When I think of cozy places on this earth, I think of Scandinavia. It has to be the coziest of cozy places. A recent trip to Copenhagen reinforced this opinion. It was the summer, but still, the light was diffused and soft; the textures were fluffy with lots of white. The food was savory and delicious and the ebelskivers?! They were my favorite.
I teamed up with Anthropologie to bring you this Scandinavian-inspired brunch. This was SO much fun to put together. The menu was super simple and easy to make.
What I love the most about a lot of these piece from Anthro is that all of them can move from season to season. It wouldn’t be strange to use these linens or plates in the summer or candlesticks in the spring.
Each plate had a linen and a piece of baby’s breath. This could even be done for Thanksgiving, which is OMG next week.
The flowers on the table were really simple and inexpensive. I went around my neighborhood and clipped some eucalyptus and arranged it on the table with branches of cotton. I found the cotton at the Los Angeles flower market, which still makes me happy whenever I go.
I wanted there to be lots of white but since I can’t be trusted with ALL white, we added lots of gray and off white.
The Swedish meatballs were my absolute favorite, especially when dipped into the lingonberry jam and served with these very creamy mashed potatoes.
The ebelskivers were served with lingonberry butter which was basically just the jam mixed into the butter until smooth.
A big thank you to Monica Wang for taking all of the pretty photos and to Billy for being the best smiler! (Seriously look at this smile!) Him and Josh are my favorite people to eat carbs with.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup panko bread crumbsÂ
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 pounds ground beef
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- Pinch of allspiceÂ
- 2 tablespoons canola oilÂ
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/3 cup sour cream
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the panko bread crumbs and milk; stir them together and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Next, crack in the eggs and whisk until combined. Then add the pork, beef, salt, black pepper, nutmeg, cardamom and allspice. Mix the meatballs until just combined, being sure not to over-mix. Using a tablespoon or a small ice cream scoop, form the meatballs and set aside, you should end up with about 30 meatballs.Â
- To a medium skillet, set over medium heat, add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs, searing them on both sides, for about 2 to 2 minutes. You’ll definitely need to do this in batches. Remove the meatballs and set aside.Â
- Add the butter and when melted add the flour. Stir the two together, cooking the roux until the  flour mixture is smooth. Pour in the beef stock and bring to a simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Mix in the sour cream until smooth. Add the meatballs to the pan and cook for about 10 minutes. Serve alongside creamy mashed potatoes. These can be made the day before, kept in a fridge-safe container and then reheated (you may need to add a splash of water to get the gravy to the right consistency!).Â
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 large russett potatoes peeled and diced
1/2 cup creme fraiche
A bunch of black pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 cup unsalted melted butter
1 small bunch of dill, leaves cut into small pieces
Instructions
- Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the cubed potatoes into the water and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are very tender. Drain in a colander and set aside. Add the potatoes to a ricer and push through, into a a pot (you can use the same one you boiled the potatoes in).
If you don’t have a ricer, you can use a potato smasher. Repeat with the remaining cubes of potato. Mix in the creme fraiche, black pepper and salt. This can be made the day ahead and reheated by adding a splash or two of milk. Transfer to a serving dish, make pretty swoops in the top and then pour melted butter atop the potatoes and garnish with dill.Â
Nutrition
All photos by Monica Wang
Products used:
Atelier Flatware (I’ve had my eye on these for SO long and they did not disappoint in real life.)
Glenna Dinnerware
Star Cluster Glassware
Fringed Cotton Napkin Set
Candleholders
Metallic Edge Tablecloth
Fringed Cozy Scarf
(This post is sponsored by Anthropologie. Thanks for supporting the sponsors that keep A Cozy Kitchen cozy.)Â
I want to re-create this to a T!!! It’s perfection–heart eyes forever!
The table is so gorgeous. And, the potatoes sound amazing!
Sweden approves! Although, we would never put dill on the mash – and pickled cucumber is a must 😉 I’m so happy others start to interest in our food culture. Hope you come back here!
all you pretty people eating pretty foods and all the hygge!! love love love this post, lady!!
What an amazing idea! Those swedish meatballs literally look insane – in the best way!
xoxo Mollie
http://www.molliebellezza.com
they were my favorite thing on the table FO SHO!
this is GORGEOUS, girl!
tanks girlfriend! xo
You are killing me with this post!!! I lived in Sweden for a little when I was younger, and would happily move back if I could.. There is nowhere cozier on earth than Scandinavia! You’re giving me major wanderlust and hunger and cozy-withdrawal. Stupid LA 😉 I’m so in love with it. This might be, for real, what my heaven looks like.
Awww yay that’s awesome. Luckily LA has chilled out with the weather this week bc last week it made me so angry! xo
That picture of you with the mashed potatoes! Aaaaaand Billy! *DREAM BRUNCH*
Thanks girlfriend! xoxo
I want ALL the white things and those mashed potatoes in my face..now. Also, heyyyy Billy! xo
HE SAYS HIIII
Waoo. What a beautiful post with stunning photos. Also, very elegant and high-end looking table. Thank you for the inspiration!
Thanks, Carlos! 🙂
This brunch looks like it was a wonderful time! I love the inspiration behind it and I think this post is a perfect way to get into the mood for the holidays!
Thanks, Tori! xo