There's something magical about wild berries—the way they burst into color just when the woods seem still, how their sweetness lingers long after a summer walk. For me, they’re more than just ingredients or inspiration; they’re tiny storytellers of the northern landscape. My latest fabric collage series, Fabric Stories of Birds and Berries, celebrates the plants and creatures that thrive in these environments—from elusive birds nestled in berry-laden branches to the lush textures of the forest floor.
As I stitched layers of fabric to capture the color and shape of lingonberries, gooseberries, blueberries, and wild strawberries, I kept thinking about how these same berries nourish us—and how we can celebrate them beyond the canvas. That’s where these recipes come in.
Each dish below is inspired by one of the berries featured in this new body of work. They're simple, rustic, and meant to honor the essence of northern Minnesota—where the wild meets the everyday in beautiful, unexpected ways.
Pork Chops with Lingonberry-Dijon Sauce