Lena Margareta Pedersen

Related to the food thing that I mentioned...

My family has always done a lot of travelling and, for the most part, we have not lived close together. So, there has always been a lot of coming and going. Usually around the holidays, but there is one thing that Mamma pretty much never failed to deliver on and that is having some sort of snack ready on the day that you arrive. Didn't matter what time of day (or night) it was when you got there, almost immediately upon walking in the door, she would bust out some snacks. And not just a box of crackers from the cabinet, mind you. There was usually bread, cheese, some type of cold seafood, and wine or beer. Cocktail shrimp was usually one of the items and to this day, I try to uphold that tradition when I can. I call it "Arrival Shrimp".

One thing that will always make me think of Mamma is at Christmas time when I make saffron buns, an integral part of the Swedish Christmas season. She made them every Christmas that I can remember and had several different recipes that she used. To me, it's not Christmas if we don't have saffron buns.

I'm a big time baker and I have to say that this is in large part due to all the baking that she did as I was growing up. And just cooking, in general. Food was her love language.