Showing posts with label sweden. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sweden. Show all posts

Monday, 23 April 2012

Easter in Wermland

Well, Swedish weather loves to surprise.

This year we thought of spending Easter with my in-laws in the western province of Sweden - just at the border with Norway. I have even dedicated some of my jewelry to Wermland.

This year it all started well,


bit of sun, birches turned purple-lavender - just before the green explosion. I was happily napping in front of the house.



Next day we woke up to a snow storm. Well, welcome to Sweden!




Despite it, we continued with out bon-fire plans and had tons of good time :)

 I hope soon it's green and springy and I will be inspired to make those green earrings again!



Tuesday, 17 May 2011

Smörgåstårta


When I just came to Sweden I could not get it - why all swedes are so in love with this Smörgåstårta (sandwich cake) - white bread spread with mayonnaise, creme fraice, shrimp, crabsticks, decorated with ham, cheese, eggs, vegetables...

But now, I love it! It is so juicy and fresh (if it is fresh, of course), crispy and fishy..... mmmmmm

This one is home-made - yummmmmmy


Sunday, 2 January 2011

Christmas in Sweden

Now, when the holidays are behind us I thought maybe I can tell you a little about Christmas in Sweden, which is in my opinion, the loveliest holiday full of lights, decorations and happy smiles outdoors despite snowy weather in December. And though it is already January, I is better late than never. :)

In Sweden, Christmas officially begins with Saint Lucia ceremony on 13th of December. On this day, the youngest daughter from each family puts on a white robe with a red sash before dawn and wears a crown of evergreens with tall-lighted candles attached to it. There are special morning services in every church, and most of them are overcrowded. One has to be in good time at the church before the ceremony in order to see it.


Christian traditions are very respected in Sweden, but for most people, the preparations for Christmas begin at late November or early December. That's when the shops start competing about who has got the best Christmas decorations (especially such shopping mekkas as Ikea, Ahlens, Nordiska Kompaniet). The same day people start trying to find appropriate Christmas presents for everybody. Christmas markets are especially popular. There you can find unique handmade decorations, presents and simply a lot of good mood.

Glögg, or sweet hot spiced wine, is served outdoors and it definitely helps to warm you up, as it is usually freezing cold at this time of the year.

Christmas decorations in Sweden include advent-ljus, special candle to put on your window sill (those really remind Jewish Hanuka candles), apples, straw ornaments, Swedish flags and small gnomes wearing red tasseled caps.

Christmas is not a proper Christmas without pepparkakor or the famous gingerbread biscuit. Swedes love making gingerbread houses – they usually make complicated drawing of a future house and then bake the roofs, walls and other parts strictly according to the measurements in the plan.

Christmas Eve you usually spend with your friends and/or relatives and eat Christmas food. Three o'clock in the afternoon is sacred, though. Then every kid in the whole country sits down in front of the TV to watch "Donald Duck and his friends wish you all a Merry Christmas". Most adults don’t admit that they love it too, but they do! I love it very much, too :)

Swedish Julafton, or Christmas Eve, dinner may be a julbord, or buffet with julskinka, or Christmas ham, pickled pigs feet, lutfisk, or dried codfish, and risgryngrot a special rice porridge. Usually it is served with a special dried bread.

After Christmas Eve dinner, some of the presents are usually opened. Swedish Santa Claus, Jultomte (Christmas Gnome) unlike Santa Claus is supposed to live under the floorboards of the house or barn and ride a straw goat. The make-believe Tomte, wearing a white beard and dressed in red robes, distributes gifts from his sack. Many are given with funny rhyme that hints at the contents. However, modern American figure is quickly catching up in Sweden and Tomte is losing his original identity.

But he is nevertheless lovely and welcoming :)

article was originally written for the Etsy Russian Team Blog

Friday, 31 December 2010

Christmas baking

Baking before Christmas is a tradition that followed by almost every house in Sweden.
And so we did with friends a couple of weeks ago :)

Gingerbread cookies are a must. Unlike Christmas gingerbread men in English-speaking countries, Swedish gingerbread cookies are usually made in such shapes as moose, pig, Dala horses, special Swedish horses, and hearts. Those are made very thin and it takes only 7 minutes in the oven for them to become crispy.

Many families take on the challenge and guild their own gingerbread house. First they made a drawing, then the dough is cut according to the measurements of the drawing.

After the walls and the roofs are baked, they are glued to one another with sweet syrup.

And then comes the last touch – colorful decoration with sugar cream and candies. But we decided to leave our gingerbread skyscraper just as it is :)

Another pastry that no Swedish Christmas can do without is lussebullar – rolled saffron breads with raisins.

It is baked of regular yeast dough with a lot of saffron which gives them this yellow color and a fantastic Christmas taste!

And of course, no baking can be done without drinking glögg, warm spiced wine, drunk in small glasses with raisins and almonds at the bottom. As you can see, there is even a special gadget with candle to keep the wine warm all the time



Baking is incredibly important for creating a Christmas atmosphere at home. And together with special decorations is makes Christmas absolutely magical!


This article I originally wrote for out wonderful Etsy Russian Team blog :)