Skankynavia: Pumpkin Ravioli Party
I can't believe I just spent another weekend in a kolonihus (colony house). But that's how the Scandinavians roll and who can say no to a pumpkin ravioli punch?
My Icelandic friend's friend has a cute little cottage in Copenhagen which she visits regularly on weekends and slowly tries to repair and build into a fabulous little summer home with an attached vegetable garden. It's nice and quiet, and even though summer's definitely over and fall has arrived with its cold climate and evil winds, a little Sunday lunch inside is no problem when you have a heater and a little gas kitchen.
So, last night my friends made their own ravioli filled with pumpkin. The above photo was taken during the ravioli production. Inserted to the left are fabulously carved Halloween pumpkins for inspiration and to set the atmosphere. From top: Jack Nightingale (Nightmare before Christmas), the Death Star, and Sarah Palin.
I love the shape and colour of pumpkins and I always dreamed of experiencing a real Halloween in America, since there's no real Halloween here.
Well ok, in the past few years desperate stores and evil food chains have tried to import the holiday as an excuse to sell new and improved burgers and themed McNuggets. And some parents might buy their kids some stuff to wear and shove them around to beg for candy, but it's not Danish tradition, and to me it's fake if you're outside the USA.
It's a windy, cloudy day outside and it's going to rain soon.
Inside the little shed's kitchen, lunch is prepared.
Everything is found material and built into a small house. Love the little single-glass windows, the raw plank walls and the glass of flower water.
My friends brought the still uncooked ravioli along to the house and boiled them a few minutes before serving:
The plates are lined up, small pieces of spinach is laid on top of the ravioli along with freshly shredded parmesan.
Sage butter is heated and poured over the dish:
Bon appetit!
The yellow pumpkin meat almost looks like fried eggs:
The ravioli is great - together with the spinach, pumpkin, parmesan and sage butter it melts on the tongue into a savoury, juicy warm mouthful.
The clayware salad bowl looks like someone squeezed it too hard, poor thing. But the contents are great--avocado, Danish salad leaves and Greek feta cheese:
An expensive white wine from Portugal is sipped from big bowl glasses. As usual I don't know much about wine, but it tastes fresh and light and matches the dish perfectly.
On my way home from the colony I walked by a baker's window. It was official Breast Cancer Day in Denmark yesterday and to show their support, the baker made these adorable $13 titty cakes.
"Støt Brysterne Kage" (support the breasts cake)
And who'd say no to eating cake and nibbling on nipples for charity?
