My Minnesota

Plus a recipe for those that are here “just for the baking"

This particular newsletter is very outside my norm and my comfort zone. I’m not a loud, politically minded voice and perhaps my strongest Minnesotan trait is the avoidance of any and all conflict. Keep that in mind, as it is not polished nor particularly well written. I hope you can forgive that.

Palisade Head- my favorite spot in Minnesota and a place of reflection for me over the years

Oh, Minnesota…

I am so sorry that this is how the world is finding out how amazing you and the people who call you home are. They thought we would be an easy target. That our Minnesota nice meant we wouldn’t stand up for ourselves. We’re flyover country. The ones who sound like the movie Fargo, are weirdly obsessed with lakes and sometimes soak our fish in lye. We’re used to being overlooked but the entire world is looking now.

It takes strength to live somewhere that can get to 30 or even 50 degrees below zero. The world saw that on January 23rd. A crowd like that doesn’t exist here outside of the Minnesota State Fair- “The Great Minnesota Get Together” as we call it. That’s what this was too. A sea of people who care deeply about this state and all who live here. As proud as I am of sights like this, it’s unfortunate it has taken these circumstances for the world to see what we have always known.

I have seen a lot of comments about Minnesota once again making the news for something bad. Well, being a good neighbor is hardly newsworthy, is it? Caring deeply for the pristine lakes and woods we have here is hardly newsworthy, is it? It’s not newsworthy until these things we hold dear are being ripped from us and we are forced to show the world how it’s done when you love the people and the place you call home. And make no mistake, they are being ripped away. I have family and friends I worry about every day. Not because they aren’t legal citizens or because they have a criminal record but because they aren’t white. If this was ever about finding the “worst of the worst”, that idea died when the first BIPOC person was stopped by ICE and asked for their papers and now our citizens are dying too.

This is not all that has been thrown at us. Along the northern border of Minnesota, closer to where I live these days, is an area known as the boundary waters or Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness if we’re being proper. It’s entirely possible you have never heard of it but it’s a federally designated wilderness area. Free of roads and structures, it’s an official international dark sky sanctuary and one of the largest and most pristine freshwater wilderness areas in North America. For many Minnesotans and those around the world, this land is sacred and going here is akin to a holy pilgrimage. Last week, the house voted to overturn a mining ban on federal land adjacent to this wilderness area and soon the senate will have their vote. If approved, this area and all that these waters nourish will be under threat from the risks associated with copper-nickel mining.

So if Minnesotans seem to be particularly impassioned for Midwesterners, it’s because we are being pulled from top to bottom and worry not only for ourselves and our state but also for whoever will be next. I don’t share these things to scare, to cause stress or to be yet another baker with a sudden political voice. Trust me, if there was anyone who wanted to be here “just for the baking” and understands the importance of escapism in dealing with anxiety, it’s me but that is not an option right now. And before you make assumptions about my personal or political beliefs, know that two of my favorite books are “The Irresistible Revolution” and “Jesus for President” by Shane Claiborne so I guarantee whatever your assumptions are, they’re probably wrong. Besides, this isn’t about politics; it’s about people and the land we call home and doing everything we can to make sure both of these things remain long after we’re gone.

If you are from here, you’ve probably been bombarded with places asking for help and already know where to go. If not and you want to do something tangible, Stand With Minnesota is full of resources and places to donate whether you are an animal lover and want to help the pets left behind when their owners are taken into custody or you want to help feed the families who are scared to leave their home for groceries. If you care about protecting our national parks and wilderness, call your representatives. At the very least, believe what people from here are saying and showing you.

Since this is a baking Substack, here are a few books from some of my friends and fellow Minnesotans that I recommend. They are filled with recipes and stories that will nourish your body and soul from the people that make up Minnesota:

The Good Berry Cookbook - a cookbook celebrating manoomin (wild rice) and other Indigenous wild foods, blending Anishinaabe culture, natural history, and science with over 75 recipes from various Indigenous cooks.

Kitchens of Hope - features over 50 recipes and personal stories from immigrants to the U.S., highlighting themes of resilience, community, and cultural heritage.

Land of 10,000 Plates - a cookbook by Patrice M. Johnson that explores Minnesota's culinary culture, including traditional dishes and local food rituals like fish frys and meat raffles.

True North Cabin Cookbook Vol. 1 & 2 - a collection of recipes and personal stories inspired by Stephanie Hansen’s family lakeside cabin in northern Minnesota, focusing on seasonal, hearty, and comforting North Woods cuisine.

Dish & Tell - upcoming cookbook from Sarah Peterson filled with recipes and stories from herself and other passionate home cooks who opened their kitchens to share their own tried-and-true recipes.

Now, I do have a recipe to share for those that are here for the baking. It’s for Piernik which is a Polish gingerbread cake. Traditionally made around the holidays, I had plans to share it closer to the start of the new year but then everything happened here and between work as well as some behind the scenes writing, I didn’t have the energy to expend. This is a cake that celebrates the Polish portion of my heritage while using honey from my mom’s beehives and wild plum jam from the woods nearby. This cake represents all that anybody wants- to be able to freely make and share the food and stories from where they came from and where they call home.

I hope you will make this cake and that it warms your home and belly as we enter the long stretch of winter and that you think of Minnesota. It is no longer just my Minnesota but your Minnesota now too.

Take care,

Nicole

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Piernik

This Polish gingerbread is filled with warm spices, sweetened with honey and like any traditional dish, there are as many variations as there are families who make it. To be honest, I don’t know if my family made it before coming to America but it’s intrigued me for a while so consider this my family’s version. I used wildflower honey from my mom’s beehives and wild plum jam that she made from plums she foraged late last summer. While plum is the most common jam used, it can be filled with any variety you enjoy. Feel free to play with spices as well as I have seen recipes that use cardamom and allspice or forgo the black pepper. I baked my cake in a Minnesota shaped pan for obvious reasons but the recipe also works in a 9x13.

A photo of my Minnesota shaped piernik surrounded by different plates with items and photos of things that illustrate why Minnesota is special to me.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 180 grams whole wheat pastry flour

• 200 grams all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 tablespoon ground ginger

• 2 teaspoons cinnamon (I prefer Saigon)

• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/4 teaspoon cloves

• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt

• 113 grams unsalted butter

• 320 grams wildflower honey

• 200 grams dark brown sugar

• 250 grams whole milk

• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

For the filling

• 350 grams plum jam or jam of your choosing (approximately 1.5 cups)

For the topping

• 227 grams dark chocolate, finely chopped

• 227 grams heavy cream

• 28 grams unsalted butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 80 grams hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prepare your chosen baking pan by greasing and coating with cocoa powder or lining with a parchment paper sling.

2. Heat brown sugar, honey and butter in medium sauce pan over medium/low heat, stirring constantly until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Be careful not to bring it to a boil. Take off heat and slowly whisk in milk and vanilla. Then while the mixture is still warm but not above 130°, add the eggs one at a time and whisk vigorously until fully combined.

3. Slowly pour the liquid ingredients into the dry, whisking and scraping the bowl to combine as you pour. Once all of the liquid has been added, whisk until fully combined and no dry bits of flour remain- about two minutes.

4. Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan and wiggle the pan to even out the batter. Place in the oven and immediately lower the temp to 325 degrees. Bake your cake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.

5. Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a knife along the edge of the pan and turning out the cake onto a cooling rack.

6. Allow cake to cool completely or wrap in plastic wrap while still warm and chill overnight before filling and assembling.

7. Slice your cake in half horizontally and spread the jam across the lower layer, leaving a 1/4” border around the edge. Place in the refrigerator to chill while you make your ganache.

8. Start with putting the chopped chocolate in a heat proof bowl and set aside.

9. In a small saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium heat until it just starts to simmer. Pour the cream overly the chocolate, add the butter and let it sit for two minutes before slowly whisking to combine. Add the vanilla and whisk again.

10. Immediately pour and spread the ganache over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides as it pleases. Once the ganache has settled, sprinkle the chopped hazelnuts across the top.

11. This cake improves after sitting for a day so if you can wait, I’d recommend it. Store at room temperate for up to four days or wrap and freeze for longer storage.