Ojakangas in the mansion
Beatrice Ojakangas, the Duluth baker whose "The Great Scandinavian Baking Book," earned a James Beard Award, returns to the American Swedish Institute for the first time in 20 years to demonstrate making lefse and krumkake. Her appearance is part of the ASI's exhibition on the history of Nordic Ware and the bundt pan, in place through Jan. 11. The demo is from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m. on Dec. 17 and is included with museum admission (free to ASI members). For info on more holiday events at the Turnblad Mansion, 2600 Park Av. in Minneapolis, visit ASImn.org.
More winter markets
With a theme of "craft revival," the Linden Hills Winter Market is showcasing the work of more than 50 vendors in a rather unusual winter market setting: the currently vacant greenhouses of Sunnyside Gardens, 3723 W. 44th St. in Minneapolis (next to the Linden Hills Coop). Vendors include woodworkers, cheeseÂmakers, nut roasters, jam makers, honey gatherers and much more. Hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Sunday and next Sunday. Shop amid the pine scent of the greenhouse's trees and garlands, also for sale.
Menus as art, and craft
Back in 1883, the Thanksgiving meal at St. Paul's Windsor Hotel included saddle of antelope, young black bear, haunch of buffalo, roast turkey, prairie chicken and red squirrel potpie, among other delectables. We know this thanks to a website, Cool Culinaria, which rescues old menus from obscurity, reprinting them on art paper, notecards, dish towels, coasters and pillows. The Windsor menu is printed on soft cotton flour sack material and sells for $16 through coolculinaria.com. The company founders were inspired by the beauty of some vintage menus, finding them displayed in museums, owned by collectors or languishing in dusty boxes. Many of the illustrations dazzle, while some amuse. Another Minnesota offering comes from the two Covered Wagon restaurants in St. Paul and Minneapolis, which paid homage to the Old West's prairie schooner. In 1941, a T-bone steak was $1.50. Just browsing the site is a delight, and an education.
Winter Wassail Weekend
Three Waconia area wineries are celebrating the season with a weekend event to sample their beverages. On Dec. 20 to 21, for a $35 ticket, the wineries will offer three sample pours from each of their spots (wine, beer or cider). Find out more at the winery websites: www.schramvineyards.com, parleylakewinery.com and sovereignestatewine.com.
Gilding the whipped cream
Thanks to our friends at the Splendid Table for sharing cookbook author Alice Medrich's post on 10 ways to flavor whipped cream, given that the holiday season always inspires over-the-topness. Medrich's ideas come from her 2012 book, "Sinfully Easy Delicious Desserts," so with that title in your head, consider:
Coffee whipped cream: Stir 2 teaspoons espresso powder or 2 ½ teaspoons freeze-dried coffee crystals and a generous tablespoon of sugar into 1 cup of heavy cream.
Orange blossom whipped cream: Add 1 ½ teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest and ¾ teaspoon orange flower water to 1 cup of heavy cream.
Halvah whipped cream: Use ¼ cup or more finely grated or crumbled halvah and 1 tablespoon of sugar (or more to taste) for 1 cup of cream. Whip and sweeten the cream as usual, then fold in the halvah. Or whip the halvah with the cream to start with, adding sugar to taste along the way; it won't get as fluffy, but the flavor will be more pronounced and the texture smoother.
To see all 10 ideas, visit tinyurl.com/p7az3xr.
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