Summery Quick Pickles

Join us for fun Nordic Table classes all summer!

Check out our schedule in the upcoming issue of Catalog and at ASImn.org.

While pickled cucumbers are a staple for many Swedes year-round, traditional quick cucumber pickles are best in the summer when you can find perfect local produce. Known as smörgåsgurka (sandwich pickles) or ättiksgurka (vinegar pickles), they are defined by their modern vinegar and sugar-based brine, as opposed to older fermented pickles that rely on salt for flavor and preservation. Swedish recipes use ättika, a clear vinegar which is typically sold at 12% or 24% acidity, as opposed to American vinegar’s 5%. Ättika is always diluted for Swedish pickling; in ASI’s Nordic Table classes we change up the ratios to use distilled white vinegar for the same effect. These pickles are obligatory alongside Swedish meatballs, but also go great with anything off the grill. They will be right at home on your Midsommar or a crayfish party table. Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Recipe from Nordic Table instructor Patrice Johnson. Look for thin skinned cucumbers and cut them as thinly as possible. Chilling the brine with ice preserves the beautiful green color of the cucumber skins and dill.

• 1 cup distilled white vinegar • 1 cup sugar • 1 ½ cups ice • 1 tsp caraway seeds • 1 tsp salt • 1 bay leaf • 2 English cucumbers, sliced thin • ½ cup red onion, sliced thin (optional) • 2 Tbsp fresh dill • 1 tsp dried dill Boil the vinegar, sugar, caraway, salt and bay leaf in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes. Add the ice and stir pickling liquid until ice is completely melted. Place cucumbers, onion and dill in clean canning jars or glass bowl. Pour brine over the solids and chill for 2 hours or up to a week before serving. Makes 3-4 cups.

ASI News

Annual Membership Meeting Wednesday, June 16, 2021, 6 - 7:15 p.m.

Open to all current members, the Annual Meeting is an opportunity to elect slates of trustee to the Board of Trustees, to review the past year, and to learn about future ASI plans. This year’s annual meeting will take place via Zoom video conference out of health considerations. The names of candidates, both those to be newly-elected and those to be elected to a second three-year term, will be posted on ASImn.org and shared through email and social media leading up to the meeting date. Information about how to register for the Annual Meeting will be publicized in the same manner. We gratefully acknowledge four trustees who will complete six years of service on our Board: Dr. Philip Anderson, Diane Hofstede, Laurie Holmquist and Ted Johnson. Thank you for your continued support to ensure that ASI continues to bring richness to your life and our community.

Nordic American Bulletin Board

Nisswastämman Scandinavian Folk Music Festival 2021 Friday–Saturday, June 11–12 This annual festival of concerts, dance, workshops and activities will be an online experience this year. For more info., visit nisswastamman.org, call (218) 764- 2994 or email nisswastamman@ gmail.com. Svenkarnas Dag’s Scandinavian Summer Fest Stay tuned for information about the status of this annual June celebration. Minnehaha Park, 4801 Minnehaha Ave, Minneapolis. Free. Gammelgården’s Spelmansstämma August 21, 2021 The 31st annual Spelmansstämma music event will held outdoors and follow up-to-date safety guidelines. 20880 Olinda Trail N, Scandia, MN, Visit gammelgardenmuseum.org or call (651) 433-5053.

FIKA Café is back!

Online Ordering Now Available

Order your to-go lunch or Marketplace menu items online and pick up at the counter! Pre-order through Tock at least 48 hours in advance, then pick up at your designated time.

Hours

Thursday – Sunday, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Full menu served — (11 a.m. – 3 p.m.)