The Scandinavian Cookbook is a visually and gastronomically beautiful and enticing book. It reaffirms my desire to visit the region! I will treasure the book for years to come. ( )

This is one of the better looking cookbooks in my collection. The photography is elegant and gorgeous, evoking a rich sense of place and tempting one to make it a personal destination someday. The seasonal approach to organization is interesting, particularly in light of recent movements among cooks to source more local ingredients, while little anecdotes with the recipes give this some extra color and personality. Many of the recipes seem straightforward enough though there are a few with ingredients not common in my local grocery store. I do wish after reading this I knew of a local source of reasonably-priced game as the pheasant and moose recipes sound delicious. Now that we're coming into baking season, particularly looking forward to trying the cardamom buns recipe, and as the weather continues to cool, I have my eye on the potato soup with bacon and chives.

This beautifully photographed book is much more than a set of recipes. It is a expression of the Scandinavian soul--of a how a people so often plunged in darkness celebrate life. The book is divided into months and highlights the truly seasonal way Scandinavians eat (something we Americans are just beginning to appreciate). The recipes themselves tend to be short and, for the most part, simple. A reliance on seafood is evident, as is a love baking and celebrating.

This cookbook isn't just a collection of recipes, but is also a beautiful photo essay of life in Scandinavia. Most of the recipes have a straightforward and simple list of ingredients with clear instructions. However, this being a regional cookbook, there are a handful of items that cooks in America will have some difficulty finding. I especially look forward to trying the meatballs in curry sauce, and the classic Danish butter cookies look amazing. And unlike so many cookbooks today, this one shows pictures for all of the recipes. These food images are interspersed with photos of Scandinavia, and this gives the book the feel of a travelogue. ( )

Full color photographs and seasonal arrangement makes this an attractive, but at first glance, alternate purchase. The recipes look so simple and use mostly common ingredients that my first thought was "ho-hum." However, after cooking a couple of recipes, most notably Lightly Brined Chicken, and Barley Salad, the true value of this lesser known cuisine becomes apparent. The ingredients are common and not exotic, yet the amalgam of the parts compose themselves into different spins on old themes. Delightfully simple and refreshing. Nicely photographed. Thank you Library Thing for adding this to my already overflowing cookbook shelf! ( )