Christmas traditions, particularly those involving food, often honor our
ancestors. Throughout the Midwest where Swedish immigrants settled, the
dishes placed on the julbord (Christmas table) tell stories about who
we are, where we come from, and where we are heading.
In exploring these holiday customs, Patrice Johnson begins with her own
family's Christmas Eve gathering, which involves a combination of
culinary traditions: allspice-scented meatballs, Norwegian lefse served
Swedish style (warm with butter), and the American interloper, macaroni
and cheese. Just as she tracks down the meanings behind why her family
celebrates as it does, she reaches into the lives and histories of other
Swedish Americans with their own stories, their own versions of
traditional recipes, their own joys of the season. The result is a
fascinating exploration of the Swedish holiday calendar and its American
translation.
Featured dishes include yellow pea soup (ärtsoppa) and Swedish
pancakes (Svenska plättar); assorted Swedish cookies like pepparkakor,
rosettes, and meringues; meatballs with pickled cucumber; the julhög,
a breakfast pyramid of bread, cheese, fruit, and cookies; and so much
more. Come, raise a glass of punsch, hear tell of holidays past, snack
on cardamom bread, and celebrate jul the midwestern way.
