Morse’s Kraut House, North Waldoboro, Maine

German-food fans have been making pilgrimages to Virgil Morse’s farm since he began selling fresh sauerkraut in 1918. Today’s customers seek out Morse’s European Deli & Kraut Haus Restaurant not only for their famous cabbage, but also for the hard-to-find specialty foods coveted by descendants of the region’s Central European and Scandinavian settlers. “Much to our amazement, we tapped into a niche,” says David Swetnam, who in 2000 purchased Morse’s with his wife, Jacquelyn Sawyer. Visitors also come to savor traditional Northern European fare, such as the couple’s signature Swedish pancakes filled with lingonberry jam.

Morse’s pancake recipe came from a Swedish American customer who had previously requested that the store carry lingonberry preserves. “Lingonberries are a more delicate cousin of the cranberry,” Swetnam explains. These thin, crepe-like confections are topped with preserves, then rolled and sprinkled with powdered sugar. The result is tart yet sweet, rich yet light, decadent and delicious.

RECIPE