My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Rachel Khoo is well known for her Little Paris Kitchen, and her Little French Kitchen, but now she takes her little kitchen far away to beautiful Sweden.

This is a lovely cookbook filled with gorgeous photos and delectable recipes. On my first flip through I saw the Hazelnut and Apple Cakes and knew we HAD to make them! I was not disappointed! We are somewhat split, though. I think they were absolutely amazing still warm from the oven, but my daughter swears that eating them cold from the refrigerator is the best way. Either way, they are a delicious morsel that leaves you wanting more.

I have been craving beef stew, but the weather was just too hot. Fall has decided to come (with winter hovering right on its heels) here in South Dakota and we finally got some chilly days–perfect weather for beef stew! I opted for Rachel’s Swedish Beef Stew, and I was not disappointed. There are ingredients you normally don’t think of as being typical for beef stew (my family still doesn’t know there were anchovies in it!), but they somehow come together for a delightful dish. I love the depth the fresh ground allspice gave it. They only way I deviated from the recipe is instead of cooking the potatoes and serving them separately, I put them in the stew the way my husband likes it, and we didn’t serve the pickled beets or pickled onions, either.

There are still dishes I want to make. I love Veal Saltimbocca, so I would love to try her Venison ‘Saltimbocca’, I just need to get my hands on some venison. I’m fresh out right now. The Toasted Pearl Barley Mushroom Risotto looks amazing, and I can’t wait to try the Apple and Cheese Spelt Buns.

There is plenty to delight in this book. The food is such as will warm you on those cold days, or celebrate the warm ones. Pull up a chair and take a quick trip to Sweden through the pages of this book. You’ll enjoy the ride!

I received a copy of this book from Trafalgar Square Publishing through IPG Books for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.