Scandinavian from Scratch by Nichole Accettola

A collection of 75 recipes for luscious cookies, cakes, tarts, pastries, breads, and smørrebrød at the heart of Scandinavian baking traditions

Smørrebrød:a classic open-faced layered sandwich on rye bread.

In Scandinavia-comprised of Denmark, Norway, and Sweden-home baking provides a way to find comfort throughout the long, dark winters, drawing warmth from the oven and satisfaction from the meditative and nourishing act.

The summer before she attended the Culinary Institute of America, Nichole Accettola traveled to Denmark and fell in love with the people, the weather, and of course, the baking. After culinary school she married a Danish journalist, and lived in Copenhagen for fifteen years before returning to the United States to open her San Francisco-based cafe, Kantine, inspired by the pastries she’d enjoyed in Denmark. 

During her time in Copenhagen, Nichole combatted winter blues by baking with her Danish mother-in-law, learning how to churn out batches of scrumptious holiday cookies and filling tins with homemade nougats and caramels. She has adapted these recipes for the American kitchen but they are deeply rooted in Scandinavian tradition. In each of the book’s six sections, the recipes are listed from simplest to most complex, broken down into easy, comprehensive steps. Infused with Nichole’s baking expertise and love for her cherished second home, Scandinavian From Scratch is an ode to Scandinavia and an indispensable guide to Scandinavian baking and culture.

Recipes include:

Cookies: Chocolate Slices and Lavender and Lemon Shortbread

Cakes: Pear and Apple Snacking Cake and Blackberry Tosca Cake

Pastries: Cinnamon Knots and Cardamom Morning Buns

Breakfast: Norwegian Potato Flatbread and Rye and Beer Swedish Pancakes

Sandwiches: Rye Bread and Danish Sandwiches: Sprouted Rye Bread and Chicken Salad with Oyster Mushrooms and Sorrel Smørrebrød

Winter Therapy: Santa Lucia Day Saffron Buns and Persimmon Ginger Cake

Nichole Accettola is a CIA-trained chef and the owner of Kantine, a Scandinavia-inspired restaurant located in San Francisco serving breakfast, lunch, and snacks with a gorgeous menu of pastries, porridge and jewel-like smørrebrød sandwiches. Her café has garnered glowing reviews from media such as San Francisco Chronicle, Time Out, and Eater.

Malena Watrous has worked as a recipe tester for Melissa Clark and written about food, books, and travel for the New York Times, Allure, Condé Nast Traveler and Salon. She is the author of the novel If You Follow Me. She leads the Online Writer’s Studio at Stanford University, where she teaches fiction and food writing.

Author Residence: San Francisco, CA

Author Hometown: Ohio