this weekend i took a little trip south to copenhagen, denmark to visit friends. rarely do i have time to be a tourist, but this trip was spent being just that: taking pictures, shopping, visiting the famous sights (note to anyone wanting to see den lille havfrue/the little mermaid: she is small, as in really small), drinking coffee, and catching up. it was the perfect weekend vacation. we also spent a rainy day in malmö, sweden, just a 30 minute train ride away.

so in homage to scandinavia, i present a taste of catchy swedish pop: jens lekman

if you look at my food posts, you’ll find mostly sweets and breakfast foods, but i promise that i have a well-rounded diet! perhaps one day i’ll share something outside of the carb box.

i recently discovered a love for brownies – not the boxed kind, but from scratch – so many possibilities! on valentine’s day, i made these particular brownies and believe they will have a permanent place in the brownie rotation.

Salted Fudge Brownies
(adapted from food & wine)

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
2 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
inside of a dried vanilla seed pod (or 1.5 t of real vanilla extract)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 t cinnamon
2 T cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon Maldon sea salt

(other additions could include: cardamom, orange rind, peppermint flakes or extract or pecans)

Melt the butter and chocolate in a large saucepan. When it is completely melted, turn off heat, add eggs and sugar. Sift in the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.

pour into a lined 9 inch baking sheet. crumble the cream cheese  (we just put the cream cheese in half of the batter) and stir into the batter. sprinkle the sea salt over the batter.

bake at 350F for approx. 30 minutes or until the edges are set (i like mine to be a little gooey, so i take them out a few minutes before).

these are perfect combined with strong coffee and a person with whom to share. enjoy!

my roommate (not really, but it’s still nice to say it) ragnhild and i baked some yummy salted fudge brownies (recipe to follow) and are getting ready to pour ourselves a good cup of coffee and watch a french film (Jeux d’enfants) – it doesn’t get more festive than that.

happy valentine’s day!

i’m soaking up my time in norway (which is flying by way too quickly, i might add). life these days is spent going from one cup of coffee to another, conversation to conversation, home to home – and i’m loving every moment. i’m acutely aware how wonderful my friends are and even now, i’m seeing and experiencing that in a different and larger perspective. i am crazy blessed.

several friends have opened their homes to me on this trip and this past week, as my friend janne and her family were away at work and preschool, i found myself alone in the house for a few hours. i realized this was one of the first times in months that i had been truly alone. and for an introvert like myself, i soaked it up. so i bought a sweet pastry, made a cup of coffee and read several chapters in a new book. after those few hours alone, i was ready for for the world again. here’s to the little things in life that bring heaps of joy.

sun, coffee and vanilla berlinerboller in greengate fashion

you know those places/times in life when you can just relax and be yourself? i often feel that i am in such a rush to get life “right:” be in the right place, have the right job, be in the right relationships. it can be tiring, but i am in such a place now that i can simply be myself. after 3 smooth flights and a day of traveling, i’m in norway. and i feel the most “me” that i’ve felt since i left 5 months ago. (what a nice feeling!) it feels so normal to be with friends, baking, drinking coffee, trudging through the snow to get anywhere and everywhere. the trip began on a somber note and once again i was reminded that life is fragile. so i am going to enjoy every minute and make the most of my days here.

so for this music monday, i give present to you one of my favorite norwegian artists: sondre lerche

Sondre Lerche- “If Only” Video from celia rowlson-hall on Vimeo.

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