Jul - by Patrice Johnson (Paperback)

About the Book

In exploring these holiday customs, Patrice Johnson begins with her own family's Christmas Eve gathering, which involves a combination of culinary traditions: allspice-scented meatballs, Norwegian lefse served Swedish style (warm with butter), and the American interloper, macaroni and cheese. Just as she tracks down the meanings behind why her family celebrates as it does, she reaches into the lives and histories of other Swedish Americans with their own stories, their own versions of traditional recipes, their own joys of the season. The result is a fascinating exploration of the Swedish holiday calendar and its American translation.

Book Synopsis

From smörgåsbord and St. Lucia processions to Christmas Eve gatherings with dear family and friends, Swedish American holiday traditions are linked through the generations by a legacy of meatballs and lutfisk.

Christmas traditions, particularly those involving food, often honor those who came before us. Throughout the Midwest where Swedish immigrants settled, the dishes placed on the julbord (Christmas table) tell stories about who we are, where we come from, and where we are heading.

In exploring these holiday customs in Jul: Swedish American Holiday Traditions, Patrice Johnson begins with her own family's Christmas Eve gathering and the combination of culinary traditions celebrated there: allspice-scented meatballs, Norwegian lefse served Swedish style (warm with butter), and the American interloper, macaroni and cheese. Just as she tracks down the meanings behind why her family celebrates as it does, she reaches into the lives and histories of other Swedish Americans with their own stories, their own versions of traditional recipes, their own joys of the season. The result is a fascinating exploration of the Swedish holiday calendar and its American translation.

Featuring more than 100 recipes, dishes include yellow pea soup (ärtsoppa) and Swedish pancakes (Svenska plättar); assorted Swedish cookies like pepparkakor, rosettes, and meringues; meatballs with pickled cucumber; the julhög, a breakfast pyramid of bread, cheese, fruit, and cookies; and so much more. Come, raise a glass of punsch, hear tell of holidays past, snack on cardamom bread, and celebrate jul the midwestern way.

Review Quotes

"This book makes me want to go into the kitchen and plan a holiday party! Patrice updates the flavors and shapes of traditional Christmas classics like Swedish meatballs and Lucia buns, creating a fresh new approach to these old-world treats."

Beatrice Ojakangas, author of The Great Scandinavian Baking Book

"Jul evokes a time when trolls were jolly and glögg brought festive souls in from the cold. It's just the book I need to remind me that culture grows strongest when we break bread--or pepparkakor--together and share the universal humor of the kitchen. Jul is a smörgåsbord of bright, funny, and spicy food culture, and Patrice Johnson is the only person who could have written it."
Catherine Dehdashti, author of Roseheart

"If you've longed to put together a holiday julbord but lacked any clue on exactly how that might happen, Jul solves that problem for you. The Christmas cookie section is pure Scandinavian gold."
MplsStPaul Magazine

"The cookbook occasionally offers several recipes from different contributors for one dish, which almost makes it like reading a church cookbook at times. How cute is that!"
Pioneer Press