Black Bean Tacos for the win
plus my little foodie guide to Norway
What you’ll find in this issue:
A little catch up
Recipes I’ve made this week (that I think you’ll love)
My foodie guide to Norway (mainly Oslo)
A Little Catch Up
Hello hello, I hope you’re really well! I feel like a lot of people have been getting colds, coughs, and the flu recently, so if you’re feeling a bit under the weather, make sure to take a break, rest, and I hope you feel better soon!!
It’s been a busy couple of weeks around here. I’ve had family weddings, travelled to Norway, and was on my first ever podcast!
I adore listening to podcasts. Especially when they revolve around food. Some of my favourite ones to listen to at the moment are DISH by Waitrose with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Hartnett, Desert Island Dishes with Margie Nomura, and Cooking The Books with Gilly Smith.
So, when Gilly asked if I wanted to be on the podcast, I was SO excited (and nervous)! I’d been listening to her show for years, loving episodes with incredibly talented people like Melissa Hemsley, Anna Jones, Rick Stein, Bee Wilson, and dozens of other inspiring guests.
We discussed everything from traveling to dumplings to building a career in this wild food space! If you’d like to listen, check out the link below or search "Cooking The Books” wherever you listen to your podcasts!
In book news, The World Is Your Dumpling has been out in the US for nearly 2 weeks now!! You guys are loving it and I adore it when you tag me on your socials or send me an email! If you’ve bought the book, thank you so so much! If you haven’t, then check out the link below to buy a copy!
Recipes I’ve Made This Week (that I think you’ll love)
BEEF STEW & DUMPLINGS - I feel like everyone deserves to know how to make a really good Beef Stew and Dumplings so here’s the recipe I grew up eating, and I’m obviously biased but I do think it’s the best! It's a really simple recipe and only takes 20 minutes to prep. You just have to be patient while the beef tenderises in the oven and the flavours develop.
STEAMED CHICKEN & SHIITAKE BOWL - This Steamed Chicken and Shiitake Bowl with a spicy coriander sauce is perfect for when you’ve had a long day and need something easy and comforting to make. Seasoned with lemongrass, garlic, and ginger, it's all made in one bowl that takes less than 5 minutes to prepare and results in the most delicious dish.
MINCE PIES - For those of you who were brought up in the UK or have British family, you’ll know exactly what a mince pie is. For those of you who don’t know what this gloriously festive bake is, a mince pie is a small, sweet pastry traditionally enjoyed in the UK during the Christmas season.
Despite the name, modern mince pies don’t contain meat. Instead, they’re filled with "mincemeat," a mixture of dried fruits (like raisins, currants, and sultanas), spices (such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves), and sometimes a splash of brandy or rum.
The filling is enclosed in a shortcrust pastry, often dusted with powdered sugar on top. I don’t particularly enjoy brandy or rum in my mince pies, but I provide the option to add it in!
BLACK BEAN TACOS - I've used black beans and kidney beans for the filling, along with a handful of delicious spices. Simply top the tacos with cheese, jalapeños, homemade guacamole, tomato salsa, cilantro, and lime, and you've got yourself a super easy and tasty dinner.
My Little Foodie Guide To Norway (mainly Oslo)
Henry and I went to Norway for 4 days to visit some friends of ours. We were blessed with the bluest of skies and the crispiest of temperatures. GLORIOUS.
Before I jump into food, I highly recommend going to the Oslo Fjord Saunas. We went for sunrise at 7am and it was the best way to start the day. You bake in the floating saunas, and then dip yourself into the freezing fjord. It’s a unique experience with fabulous views of the Oslo Opera House.
Bakeries in Oslo:
Bakery Babbo - Øvrefoss 4, 0555 Oslo, Norway. Great cardamom buns, cinnamon buns, and coffee.
Skjennungstua - Ullevålseterveien 60, 0890 Oslo, Norway. This bakery is just outside of Oslo and you can get to it by walking (around 45mins) from a nearby car park. They do the BEST cinnamon buns and the BEST Skolebrød, a Norwegian sweet roll with custard in the centre, topped with icing sugar and desiccated coconut.
Fåbro gård - Mustads vei 10, 0283 Oslo, Norway. Once again, a little outside Oslo but super fun if you’re nearby. It’s a super cute assortment of Norwegian houses with a cute little bakery. Lovely cardamom bun!!
Another classic food you should try when traveling to Oslo is pølse, a Norwegian hot dog. It’s traditionally served with a flatbread-type casing called “lumpe”. We discovered a place called Syverkiosken, a cute stand by the side of the road that sold some of Oslo’s best “hot dogs”.
If you can’t make it to that hot dog stand specifically, then I’d just recommend grabbing a “pølse med lumpe” from any road-side joint! We actually got a great one in a petrol station on the motorway!!
Have a truly wonderful weekend and I’ll see you next week!!
Em xx