Ballard is in the national spotlight this week: The Washington Post published an article today highlighting Ballard’s rich Scandinavian heritage.
From the article:
Within the few square miles that define Ballard, the historic epicenter of Seattle’s Scandinavian community, diners can feast on smorgasbords and smørrebrød (open-face sandwiches) and smorkage (glazed butter pastry rolls filled with almond paste and raisins). Shops offer house-pickled herring, house-cured fenalar (lamb leg) or homemade fish pudding, not to mention krukost, a sort of potted cheese made from leftover rinds. Wash down the pastries — including four types of pretzel-shaped Kringle pastries — with drinks from Seattle’s famous coffee culture or opt for your choice of aquavit.
The author, Seattle-based describes some of Ballard’s Scandinavian restaurants, such as the Old Ballard Liquor Co., where people can get lutefisk year-round. Owner Lexi told the Post she aims “to take out the ‘fear factor’ by preparing a lutefisk brandade hand pie, cutting the fish with potatoes and cloaking it in a rye pastry crust.”
Also mentioned in the article is Larsen’s Bakery, Freya Cafe in the Nordic Museum, and the soon-to-open Skal Beer Hall. Freya chef Bob Pennington told the Post that he sees Seattle as the “perfect match for Nordic foods”, and said the farm-to-table, seafood-heavy culture of Seattle food complements Nordic cooking.
To read Dunn’s article in full, click here.
Photo from Freya Cafe