Holiday Baking With Viking

Prince Cake

One of the most rewarding parts of being an editor is seeing an idea become a full-blown article. And perhaps no subject is more satisfying to work with than (you guessed it) food! When I first became aware of master pastry chef Sverre Sætre and his cookbook "Norwegian Cakes and Cookies," I imagined his recipes would make a great holiday feature for Viking.

After browsing Sætre's collection, I found three recipes that I thought readers would especially enjoy for the holidays: Thick Lefse with Blueberry Butter, Prince Cake, and Butter Cookies With Almonds. Each of these recipes had a familiar-but-fresh quality to them: something potentially new for our mostly North American readership, but not so unusual or complicated that readers would shy away from experimenting with them.

Another thing I love about being an editor is being able to work with some really talented people. I shared the recipes with Viking art director Jill Adler, who ran with them. She found the perfect props to create a homey, holiday atmosphere. She also brought in the skillful help of food stylist Rachel Sherwood and photographer John Mowers of Unleashed Productions. The results? Deilig!

Look for Sætre's recipes in the upcoming December issue of Viking!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.