Saturday, September 22, 2007

Vanilla Sugar

Since some have asked, I'll write a blip about vanilla sugar – an ethnic ingredient I use in my Nordic recipes, including Sandbakkels from the 'Crystal Anniversary' entry and Brown Sugar Cookies as I noted in the Comments section of the 'Happy Endings Recipe' entry.)

Where Americans use liquid vanilla extract to flavor sweets, Scandinavians measure up a fluffy flavoring of tiny, dark vanilla seeds set in powdered sugar and potato starch called 'vaniljsocker' in Swedish, 'vaniljesukker' in Norwegian and 'vaniljasokeri' in Finnish. The product is packaged by DanSukker and sold internationally.

I get my supply locally at Nisswa's Nordic Living or in Minneapolis at IKEA. It costs $4-$6 for a 170 gram box which holds about 43 servings – one teaspoon each for most recipes.

Besides Nordic recipes, I use vanilla sugar when whipping up wild blueberry pancakes, muffins, waffles or in other treats that can use a boost of my favorite flavor – vanilje!

That version is Norwegian... the language rolled off my tongue tonight at supper as I demonstrated what is soon to come.

"Four more days," I said referring my Norwegian host parents visit which starts with their arrival late this coming Wednesday. Aaron said, "And then what – you'll be talking like that?"

"Yes! For four whole days," I replied. "I can't wait. Soon I'll be dreaming again in Norwegian."

We've done a ton of work and have a ton more to go.

So for now,

I bid you:

"Sweet dreams" –

as fragrant as

vanilje
sukker.

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