I’ve had two people gift me recipes which, interestingly, included ingredients I’ve either never heard of (Lyle’s Golden Syrup) or used in a similar type of application (eggs in brewed coffee).  Obviously, I made them; and now I’m going to tell you about it.

Back in May, Kyle and I attended the Sons of Norway celebration of Syttende Mai.  “Didn’t you write a story about this already?”  You are probably thinking.  Yes, I did.  In that story, I told you how one of the volunteers just handed over a secret – I mean, I assume it was a secret, because everyone knows that beloved recipes are meant to be guarded like the precious children that they are – recipe for a Norwegian cookie called Brunkake.  I’m going to share the recipe here, even though my gut tells me that the Norwegian Grandma Army is going to come knocking on my door any second and make me paint plates as a penance for giving away the goods:

BRUNKAKE

Combine 1C butter, 1C sugar, 2T Lyle’s Golden Syrup, 2t vanilla, 2C flour, and 1t baking soda.  Divide the dough into four parts, and roll those parts into logs.  Put two logs onto a baking sheet and pat them down to about ¼” thick.  (A note from me: err on the side of too tall rather than too flat.)  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Cool one minute, and slice while warm.  (Another note: stagger your baking times so you can pull out one sheet, cut it warm, and then pull out the other sheet and cut it warm.)

My beloved recipe-giver warned me that Lyle’s Golden Syrup was a hard find in Grand Forks and she wasn’t kidding.  I tried every store in town before giving up and ordering it from Amazon.  Apparently, part of enjoying Lyle’s Golden Syrup is in its inaccessibility because my Lyle’s Golden Syrup was shipped from Wisconsin to Minnesota to North Dakota to Alabama to Tennessee to Missouri to Kansas to South Dakota and then back to North Dakota over about a two-week period.  Lyle’s Golden Syrup tastes like honey mixed with maple syrup (but without the maple flavor, which I know makes zero sense) and is delicious.

Speaking of delicious, the final result of the Brunkake was a crisp and crumbly sugar cookie that tastes DEEE-YO-LICIOUS.  My oldest son dipped his in milk and my husband dipped his in coffee.  Nine and I (and my parents and sister and nephews and brother-in-law) ate ours straight up.  I put the rest in a metal tin because that felt right.  I am definitely going to make these again, and I may try and be a little fancy and use a cookie cutter after I take them out and see what happens.

TRADITIONAL SWEDISH EGG COFFEE

Speaking of coffee, my friend Mike sent me this recipe for Egg Coffee (everything in italics is written by him):

My wife likes coffee. Like, she REALLY likes coffee. I stumbled upon a recipe for Traditional Swedish Egg Coffee and decided to be adventurous and give it a try. The original is at https://www.thespruceeats.com/egg-coffee-2952648. This is a recipe for a smooth cup of coffee. If you like bitter coffee, this isn’t for you. My wife combines this delicious beverage with ice, some syrup (usually Hershey’s), and I don’t know what else, but she likes it.

I do a double batch generally every week and that makes a gallon. She prefers iced coffee so the gallon pitcher stays in the fridge. I’ll occasionally put a cup in the microwave for 2 minutes as I prefer mine hot, though I usually add a scoop of vanilla collagen peptides.

Here’s my version of the recipe:

Items needed: a large stock pot that will hold 1.5-2 gallons, a small mixing bowl, a 2-cup measuring cup, a 1/3 cup liquid measuring cup, a cheesecloth bag, 2 large eggs, 1.5 cups of whole bean coffee, a coffee grinder

Put 18 cups of water into the stock pot and start the heat. Place 2 cups of water in the fridge.

Grind the 1.5 cups of whole bean coffee (more coarse than fine), then combine it in the small mixing bowl with the 2 eggs (shells included) and 2/3 cup of water. Mix with a fork until it becomes a slurry. (I generally use two varieties of coffee here. Usually something bold and something unique. Last batch was half Espresso, half Crème Brule from Bully Brew.)

By this point, the water should be boiling and the coffee/egg slurry can be dumped in.

Simmer for 7 minutes. (This ensures the egg is most certainly cooked for those concerned. I’ve tried a variety of times and settled on 7 minutes.)

Remove from heat and gently pour in the cold 2-cups of water from the fridge. This will cause the coffee to drop to the bottom of the pot meaning hot coffee could be scooped out and enjoyed right then. (I let the coffee sit in the pot for 8+ hours before I pour it through the cheesecloth to filter out the grounds, then put the coffee in the fridge. This allowed the aroma of coffee to permeate the house thus improving the mood of the occupants and it also ensure I don’t burn myself handling a stock pot that immediately prior had boiling coffee in it.)

When I described this recipe with my parents, my Dad said he wouldn’t drink coffee that had egg in it. My Mom told him that if he’s ever been to a funeral in North Dakota, he probably drank egg coffee.

Now, this isn’t to make budget coffee taste like French press fancy pants coffee, but I think it makes a fine cup of smooth coffee and my wife agrees. Happy wife, happy life.

The hardest part of making Egg Coffee is none of it because it goes very quickly.  The most satisfying part was crunching up a bunch of egg shells with a fork and then making a coffee goo.  The “I should have waited for Kyle because I’m too short to do this alone” part was trying to pour the coffee into the cheesecloth.

Maybe it won’t surprise you but it surprised me that Egg Coffee is not black.  It’s brown. Well, browny-black.  Also, it is smooooooooooooooooooooth.  It is the satin pillow of cups of coffee.  It is the Marvin Gaye of coffee.  It is the smooth coffee of smooth coffee.  The texture and the flavor is mild and pillowy.  I drank mine with a dash of half and half and I’d call it *chef’s kiss.*

I’d highly recommend enjoying an afternoon with batch of Brunkake and Egg Coffee (I Googling “Do Norwegians and Swedes get along” in case this insulted one or more of their nationalities, which it didn’t).  The whole thing will take you less than an hour, not including the long journey necessary(?) for the Lyle’s.  Thank you to my recipe pals for these trips through international delight.  Keep them coming, please.

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We are at the lake! The photo above is of my little sister and me. We are having a wonderful time.

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I’m on vacation this week and so I’m not on TV.  Last week on North Dakota Today we talked about the “Holme Field,” my Nice “Person” of the Week, as well as a free farmstead barbecue picnic for all. Enjoy! (Valley News Live)

Munich’s David Hooge saved a woman’s life, no big deal. (Grand Forks Herald)

Grand Forks’ Jonathan Haug saved a man’s life, no big deal. (Fargo Forum)

Williston’s Donna Sandry is keeping North Dakota in nurses. (Grand Forks Herald)

North Dakota’s favorite son likes him a Big Mac. (Valley News Live)

This has nothing to do with North Dakota or news or anything, but tell me this isn’t a great idea. (Facebook)

Kyle and his friends, Corey and Kelly, have a podcast called North Dakota After Dark where they talk about youth hockey in North Dakota.  The latest episode is up and is an interview with Annie Spicer.  Check it out. Bonus: you can watch it on YouTube. (North Dakota After Dark)

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