Happy Midsummer!

The official celebrations here in London won’t happen until tomorrow, of course. They have no sense of paganism here to speak of, but hopefully the weather will be better!

Next year I’ll have grown suitable wreath flowers like these.

We’ll be dressing our may pole later today and tomorrow head to the Southwark celebrations by the Swedish Seaman’s Church to join all the other white clad, flower-wreathed folks dancing to the accordion and stuffing their faces with strawberry cakes.

I really wish I was in Sweden.

 

URGENT! Venue change

From the Singing Swedes, the following message:

URGENT!!!!!
Due to the presumed weather conditions for tomorrow we have made the difficult decision to change the venue for this year’s Walpurgis Celebration.
We will greet spring and sing to its beauty in the Swedish Church on 6 Harcourt Street, W1H 4AG, just 15 min walk from Regent’s Park.
Please bring your picnic and set it up in the church aisle while we sing about how happy we are “as a bird in the morning hour”.

Directions to the Swedish Church.
From Baker Street Station, walk down Baker Street and turn left on York Street. Follow York Street all the way down and it will turn into Harcourt Street after crossing Seymour Place.
We will star around 17.30 to give all a chance to walk to the Church.

We very much look forward to seeing you there!
Ulricae Drängar

Closer to the loos and the shop!

 

Walpurgis Night with The Boys

Hopefully not the weather on Saturday!

Of course, The Boys in question are Ulricae Drängar, the men’s choir sprung from the loins of Ulrika Eleonora church choir. On Walpurgis night, April 30, the tradition bids that large bonfires should be lit to chase away the last of the winter (we wish!) and fend off the dark forces by singing songs to celebrate spring in a manly and romantic way.

As April 30 falls on a Monday, which doesn’t lend itself to non-Native celebrations, they’ll jump the gun and celebrate on Saturday, April 28th instead. It actually looks like there’s a chance it won’t be bucketing that very afternoon, so take yourself to the bandstand in Regent’s Park for 5pm, preferably via TotallySwedish for some Swedish delicacies to enjoy, for some beautiful music by the lovely young(ish) men.

If you’d like to read more about Walpurgis you can click here.

If you ant to know more about Ulricae Drängar and also if you need directions to the bandstand, click here!

 

Equinox!

Same tree, new year. Equally gorgeous.

Today, it’s officially spring, at least in my book. Spring Equinox, one of the four, important dates for us “heathens”. The day when the day finally is longer than the night and will continue on that path until Midsummer, when it turns again.

I think of my father today, who always loved Spring Equinox most of all. The fact that there was only more light coming from this day forward. He would have loved to be here in London, when it’s actually warm and flowering already, though the effect of a single bloom in the bleak Swedish early spring is in a way much greater.

Thanks for showing my spring, dad.

 

Cheezedoodles

Never mid Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day – Cheezedoodle Day is upon us. These babies are hugely popular in Sweden. So ppopular, actually, that a bag is sold every three seconds every day, year round!

That’s some serious munching.

OLW. My choice for ostbågar/cheesedoodles.

 

I don’t do sauce.

However, I know there are some dishes which require sauce, and I’m quite happy to buy this kind.

The most classic of Swedish sauce.

Yes. It’s cream sauce. Yes, I know how to do it but I don’t like sauce. Today, I decided to do meatloaf. I looked a little bit at a few recipes. Then I mixed things together. It tasted very nice, but boy, was it ever ugly!

That’s another reason for sauce. You pour it over. It sort of hides some cosmetic issues. In this case, I could really have used a thicker sauce.

Ugly, but tasty. Note the classic accompagnements: Lingonberry Jam, pickles, green beans and Smash.

Next time.

 

Semla Assembly

With a little help, this year’s first semlor have been assembled. See the astonishing blow by blow account on how to make your very own Swedish Semla.

First you ask somebody to grate the almond paste, if you haven’t made your own. Careful of little knuckles.

A little tasting explain the blurry hand.

Ready for step 2

After cutting a (thin) lid off your bun and scooped out most of the middle, mix the bread with the almond paste and as much cream and/or milk to make a moist filling.

Mix well.

Mixing well. Without dropping bowl on floor.

Fill the cavities with the cream and add a dollop of your whipped cream, and put the lid on top at a jaunty angle. Dust with plenty of icing sugar. Ask another child less likely to drop things to serve.

Ta-da!

 

Daniel and I

I keep mine dry, ie without egg wash. I like the way the icing sugar sets on them.

Well, obviously not together. But simultaneously there is bun baking going on. I updated the recipe on the TotallySwedish website, should you get the urge.

 

My Hjorthornssalt (aluminium chloride) has a best before date that has passed and then some. Maybe I should splurge on some fresh stuff next time?

NEcessary for semlor and Dreams.

 

Poor Man’s Truffles

Look at those babies...

It’s easy to go and buy something in a shop for Valentine’s Day. And very nice, to get an pretty box with something sparkly. But sometimes, it’s nice to get something that cost more time, than money.

For the chocolate loving Swede, these are childhood memories, in the form of a coconut or pearl sugar covered ball. They are easy and messy to make, perfect for anybody over the age of 4. You have to use a mixer, unless you are seriously into self-flagellation or need a forearm workout.

100g Butter. Not too cold, but absolutely no soft

3dl Caster sugar

3 dl Oats of any kind

3tbsp Cocoa

3 tbsp cold, strong coffee/Bailey’s/Arrac… whatever you wish

1 tbsp Vanilla sugar

Pearlsugar, desiccated coconut, sprinkles, finely chopped nuts or sesame seeds to roll them in.

Mix until it’s a homogenous batter. Roll small (think one bite) balls with slightly damp hands and roll in the covering of your choice. Keep in a cold place. They’ll keep until at least the best before date of your butter! They look very pretty in a cellophane bag, with a bow, to go with the nice card you got your Valentine. Or in a pretty box….

As before mentioned, it’s pretty messy, which is why I have (girl) friends who will forego the whole rolling bit, and just eat the mixture straight out of the bowl. With a spoon of course, so not to get their hands dirty!

Enjoy!

 

 

Give me more young men!

These babies are called youngsters, or to be precise; Young Masters. I want some. And, trust me, so do you! In store now. Get them while they’re (almost) hot.