food when I realized that I included something food related quiet frequently in my other blog Blonde Bullshit (that's currently in Swedish ONLY). So here I finally go. For some time I waited for that special food event to take place so I could launch the blog, but I couldn't really put my finger on it, so today when I made a berry smoothie and sat down outside in a short sleeved shirt to soak up some Swedish spring sun I decided that THIS was the day. Hallelujah.

For a while I wanted to open and run a Mexican/Latin –Swedish/Scandinavian restaurant in New York and later on in Los Angeles; but those plans has been put on hold. After I moved to Sweden in June -08 people has demanded jokingly slash half-serious every now and then (while hanging out at my casa for some homecooked dinner) that; "you should open a restaurant Malin!".. or while walking around downtown; "look, that restaurant closed, you should get in that space now.."

Two years ago I had a most inspiring meeting and conversation with the Program Director of Culinary Management Stephen Zagor at The Institute of Culinary Education about opening a restaurant and studying at the Restaurant Management Program. But I didn't follow through, at that time I was way busy chasing $$$.

But there's always the future..

So why a restaurant?

My idea of creating a fusion establishment was born in the accumulation of several passions of mine.

First of all I find a true devotion in these two nations’ culinary worlds. I was born and raised in the Swedish country side and grew up picking berries and chanterelles; making pies and stews with my parents. Fished the nearby wood lake; grilled perch for dinner. I am fortunate to have been raised with a natural approach to organic cooking. Though New York was my home for 10 years; my Swedish’ background is strongly rooted and I very much enjoyed sharing it with others as in hosting Swedish smörgåsbord dinner parties and tutoring language classes at the Swedish UN Delegation, one of my most memorable and proudest accomplishments was when I co-founded the Swedish School of Hudson Valley in Tarrytown, NY in 2003.

In 1999 I moved to New York City where I quickly discovered the exotic Mexican fare which I fell in love with right away! Dining at such distinctive restaurants as Rosa Mexicano and Pompano truly broaden my curiosity to learn more about this culinary world; I realized that there was a wider menu than Old El Paso’s taco kits. I attended Expo Comida Latina at Jacob F. Javitz Ctr (NYC) and The Book and The Cook at Fort Washington Expo Ctr (PA) and took part in similar events; like cooking classes & luncheons at Rosa Mexicano.
I later on came to travel the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula (Mexico) which indeed strengthened this interest further!

Second was my genuine love of planning and hosting an uncountable amount of innovative dinners, cocktail parties and various get-togethers.
My past event accomplishments covered kids creative theme parties (with my own business Pick a Party), Halloween extravaganzas and production planning for the annual CVC Music Video Conference (by CVC Report magazine) at the Puck Building, NYC. I like seeing people having a great time and wanted to create and share my own ultimate dining accommodation.

Third was my long interest in design, construction and real estate. I grew up in the Swedish country side; my dad is an architect and artist who designed the homes we come to live in; I literally grew up on a concrete foundation, the kitchen table cloth was a blueprint and the tree houses a la F.L Wright. Many years thereafter I got a job for the New York real estate giant Prudential Douglas Elliman and was involved in residential and commercial transactions; I have helped entrepreneurs and established professionals finding their new retail and restaurant spaces. The creative heritage has strongly showed up in many projects making invitations and party menus, helping friends with interior design for their apartments and always photographing food dishes.

Fourth was my love for engaging with people! I can’t stop talking about the wonderful opportunity of living in New York City and my appreciation of being able to meet new people everyday. I believe I have a very social personality and like to take part in people’s stories. While living in Europe I traveled extensively and very much appreciate that experience. During my years with the CVC Conference I managed staff and like encouraging people to put their utmost into everything; a role I feel very comfortable in.

But at this point; I don't run a restaurant, I don't even own a restaurant;-)I cook and eat, and will try make somewhat interesting blog contributions about it and other food adventures that I may run into.

I have many food memories from New York/U.S; Frozen green tea magaritas at Haru, my little food smoothie/muffin/salad heaven Juice Generation a block from my apartment, my 30th birthday at Rosa Mexicano, the elotes (mayo/parmesan/butter/salt/chili powder drenched corn on the cob) in the Pilson area of Chicago, birthday dinner with ex-boyfriend at Carlyle Hotel while Woody Allen played clarinet.. and list goes on.

I'm an almost 31 year old girlie, currently living in a small town in Sweden 2 1/2 northwest of Stockholm. There's still winter here with plenty of snow. I decided to move back to Sweden to be able to spend time with family and reflect on life. And food culture.