When I was a kid growing up in New England, New Year’s Eve was a very special family holiday. My parent’s best friends would come for dinner, which was typically fondue. All the rage in the ‘60s, we would start with meat fondue. My mother would prepare small bites of raw beef, chicken, and pork that each person would cook in the fondue pot using a long, slender fork. Once the meat was cooked, an array of unique condiments was passed to adorn the tender morsels. Following this would be a cheese fondue. Like molten lava, the cheese would be kept warm in the fondue pot, and small bits of bread, fruit, and potato would be dipped into it, according to each individual’s preference. (more…)

On the first day of Advent, it is a Swedish tradition to take down all the Christmas things from the attic and bake Pepparkokor and Lussekattor. Then everyone goes out and window shops. This Sunday is known as “Skyltsondag”. (more…)

This was one of my mother’s favorite recipes. It can be made with either fresh or frozen blueberries. But I will warn you, it is addictive.

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 ¾ cup sifted flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or 1 can, drained)

Crumb Topping:
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
2 tablespoons soft margarine
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cream shortening with sugar; beat in the egg. Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together. Add dry ingredients to shortening and sugar mixture alternately with milk. Sprinkle washed, drained blueberries with a little flour to keep them from sinking, and stir into the batter. Pour batter into greased and lightly floured pan, 11 x 7 inches in size. Mix together ingredients for crumb topping until crumbly. Sprinkle batter with crumb topping. Bake in 350 F degree oven until cake tests done, about 40 minutes.

Serves 8-12