At the 19th-century Swedish table, meals were not served in three French-style acts, but as a succession of small savory and sweet dishes placed together on the table (the smörgåsbord), centered around husmanskost—nourishing, sober home cooking. The rhythm of the day was punctuated by fika, the coffee break accompanied by a pastry. Stockholm's good bourgeoisie ate simply: soups, root vegetables, rye bread, fish, and plenty of fragrant pastries.

Green cardamom, brought by ship and freshly ground, is the soul of the Swedish bakery—it perfumes breads, buns, and rusks. It is the spice that says "Stockholm home" far more than cinnamon, and it runs through all the pastries of Jenny Lind's childhood.