Published by Swedish News. Volume 145 No. 17, December 15, 2017. Price per copy $3.50.
Julbordet the ever-changing Christmas Table Christmas trends in food The evolution of a tradition
You may think the foods on the Christmas dinner table have been unchanged since ancient times, but most of them made their entry as late as the 20th century. Every new generation sets its mark on the food for Christmas and redefines the traditions; they are about repeated tradition and history. The foods express a common act and not an individual taste as the messages of the dishes interact with the guests of the table, and the Christmas food becomes part of a family chronicle. / P14 Årets Julklapp - Minnesota teen wins a ticket to Stockholm and the coveted Nobel festivities / p4 The new compact Volvo SUV, the XC40, meets the LA auto show audience / p5 Christmas here and there Sweden vs. U.S. /p10 Test your Swedish with Tankar i Advent och Jultid / p30
Julbordet, the Christmas table, is such a strong concept that most restaurants in Sweden, regardless of ethnicity, offer their own versions: Alternative Christmas tables representing Asian, Persian, Lebanese or Greek “julbord” are offered in Stockholm, or why not enjoy an American version at the Hard Rock Café? It includes hickory smoked BBQ ribs, steak and chicken with roast potatoes and apple cobbler pie. Of course there’s also the full vegetarian julbord—Hermans restaurant near Fotografiska, the Museum of Photography in Söder, serves a mostly-green menu and was one of last year’s vegetarian hot spots. / P16
Stockholm Walkabout
Fetch a Stockholm street map and come along on an interesting and educational walkabout in the place most Swedes would regard as the center of Stockholm is Sergels Torg. This is a popular meeting place in Stockholm for all tourists, and it happens to be close to the “lost soul of Stockholm,” the Klara neighborhood, Klarakvarteren. The The name Klara originated from the St. Klara Priory, active from 1289 until the reformation in 1527. Klarakvarteren is generally demarcated by the following streets: Vasagatan, Klarabergsgatan, Drottninggatan and Fredsgatan, all easily found on a map. / P26
Swedish Christmas markets The Swedish Christmas market in the U.S. is often linked to a Sankta Lucia celebration or international festival. In Sweden, however, there are a large variety of markets to choose from—most towns, even castles and manor houses organize their own. List of some of the country’s best markets. / P19