LET’S HYGGE MAY 2026

[definition of hygge]

is the art of creating joy in everyday life — a feeling of comfort, closeness, and ease, found in candlelight, shared meals, creative rituals, and the quiet moments that make us feel at home.

Add a little hygge to each month

I hope this greeting finds you well. Lately, I have been spending most of my free time in the garden, enjoying the autumn harvest and collecting seeds for spring. There is something so special about the fresh mornings and cooler evenings at this time of year.

The garden is full of pumpkins — such an impressive plant, and so easy to grow. This month, I’m sharing a delicious pumpkin risotto, along with a little insight into how I collect and store my seeds. I’m also introducing a new series I’ve been watching, “The Danish Woman”, along with my favourite song from the series.

Wherever you are in the world, whether you are welcoming spring or settling into autumn, I hope May brings you time to be outdoors. Each season holds its own quiet charm.

PUMPKIN RISOTTO

with Sage and Browned Butter

This recipe is from “Valdemarsro“, a Danish food universe created by the talented Ann-Christine Hellerup Brandt. I’ve had the pleasure of designing all her of her cookbooks, which makes it even more special to share this here.

It’s a wonderful way to use pumpkin — the colour is beautiful, and the combination of creamy risotto with crispy sage and nutty browned butter is simply delicious.

SERVES 4 PERSONS

INGREDIENTS

BROWNED BUTTER WITH SAGE
60 g butter
2 sprigs fresh sage

PUMPKIN PURÉE
400 g pumpkin, diced
2 tbsp butter

RISOTTO
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
350 g risotto rice
100 ml white wine
1.2 L vegetable stock
75 g Parmesan, finely grated (or similar hard cheese)
olive oil (for cooking)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

TO SERVE
30 g pine nuts, toasted
50 g Parmesan, freshly grated

Gently roast the oats in the oven at 180°C for around 15 minutes, then allow them to cool completely.

Dice the apple and roughly chop the hazelnuts. Finely chop the mint.

In a bowl, combine the yogurt, honey, apple juice, apple and mint. Stir through the roasted oats and hazelnuts.

Let the mixture rest for a little while before serving, allowing the flavours to soften and come together.

The bircher muesli will keep beautifully in the fridge for up to 3 days.

BROWNED BUTTER WITH SAGE
Melt the butter in a pan and let it foam. Reduce the heat to low and add the fresh sage leaves. Stir occasionally as the butter slowly browns and the sage becomes crisp — this takes about 10–15 minutes. Remove from heat once the butter is golden and fragrant.

PUMPKIN PURÉE
Cook the pumpkin in lightly salted water for 15–20 minutes until very soft. Drain and blend into a smooth purée.

RISOTTO
Sauté the onion and garlic in a little oil until soft and translucent. Add the rice and stir well. Pour in the white wine and allow it to absorb. Gradually add the vegetable stock, stirring continuously, until the rice is tender and the risotto is creamy. Stir through the pumpkin purée and Parmesan, and season to taste.

TO SERVE
Serve the risotto topped with toasted pine nuts, crispy sage, browned butter, and extra Parmesan.

I love collecting seeds from my garden. I dry them indoors in the sun, then store them in reused vanilla pod tubes, carefully labelled. They are simple to keep and make thoughtful little gifts too. In these images, I’m cutting the flower seeds from garlic chive — a plant I love for its beautiful edible flowers and the gentle garlic flavour of its leaves. It’s also a wonderful companion plant, and I’m dreaming of creating a long row of it next to my potatoes and Jerusalem artichokes in spring.

I often find inspiration in local community gardens wherever I go. Most recently, I visited one of my favourites the Kings Cross Community Garden. They grow a wonderful variety of native plants, and it is run by passionate locals who are always happy to chat and share their knowledge.

They told me that many of their plants come from IndigoGrow in La Perouse — a beautiful nursery specialising in native bush foods and endangered local species. I went there and brought home a few varieties of lemon myrtle, which I now use for herbal teas.

“The Danish Woman” took me a little while to appreciate, but I kept watching as it received such strong reviews in Denmark — and I have always admired the lead actress, Trine Dyrholm, one of Denmark’s finest.

It is quirky and unconventional, and quite unlike anything I’ve seen before. Over time, I found myself drawn to the strength of the main character and her unusual personality. It feels both powerful and refreshingly different — and even quietly humorous at times. It can be seen on SBS On Demand in Australia, or on DR.DK in Denmark.

Packaging Design - Lindbjerg Graphic - Sydney Graphic Designer - 5

Packaging Design - Lindbjerg Graphic - Sydney Graphic Designer - 6

Something from my studio

A glimpse into recent creative work and collaborations.

I’ll be sharing more of my recent work from the studio in the coming months. One area I particularly love is packaging design — I’ve always been drawn to beautiful labels and thoughtful details, and often find myself choosing products simply because of how they are presented.

I have had the pleasure of working with SENSE SISTERS on the packaging design and visual identity for their sustainable cleaning range made from natural ingredients.

Please feel free to reach out to discuss your project.