Category Archives: Events

What’s the biggest holiday in Sweden? Arguably is it midsommar

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Skansen is Sweden’s living museum for Swedish culture and traditions and lucky for us it is located in Stockholm. If you’ve never experienced a proper midsommar or are not even sure what it is, the Skansen website has all the information you’ll ever need. Skansen is celebrating midsommar over 3 days.

If you want to learn exactly what to serve for your very own midsommar lunch including the recipes and tasting for yourself join ToStockholm for lunch.

MIDSUMMER LUNCH

Join us out on Lidingö and together we will prepare a traditional Midsummer lunch. You will receive a leaflet with the recipes we have been using, as well as information about our Swedish midsummer traditions.
Date: 13 juni

Time: 10.00-14.00
Place: Lidingö
Price: 300:-
(incl. lunch & coffee)

Sign up on ToStockholm’s website.

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Nice things happen to me in Sweden – The Valborg night bonfire that wasn’t

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Salmon with avacados

Salmon with avocados

We had traditional Varlborg night food of salmon (surprise), potatoes (surprise) and asparagus (family tradition).

The choir

The choir was there and sang songs of Spring.

This was to be my first Valborg night celebration. I can’t remember where I usually am on 30 April, but this 30 April I was on a west coast beach ready to experience another Swedish tradition.

Despite the wind it was beautiful.

Despite the wind it was beautiful time to be on the beach, just after 8pm.

And I wasn’t alone. The year-round residents came, maybe some other people were from out of town like us.

Braving the wind and cold.

Braving the wind and cold. But not without mug thermos of hot chocolate.

There was poetry and more songs and a speech….and we listened.

We listened listened listened

Is was a very nice program.

But the bonfire tradition was broken this year as the fire department said it was too windy for a fire. And I’m sure they were right.

I imagine it would have been beautiful.

I imagine the bonfire would have been beautiful.

But we took advantage of the social event to have fun anyway.

Talk talk talk

So we talked, talked, talked.

So we came home and had our own fire.

We had a fire after all.

We had a fire after all.

What a nice night! Nice things happen to me in Sweden.

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My $25 Mother’s Day present

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The best Mother’s Day present I could give my mother that costs less than $25 would be to prepare a typical Swedish meal. Since I moved to Sweden I try very hard to share my Swedish experiences with my mother and on the two occasions that she has visited Sweden, she has enjoyed the food. But there is much traditional Swedish food left for her to try. And what better way to show my love than through homemade food with love as the first ingredient?

The Swedes love summer and since it is so short almost every day of summer is celebrated, the first one being Mid Summer (midsommar). So for Mother’s Day my take on the traditional Swedish midsommar meal is my gift. We will not only share time together and food, but a taste of a culture and a window into my life in Sweden.

sill and potatoes

My meal would resemble this….without the bread.

Menu:

several kinds of pickled herring

boiled new potatoes with dill

sour cream with chives

raw red onions

cold beer

strawberries and cream

Here are approximate prices (SEK is Swedish kroner) for my menu items keeping in mind that buying the store brand will make the costs even lower.

2 jars of sill @ 25 SEK/each = $7.66
1 kilo new potatoes @ 9.90 SEK/kilo = $1.50
fresh dill @17.90 SEK/plant = $2.74
sour cream @11.90 SEK/2 dl = $1.70
chives @17.90 SEK/plant = $2.74
1 red onion @ 3.11 SEK = $0.47
whipping cream @11.40 SEK = $1.74
fresh strawberries @19.90 SEK = $3.05 (this price is cheaper in the summer when local berries are abundant)
Falcon beer 330ml @ 9.90 = 1.52
Total = $23.12 (tax included)

What gift would you give your mother for $25 or less? Share your ideas with Nerd Wallet  and you could win a cool prize.

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Security Message for U.S. Citizens: Current Demonstration April 24, 2013

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Even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. You should avoid areas of demonstrations, and exercise caution if in the vicinity of any large gatherings, protests, or demonstrations.

An authorized demonstration against the Turkish Embassy began at Karlaplan in Stockholm and demonstrators have marched to the Turkish Embassy where they are now congregating currently.  The permit indicates that the event is being organized by the Homenetmen Armenian Coalition in Västerås and requested permission for up to 400 participants.
Authorized hours are 1000 hrs to 1500 hrs.  Police have directed the group to Dag Hammarskjölds Väg near the English Church and across the street from the U.S. Embassy.  Police will remain in attendance to deal with disturbances and do not anticipate any problems.
We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens traveling to or residing in Sweden enroll in the Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. Embassy to contact you in an emergency.  If you don’t have Internet access, enroll directly with the U.S. Embassy.
 
Regularly monitor the State Department’s website, where you can find current Travel Warnings, Travel Alerts, and the Worldwide Caution. Read the Country Specific Information for Sweden. For additional information, refer to “A Safe Trip Abroad.”
 
Contact the U.S. embassy for up-to-date information on travel restrictions. You can also call 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or 1-202-501-4444 from other countries.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays). Follow us on Twitter and Facebook, and download our free Smart Traveler App, available through the iTunes storeor the Google Play store, to have travel information at your fingertips.
 
The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm is located at Dag Hammarskjölds Väg 31, SE-115 89, Stockholm and is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Our telephone number is 46 (0)8 783 5375, and you can contact us by e-mail at stkacsinfo@state.gov. If you are a U.S. citizen in need of urgent assistance outside of normal business hours, the emergency number for the U.S. Embassy is 46 (0)8 783 5300

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The calendar says it’s Spring – time for Solöga

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From our friends at ToStockholm.

SOLÖGA

(The Eye of the Sun)
Do you dare to try this very Swedish dish!

125 gr of ansjovis – make sure you only use the Swedish kind

1/2 finely chopped red onion (rödlök)
1,5 dl finely chopped pickled beetroots (inlagda rödbetor)
1 dl chopped parsley (persilja)
1 dl chopped dill
1/2 dl capers (kapris)
1 egg yolk

* * *

  1. Finely chop the ansjovis, onion, parsley, dill and last the beetroots – all separately.
  2. Arrange each ingredient separately in a circle on a plate leaving space in the middle for the egg yolk.
  3. Allow guests to admire the dish and just before serving, mix it all together and eat it on “knäckebröd” (hardbread) or toast.
SMAKLIG MÅLTID!
Is going to the grocery store daunting?

WHAT’S ON THOSE SHELVES?

What is filmjölk? How does one make pressgurka? Want to taste Kalles Kaviar or Falukorv? Join us on a tour of the supermarket and check out all those unknown products on the shelves. Back in the kitchen we will go on a culinary tasting tour and test many of these typical Swedish products for lunch and learn about Swedish traditions and customs.
Date:  9 April 2013
Time: 10.00-14.00
Place: Lidingö
Price: 300:-
(incl. lunch & coffee)
Sign up on ToStockholm.
Want to impress your Swedish friends and family by cooking a Swedish meal?

SWEDISH THREE COURSE MEAL

Together we will prepare a three course meal with Swedish ingredients. In this month’s traditional menu we will be using “renskav” (reindeer meat). The lunch will also consist of a starter and something sweet for dessert.
Date: 19 April
Time: 10.00-14.00
Place: Lidingö
Price: 300:-
(incl. lunch & coffee)
Sign up on ToStockholm.
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