Scandinavian and Finnish American Food

Scandinavian food has the reputation of being simple, hearty, and somewhat colorless, with a “meat and potatoes” stereotype. Most of the immigrants to America came from a rural rather than a cosmopolitan background and became farmers and laborers, who were not inclined to become restaurateurs. This is why there are not many Scandinavian restaurants in the United States. The best Scandinavian food has always been found in the home kitchen. It was the woman’s job to feed hungry laborers on farms and in logging and mining camps.