About Swede Dish

Hej! I’m Abby

A creative communicator, designer, and passionate home chef with Swedish roots and an American homestead. By day, I lead communications, marketing, and creative strategy in higher education. By night (and in those rare quiet hours), I pour my heart into Swede Dish—my love letter to culture, cooking, and calm. It’s my happy place, and motivation to be the best version of myself : )

The Heart Behind the Brand

Swede Dish is a modern Nordic-inspired food and lifestyle brand that celebrates heritage with a healthy twist, and the joyful, sometimes chaotic beauty of the everyday. It was inspired by the women who raised me—my Swedish grandmother Iva and my mother Gail—and shaped by the rhythm of my own life now as a wife, a mother to two wild, high-energy boys, and human to Nova, our very drooly Mastiff-St. Bernard mix. Life is loud, messy, and full of sports gear—and this brand is my peaceful pause, my kitchen meditation, and my creative sanctuary.

Swede Dish was born out of a deep respect for heritage—and a curiosity to reimagine it.

I grew up savoring the buttery richness of spritz cookies dipped in chocolate, the almondy goodness of marzipan, the tang of pickled things, and the joy of gathering around a table full of family-made dishes. My grandmother Iva’s quiet strength, resourcefulness, and love of tradition still guide me today—along with a fierce appreciation for color, flavor, and play in the kitchen.

Living in Delaware, I’ve always felt a kinship with Sweden’s coastlines, forests, and seasons. The Mid-Atlantic’s waterways and marshes feel like echoes of the Nordic landscapes I dream about visiting, and in many ways, Swede Dish is my bridge between those two worlds.

The Swede Dish Philosophy

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Swede Dish is about more than recipes—it’s about the story behind the spoon.

Here, you’ll find Swedish-American flavors reinvented for the modern table:

  • Seasonal fika spreads with a local twist

  • Health-forward comfort foods that feel both fresh and familiar

  • Kid-friendly meals rooted in tradition (but made with less sugar and more veggies)

  • Holiday showstoppers inspired by Nordic lore, nature, and spice routes

At the center of it all is a deep commitment to honoring where I come from while creating something new.

The Logo & Symbolism

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The Swede Dish logo features a buttery blonde mermaid perched on a rock, gazing out across the water—an homage to the iconic statue in Copenhagen inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid. This figure embodies both myth and memory, evoking the spirit of longing, transformation, and connection between sea and land, and in my case, between my home in Delaware and Sweden.

In the Swede Dish world, the mermaid becomes a symbol of heritage and creativity—a gentle nod to Nordic folklore, the maritime history of Swedish settlement along the Delaware River, and feminine wisdom passed down through generations.

Swede “ish” — What’s On the Table

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Not everything here is traditional—and that’s kind of the point.

You’ll find modern twists on nostalgic dishes, like:

  • Cloudberry Skyr parfaits
  • Roasted root veggie fries with herby dips
  • Lightened-up Swedish meatball bowls
  • Spiced almond tartlets and oat-flour cardamom buns
  • And fika boards inspired by each season

This is Swede-ish cuisine: inclusive, adaptable, health-conscious, and joy-filled. Because food should make you feel good—body, mind, and soul.

What’s Next?

Swede Dish is evolving into a:

✔ A seasonal cookbook
✔ A blog filled with family-friendly, flavorful recipes
✔ A design-forward hub for lifestyle content rooted in heritage and wellness
✔ Seasonal menus & celebration boards
✔ Kid-friendly meals (Swede’ Little Favorites)
✔ Pantry guides, meal prep ideas, and more

This space is for anyone who believes that food is a form of storytelling—and that modern life deserves more beautiful pauses. Whether you’re Swedish by blood, heart, or curiosity: welcome to my table.

Skål,

Abby