Kitchen of Light: The New Scandinavian Cooking

Friends of mine asked for this book, originally, and so I bought myself a copy out of curiosity, having also enjoyed the TV show the author hosted. I was definitely beyond pleasantly surprised, because he adds to his easygoing teaching style some history, personal memories and feelings, to really add flavor to the content. But you could get a lot from this book without reading a word, just from looking at the excellent presentation each dish is given, as well as glimpses of the environment that inspired them. There are cookbooks that are just books of instructions. They can be complicated, even fussy, but that's what they are. Then there are books about cuisine, that give you example recipes, and the hunger to try them and create your own with the new flavors you have learned. This definitely is of the latter type. I not only want to cook these dishes, I want to visit the lands where they originated. It's a shame that this book has fallen out of print, because I have other friends I want to share it with. If you find a copy, treasure it.

This is a wonderful book. The author has cooked up a book of food and recipes from Norway that is very personal and beautiful. The recipes are a superb selection that vary from traditional fish recipes that are as old as Odin and the Norwegian Sea to recent introductions of culinary delights and the twists that trade has conjured in modern Norwegian kitchens. The book is not just a list of recipes, and this is what sets this book apart. The author has given background information about the recipes and includes quite a bit of history and personal stories that bring the reader right into Andreas Viestad's kitchen. The photography by Mette Randem is amazingly beautiful, giving the book an added experience to the reader/cook. To be short, this is the book you are looking for if you are reading this sentence.

Temperatures may plummet but the cooking is hot and delicious in this intriguing cookbook, a companion to Viestad's upcoming PBS series. He's young, adventurous, and has an appealing approach to food. In his own words "Kitchen Of Light" "is a book that features food and recipes from Scandinavia, the northernmost part of Europe. Our culinary traditions are all about proximity to nature - an important part of our lives." Those words take luscious life as we find Viestad on a beach in a mobile kitchen presiding over cod carpaccio, baked halibut, and arctic cloudberry cream. Honey coated leg of lamb with winter vegetables is served in an ancient Viking city, and the dauntless young chef even takes to the water on a fisherman's boat to prepare cod roe and cod with truffles. Good food brings the holidays to mind and we find a fitting yuletide celebration with Christmas pork rib and rice pudding. There is more, much, more, and all of it mouth watering. Where else will you find the best cheeseburger in the world made of grouse, venison, pork and fois gras topped with Norwegian cheese? - Gail Cooke

Kitchen Of Light is the official companion book to the public television series "New Scandinavian Cooking with Andreas Viestad". Excellent color photographs, mouth-watering recipes, and vignettes of the lives and culture that embrace these taste-tested dishes abound. From Salt-Baked Salmon; to Mussels with Aquavit; Wild Blueberry Parfait; and Juniper-Spiced Venison, each individual, mouth-watering dish is wonderfully presented with painstaking attention to detail combined with easy-to-follow instructions. Especially commended and recommended for aspiring chefs and kitchen cooks interested in delving into Scandinavian cuisine (particularly the seafood dishes), Kitchen Of Light is an invaluable addition to any personal or professional cookbook collection!