The Light Kitchen: Summer Recipes for Children
Updated: Jun 21
Nordic summer food is about the shortest distance between the earth and the mouth. Norwegians call this matglede (joy in food, and in eating it together). We move the kitchen outdoors and let small hands do the work, since nothing here needs an oven or a plan.
Wild Berry Yogurt Pops
Mix thick Greek yogurt with a spoonful of honey and handfuls of smashed forest berries. Blueberries, wild strawberries, whatever was gathered that morning. Pour into simple moulds and freeze for four hours. It tastes like July on a stick.
Makes 6. 400g yogurt · 2 tbsp honey · 200g berries.
The No-Bake Forest Tart
Crush rye crackers into crumbs and press them with softened butter into the base of a dish. Spoon whipped cream on top. Scatter whatever berries the children brought back. No oven required. Eat it the same afternoon.
Makes one small tart: 200g crushed rye crackers, 80g softened butter, 250ml whipped cream, two handfuls of berries.
Garden Mint Lemonade
Let small hands tear mint leaves from the garden and drop them into a pitcher of cold water. Add the juice of two lemons and a little honey. Stir, and leave it for twenty minutes before drinking.
Makes one pitcher. Small handful of mint · 2 lemons · 1 tbsp honey · 1 litre cold water.
Mustikkakeitto, Cold Blueberry Soup
Bring 500ml of water to a gentle simmer, then add 250g of fresh or frozen blueberries and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Stir until the berries soften and release their colour, about five minutes. Mix one tablespoon of potato starch with a little cold water until smooth, then pour it slowly into the warm soup while stirring. Let it thicken for two minutes, then remove from the heat. Cool completely and refrigerate. Serve cold, from a mug or a bowl. It will stain lips purple. Part of our guide to a Nordic summer.
The current Seasonal PlayBook is a companion for exactly this point in the year. View →
