A good homemaker, says an old Norwegian proverb, must put a little love into food to make it truly good.
For 20 years, Asbjorn and Erna Neergaard, owners of Scandia Kaffe House, have lived by that saying. No wonder their shop on 1700 South became a mecca for Salt Lakers in search of sweets, and of sweet graciousness.That old-country tradition is found still upon entering their establishment, recently relocated nearby at 1693 S. 900 East - and never more so than at jul, the Scandinavian celebration of the yuletide.
At Christmastime, the colorful, tidy Scandia is even more a haven of all treats Scandinavian. Candles and tiny sparkling lights add a festive touch to the windows. The shelves brim with marzipan snow-men (a specialty of the shop), Norwegian Santas, ris krem (rice cream), julekake (holiday bread) and imported Christmas candies.
"Naa blir det jul igjen i aar ogsaa," is another saying often heard in Norway as preparations for Christmas accelerate: "So Christmas comes again this year also."
Astrid Karlsen Scott, author of the cookbook "Ekte Norsk Mat," recalls, "Among my fondest memories of childhood in Norway is the celebration of Christmas. The first requisite was a clean house. It must sparkle with cleanliness from ceiling to floor. . . . Walls were washed, curtains washed and starched, and windows, cupboards, drawers and closets cleaned and organized.
"The final touch was applied to the floor on lille julaften (little Christmas Eve), when Mama would get a bucket of water and ammonia, and armed with a heavy scrub brush, would get down on her knees and scrub until the wooden floors were white.
"The end result was a beautiful house with clean, fresh fragrance."
In the Salt Lake Valley, the Scandia Kaffe House is just one example of a thriving Scandinavian culture. These days, more Danish people come in than Norwegians . . . but Scandinavians tend to stick together, says Erna Neer-gaard.
Such enterprises, and organizations such as the Sons of Norway, keep traditions alive and allow Scandinavians - Norwegians, Danes and Swedes - to meet and mingle, says Jaynee Moody, Sons of Norway publicity director.
Asbjorn Neergard (known as "Ozzie"), whose pastry-chef talents have made his marzipan cake famous throughout Utah, spent eight years in his native Norway, in Denmark and on Scandinavian cruise lines studying to become a master baker. Two additional years of study earned him certification as a pastry chef - an honor in Scandinavia.
One day, Erna, then 16 years old, visited his bakery shop in Norway to buy bread. Two years later, the two married and eventually emigrated to Utah to be close to the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
At first Neergaard managed a bakery for a local grocery chain, but became disillusioned about the quality of baked goods produced in-store. Wife Erna's enthusiasm and entrepreneurial spirit led to the 1973 opening of Scandia Kaffe House.
The Neergaards' care for detail and their use of top-quality ingredients made the combination bakery/cafe/store a gathering place for lovers of delicious baked goods and fine sandwiches.
Neergaard emphatically insists that he would "never allow anything but butter" and the finest ingredients in his baked goods. His vow necessitates a 40-mile trip several times each week to the only dairy in the area that produces cream good enough to meet Scandia standards for its famous marzipan cake.
And those cakes! Erna Neergaard figures between 120 and 200 marzipan cakes are sold each day at Scandia - six days a week. At certain times of the year, as in July, with all of the weddings, and of course at Christmas, demand is even higher.
Neergaard's job now is to teach his son the pastry chef's tricks of the trade. Two daughters help with the business, and Erna Neergaard continues to greet and meet all her "good friends."
Stop by to talk and take pictures for the newspaper and it becomes clear that everyone who comes through the door is greeted like an old friend. . . .
Neergaard sits back and smiles, watching all the fuss over the food and photographers. His 3-year-old granddaughter holds one of his delicious cookies.
The feeling of a continuous Christmas permeates the Scandia Kaffe House.
The Neergaards are icing on the cake.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
In years past, superstition and fears caused Norwegians to make frantic preparations in order to greet Christmas.
Fresh hay (julehalm) was brought into the living room on Christmas Eve, and all members of a given household - servants included - gathered together.
The prevailing belief was that at Christmastime, all household members must sleep under one roof. In fact, this togetherness continued as they all ate breakfast Christmas morning while sitting on top of the hay. After three nights the "hayday" ended and all returned to their own beds.
In the Middle Ages, Scandinavians believed that ancestors returned to their homes during the Christmas season, therefore the house had to be thoroughly cleaned and in tiptop shape. Food and candles were set out on the tables and the doors were left open for the invisible guest.
Other Christmas traditions among the Danes, Swedes and Norwegians include the use of straw decorations, a sheaf of oats set out for the birds, and the baking of Scandinavian Christmas bread, julekake.
Now, as then, there is a traditional trip to the barn with a bowl of porridge for the nissefar - the protector of the farm. Nowadays this ceremony is actually performed for the children's benefit. However, a Norwegian grandmother might honestly have an uneasy feeling that the little fellow, nissefar, really does exist.
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RECIPES
BERLINERKRANSER
2 1/2 ounces sugar (1/4 cup)
1 hard boiled egg yolk
1 raw egg yolk (save egg white)
7 1/2 ounces flour (1 cup)
5 ounces butter (5/8 cup)
Whip sugar and egg yolks. Blend in flour and butter. Half whip egg whites and set aside.
Roll dough to 4 inches long and 1/4 inches thick. Form into ring with ends on top of each other (similar to a pretzel shape.)
Dough must be refrigerated for hours.
Dip into egg whites, then into Pearl sugar. Bake in 375-degree oven for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown.
Makes 2 dozen.
- Each serving contains 90 calories, 5 g fat, 10 g carb, 50 mg sodium, 31 mg cholesterol.
- From Erna & Asbjorn Neergaard, Scandia Kaffe House
RICE CREAM (RIS KREM)
4 cups converted Minute Rice
1/2 gallon milk
pinch of salt
1 quart heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons sugar
SAUCE:
1 43/4-ounce package of Danish Dessert.
3 cups cold water
Simmer milk, rice and salt for 3 hours, stirring occasionally.
Add 2 tablespoons sugar, set aside to cool.
Whip 1 quart heavy whipping cream with 3 tablespoons sugar (or powdered sugar).
Blend with rice mixture carefully.
For sauce: Mix dessert and water. Bring to full boil and boil 1 minute; cool. Spoon over rice and serve.
Serves 16.
- Each serving contains 480 calories, 25 g fat, 56 g carb, 217 mg sodium, 91 mg cholesterol.
- From Erna and Asbjorn Neergaard, Scandia Kaffe House
SWEDISH LIMPA BREAD
1 quart water
1 ounce dry yeast
3 1/2 ounce brown sugar (1/2 cup)
3 1/2 ounce molasses (1/2 cup)
1 ounce anise or orange peel (2 tablespoons)
1 ounce salt (2 tablespoons)
1 ounce shortening (2 tablespoons)
1 1/2 pound rye flour (3 cups)
2 1/2 pounds white flour (5 cups)
Mix together all ingredients and let rest for 2 hours.
Make into 4 round loaves and bake 20-25 minutes in 350-degree oven. Serves 32.
- Each serving contains 237 calories, 2 g fat, 50 g carb, 347 mg sodium, 0 cholesterol.
- From Erna and Asbjorn Neergaard, Scandia Kaffe House
DANISH KLEJNER
5 1/2 ounces butter (2/3 cup)
7 ounces sugar (1 scant cup)
2 eggs
4 ounces cream (1/2 cup)
2 teaspoons baking powder
17 ounces flour (2 cups and 1 tablespoon)
1 teaspoon vanilla or cardamom
Crisco oil for deep frying
Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs and cream. Add dry ingredients. Roll out to 1/4-inch thick.
Trim to diamond shape, then make hole in center. Take lower point and put in hole; pull through like a knot.
Deep fry to light golden brown, turning once during frying. Serves 3 dozen.
- Each serving contains 115 calories, 5 g fat, 16 g carb, 59 mg sodium, 25 mg cholesterol.
- From Erna and Asbjorn Neergaard, Scandia Kaffe House
SCANDINAVIAN HOLIDAY BREAD (JULEKAKE)
1 package active dry or cake yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup milk, lukewarm
3 1/2 to 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon powdered cardamom
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup light or dark raisins
1/4 cup diced preserved orange peel
1/4 cup diced preserved pineapple
1/4 cup snipped candied cherries
Egg white, beaten
Powdered sugar
Candied cherries
Mix yeast with warm water (to which 1 tablespoon sugar has been added). Stir yeast mixture into 3 tablespoons of lukewarm milk. Stir in 1 or 2 tablespoons of flour; mix and let stand 10 minutes in a warm, but not hot, place.
Mix the remainder of the flour with the cardamom, sugar and salt. Melt half of the butter in the milk. To this add the slightly beaten egg and combine with flour and sugar.
Stir until well mixed.
Add the yeast mix and let stand for 20 minutes.
Mix or knead in the rest of the butter and let stand another 20 minutes.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured board and knead a few minutes.
Cut into 2 equal parts. Work some of the candied fruits and raisins into each part.
Form into oblong loaves, place on greased and lightly floured baking sheet and let rise to double, lightly covered with a cloth.
Brush the loaves with beaten egg white.
Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.
Garnish with powdered sugar and candied cherries. Serves 12.
- Each serving contains 291 calories, 9 g fat, 49 g carb, 268 mg sodium, 39 mg cholesterol.
- From Erna and Asbjorn Neergaard, Scandia Kaffe House
MAZARINER
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, plus 1/3 cup
1 tablespoon ice water
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 eggs
Confectioner's sugar
water
Mix flour, baking powder and 1/4 cup of the sugar. Cut in 1/2 cup butter and add 1 tablespoon ice water. Shape into a ball and chill thoroughly. Cream the remaining 1/3 cup of butter and 1/2 cup sugar until light.
Add ground almonds and extract. Add eggs, one at a time and beat well.
With thumb, press first mixture into buttered muffin tins or sandkake tins.
Put 2 teaspoons almond mixture in each. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
When cool ice with mixture of confectioner's sugar and water. Makes 2 dozen.
- Each serving contains 133 calories, 9 g fat, 12 g carb, 78 mg sodium, 35 mg cholesterol.
- From "Ekte Norsk Mat" by Astrid Karlsen Scott
BLOTEKAKE (cream cake)
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon water
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon potato flour or cornstarch
Fresh orange juice
Filling:
1 cup whipping cream
6 ounce raspberry jam
2 large bananas
1 orange
Frosting:
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Beat eggs and sugar until light and fluffy. Add 1 tablespoon water. Sift dry ingredients together and stir into egg mixture. Mix well.
Put into a 101/2-inch greased pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 40 minutes. Cool on cake rack.
When cool, divide into 3 or 4 layers. Drizzle well with fresh orange juice.
Whip 1 cup cream and fold in the raspberry jam and chopped bananas. Spread evenly between the layers. Whip 11/2 cups cream and sweeten to taste. Spread this over the cake and decorate as desired. Serves 12.
- Each serving contains 346 calories, 18 g fat, 42 g carb, 92 mg sodium, 162 mg cholesterol.
- From "Ekte Norsk Mat" by Astrid Karlsen Scott