The American - Swedish Institute

Minneapolis, otherwise known as the Minni-Apple for its arts, cuisine, and culture, is often over-looked in modern food media.  However, it is and has been a secret sub-culture to some of the hottest food trends in the country, including a few James Beard awards!  We've wanted for some time to travel north and explore this unique area and discover what all the whispering is all about! 

The American-Swedish Institute was established in the early 20th century and is only known to locals.  The Turnblad Mansion, completed in 1908 after 4 years of construction, was the home of Swan and Christina Turnblad:  the local media magnet for the Swedish community, he owned the only Swedish language newspaper in the country.  The mansion is located directly across the lawn from the institute's Fika and hosts annually several weddings and charitable events.

A tour of the Turnblad Mansion is well worth the wait, as they only occur twice a week.  The tour begins in the main foyer, in front of the grand stairwell and fireplace.  At the turn of the 20th century, Swan Turnblad made roughly $400,000 a year.  This equates to over $4 million annually today but this is also misleading.  The cost of goods and services was much less then, so by today's standards, $4 million could purchase even more!  The family imported specific red oaks from Africa and had them hand crafted into the home.  They were able to acquire very unique chef d'oevres d'arts which adorn the walls throughout.  And traveled extensively.

It is unfortunate however, that they hosted very few guests - as prominent members of the temperance movement, Mrs. Turnblad simply stopped inviting ladies for tea when far too often no one would show up!  Diner invitations stopped due to similar occurrences. 

Such lack of social status also lead to the daughter never hosting a suitor, resulting in a lifetime spent in a convent.

With the home unused, Mr. Turnblad wanted to create a community gathering place for local Swedish events, clubs, etc.  Thus the American-Swedish Institute was founded where musicians, artists, chess enthusiasts, and Swedish book clubs gathered.

The salon where nonexistent guests were to have been received remains relatively empty to this day...

Sweden is internationally known for its Nobel prize ceremonies.  Here, the table is set as it has been since the Nobel ceremonies' 90th anniversary with modern stemware and proper placements.  The bone china plates come in four colors, each representing a season (the current setting is green, representing Spring).

Each room in the home is design in a different motif - the dining room is of French Baroque.

With ample opportunity, the Turnblads traveled extensively!  They prided themselves on their acquisitions and in this case, created an entire room dedicated to the Ottoman Empire.  The chandelier was acquired in the famed Grand Bazaar of Istanbul. The Ottoman room would have been used for after diner discussions of politics, consumption of brandy and cigars - had there been guests.

The Turnblads were avant-gardist thinkers and fancied the most modern of amenities.  Considering that the home was outfitted with central heating, it was unlikely that the 11 kakelugnar were used for warmth.  Pictured here are some of the more elaborately designed stoves, all of which were fully functional.

Every proper home had a music room.  This was part of the entertainment of the day.  The Turnblads had hand carvings of charobs, harpiscordists and flutists embedded in the crown molding and was very proud of the family's 17th century bible,

Juxtaposed against their ancient views on temperance, their avant-gardist concepts on technology were impressive.  From an elaborate dispersal system of grains in the kitchen to duel gas-electric lighting (the home was one of the first to have electricity in the 5 state area), they reveled in innovation!  Common throughout the home were natural flow ventilation systems to high ceilings for freshness during the summer heat and central heating during the frigid winters.

The grand ballroom on the top floor was only used once, for the flyboys of WWI and their gala.  The walls are adorned with photos of Scandinavian celebrities that rendered visit to the home.  Today, an occasional play is presented and the room hosts multiple corporate functions.

Fika

Fika, located in the Nelson Cultural Center directly across from the mansion, is a would be Michelin starred restaurant disguised as a simple cafe.  It's chef, John Krattenmaker, trained at the Cordon Bleu and cooked for the King and Queen of Sweden while working his way up to head chef at Fika.

Corn is a cultural heritage in Minnesota.  When in season, it is very common to see small stands along side of the road (or even a full pick up truck with the tailgate open) selling recently picked sweet corns. In homes, special corn cob plates are laid out that cup to the corn and allow the melted butter the gently pool, thus permitting the diner to roll the corn in it prior to each bite.  Men will often gather outside around giant garbage bins and husk the corn together, while pots of boiling water await in the kitchen.  There are even special accoutrements to attach to the corn cobs so as to keep ones fingers clean.  Corn is Minnesota. 

Corn Porridge -  Using the word porridge lends a sense of rusticity and is part of the Minnesota vocabulary.  However, this is not a porridge - it is a heavenly delight and is much more deserving of an exquisite lexicon.  Truly a bisque by its own nature, it consists of house-creamed corn, crab, mushrooms and prast.  It is rather addictive so best order a bowl rather than the cup. 

Gravlax with dollops of crème fraîche, watercress purée, house-cured salmon, raw radish, warm Danish rye bread, beats, and edible flower was one of the most unforgettable explorations into cured salmon.  The quality presented itself in the depth of concentrated flavors all perfectly complementing each other.  The lusciousness of the cream and purée perfectly balanced the salmon with the rye while the radish, beats, and flower added a dimension to the dish never previously conceptualized. 

Smorgasar of beet Sausage of pork with crisped shallots, mustard pickled cabbage on caraway rye with foamed vinaigrette.  Fresh and rustic, this combined the richness of beet marignated pork with the refreshing light nature of greens and a foamed vinaigrette that evaporated in the mouth leaving just the remnants of its flavor.  The fried shallots brought a crisp texture and rich, almost caramelized notion to the gentle nature of the dish.  The caraway bread brought it all together.

Braised chicken with orange & charred onion aioli, dill, celery and cream of mushroom on caraway rye.  Rich and decadent, this Smorgasar impressed with its perfect blending of heavy textures and profound flavors.  The cream of mushroom paired perfectly with the soft, fall off the bone, braised chicken.  The crunch from the caraway rye was complemented by the crisp celery, and dill, while the orange and charred onion aioli softened the elements.  With subtle hints of beets, this was very fulfilling and satisfying.

Swedish meatballs with juniper-spice, potato purée, cucumber, lingonberry & mustard sauce brings a whole new definition to creativity!  Classic by nature, avant-gardist in concept, this dish changes one's perspectives of meat and potatoes!  With scallions and sliced cucumbers, the the juniper spiced meatballs are rich, luscious, and packed full of flavor.  The potato purée, delicate and soft, with cucumber, lingonberry and mustard sauces bring a whole new experience to mashed potatoes.  This is perhaps the most luscious and most beautifully conceptualized creation of meat and potatoes.

Cardamom Bread Pudding with brandy caramel & cinnamon whipped cream.  This was rich enough to satisfy a table of 5 Bon Vivants!  Light and airy, with noticeable but not over-whelming cinnamon, the whipped cream cut through the rich caramel and luscious cardamon-cream soaked bread.  With sweet raisins and tightly packed layers, the crisp cooked corners balanced the luscious texture.  The hints of cardamon added the perfect element to make this a unique and innovative version of a classic dessert - a perfect way to end a perfect meal!