Welcome to The Bakers’ Cottage, a newsletter focused on stories, science, and recipes from a French pastry chef in Northern Sweden.
About me
Bonjour, I’m Fanny, a French pastry chef and food writer based in the far north of Sweden, where I live with my partner, Karl, and our daughter, Sienna.
It’s been a long way to the arctic circle – one that started with a classic training in some of the best pâtisseries in France and led through Michelin-starred restaurant kitchens in London. After a childhood in the south of France – flying kites on the beach, sitting on the kitchen counter watching my grand-mère bake madeleines, and earning a master’s degree in food science and agronomy – I fell in love with the winters.
Northern lights and walls made of snow. Cold winds and stars at our windows. Days that turn into nights. And then, like a blink that lasts just a touch too long, summer comes and goes too. Lupines in bloom by the side of the road. Berries everywhere around us as we walk through forests made of pines and birches. The midnight sun over a still lake.
And just like that, I called Skellefteå home.
You might remember me from the days of Foodbeam – a time of dial-up internet, Flickr albums, and blogs with pastel-coloured headers. Later came Like a Strawberry Milk, then Chasing Cloudberries.
And now, here we are. A new space, but still the same love for baking, writing, and the small moments of life that are only made to be savoured – like a buttery biscuit nantais.
These days, I split my time between running the kitchen at Bryggargatan – highlighted in TIME magazine for its “Michelin-caliber Nordic cuisine plated without pretension” – hosting baking retreats, and writing about the things that matter most to me. My work is rooted in both precision and nostalgia – understanding the science behind a perfect croissant, while knowing that the best pastries often start with a story.
There’s always butter on the counter, flour on my apron, and a rolling pin within reach.
Here, you’ll find:
Recipes from my pastry notebooks – some French, some Swedish, always tested.
The science of baking – why ingredients behave the way they do, and how to make them work for you.
Stories of food and place – a winter morning with saffransbullar, the first frost on our kitchen windows, the scent of vanilla pods drying in my pantry.
But this space is also for reflections on life – from the joys and puzzles of raising a daughter between two cultures, to the rhythms of living near the Arctic Circle. You’ll find pieces about our life in Swedish Lapland, quiet thoughts on seasons and home, and the small ways motherhood has shaped the way I cook, write, and live.
Welcome to The Bakers’ Cottage!
Why subscribe?
Subscribe to get full access to the newsletter and archives and support my recipe development. You’ll never miss an update and you’ll get the recipe straight to your inbox.
As a paid subscriber, you’ll also gain access to seasonally focused recipes and stories, along with a group chat where I’ll be available to talk about all things pâtisserie and answer any of your kitchen questions.
What does it cost?
If you decide to become a paid subscriber, it’s just 5€ per month or 50€ per year. Thank you for being here – your support allows me to keep creating and sharing.
Links
Connect on Instagram: @fanny.zanotti
Contact, collaboration requests, and press
You can reach me via email at fanny.zanotti@gmail.com or through the link below:
