Valkyrie Snacks with Tiana Warner: Icelandic Pönnukökur

Hi readers,

The Valkyrie’s Daughter is on sale for all of January, so I wanted to share some Nordic-themed food! There are a lot of traditional Icelandic and Nordic foods to choose from as we plan our valkyrie feast: an assortment of fish like pickled or dried herring, as well as lamb dishes like pylsur, the Icelandic hot dog, bread, cheese, pastries, and more. For something sweet, we’ll definitely have chocolate-covered liquorice—and if you feel like obliterating your tastebuds/sinuses, have a bite of salmiak.

After consideration, I’ve decided to share my favorite food of all time: pancakes. Icelandic pönnukökur are similar to French crepes, but to enjoy them in true Icelandic fashion, these are best stuffed with sugar, fruit, and/or skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and enjoyed as an afternoon snack.

Let’s feast!

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 2 ¼ cups milk (dairy or non-dairy)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 ½ cups flour

• Butter or coconut oil
• Fruit, skyr, and/or other toppings

Directions

1. Heat a dollop of butter in a large skillet on medium-low.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk, vanilla, and salt.

3. Slowly whisk in the flour. The batter should be very runny.

4. When the skillet is hot, pour in just enough batter to coat the bottom (about ½ cup). Pick up the skillet and swish the batter until it touches the edges. The pancakes should be very thin — somewhere between the thickness of the cover of a paperback and a hardcover book. ;)

Tip: Don’t stress about the first pancake. It’s often a sampler, (A) because you might have to thin the batter with more milk if it’s not spreading easily, and (B) because the pan might be too buttery on the first go.

5. When the bottom of the pancake starts to brown and bubbles appear on top, use a spatula to flip it. Cook until the other side is golden, then remove it from the skillet.

6. Cook the next pancake! You might have to add a bit more butter to the skillet every three pancakes or so if it gets dry.

Tip: I like to keep them warm in the oven on a low temperature until they’re all done.

7. When all of the pancakes are done, you’re ready to serve them. Sprinkle with sugar, fruit, and/or skyr (yogurt), and roll them into tubes or fold into quarters.

Share with your fellow valkyries to celebrate your victory in battle.

Skål!

Paste Magazine Pick for Best New Fantasy Books of July 2022

From the time she was born, Sigrid has only ever been ordinary. Being paired at birth with a plain horse—instead of the powerful winged mare of a valkyrie—meant there would be no warrior path for her. No riding the skies, no glory among the nine worlds. Just the simple, unremarkable life of a stable hand.

Everything changes when a terrible enemy ambushes Vanaheim and Sigrid sees a vision of herself atop a mythical stallion, leading the valkyries into a harrowing battle. Finally, she can grab her future with her own two hands and become the hero of her own story…if she dares.

But her destiny is tied up with Mariam, a fallen valkyrie who’s allied herself with the very enemy Sigrid is trying to stop.

Now Sigrid has left ordinary behind as she begins a journey with the beautiful—if treacherous—valkyrie, each step bringing her closer to answers…and to awakened feelings for Mariam.

But the life Sigrid left behind is starting to look a lot like paradise…especially when her destiny lies in the one place no mortal should tread: the gates of Hel.

About the Author

Tiana Warner is an LGBTQ+ author from British Columbia, Canada, best known for her critically acclaimed “Mermaids of Eriana Kwai” trilogy and its comic adaptation. Tiana is a lifelong horseback rider, a former programmer with a Computer Science degree, and an outdoor enthusiast who loves to explore nature with her musician boyfriend and their hyperactive rescue mutt, Joey. Find her online at tianawarner.com and on Instagram and Twitter @tianawarner.

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