In Fire and Ice: Classic Nordic Cooking, Darra Goldstein, founding editor of Gastronomica, explores the culinary traditions of Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden, traditions marked by "creativity fostered by austerity." She considers the shared tastes that define Nordic cuisine as a whole: cured and salted fish, pickled vegetables and the distinctive flavors of dill, juniper and cardamom.
Drawing on the techniques of memoir and travelogue, Goldstein goes beyond the recipes to discuss her personal relationship with Nordic cuisine, and the historical and geographical elements that shape each country's foods. Some of the most interesting essays deal with topics such as foraging, St. Lucia's Day and cod.
But Goldstein never loses track of the fact that Fire and Ice is primarily a cookbook. Her recipes are clearly written. Goldstein includes a list of online sources for ingredients and implements that are not readily available in the United States, and suggests substitutes for the few items that cannot be obtained at all. --Pamela Toler, blogging at History in the Margins