Let's be plant-curious together and dive into the vast world of plants, herbs and mushrooms! Gardening, foraging, cooking and connecting with nature.
11/07/2024
It’s berry season both back home in Norway and here in the U.S. - let’s celebrate!
A berry not often seen on this side of the Atlantic, but one I grew up picking every summer back home is the blackcurrant. We had tons of bushes growing in our garden!
If you’ve never tasted blackcurrants, they’re quite bold and assertive with a tart taste but when ripe, have a lovely, sweet flavor underneath.
They’re not easy to find here in the U.S. but while strolling through my local farmer’s market this past weekend, I was fortunate enough to find two pints of them.
My dad used to make wine from blackcurrants and my mom would turn them into ‘saft’ - a Norwegian style of concentrated juice that we add water to and enjoy as a nice drink with dinner.
I opted to add my berries into a scrumptious, easy-to-make coffee cake.
I drizzled it with a homemade vanilla sauce that offers a rich sweetness and aromatic vanilla notes, and harmonizes beautifully with the vibrant tang of the blackcurrants. Yum!!
Get my recipe below and capture the taste of Norwegian summer! 🇳🇴🌼🌸🌞
Elderflowers are thought to have arrived in the Nordic countries already during the Viking Age.
Today they’re found everywhere in western Norway, often near old gardens and fields.
There are so many delicious ways to prepare and cook with elderflowers, which is why they are so popular in this part of the world.
They have a soft and fresh taste, reminiscent of pear, lychee, and some tropical fruits.
The most common way to use or cook with elderflowers in Norway is to make ‘saft’, or a cordial that is a concentrated juice sweetened with sugar and added citrus.
Since cordials can last for weeks and even months, they let you enjoy the elderflower flavor long after their season has ended.
Want the best-ever recipe for elderflower cordial? (Bonus: it’s a delightful addition to cocktails and mocktails!)
Wishing you a safe and relaxing holiday with lots of delicious plant-based food and drink!
17/06/2024
The rhubarb season in Norway lasts from June to September, and the classic way to use rhubarb in cooking and baking is to make cakes and other desserts, salads, soup, and juice with these tart stalks.
There is even rhubarb wine, which I believe my father attempted in our cellar where he also made wine from red currants and blackcurrants.
This Norwegian-inspired strawberry-rhubarb cake is juicy, light, and simple, just like the cakes I grew up enjoying in Norway. It’s only made more delicious by the caramelized almond topping poured over it which adds a welcome crunch to the soft cake.
Best of all - it’s not hard to make at all and in the blog post I give you tips for avoiding a soggy cake when adding all that fruit.
You can find the recipe on my blog arcticgrub.com
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14/06/2024
Happy ! 🍓🍓
05/06/2024
Radishes, a staple in the garden of my childhood home in northwestern Norway, were a sure sign that summer had arrived. Their vibrant red hue added a pop of color to our dishes.
We used them in a variety of ways. In thinly sliced in salads, braised whole in butter as a side dish, layered on open-face sandwiches with sliced cheese, or enjoyed on buttered toast. Their versatility is truly remarkable!
One of the most intriguing ways to enjoy radishes is by pickling them!T he process not only preserves their crunch but also infuses them with a tanginess that adds a new dimension to this summer salad.
In the blog post I’m sharing with you today, you’re getting one of my favorite salad recipes, a classic Norwegian cucumber and radish salad, drizzled with a dilled sour cream dressing.
I’ve, of course put my own spin on it :)
The radishes are crunchy and refreshing paired against the sweet butter lettuce, a welcome contrast to the spiciness of the radicchio, along with the cooling effect of the herbed sour cream dressing.
I also share a fantastic recipe for pickling liquid and offer some suggestions for topping hot dogs with it, a very classic Scandinavian tradition now that midsummer is approaching.
So many of my readers have written to me expressing how they’ve enjoyed the virtual cooking classes I’ve been offering over the years. I realized I have quite an extensive collection up on my site available for instant download, but not everyone knows it!
This is why I’m excited to announce my exclusive cooking class summer sale! 🎉🇳🇴👩🍳
This is how you can savor all the flavors of Scandinavia while mastering the art of cooking from the comfort of your own kitchen.
I’m offering a whopping 50% off ALL my stand-alone cooking and wine classes in my shop!!
This means you get instant and lifetime access to the class(es) you choose to grab at $25 each instead of $50!
What type of classes can you find inside the shop?
From my seasonal midsummer class called Sankthansaften Fest and a fun Sweden vs Norway meatball “cook-off” match, lessons in making simple and delicious Norwegian sheet cakes to the art of making a Norwegian matpakke (lunch box), and so much more..
No matter what dish you’re looking for with a Nordic twist it’s all here!
Each class comes complete with printable recipes, shopping lists, video tutorials as well as so much additional information during the class you apply anytime decide to show up in the kitchen and cook.
Start browsing here to view all the classes that can be yours today at half the price:
I’m only offering this sale for a limited time, so don’t wait to grab whichever class that catches your eye. These classes are pre-recorded will not be offered at this advantageous price again this year.
P.S. Please note the sale excludes my bread courses, special bundles and ebooks.
24/05/2024
Celebrate spring and day with this gorgeous spring socca flatbread, it’s so delicious!
Vibrantly green with fresh peas, grilled asparagus and scallions and scattered with some good vegan feta cheese, it’s a meal you won’t forget.
When you cook asparagus correctly, pairing this tasty vegetable with wine is not hard.
Rosé season is officially here, so pick a wine with a medium body, good acidity, fresh fruit, and some minerality.
Happy days!
23/05/2024
New recipe on Arctic Grub! Remember to follow me there for more Nordic recipes 🇳🇴
Rhubarb season happens to be right now, a sure sign that spring is in full effect. This tart stalk is actually a vegetable, not a fruit - did you know that?
When I was little, rhubarb grew wild in the backyard of our house in Norway, and many people considered it a w**d. To me, it was exciting to see things just pop out of the ground seemingly out of nowhere.
I typically make a strawberry-rhubarb cake with the bright red stalks of rhubarb I find at the local market this time of year, but this time I wanted to try something else.
Rhubarb season is always so short, so I decided to pickle them in a delicious balsamic-vinegar-based solution with lots of spices. The flavor is so deep and complex! Plus, they will last me for weeks.
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Today’s recipe takes inspiration from an idea created by talented Norwegian pastry chef and food blogger Elin Vatnar.
A few years ago she started a tradition of making spring-inspired cardamom buns filled with vanilla custard. She shapes them into cute little flowers and decorates them with confectioner’s glaze and they really look like sunshine on a plate!
Elin calls them maiboller (=May buns). The name relates to a flower pin people would decorate their jackets with during the month of May. I write more about them in my blog post which you can find in arcticgrub.com.
I thought this was so creative I needed to try out a version of my own, as I’m always eager to add new recipes to my May 17th repertoire.
Ever since I went vegan over a decade ago I’m committed to creating plant-based versions of traditional recipes so that anybody can enjoy the classic Norwegian flavors on this celebratory day.
My version of maiboller is somewhat simpler, and you don’t need to be a pastry chef to make these!
The filling is a combination of cinnamon sugar and blueberry jam, and the buns are twisted into a regular cinnamon roll.
Then I made a slight indentation in the center and filled it with a dollop of vegan vanilla custard. So delicious!
Decorate each bun with a Norwegian flag, and these delicious pastries wil be the perfect addition to your May 17th table!
Recipe link
03/05/2024
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In Norway, the month of May means celebration, with the impending May 17th celebration coming up, arguably the biggest festive occasion of the year.
And with that comes cakes…and lots of them!
Last year I shared my recipe for rullekake, which I feel the need to re-share.. It’s that good!
Rullekake, otherwise known as a roulade or Swiss roll cake, is a simple yet versatile and delicious cake based on sukkebrød which we call a sugary sponge cake, and is the base for Norwegian bløtkake and marsipankake as well.
Many Norwegians might have memories of rullekake from childhood. Quick and easy to make, it is known as a grandmother’s favorite and ensured that any potential guests who popped over for afternoon or evening coffee would get something sweet to enjoy.
While there are a million different versions of rullekake with more fillings than you can imagine, I opted to make a classic version of strawberry and whipped cream.
It reminds me of the Norwegian flag in many ways (minus the blue); plus, who wouldn’t be thrilled to see this creation on a cake table?
Get my recipe for Strawberry Rullekake on my blog and page!
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26/04/2024
Make sure to follow my other account Arctic Grub for more Nordic recipes and where I post more frequently!
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Thanks to everyone who expressed interest in my recipe for the no-knead seeded whole-grain Norwegian bread I shared yesterday!
I’m happy to let you know that the recipe is now uploaded on my blog. Grab it here
22/04/2024
“One of the conditions of happiness is that the link between man and nature shall not be broken.” - Leo Tolstoy
I hope you take some time to spend outdoors in nature today, notice the beautiful trees, birds and gifts that the earth provides us on a daily basis.
Oh - and be extra plant curious today, make your meals plant-based. The earth 🌍 will thank you! 💚🙏
🌎
21/04/2024
Earth Day is tomorrow!
To celebrate the beautiful earth we all live on I want to encourage you all to try out plant-based eating... it's the most sustainable, earth-friendly diet you can eat and the best part? It's the tastiest too- if you learn a trick or two!
To make it easier for you I'm offering 50% off ALL single-standing virtual, on-demand cooking classes as well as my wine master classes in my shop:
These classes are at least 1 hour long each and contain a minimum of 3 recipes of video tutorials, printable recipes and shopping lists, plus photos of the finished dishes.
They encompass everything from Nordic to world kitchen cuisine, healthy and decadent, every day food to party favorites, dinners, desserts snacks, and everything in between. From midsummer to Christmas to romantic dinners for two... the options are endless! The common denominator? All recipes are 100% plant-based!
But don't wait! This sale is valid for ONE DAY only... so stock up on all the classes you want now and remember - you get lifetime access once you purchase!
17/04/2024
Happy !
When I first started getting interested in herbalism I was initially interested in how herbs could help improve the health of my new dog clients (and my own) holistically and more naturally.
But as I dive into my new studies as a herbalist-in-training I realize how much more plants are able to heal. To look at plants as intelligent, sentient beings that act as our teachers, they help us bring us closer to Nature, something humans so desperately need right now.
Plants are individuals, and so are dogs. Every plant and every dog’s body is different, which is why it is such a fascinating study. Herbalism is an art form that takes the whole body into account when trying to achieve balance in the body and in our lives because everything is connected. Something modern medicine does not have “time” for with all the current restraints in both the human and animal medical world today.
If you’re interested in learning more about how I can assist with your dog’s health in a gentle way using herbs, feel free to DM me, I’d love to help!
07/04/2024
One of the best things to do on a Sunday when it’s still a bit of a chill in the air is to bake a proper Norwegian eplekake. The whaft of cinnamon and apples from the oven is so incredible and the only other thing to do is put on the kettle. Topped with a dollop of whipped cream, takes it over the top!
Apples are plentiful in Norway, and there’s also a huge cider industry that makes delicious libations from apples, both with and without alcohol, that would pair perfectly with this cake.
In my case, since I’m in the U.S., I always go to Eden Ciders for my cider fix- this small Vermont-based farm produces some of the best ciders in the country and are famous for their extraordinary ice cider. A must-try!
Get the recipe link for my apple cake below and try it out with a cider - or your favorite cuppa!
The most recent meal I made was a delightful rigatoni pasta dish with a creamy carrot-miso sauce, topped with a carrot top gremolata and toasted breadcrumbs. Use organic, or even better - carrots from your local farmer market for the sweetest, most flavorful result.
Wine pairing: 2020 Ca’n Verdura from Binissalem on Mallorca, Spain. The winemaker Tomeu Llabrés practies minimal intervention and low-impact viticutlure, and specializes in finding old, forgotten vines to craft soil-driven, light-bodied reds from nearly extinct varieties.
The Ca’n Verdura is a blend of mostly the indigenous Mantonegro, with some Merlot, Syrah, Callet, Monastrell, and Cabernet, and produced in small quantities. It is fermented with native yeast in a combination of 500L old French oak barrels and stainless steel.
Organic and vegan.
The wine is juicy with lots of wild red berry flavors, it also has a nice herbaceous and spicy touch, nicely balanced and a perfect companion to the sweet and earthy, herb-flavored dish.
Who else is a fan of Spanish wines?!
22/03/2024
Wonder if the Flatbreads of Norway course is for you?
Worried you’re not seasoned enough to bake these flatbreads?
That’s why you’ll love this course… I
I’ve set it up so that it is manageable for even the most novice bakers. I suggest starting with the easy-to-roll-outflatbrød module before moving on to lefse.
That way, you can practice and feel more confident when moving on to the next recipe.
My first course, the Norwegian Bread Baking course, was created much the same way and received so many incredible reviews from students who previously thought they would never be able to bake fresh, delicious whole-grain breads at home.
Just check out what some of my students of my first course had to say... this is why I create these course!
Sign up for the Flatbreads of Norway course and start baking this weekend!
20/03/2024
The Flatbreads of Norway course is now live!
Join me in celebrating the release of this groundbreaking course and learn more about it! 🎉🎉🎉🍾
I can’t begin to explain how excited I am that the Flatbreads of Norway course is officially being released this week!
This is the result of many years of practice, months of research, and interviews with professional and seasoned flatbread bakers from Norway.
While some of the breads are naturally vegan, I’m most thrilled to share how my experiments with the breads that traditionally contain dairy, turned out 100% authentic in both flavor and texture using plant-based substitutions.
Everyone who has already joined the course during the VIP enrollment period will be able to start mastering the skill of baking Norwegian bread in just two days!
Not only will you get access to six modules of video tutorials with corresponding recipes, you’ll learn the history and use of each recipe and where in Norway these breads are popular.
There’s also a very special bonus included for those that grab the chance to buy the course this week.
If you’d like to join the course, you can snag your special pre-release savings until midnight tomorrow.
There’s so much value in this course, and remember - you have lifetime access so can go back to the content again and again!
There’s nothing like this course available online so if you want to learn about Norwegian flatbreads here’s your sign and to take advantage of this special pre-launch savings!
Hope to see you inside!
17/03/2024
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Happy St. Patrick’s Day!! ☘️
The Norwegians have more in common with the Irish than you may think: We both love dishes with cabbage and potatoes!
In fact, one of the most popular and downloaded recipes on my blog is for “kålruletter” - stuffed cabbage rolls served with boiled potatoes and “hvit saus” (bêchamel sauce). It’s delicious and my version is 100% plant-based and packs a ton of flavor!
Get my recipe - on my arcticgrub.com blog 😀
P.S. you know what goes well with stuffed cabbage rolls? Norwegian flatbreads!
Only a few more hours to sneak on to the waitlist so you can get a chance to save 25% on my upcoming Flatbreads of Norway course that launches on Wednesday!
Link in bio 🇳🇴🇳🇴
10/03/2024
Next week starts the offical pre-sale for my brand new course Flatbreads of Norway and I’m so excited to teach these recipes from lefse to lomper and flatbrød and more! There’s nothing like it on the market so super happy with the content of this online course.
Thanks to everyone who took the opportunity to sign up early on the waitlist and purchased the course already - you rock!
But good news for those of you who missed out: I’m offering another chance to sign up for the waitlist before the sale starts on Wednesday. This will give you a whopping 50% discount!
You don’t want to miss this because I’m offering a HUGE bonus worth nearly the same price as the full price of the bread course - it’s my most generous gift yet!
Sign up for the waiitlist - link in bio or go here:
Note: The material will be released on March 20th and you have lifetime access to everything.
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08/03/2024
Happy ! I always like to share this quote from Pippi Longstocking as I have fond memories of growing up on Norway watching this brilliant series.
Written by Astrid Lindgren her full name is Pippilotta Viktualia Rullugardina Krusmynta Eframimsdotter Långstrump (In English: Pippilotta Delicatessa Windowshade Mackrelmint Ephraim’s Daughter Longstocking 😀
And while Scandinavia enjoys more equality between men and women than most other places in the world, there’s still a gender pay gap in every country and we still have work to do.
As Pippi says: «Let me tell you, it’s dangerous to keep quiet for too long. Your tongue shrivels up if you don’t use it».
Happy weekend and go support a women today!
❤️
03/03/2024
There has been a lot of lively discussion in my community and on my pages as of late as to what actually consitutes a lefse! Love the engagement!
Lefse is otherwise known as one of the flatbreads of Norway, because we cook it on a griddle.
I’ve had a ton of fun experimenting with recipes from around the country over the past year or two and realized that the lefse I grew up with isn’t the ONLY correct way to make it - go figure! hahaha..
Case in point: this potetlefse I made that is thin and rolled out to the same size as the lefse I grew up with in the county Møre og Romsdal. My mom made lefse with white flour and it was silky and soft, with a sweet filling.
This lefse in the photo is made with mostly cooked potatoes and rye flour and is more rustic and savory in flavor... It was delicious too but in a different way!
I used it as a «wrap» - much like many Norwegians tend to do but instead of pickled herring and such, I added Beyond Meat grilled sausages, smeared the lefse with mustard, topped it with pickled mushrooms and onions from my online class «Pickling Principles Nordic Style» that I held (and is available on-demand now) and a dollop of sour cream and fresh dill.
Absolutely delicious!
Want to learn how to make this lefse and a bunch of other flatbreads from Norway? Then make sure to get on the waitlist now to get a chance to get the best pricing on the course - early presale starts next week!
By signing up you’re not obligated ot buy the course but it’s the only place you’ll get sent offers to get the course at a price that won’t be offered ever again.
Get on the list by going to link in bio or in my stories or here:
One of the most memorable meals we’ve made in the past year: A Persian-style bowl of herby chickpeas drizzled with mint oil and topped with dollops of yogurt and toasted walnuts. Served over rice and scooped up with homemade pita bread.
We cooked the chickpeas from scratch in my new handmade clay pot from Mexico - the flavors are unmatched when cooked in this vessel. Slow and low and the aromas were mesmerizing to say the least!
Wine pairing? I chose Raul Perez’ 2019 La Vizcaina La del Vivo from the Bierzo region of Spain. Made from the Godello grape sourced from 80-100 year old vines, with a little bit of Doña Blanca, this is an organic wine made from one of the best winemakers in Spain.
Aromas of Meyer lemon peel and golden pears, it has a gorgeous chalky minerality texture on the palate intermingled with nectarines and orchard fruit giving it a beautiful balance. There’s bright acidity but also an elegant, understated richness that is very classy.
I just love the focus and texture of this wine - lots to “bite” into which makes it so interesting with this dish that is so layered in flavor as well.
If you are more of a red wine fan, I’d enjoy this meal with a nice earthy Rioja Reserva with some age. The earthiness of the chickpeas and the mint oil would complement this wine beautifully.
28/02/2024
If I’m a bit quiet this week it’s because I’m covered in flour and buried in lefse and other Norwegian flatbreads as I’m filming my next online course: Flatbreads of Norway 🇳🇴😀
Want to be the first to know when it will release and get first dibs on the best pricing? Sign up for my waitlist to stay informed! Link in bio or go here:
This past November I had a very nostalgic moment when I was visiting my childhood home in Norway.
We’re currently renovating the house as it needed an overhaul since my mom’s passing. My sister and I walked downstairs to the cellar and the room where my mom kept all her canned jars of pickles, jams and condiments.
I always remember it as being the room where I could find all kinds of «secret ingredients» that were the results of my mamma’s countless hours in the kitchen every week.
I could still smell that familiar aroma of all the different things she stored there, from flours to grains, pickled herring and flatbread. It reminded me of how frugal and creative my mom was with food.
She re-purposed so much food and used old jars and glass bottles for ‘saft’ (juice) and even my dad’s home-brewed beer. It always felt like we had a plethora of food and choices every day, and much of that was because my mom was committed to preserving every bit of food from the garden over the winters and year, just like her mother had been.
I feel very grateful for having learned this craft from her and would like to pass it on to others, because today we are living in a very wasteful, sometimes thankless world where the «use once and throw away» habit seem to rule.
In this vein, I felt called to put on a live virtual master class tomorrow, Saturday February 24th at 1 pm ET for all my fellow pickling fans.
You’ll learn the basic principles of pickling Nordic Style, the classic ingredients, methods and equipment used and we’ll try out three different recipes together using produce that’s in season. I’d love to have you!
Register for the Principles of Pickling Nordic Style class by going to link in bio or here:
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The Flatbreads of Norway course is now live!
The Flatbreads of Norway course is now live!
Join me in celebrating the release of this groundbreaking course and learn more about it! 🎉🎉🎉🍾
Check it out and get instant access here:
https://arcticgrub.com/flatbreadsofnorway
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Our Story
Menufacturers LLC is a food and wine education and consulting firm associated with Sunny Gandara. Passionate about wine and plant-based food, and through visiting and dining at countless restaurants, bars and cafes across the country and around the world, Sunny identified a big weak spot; the lack of exciting, well thought out vegan options for food, and practically no vegan wine selections anywhere. It didn’t matter if it is a huge hotel chain, a small hole-in-the-wall in a hip city, or a Michelin star restaurant; more often than not those who wish to eat plant based, are often served a boring salad or pasta with tomato sauce, and frankly - that just won’t cut it for foodies.
With Sunny being a trained chef and with 15 years of experience in the food and wine industry, she wanted to offer off-and online cooking and wine classes to both private and corporate groups, who want to learn how to eat and drink better, as well as consulting services to restaurants who are looking to take advantage of the the growing number of people in the U.S. and around the world who are going vegan and requesting plant-based options.
At Menufacturers we offer a highly customized experience for each client. Every restaurant is different, so no one-size-fits-all option is applied. What we do care about is to learn about your clientele, and how we can optimize their experience and your bottom line. Our mission for every establishment, is to create menus that inspire, wow and make people want to come back again and again. We do this through selecting unique, food friendly wines from small family wineries (always organic and sustainably produced), and our recipes are seasonally appropriate using whole, plant based ingredients that will pair perfectly with your wines.
For those who want to learn how to cook better with plants, as well as to dive deeper into the world of wine, Menufactures offers private classes to parties, both online and off-line (New York area only). Classes are typically 3 hours long and will always include information on how to pair wines with plant-based foods.
At Menufacturers, we seek to demystify both vegan food and wine. Food is food, and wine is meant to entice, to enhance the meal and to be enjoyed . Whether vegan or not, our mission is to educate and provide fun food and wine entertainment for people, and for restaurants, have our selections become the most asked-for items on your menu!
