Kringle is of Danish nationality, originating from Denmark where it has a long history as a traditional pastry. While rooted in Danish baking traditions, the oval-shaped, filled pastry became famous in the United States, particularly in Racine, Wisconsin, brought by Danish immigrants in the late 1800s. It is now recognized as the official state pastry of Wisconsin.
Kringle was originally brought to Racine in the late 1800's by Danish immigrants. This unique pastry quickly became popular in southeastern Wisconsin and while almond is the original time-honored filling, there are so many other flavors you can enjoy.
Kringle started out as the Nordic version of a pretzel, possibly made as early as the 13th century by Roman Catholic monks, especially in Denmark. Its name derives from the Old Norse “kringla” meaning a circle or oval. Danish immigrants brought the treat with them when they settled in Racine in the late 19th century.
It comes from Old Norse – kringla, meaning a ring or circle. In Swedish, kringla and kringlor refer to pretzel-shaped cookies or breads. In Danish and Norwegian, kringle came to mean a twisted pastry, often filled or sugared, but always defined by its shape.
Kringles were first introduced to Wisconsin in the late 1800s by Danish bakers. At some point, Danish bakers went on strike, and the bakery owners replaced them with workers from Austria. When the Danish bakers returned to work, they adopted the new Austrian way of making dough.
/ˌkrɪs ˈkrɪŋɡl/ /ˌkrɪs ˈkrɪŋɡl/ a US name for Father Christmas. It comes from the German word Christkindl, meaning Christ child, because German children believe that the baby Jesus brings presents during the Christmas season. Definitions on the go.
While Santa Claus was Dutch, Kris Kringle came by way of the Germans who first settled in Pennsylvania and then spread out, particularly in the late 1800s. The name Kris Kringle, though, was unrelated to Saint Nicholas.
Evidence of Viking settlements has been found all over the Nordic countries. Though the Norwegian, Swedish and Danish Vikings were separate groups living in different areas, they all shared certain common features and would sometimes form alliances with each other.
Riskrem is a traditional Scandinavian Christmas dessert; a delectable rice pudding served cold, made up with leftover rice porridge, sugar, whipped cream, and vanilla sugar with a red berry sauce.
Norwegians are closely related to other descendants of the Norsemen such as Danes, Swedes, Icelanders and the Faroe Islanders, as well as groups such as the Scots whose nation they significantly settled and left a lasting impact in, particularly the Northern Isles (Orkney and Shetland).
The Kringle family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1841 and 1920. The most Kringle families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 13 Kringle families living in Iowa. This was about 30% of all the recorded Kringle's in USA.
The name kringle comes from the Old Norse word kringla, which means "circle" or "oval". The kringle is often associated with prosperity and good luck. Our traditional chocolate holiday kringles are now available for a limited time!
In Austria and Bavaria, conversely, the Danish pastry is known as Kopenhagener Plunder (or simply Kopenhagener, after Copenhagen) or Dänischer Plunder.
The "national dish of Denmark" is stegt flæsk - pieces of pork, fried until crisp, and then served with boiled potatoes and parsley sauce. Ironically, the tasty frosted pastries known to much of the world as "Danish" are not Danish at all.
In 2013, Wisconsin lawmakers made it official, recognizing Kringle as the state pastry. The move wasn't just about honoring a dessert—it was a nod to the state's immigrant history and the hardworking communities that shaped Wisconsin's identity.
In Norway, we call it Verdens Beste, and it's also known as Kvæfjordkake. It even got voted Norway's national cake back in 2002! What makes it special? You bake both layers together — the bottom is a soft yellow sponge made with egg yolks, flour, and sour cream (or milk).
Although beer was the most important component of the celebration, meat also played an important role. Different types of animal were sacrificed and eaten, and the most popular dish was pork. Pork had a high status among the Vikings, and being able to eat it every day was one of the rewards of the afterlife.
Norwegians have their own version of Santa Claus, called Julenisse. In Scandinavian folklore, a nisse is a short, mythological gnome-like creature with a long white beard and a red cap.
Even the Vikings who lived in Scandinavia were a genetic agglomeration of ancestry from the southernmost southern Europe, the easternmost eastern Europe, the far north and the British Isles. Oh, by the way, the vast majority were not blonde.
The spoken language is a little more different, but Danes and Norwegians can understand what the other is saying. Danes and Norwegians like each other. They care about each other. They sometimes even cheer for each other's soccer teams.
This image originated in the United States during the 19th century, after Dutch settlers brought the legend of Sinterklaas ("Saint Nicholas") to 17th-century New Amsterdam (present-day New York City).
Prior to Nast's work, Santa's outfit was tan in color, and it was he that changed it to red, although he also drew Santa in a green suit. This change is often attributed to the work of Haddon Sundblom, who drew images of Santa in advertising for the Coca-Cola Company since 1931.
So, historically, Santa visits the South Pacific first, then New Zealand and Australia. After that, he shoots up to Japan, over to Asia, across to Africa, then onto Western Europe, Canada, the United States, Mexico and Central and South America.
