Smörgåsbord - the Swedish way of eating

Many of us are experiencing the Swedish food as the tasty reward of long hours of IKEA shopping, but obviously it is much more than that. The beautifully illustrated Smörgåsbord offers an extraordinary lesson of food history, providing not only recipes and interesting directions about preparing a real Swedish meal, but also explains basic principles of life philosophy and style. 

Smörgåsbord means a buffet set up with many small dishes, including bread, butter and cheese, cured fish, meatballs. The dishes can be up to 100, but there is a specific order that shall be followed: first, the pickled herring, the hardboiled eggs, the potatoes and aged hard cheese; after, the fish and seafood dishes; the charcuterie, pickles and salads; the warmer dishes, meatballs or gratins; thereafter, the sweet table with fruits, whipped cream, cookies and cakes. 

Plentiness doesn't mean greediness. 'Overloading your plate just make you unhappy'. Instead, you should learn to enjoy life in small portions, one small dish at the time. 'Take small portions and eat slowly', and this direction helps to keep the balance not only in food, but in life in general. 

The book is also rich in recipes, from various types of Swedish breads to how to make sausages and pickles. 

A good read recommended to any food lover and an inspiration for the food writer and illustrator too.

Rating: 5 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher in exchange for an honest review  

Open the world to the children through recipes

Teaching children from an early age the love for food and for travel are some of the most important lessons for life. This book has the advantages of inspiring both, through carefully selected international recipes from all over the world.

The book is written in a very easy way, with clear directions and specific details that should be considered by the parent - the sous-chef. The dishes are authentic, the information is serious, and serious is also the way in which the little one are introduced into the world of differences: 'Some children may seat on the floor, others at table'. 

The recipes - selected from China, Thailand, Morocco, Mauritius, Italy, Spain, Finland, Canada, Mexico, Peru and Brazil - are created independently for children, and designed to serve two adults and two children. Each chapter opens with a nice map, explaining various historical or geographical specificities. The average preparation is around one hour. For safety reasons, the recipes are adapted for oven. Besides the interesting recipes, the result of careful selection - did you know that cardamom bread is a typical Finnish recipe? - it also has various advices about creating a pleasant ambiance while cooking, such as collaborating for the success of the recipe or the setting of a musical background during the preparation. 

I've found the book really charming and interesting, and can't wait to test some recipes with my son, in the next 3 plus years.

Disclaimer: Book offered by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange of an honest review