Have you ever seen Babette's Feast? If not, give yourself a treat and rent it over the weekend. It's an incredibly beautiful 1987 Danish film about a Frenchwoman who decides to prepare a life-enriching feast in gratitude to the residents of a remote Jutland community.

I have my own feast of gratitude to prepare over the next few days – to celebrate the elementary school teachers and staff who have given so much to our three children over the years. Because I, unlike Babette, have never gotten the hang of plucking quail or butchering sea turtles, I've opted instead to cater a Scandinavian-style coffee table for our teachers, with a selection of specialty coffee breads, cakes, and cookies.

My cardamom dough is on the rise and my krumkake iron is warming. Please join me over the next week, National Teacher Appreciation Week, as I prepare my Top 5 Teachers' Table Recipes.

Cardamom dough image ©2008 Kari Diehl, licensed to About.com.