Culture in the Blender

Recently, I asked my grandmother for a cookie recipe that I really like. They’re very crisp and tender, and the closest cookies I’ve had like them are those “Danish butter cookies” you can buy in tins. Of course, store-bought is never as good as home-made, and the tins (at least here in the US) are quite large. However, instead of sending me just the recipe, she sent me the whole recipe book. It’s well-worn. Now, not only do I have that cookie recipe, I have a dozen others that are very similar. To top it all off, there was a recipe for skorpor/korppuja! I haven’t found those anywhere in the US or China. In fact, I have no idea if they even have an English name. But they’re one of my favorite teatime snacks, and now I can make them myself!

The recipe book got me thinking about getting hold of recipes. It’s really not easy finding authentic recipes outside the region they’re authentic to. Cookbooks substitute both ingredients and flavors, and unless you’re looking for one of the major world cuisines, there probably won’t be a cookbook anyway. Even a web search can be difficult, because if you’re not already familiar with the recipe and just need a reminder, it’s difficult to say if it’s a good one.

I intend to create a separate section on my website for sharing my recipes the way I’ve learned to cook them, authentic ingredients and all. I’ve sometimes wished that I could get on the ‘inside’ of some cuisine. Perhaps by sharing my traditions, I can help someone in the same position. If others decide to participate, even better!