The Swedish North Star, continuously published since 1872. Price per copy $3.50. Volume 147 No. 15, November 01, 2019.
willamette valley swedish wines
King of Oregon Wines
There are many reasons Scandinavian immigrants settled comfortably in America’s Pacific Northwest 100 years ago, and recently a number of entrepreneurs have added a delicious intersection with Nordic taste – developing a new wine country in Oregon’s Willamette Valley that even Scandinavia itself is noticing. / p14
Two princesses in NYC
Filming for “Catwalk” took place in NYC, featuring Emma Örtlund of Sweden, who has dreamed for years of modeling–during New York Fashion Week. Princess Madeleine was there, and Glada Hudik Theater founder Pär Johansson filmed this story of the exciting and humbling journey of a disabled woman. / p21
About endlessness
Scene from Roy Andersson’s new film About Endlessness (“Om det oändliga”). With deep focus tableau, static cameras, beautifully grey photo, non-linear narrative and silent satire ... an otherworldly experience. He is one of cinemas grand masters in the most innovative way. according to our reviewer. / Page 23
Page 20
dashboard | november 01, 2019 SCANDINAVIAN QUIZ
to celebrate? A) cry on television B) sing “Helan går” C) give their trophy to the Russian team D) appear on Jack Paar’s Tonight Show
What is a snaps song?
A snaps song (snapsvisa), is a uniquely Swedish musical treasure, indeed a drinking song that goes with having a snaps—a shot of aquavit (akvavit), the “water of life” that is so popular in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century. It is distilled from grain and potatoes, and can be flavored with a variety of herbs. The tradition of singing snapsvisor in groups large and small to the accompaniment of sips of akvavit, was born in middle class academic surroundings about 100 years ago, a light hearted affront to the restrictions on alcohol—then and now. The songs are characterized by the fact that they are sung to accompany the snaps, to the tune of a well-known melody. They are often humorous and short—allowing them to learned easily by others, another defining characteristic. That’s certainly true for the most popular snaps song, “Helan går,” which is now known around the world. Some might say it’s Sweden’s “other” national anthem. To be sure, no matter the occasion, the most important thing to remember is that when you join a Swedish group for a party, the drinking really is never as important as the singing! (See p.4 for more on the The World Championship in Stockholm on Nov. 16.) Name’s Days of the Swedish Calendar Namnsdagar i november
November 01 November 02 November 03 November 04 November 05 November 06 November 07 November 08 November 09 November 10 November 11 November 12 November 13 November 14 November 15
Allhelgonadagen Tobias Hubert/Hugo Sverker Eugen/Eugenia Gustav Adolf Ingegerd/Ingela Vendela Teodor/Teodora Martin/Martina Mårten Konrad/Kurt Kristian/Krister Emil/Emilia Leopold
November 1
|
New York Chicago Stockholm Kiruna Lund Los Angeles 2 NORDSTJERNAN
3 What Nordic country’s donations to climate funding is the world’s highest per capita? A) Finland B) Sweden C) Norway D) Iceland 4 How much of Sweden is uninhabited? A) 97% B) 75% C) 62% D) 49%
5 In 2008, where did archaeologists find evidence to prove Vikings were raiding and trading some 50-100 years earlier than previously known? A) Estonia B) Scotland C) Denmark D) Russia CULTURE
Namnsdagar
7 What did the inventors of Lego get their start with manufacturing in 1932? A) Lego B) brick separators C) scissors D) stepladders 8 Nils Olav, a king penguin at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, has what distinction with Norway? A) He has dual citizenship B) he was knighted by Norway’s king C) he painted a canvas bought by the Queen D) the crown princess won a contest to name him
9 Who eats more pasta than anyone in the world? A) Danes B) Norwegians C) Finnish Swedes D) Americans 10 What is the ratio of saunas per person in Finland? A) 1:2.5 B) 1:5 C) 1:10.5 D)1:12
November
Sverker - November 4 Sverker is a man’s name with Old Norse origins. Perhaps it had its origin in the name Svartgeir, which is combined by “svartr” (an old word for “svart” or black) and “geirr” (spear). The oldest mention of the name in Sweden is from a rune stone from the 11th century in Fröberga. It reads: “Vighjälm och Ödmund de läto resa stenen efter Sverker, sin gode broder.” (Vighjälm and Ödmund they let raise this stone after Sverker, their good brother.) Emil - November 14 Emil is a man’s name, which means “nice, cordial.” It probably stems from the Roman family name Aemilius and came to Sweden through the French version Émile. The name became popular in Sweden in the 1970s when Astrid Lindgren’s books about Emil i Lönneberga were made into a television series, and it remains popular.
founded in new york city in september 1872
Sunrise & Sunset
7.26 am 7.22 am 7.06 am 7.46 am 7.12 am 7.12 am
2 The names of nominators and nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize can be divulged after how many years have passed? A) 5 B) 10 C) 25 D) 50
6 The rowan tree (and berry), also known as the mountain ash, is said to have what role in Norse mythology? A) the first woman was made from it B) it saved the life of Idun, the goddess of spring C) Balder disrespected his parents at the tree D) Freya used the berries to woo young love
Answers: 1:B, 2:D, 3:B, 4:A, 5:A, 6:A, 7:D, 8:B, 9:A, 10:A
the Swedish national ice hockey team unexpectedly won the 1957 1 When world championship, what did they do
5.52 pm 5.44 pm 3.55 pm 2.57 pm 4.28 pm 6.00 pm
Nordstjernan (ISSN 1059-7670), founded in New York City in September 1872, is published by Swedish News, Inc., 570 Lexington Ave, New York, NY 10022 • Readers services and editorial submissions: P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan, CT 06840 Periodicals Postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. www.nordstjernan.com, Nordstjernan is published semimonthly, except for the months of January, February, September when it is monthly and Augustwith no issue. POST MASTER: Please send address changes to Nordstjernan, P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan, CT 06840 Subscription rates: 1 yr. = $55, Two yr. = $99, outside US 1 yr. = $167.
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this week…
November TO DO 11.02-03 REMEMBER LOVED ONES: ALLHELGONAHELGEN / All Saints’ Weekend is full of dignity and reflection, with the solemn custom of lighting candles at family gravesites in cemeteries throughout Sweden. 11.02 In history: In 1810 Jean Baptiste Bernadotte (1763-1844) makes his entry to Stockholm as the new Swedish Crown Prince (when crowned later on he became Carl XIV Johan*). The dynasty he founded still reigns in Sweden. 11.10 ST. MARTIN’S EVE: MÅRTENS AFTON / Today it’s mostly associated with Skåne, the province in the south, and considered a surviving remnant of Sweden’s days as a Catholic country. Mårtensafton is celebrated with “svartsoppa” (“black soup” with goose or pig blood as the main ingredient) as an appetizer, thereafter goose, and for dessert an apple cake (see issue 14 for a delicious new take on Swedish apple cake). 11.10 CALL YOUR FATHER: FARS DAG / It’s Father’s Day in Sweden, but you might call him no matter where he lives.
Big changes for royal grandchildren. /Page 5
Dashboard, p4-5
Swedish meatballs in Las Vegas / Climate audit on trips / Second female prize winner praised / Sweden’s highest mountain.
Events calendar, p6-10
What’s going on in Swedish America.
Holiday events, p11-12
Mark your calendars: The season is starting
11.16 SING A SONG: The World Championships in snaps songs are held in Stockholm. Swedish champion Ingvar Axelsson from Växjö in Småland will represent Sweden. See Swedish champion, p4 *Born Jean Bernadotte in Pau, France, he was the son of a procurator. The family name was originally de Pouey, but was changed to Bernadotte, a surname of an ancestress, at the beginning of the 17th century. In August 1798, Bernadotte married Bernardine Eugénie Désirée Clary in Sceaux. She had previously been engaged to Napoleon. The couple had only one son, later to be known as Oscar I of Sweden and Norway.
Perpetually starting over Readers’ comments are back. I know some of you have missed this section but we have simply had too many longer stories after the summer hiatus. An important part of my job is reading every note and hearing every complaint or praise you may have. We strive to be the newspaper of, by and for Swedish America, and as you’ve maybe come to realize, you are key to this. This week it’s Jim Melin and Leif Rosqvist, next week it might be you and someone else. Without the experiences and reporting shared by Evert Andersson, Ted Olsson, Kitty Hughes, Ken Johnson or Scott Hedges and many, many others, our lives here—and yours—would be so much less interesting. We’re still refining and working on the Discover Swedish language section, among other things, including a book or two and setting up a fun contest for this year’s “Skumtomte” from Cloetta (better than ever). To paraphrase something allegedly said by Allen Saunders (and later John Lennon), “The newspaper is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” You see, perpetually starting over is what publishing a periodical is really all about. Right now we’re also deep into plans for our Christmas issues. Other than “Christmas dishes past, present and future,” we’ll be sharing some exciting new food for your glögg party and a more modern take on dishes for the Swedish American Christmas table—a “julbord” created by another reader/subscriber and chef. The traditionalists will also be able to prepare what must be the world’s oldest recipe for pepparkakor (absolutely delicious)! One other way to contribute before Christmas: Run an ad wishing customers, friends or family a God Jul. As you may have seen in earlier years, we’ve kept up the tradition of running Christmas greetings in a couple issues before Christmas. It’s a fun, cost-effective, sustainable way of connecting or reconnecting with loved ones. If you’re interested in more details, email jul2019@nordstjernan.com or call 1.800.827.9333, ext 12. Wishing you happy holiday planning wherever you are, Ulf Barslund Mårtensson whatever you do, and please keep the stories, the thoughts Editor & Publisher and comments coming!
Award winning Oregon wines with umlaut— Bergström Wines. /Page 14
Food & Culture, p24
A Nobel dessert: What wonderful foods do the Nobel Prize recipients eat at the banquet held in their honor?
Swedish News, p26-27
Food for thought for future students in Sweden / 2019 Nobel Prizes/ Future lack of certain skills/ More women get higher degree / The salary gap narrows / Björklund leaves parliament / Increasing property prices. Page 20
Everyone can do anything they set their mind to ... /Page 20 The Exchange Rate:
$1.00 = SEK 9.28 (06.28.2019)
NOVEMBER 01, 2019 3
dashboard | november 01, 2019
Swedish meatballs in Las Vegas
New Swedish champion
This year’s champion of a newly written snaps song was recently decided at the Spritmuseum (Museum of Spirits) next to the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The winner was Ingvar Axelsson from Växjö. His song “Rätt Lyft” was also the audience favorite. The World Championship will be held at the Opera Terrace, Operakällern in Stockholm on Nov. 16, starting at 12 noon. The winning song: RÄTT LYFT Melodi: Kors på Idas grav Jag vill inte gå på gym och lyfta skrot Ansiktslyftningar bär också mig emot Lyfta blicken, lyfta frågan, lyfta lönen känns okej men att lyfta glaset det är nog min grej. For more info, see www.spritmuseum.se
The stories, the traditions, the people behind the news. founded in new york city in september 1872 executive editor & publisher:
Ulf Barslund Mårtensson (editor@nordstjernan.com) editor:
Amanda Olson Robison (editor@nordstjernan.com) managing editor & production: Everett Martin graphic design: Nadia Wojcik (design@nordstjernan.com) contributors:
Chipp Reid - Ted Olsson - Leif Rosqvist - Kitty Hughes Ulf Kirchdorfer - Valorie Arrowsmith Bo Zaunders - Göran Rygert - James Kaplan - Gunilla Blixt publications director:
Mette Barslund Mårtensson (mette@nordstjernan.com; 800.827.9333, ext 12)
nordstjernan p.o. box 1710 new canaan ct 06840 contact us at 1.800.827.9333 ext 10 for reader services, email: subs@nordstjernan.com; ext 12 for advertising, email: ads@nordstjernan.com www.nordstjernan.com Covering three worlds: Sweden, America and Swedish America. Order your own copy, $55.00 for a year (18 issues) Choose ‘subscribe’ at www.nordstjernan.com or call 1.800.827.9333, ext 10 4 NORDSTJERNAN
Former Swedish professional hockey player Alexander Hult, a native of Borlänge, Sweden, grew up working various jobs in his mother’s restaurants. Upon moving to Northern California and Silicon Valley, Alex and his wife Sarah started by first opening Hult’s Restaurant in Los Gatos in October 2013. During a vacation to Hawaii in search of the perfect flight of cocktails, the innovative restaurateurs Alex and Sarah came up with the concept of FLIGHTS. The result was the opening of the first highly-acclaimed Flights Restaurant in Campbell, California in March 2017. The instantly successful and popular restaurant was followed by converting their Hult’s Restaurant into the second Flights of Los Gatos in January 2018. The third Flights, of Burl- Swedish hockey player-turned restaurateur Alexander Hult, left, with ingame, California soon fol- Jim Melin in Las Vegas, September 2019. lowed with an airplane hanging from the ceiling — confiscated from former comfort food made for sharing. The delicious Columbian drug lord Pablo Escobar. food, unique cocktails and wine and beer are Last year the fourth Flights, in Mountain View, served as a flight trio meant to be enjoyed famCalifornia, took off, continuing their service ily style. Alex recently added some new dinner model approach of where “counter service” meets entrees to the menus, including Swedish meatballs “sit down service.” from his mother’s secret recipe. The fifth and latest Flights, of Las Vegas, NeAs a final note, Alex told me that later this year vada opened in July 2019, where I recently found Flights of Los Gatos will have a Julbord on Sunday, and caught up with the indefatigable and young December 15, 2019 (one only!) — Silicon Valley Alex Hult. Flights of Las Vegas is centered in Swedes will definitely want to enjoy this special the Miracle Mile of Shops by Planet Hollywood and wonderful evening. I know my wife and I will. Hotel & Casino. Open daily for brunch, lunch and dinner, it is definitely a must to see and enjoy on Jim Melin your next fun party trip to Las Vegas. Flights restaurants are a one-of-a-kind din- FLIGHTS Restaurant Las Vegas ing experience combined with flight attendant 3663 South Las Vegas Blvd. servers, aviation themed décor and phenomenal Planet Hollywood – Miracle Mile Shops service. They focus on making dining fun with www.flightsrestaurants.com
Longer trips to be climate audited
The Swedish government wants to make it compulsory to report the climate impact related to the sale or marketing of long-distance trips by bus, train, airplane or ferry. The Traffic Analysis Authority is commissioned to submit proposals on how such a climate declaration can be designed and which actors should be included. “The transport sector is key in the climate change and the responsibility for it rests heavily on me, but it should also be easy for the individual to take on his responsibility,” says the Minister for Infrastructure Tomas Eneroth.
dashboard | november 01, 2019
Second woman praised
Southern peak of Kebnekaise on September 3, 2019, Photo: Gunhild Rosqvist
Sweden’s highest mountain The annual measure of the southern peak of Kebnekaise was done on September 3 this year by researchers from Tarfala Research Station, which is owned and run by Stockholm University. The southern peak now stands at 2095.6 meters, which is 1.2 meters below the northern peak’s 2096.8 meters. Since a glacier covers the southern peak of Kebnekaise, it varies approximately 3 meters from summer to winter and is usually at its highest in May and its lowest in September. The northern peak, on the other hand, consists of rock and is free from ice, and therefore has a more consistent height. But the glacier is decreasing due to climate change; eventually, the northern peak will become the highest point in Sweden all year around. “This is the lowest height (of the southern peak) ever measured. Over the past 50 years, the height of Kebnekaise’s southern peak has decreased by 24 meters,” says Gunhild Ninis Rosqvist, professor of geography at Stockholm University, who is in charge of the annual measurements of Kebnekaise. The measure was done using a GPS, which has only a few centimeters margin of error.
Current, first and second heirs to the throne. HM King Carl XVI Gustaf, HRH Crown Princess Victoria and HRH Princess Estelle.
Big changes for the royal grandchildren King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden announced on Oct. 7 that five of his seven grandchildren will no longer have status in the Royal House. Each of them retains their title as prince or princess, but they will not be expected to appear for official assignments or perform royal duties, nor will they receive taxpayer support. The royal family acknowledged it had grown—with 10 currently in the line of succession—and it’s not necessary to have so many people available for official duties. The decision, supported by the King’s children, will affect Prince Alexander and Prince Gabriel, the sons of Prince Carl Philip and Princess Sofia, as well as Princess Leonore, Prince Nicholas and Princess Adrienne, the children of Princess Madeline and her husband Christopher O’Neill, who currently live in
the United States. They will be considered private individuals who can pursue activities and employment that interests them in the future. The King’s eldest daughter and heir to the throne, Crown Princess Victoria, has two children with her husband Prince Daniel—Princess Estelle and Prince Oscar (second and third in line to the throne, respectively) were exempt from the decision and will keep their royal status. The Order of Succession is not affected by this decision: Prince Alexander, Prince Gabriel, Princess Leonore, Prince Nicolas and Princess Adrienne, as descendants of King Carl XVI Gustaf, will still be legally entitled to the throne and in that sense have a clear connection to the head of state, even though they no longer belong to the Royal House.
NOVEMBER 01, 2019 5
Photo Sandra Birgersdotter Ek, The Royal Court of Sweden
French American Esther Duflo, 46, was one of the favorites for the 2019 Nobel Economy Prize in memory of Nobel. She is the second woman to receive the award since it was founded in 1969 and also the youngest award winner. “I didn’t think you could get the prize until you were significantly older than either of us,” she told media after the announcement. Duflo is married to one of the other award winners, Abhijit Banerjee, 58. Both researchers are connected to the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab at MIT, which they also co-founded. Duflo, Banerjee and the third winner, Harvard’s Michael Kremer, are working to find the root of poverty in developing countries and then to tackle the cause locally. (More Nobel /p27)
local events
Local Events
In northern Swedish America ...
California
There are only a few more days — until November 8 — to see Swedish Folk Painting, an exhibit featuring contemporary Swedish folk paintings by Judith Kjenstad, Pieper Fleck Bloomquist and Alison Aune. These three artists have studied, and transformed, traditional Swedish dalmålningar from Dalarna, with its characteristic floral kurbits (fantastical gourd flowers), and decorative-figurative bonadsmåleri from the southern provinces of Småland and Halland into contemporary paintings. Each artist exhibits their paintings in the content of traditional Swedish folk painting and its recent revival in the Upper Midwest at the Nordic Center, in Duluth, Minnesota. 218.390.8426 / www. nordiccenterduluth.org
San Francisco 11.12, 7 PM Celebrate a night of hockey with the Swedish community! Erik Karlsson and the Sharks are taking Adam Larsson and the Edmonton Oilers in a Pacific Division showdown! Use promo code SWEDISH to unlock this special offer @ www.SJsharks. com/swedish and join other Bay Area Swedes as we celebrate Swedish Heritage Night! Each ticket includes a limited edition Swedish Sharks Beanie! Tickets start at just $35. The SAP Center, 408.977.4781 cjensen@sjsharks.com / www.SJsharks. com/swedish
Florida Clearwater 11.01, 11:45 AM - 2:45 PM Suncoast Scandinavian Club: Welcome to our November luncheon meeting with entertainment by Lars-Erik Robinson, Swedish caricaturist. Lunch cost is $17/ visitor. RSVP required to Cherstin Peterson, 732.546.7756 or sunscanclub1965@gmail. com / www.facebook.com/SuncoastScandinavian-Club-Inc-639715096132281
Illinois Chicago 11.07, 11 AM – 3:30 PM Pop-up Café - Kladdkakansdag: The Swedish sticky chocolate cake is a close relative to the brownie, just stickier because of its lack of a rising agent. No one knows how this recipe came about, but it is one of the most commonly baked cakes in Sweden today. Come try a slice of cake and beverage for $6. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
11.07, 6-8 PM Movie Night: See “Modus: what makes someone a murderer?” a crime series based on the books by Anne Holt. A smart and brooding Swedish detective series, Modus follows psychologist and ex-FBI profiler Inger Johanne Vik as she finds herself and her autistic daughter drawn into an investigation of a series of disturbing and brutal deaths in Stockholm. The episodes are tied together but can be watched individually. In Swedish with English subtitles. Free, and you can make your own sandwich for $5. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
11.11, 9 AM- 2 PM Viking day Camp: Need something for your elementary student (5K - 5th grade) to do on Veterans Day? Come to our one-day Viking camp for a day filled with games, crafts and fun, Viking style. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org / www.swedishamericanmuseum.org 11.15, 11 AM - 3:30 PM Pop-Up Cafe: Swedish Cheesecake Day Ostkakans dag / Cheesecake day The most common version of cheesecake in Sweden has a slight almond flavor and a bumpy texture. It is served with whipped cream and jam. Come try yours at our cheesecake pop-up café for $6. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
11.15, 6 PM Swedish family film: Tsatsiki, Dad and the Olive War (Sweden): This is the third installment in a series of films by Swedish director Ella Lemhagen, based on Moni Nilsson’s highly successful book series. When Tsatsiki goes to Greece to see his father, Yanis, he discovers his beloved village isn’t as he remembered. When Yanis tells Tsatsiki he might have to sell their hotel and olive grove, Tsatsiki is heartbroken. But Tsatsiki’s mother has taught him to never give up. Together with the wild and fearless Alva, he begins a rescue mission that turns his summer holiday into a journey filled with adventure, friendship and love. Recommended for ages 8+. Free, 1h 35min. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac. org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
SAN FRANCISCO Lördag 9 november kl 16.00
FUNDRAISER
i San Francisco. Musik framförd av Ragnar och Tamara Bohlin. Smårätter och vin. $100. Anmälan till kristin.hamren@svenskakyrkan.se.
Södag 10 november kl 11.00
ALLHELGONA-GUDSTJÄNST i Norska Sjömanskyrkan på Hyde Street San. Församlingspräst Mary Philipson predikar och Ragnar Bohlin är pianist. Jannika Dahlfort solist. SWEA bjuder på kyrkkaffe.
Lördag 16 november kl 15.00
GUDSTJÄNST
i Los Altos Lutheran Church. Mary Philipson predikar och Brandon Peck är pianist. Kyrkkaffe och saft. Se Facebook för mer info!
SVENSKA KYRKAN SAN FRANCISCO Norska Sjömanskyrkan, 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco Tel: 415-632-8504 Epost: sanfrancisco@svenskakyrkan.se Hemsida: www.svenskakyrkan.se/sanfrancisco 6 NORDSTJERNAN
7
Join the fun! Nov. 22 & 23
10 a.m - 4 p.m. both days Food, Arts & Crafts, Christmas items Free Admission
Norwegian Christmas Bazaar The Norwegian Seamen’s Church 2454 Hyde Street, San Francisco
local events
Scandinavian Cuisine ... Throughout the Year – its roots, traditions and new ideals. On Nov. 9, starting at 11 a.m., Richard Tellström is presenting two lectures about the Swedish Christmas Table at Central Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tellström is an ethnologist and associate professor in food and meal science at Stockholm University. SAHS and the Swedish Council of America are sponsoring these lectures, both an hour long with 15 minutes for Q&A. $15/both lectures and lunch, or $10/ one lecture and lunch. Register and pay online or send a check; get more details at 616.458.0420 / www.sahswm.org/upcoming-events 11 a.m.: “Swedish food culture during the last 1000 years and the Swedish-American Food Heritage” Noon: Lunch of yellow pea soup and bread. 1 p.m.: “The Swedish Christmas Table – Roots, traditions and new ideals” 11.22, 11 AM Hejsan: Enjoy story and craft time on the third Friday of each month. The theme for the 2019-2020 school year is: animals. All ages are welcome to attend with a caregiver for this free (with admission) program. Swedish American Museum, RSVP via email to snyman@ samac.org / 773.728.8111 / w w w. swedishamericanmuseum.org 11.22, 6-8 PM Got Glögg? Join us for a fun competition to see who really has the best glögg in Chicago! Prepaid and confirmed tickets required. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org/ www.swedishamericanmuseum.org
Massachusetts 11.09, 10 AM - 4PM Scandinavian Jul Bazaar: Tables of items from Scandinavia, Christmas boutique, gifts-knits, jewelry, homemade candies, baked goods, raffle, Kaffe
Stuga for delicious coffee and lunch. South Shore Viking Club, 781.337.0736 / creedbernice12@gmail.com. 11.09, 1-2:30 PM Voices of Scandinavia: Brothers Lawrence Wilde and Charles Boguinia present a program of piano music by Edward Grieg and new compositions for the Swedish nyckelharpa, violin and piano inspired by Swedish and Norwegian Folk music. This concert is the culmination of Lawrence’s artistic research of Scandinavian folk music and the Swedish nyckelharpa. The Voices of Scandinavia concert opens with a preconcert discussion about Scandinavian folk music and a demonstration of the Swedish nyckelharpa. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 617.795.1914, kerry@ scandicenter.org / www.scandicenter.org
Michigan Grand Rapids 11.09, 3-5 PM Scandinavian Cuisine Throughout the
CELEBRATING 31 YEARS
WOODEN SPOON SCANDINAVIAN SHOP
Your complete stop for all Christmas gifts and food
Calendars, linens, pewter and wood ornaments, straw Jul bocks. Lutefisk, homemade lefse, herrings, Swedish hams, cheeses, candy, glögg, Julmust, marcipan and more. www.woodenspoonplano.com gwen@woodenspoonplano.com
1617 K Avenue, Plano, TX 75074 972-424-6867
Year: Richard Tellström from Stockholm University discusses the Swedish Christmas table – its roots, traditions and new ideals. At at Central Reformed Church, 616.458.0420 / www.sahswm. org/upcoming-events
Minnesota Duluth 11.09, 2-4:30 PM Gingerbread Workshop: Decorate a gingerbread house for display with g i n g e r b r e a d m a s t e r, Pa t r i c k t h e Gingerbread Man. Sorry, no walk-ins, pre-payment of $20/house is required by Oct. 31. Nordic Center Duluth, 218.390.8426 /roseyrita@mac.com / www.nordiccenterduluth.org Minneapolis 11. 01, 10-11:30 AM Mini Makers Preschool Program: Explore Swedish (and Swedish-American) traditions with your little one through creative storytelling, music, art and more.
“What do Swedish families do throughout the year?” and “Why do they do it?” This program is specifically designed for children ages 3-5 and their important adults. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / info@asimn.org / www. asimn.org 11.06, 6:30 -8:30 PM Christmas Crafts and Cocktails: ASI’s popular Craft and Cocktails series returns for the holiday season with the Julmys (“Cozy Christmas”) edition! Get a festive beverage from FIKA and spend an evening creating a holiday decoration: paint designs on four pre-shaped clay ornaments that will be glazed and re-fired, then available for pick up later in November. $35+$5/ ASI members, $40+$5/non-members. Additional dates on Nov. 13 & 20, Dec. 4 & 11. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / www.asimn.org 11.13, 10 AM - 12 PM Swedish Food Culture: Viking Age to Today Join us for a special daytime lecture from ASI friend Richard Tellström, a professor of food history at Stockholm University. American Swedish Institute, 612.871.4907 / emilyk@asimn.org / www.asimn.org Scandia 11.02-11.03 Korv Swedish Sausage Making Class: Enjoy a soup lunch then learn to make two different 1-pound batches of Swedish sausage at Elim Lutheran Church. Bring a cooler to take home your korv! Space is limited, register now 651.433.5054 / info@gammelgardenmuseum.org / www. gammelgardenmuseum.org 11.08, 10 AM & 1 PM Girls & Dolls Tea Parties: Girls ages 6-96 are invited to a fancy tea party with your doll and stories, games, dances, crafts, music centered around historical information of the mid 1800s. $20/person, reservations required: 651.433.5053, Gammelgarden Museum / www.gammelgardenmuseum.org
Saturday November 23, 2019 Lodge Linné #429, VOA
Scandinavian Import & Gift Sale 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Admission Free Salt Brook School, 40 Maple Street, New Providence, NJ 07974
Linens • Crystal • Pewter • Tomtar • Sweaters • Wooden, Paper & Straw Decorations • Kitchen & Housewares Cash and Checks only Lunch 11:00 AM – 1:30 PM Info: Karen (908) 665-1292 or Sandy (973) 479-7873 NOVEMBER 01, 2019 7
local events 11.21, 12-6 PM Lutfisk & Swedish Meatball Dinner: A traditional holiday Swedish smörgåsbord stars the famous Swedish lutfisk served with cream sauce and melted butter, accompanied by Swedish meatballs, potatoes, pickled beets, rye bread, lefse, krispbread and Swedish almond cake with lingon. Served at Scandia Community Center; plan to bid at the evening’s silent auction and walk across the street to Gammelgarden’s Butik Gift Shop to take advantage of the annual sale - 15% discount on ALL items (in addition to your member discount)! Gammelgarden Museum, 651.433.5054 / www.gammelgardenmuseum.org Ongoing The attic stores immigration stories: Gammelgården’s Attic exhibit hosts a wide variety of items that are relevant to telling the story of Swedish immigration and settlement. Many are on display in the Passage Room of the Välkommen Hus where they can be enjoyed and help tell the story of immigration. Gammelgarden Museum, 651.383.7351 / www.gammelgardenmuseum.org
New York Corning New Glass Now: The special exhibition features works by 100 living glass artists, including Kosta Boda artists and others in Sweden’s “glass country” as well as Denmark, Finland and around the world. Through January 2020 at The Corning Museum of Glass, 607.937.5371 / www.cmog.org New York 11.01, 6-9 PM Opportunity Knocks: In this remake of the 1972 Norwegian comedy classic, saleswoman Ingrid and children’s book illustrator Olav are unable to afford their own home and live with Olav’s meddlesome mother. But fate knocks at the door and Ingrid inherits a small house, located in a prime location, left to her by an aunt she’s never met. When a series of disasters ensue, Ingrid and Olav discover their dream may need much more work than they thought. Slapstick and witty, this comedy is about renovations – both material and emotional – and what might happen when ambitions outrun ability. Directed by Arild Fröhlich (Norway 2018). Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@amscan. org / www.scandinaviahouse.org 11.02, 4-6 PM M u s i c o n Pa r k Av e n u e : S w e d i s h pianist Per Tengstrand presents a solo performance of “The Goldberg Variations” by Johann S. Bach, consisting of an aria with diverse variations for harpsichord with two manuals. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org
Hockey night in the Bay Area In the Bay Area on Nov. 12? Celebrate a night of hockey with the Swedish community! Erik Karlsson and the Sharks are taking Adam Larsson and the Edmonton Oilers in a Pacific Division showdown! Use promo code SWEDISH to unlock this special offer at www.SJsharks.com/ swedish and join other Bay Area Swedes as we celebrate Swedish Heritage Night at the SAP Center, starting at 6:15 p.m. Game starts at 7 p.m. Each ticket (starting at just $35) includes a limited edition Swedish Sharks Beanie. 408.977.4781 / cjensen@sjsharks.com / www.SJsharks.com/swedish
Julmarknad November 22: 11-8 Pm November 23: 11-6 Pm November 24: 11-6 Pm
11.12, 6:30 PM Finnish music for solo accordion: Combining iconic late 20th century soundscapes with brand-new ones, Matti Pulkki presents a concert of Finnish music for solo accordion by Einojuhani Rautavaara, Cecilia Damström and Magnus Lindberg with a premiere performance of a piece by Reiko Füting. Scandinavia House, 212.847.9729 / chelsea@amscan.org / www.scandinaviahouse.org
We would like you to join in the fun among old friends & listen to Scandinavian Christmas carols while we serve you great food, coffee & æbleskiver.
2019 OPEN HOUSE
Friday, November 29 • Saturday, November 30 • Sunday, December 1 Holiday hours Mon - Sat 9.30 to 5, Sun from 10 to 3. Remember to order our Christmas specialties such as Flæskesteg, Juleskinka, Hamburryk, Fenalaar, Pinnekjøtt, Spekeskinke and Ribbe in plenty of time!
2709 SAN PABLO AVENUE BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA 94702 510.705.1932 • fax 510.898.1753 8 NORDSTJERNAN
Advertise your holiday events in Nordstjernan Julmarknad, Yuletide Concert, Lucia Fest, Glögg Party, Christmas Bazaar, Julfest, Cooking class, Julotta, Open House, Pysselkväll ...
ads@nordstjernan.com 800.827.9333 x12
local events around the museum, play games and
counting and language skills. $5/ Remember Moomin? build child or free/members, no charge for
Tove Jansson was born in Finland in 1914. She began her career as a cartoonist and went on to write and illustrate many books for adults and children. She drew her first Moomin in the 1930s, just for fun, and in 1945 he became a character in a children’story. Tove became world-famous for her Moomin books, which began with The Moomins and the Great Flood in 1945, writing XX in all. They’ve become beloved all over Scandinavia and the world, the charming family of Moomintrolls and their diverse friends offering some guidance in life, from the secret to having courage to learning to be patient. Get to know the classic Finnish fantasy world of Moomin and his friends during Toddler Time at Philadelphia’s American Swedish Historical Museum on Nov. 19, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Kids will practice early learning skills while exploring the beauty of autumn alongside cherished Moomin friends. $5/ child or free/members, no charge for accompanying caregivers. www.americanswedish.org
11.13, 6-9 PM Film and discussion with Liv Ullmann: In celebration of Liv Ullmann, recipient of the 2019 ASF Gold Medal, Scandinavia House presents two special evenings with the acclaimed actress and director, followed by a retrospective of her roles and work with leading auteurs. At this opening event, Jan Erik Holst and Liv Ullmann will discuss her life and career on screen, stage and behind the camera, as well as her first leading role as an actress in The Wayward Girl. In this 1959 film directed by Edith Carlmar, Ullmann starred as the unruly young Gerd, who runs away with her middle-class boyfriend Anders to live in the countryside after facing his family’s disapproval. Secluded in a cottage in the woods, the relationship blossoms, creating an isolated idyll. But when a stranger arrives and interrupts their routine, a love triangle threatens to tear them apart. A screening of the film will follow the d i s c u s s i o n . S c a n d i n av i a H o u s e . 212.847.9729. chelsea@amscan.org. www.scandinaviahouse.org/events/ miss-julie/ 11.14, 6:30-9 PM Miss Julie, An evening with Liv Ullmann: Liv Ullmann, recipient of the 2019 ASF Gold Medal, is at Scandinavia House for two special evenings. Tonight, Ullmann presents her last cinematic project as a film director: the 2014 film Miss Julie / Frøken Julie, based on the 1888 play by August Strindberg. Set in late 19th century Ireland, the film follows the unsettled daughter of a wealthy landlord as she
attempts to seduce her father’s valet over the course of one midsummer’s night. The affair soon takes the pair to dark places, with questions of power, class, and gender at stake. A screening of the film will follow the discussion. Scandinavia House. 212.847.9729. chelsea@amscan. org. www.scandinaviahouse.org/events/ miss-julie/ 11.21 Lars Tunbjörk - Askew: The new franchised New York branch of Fotografiska opened at 281 Park Avenue South on Oct. 18; a retrospective exhibition by iconic Swedish photographer Lars Tunbjörk (1956-2015) opens on Nov. 21. Fotografiska New York is the newest global outpost from the internationally renowned, Stockholmbased destination for photography. Neither a museum nor a gallery, Fotografiska showcases a diverse range of artists, perspectives and photographic mediums among rising stars as well as icons. www. fotografiska.com/nyc
Oregon Portland 11.13, 5-7 PM Wine Wednesdays: The summer series that brought Oregon wines with Nordic connections to your tastebuds continues! Sit on the patio and enjoy light refreshments and great regional wines. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www.nordicnorthwest.org 11.12, 6:30 PM Cook & Eat: Holiday Cookies & Glögg: Guest chefs Barb Randall and Erika Lundquist
lead the baking of traditional Christmas rosette cookies. Cookie preparation is followed by social time and chance to eat what you prepared with a glass of glögg. $25/ members, $30/non-members. Nordia House, 503.977.0275 / www. nordicnorthwest.org
Pennsylvania Philadelphia 11.02, 8:30 AM- 3 PM New Sweden History Conference: This daylong conference explores the life and legacy of the New Sweden Colony (1638-1655). This year’s topic celebrates the 320th anniversary of Holy Trinity (Old Swedes) Church in Wilmington and the ways in which this church has kept Swedish heritage alive in Delaware. Speakers include experts in church’s furniture and furnishings, early church graffiti, and its Swedish pastors. Following the conference, attendees have the option to meet at Holy Trinity for a behind-the-scenes tour of one of America’s oldest churches. Registration includes breakfast and lunch, American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / www.americanswedish.org 11.19, 10:30-11:30 AM Toddler Time: Get to know the classic Finnish fantasy world of Moomin and his friends. We will be reading Moomin and the Golden Leaf by Tove Jansson. Kids will practice early learning skills while exploring the beauty of autumn alongside cherished friends such as Moominmamma, Moominpappa, Snorkmaiden, Little My, Snufkin, Sniff and Mymble. Look
accompanying caregivers. American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish.org / www. americanswedish.org Ongoing The Finnish Cause is Ours: 2019 marks 80 years since the first of three wars fought by Finland to defend its territory. During the devastating war years, Finland’s government worked with neighboring Nordic countries to evacuate 70,000 Finnish children. This exhibit explores the experiences of these children and their difficulties during transportation, moving to Sweden, and for some, returning to Finland. Through January at American Swedish Historical Museum, 215.389.1776 / info@americanswedish.org / www. americanswedish.org
Rhode Island
Cranston 11.17 9:30 AM - 1 PM Swedish Holiday Brunch: Come to the Kaffestuga at one of two seatings, 9:30 or 11 a.m., to enjoy Swedish pancakes with lingonberry, Swedish meatballs, rice pudding, ham and more ... and yes, a Swedish Tomte visit! Swedish baked goods and holiday items as well as brunch cocktails for sale. $15/adults, $7/ages 4-12 Limited seating - reservations required to 401.739.3530, marlenehaglundhatch@ gmail.com
Washington Seattle 11.15, 10 AM - 5 PM Sámi Film Festival: The second Sámi Film Festival explores Sámi values, visions and stories with a day of shorts and documentaries, panel discussions, filmmaker visits, and a happy hour. In partnership with Pacific Sámi Searvi. Tor Tuorda and his daughter and joiker Astrid Tuorda will attend the festival and participate in a discussion following the screening of the documentary, GÁLLOK. Nordic National Museum, 206.789.5707 / www.nordicmuseum.org
Do you know about an upcoming event in Swedish America? Submit it any time to our online calendar at www.nordstjernan.com/ calendar
NOVEMBER 01, 2019 9
local events
the most popular films and tv shows from sweden
swedish dvd releases Order Swedish language movies on DVD. All videos are in the original language with English subtitles.
Got Glögg in Chicago’s Andersonville?
19.95
ed: $
educ
r Price
Becoming Astrid: About the life of the creator of Pippi Longstocking, Sweden’s beloved author Astrid Lindgren.
Immerse yourself and family in swedishness with the latest dvd releases from Sweden.
If you have a favorite recipe (or just love drinking it) for glögg, the mulled wine that’s a vital part of the Christmas season for Swedes, join in the fun on Nov. 22 at 6:00 p.m., for a competition (and tasting!) to see who really has the best glögg in Chicago! If you wish to compete, go to www. swedishamericanmuseum.org to reserve a space and receive the rules for competing. Tasters can purchase tickets there or at the museum. Admission is $20 and includes sandwiches and samples from all our competing glögg masters. Prepaid and confirmed tickets are required and no refunds available for cancellations within 5 days of event. Swedish American Museum, 773.728.8111 / museum@samac.org. Skål!
Augusta’s Daughter
Becoming Astrid $29.95 = _______ A Man Called Ove ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Last Sentence $29.95 = _______ The 100 Year Old Man ($29.95) $19.95 = _______ The Dragon Tattoo Trilogy Extended Boxed Set $39.95 = _______ Wallander Series 2 Boxed Set ($74.95) $59.95 = _______ Max Manus: Man of War (in Norwegian) $19.95 = _______
Please send me:
Ever wonder what made so many emigrate from Sweden in the nineteenth century? Judit Martin’s novel, “Augusta’s Daughter,” about 19th century Swedish peasant life made such an impression on us, we decided to offer it to the Nordstjernan readership. call 1.800.827.9333 for your own copy ($24.90 incl. S&H to continental U.S.).
Total = _______
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Name ____________________________________
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Please charge my credit card:
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NORDSTJERNAN P.O. Box 1710 New Canaan, CT 06840 or call 1.800.827.9333 Ext. 10
10 NORDSTJERNAN
National archives and library for Swedish-American historical research Publishers of Swedish American Genealogist 639 38th Street Rock Island, IL | 61201-2296 309-794-7204
www.augustana.edu/ swenson
Through
NORDSTJERNAN 1.800.827.9333 Ext 10
local events
Christmas in Swedish America Santa Cruz 11.08, 5:30 PM Jul Dinner. Traditional Scandinavian Christmas menu. Scandinavian Cultural Center, 831.425.9725 / www.sccsantacruz.org
Arizona Phoenix Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church 11.09, 10AM - 2PM Scandinavian Jul Bazaar. Scandinavian food and handcrafts, Scandinavian cultural clubs and lodges. www. aznorseman.org
Colorado Lakewood 11.01, 10:30 AM - 4 PM Scandinavian Christmas Fair. Imports, crafts, rosemaling, food, gifts, holiday decorations and lunch at Trollheim Lodge, bouldercathy46@gmail.com / www.trollheimlodge.com
California Huntington Beach 11.24, 11 AM - 5 PM Swedish Christmas Fair. Swedish handicrafts, Lucia pageant, jultomte, Swedish food, traditional music and dancing. At Euro Market, 949.200.7687 / www.orangecounty.swea.org
Florida Boca Raton 11.23, 11 AM - 3 PM Christmas Bazaar with Lucia celebration, Christmas decorations and Swedish food for sale. At First United Methodist Church, sweasouthflorida.president@gmail.com / www.southflorida.swea.org
Los Angeles - San Pedro 11.22 - 11.24 Norwegian Christmas Fair. Christmas decorations, hand-made goods and fresh homemade food and Café. Norwegian & Swedish Church, 310.832.6800 / www. sjomannskirken.no/los-angeles-sanpedro Los Angeles/San Pedro 12.01, 11 AM 1 Adventmässa. Svenska Kyrkan LA www. svenskakyrkan.se/losangeles or Email: losangeles@svenskakyrkan.se San Francisco - Berkeley 11.29 - 12.01, 9:30 - 5 PM Open House with Scandinavian Christmas Carols at Nordic House. www. nordichouse.com /800-854-6435 San Francisco 11.16 - 11.17, 12-4 PM Norwegian Christmas Bazaar. Christmas decorations, food, gifts and clothes at Norwegian Seamen’s church, www.sjomannskirken.no/san-francisco/ / sanfrancisco@sjomannskirken.no
Davie 12.01, 4 PM Adventsgudstjänst. Svenska kyrkan in Florida, florida@svenskakyrkan.se / www. svenskakyrkan.se/florida Georgia Atlanta, Sandy Springs 11.17, 11 AM - 3:30 PM Swedish Christmas Market. Baked goods, crafts, Swedish Cafe, Lucia and much more. Sweaatlanta@gmail.com / www.atlanta.swea.org Iowa Elk Horn 11.29, 9 AM – 11:30, 8 PM Julefest 2019 in the Danish Villages: The 41st Julefest offers visitors a way to kick-start the Christmas season. Danish Windmill, 712.764.77472 / www. danishwindmill.com
Illinois Bishop Hill 11.29 - 12.01 & 12.07 - 12.08 Swedish Christmas Market – Julmarknad. Music, Cookie Walk, handmade items, antiques, folk art, and other gift items. 309.927.3899 / www.bishophillheritage. org
Maryland Bethesda 11.08 1-6 PM 11.09 10 AM - 4 PM Annual Norwegian Christmas Fair. Christmas Gifts, Norwegian food and Baked goods, Emmanuel Lutheran Church.
Chicago 11.22, 6-8 PM Got Glögg? Tasting and competition - who really has the best glögg in Chicago? Swedish American Museum, museum@samac.org / www. swedishamericanmuseum.org
Potomac 11.03, 11 AM - 2:30 PM Swedish Bazaar. Swedish gifts and foods, homemade Swedish baked goods, smorgasbord lunch and live music. info@ drott-lodge.org / www.drott-lodge.org
12.03, 5-7 PM Candle making and Christmas Crafts. Make hand-dipped candles, heart baskets, Christmas ornaments and a traditional Swedish Christmas treat. 773.728.8111 / www.swedishamericanmuseum.org Iowa Elk Horn 11.29 - 11.30 Julefest 2019: Celebrate the arrival of the Christmas Season in the Danish Villages. 800.451.7960, www.danishvillages.com
Rockville 11.09, 11:00 AM - 3:00 PM Danish Bazaar. Crafts, Danish baked goods, decorations, jewelry. At St. Elizabeth’s Church, www.danishclubdc. org Massachusetts East Weymouth 11.09, 10 AM - 4 PM Scandinavian Jul Bazaar. Christmas boutique, gifts-knits, jewelry, homemade candies, baked goods, raffle, Kaffe Stuga At South Shore Viking Club, 781.337.0736 / creedbernice12@gmail.com
BARNKLUBBEN ELSA RIX #1 99th Annual Lucia Festival Lucia Bride – Hannah Marie Zabe
Saturday Dec. 8, 2019 at 3:30 pm St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church 54 Nassau Blvd. West Hempstead, NY
Lucia pageant & folk dancing
Please place your Christmas Order early! 349 Main Ave. Norwalk, CT 06851 Phone: 203-529-3244 Email: info@scandinavianbutik.com www.scandinavianbutik.com
$15/adult, $5/child5-12, Children under 5 free. Sandwiches, coffee & desserts included. Glögg and gifts available.
Music by Smögåsbandet
Directions: Southern State Pkwy. Exit 17N.
2nd light left onto Nassau Blvd. Cross Hempstead Tpk., right onto 8th St. and right onto Kilburn Rd. to parking lot.
Reservations & Advance Payment Requested. Information/reservations: (516) 565-2091 • Elainedance@aol.com Send reservations & check payable to Barnklubben Elsa Rix: Elaine McGrath 252 Wellington Road South, Garden City, NY 11530 NOVEMBER 01, 2019 11
local events Michigan Farmington Hills 11.23, 9:30 AM - 2 PM Swedish Christmas Fair. Lucia pageant, food, home-baked goods, waffles, and folk music. At Finnish Culture Center, www. michigan.swea.org Minnesota Duluth 11.09, 2-4 PM Gingerbread Decorating Workshop at the Nordic Center. Pre-pay only, 218.390.8426 / www.nordiccenterduluth.org Minneapolis 11.16, 1 PM Lutfisk Dinner at the American Swedish Institute. RSVP 612.871. 4907 / www. asimn.org
Minneapolis 11.23, 10-3 PM Gingerbread House Workshop: Decorate a pre-built gingerbread house at the American Swedish Institute, 612.871. 4907 / www.asimn.org Minneapolis 11.21 & 12.05 & 12.12 & 12.19 Glögg Tours at American Swedish Institute, 612.871. 4907 / www.asimn.org Scandia 11.21, 12-6 PM Lutfisk & Swedish Meatball Dinner. Traditional holiday Swedish Smörgåsbord. RSVP Gammelgården Museum, 651.433.5054 / www. gammelgardenmuseum.org
Scandia 11.02 & 12.7 & 12.21 Annies Swedish Jul Coffee Party. Gammelgården Museum, 651.433.5054 / www.gammelgardenmuseum.org New Jersey Budd Lake - Vasa Park 11.30, 5 PM Juldans - Dancing around the Christmas tree with traditional music. Scandinavian specialties, glögg, Sankta Lucia pageant, 973.691. 8637 / www.Juldans.org New Providence 11.23, 10 AM - 3 PM Scandinavian Import & Gift Sale: Holiday products and food for sale. Lodge Linne#429 VOA , 908.665.1292 Upper Montclair 11.24, 10 AM - 4 PM Swedish Christmas Fair – Swedish handicrafts, food, glögg, café and Lucia pageant. 815.861.2760 / www.swea.org/ newjersey
New York New York 11.22 - 11.24, 11AM The Swedish Church Julbasar. Crafts, music, Swedish food, glögg, etc. newyork@svenskakyrkan.se / www. svenskakyrkan.se/newyork St James 11.16, 10 AM - 4 PM Scandinavian Bazaar. Lunch and items from all Scandinavian countries for sale. Sons of Norway. At St. James Lutheran Church, 631.862.8017 / razmataz57@ gmail.com Oregon Portland 11.12, 6:30 - 8 PM Holiday cookies: Baking of traditional Christmas rosette cookies. Nordic Northwest, 503.977.0275 / www. nordicnorthwest.org Rhode Island Cranston 11.17 9:30 AM - 1 PM Swedish Holiday Brunch: Swedish pancakes, baked goods and holiday items. Santa visit. RSVP Vasa Star Lodge #56, 401.739.3530 / marlenehaglundhatch@ gmail.com Texas Plano 11.23, 2:30 PM Lucia Procession with children, glogg and cookies. Wooden Spoon, twonordic@aol. com / www.woodenspoonplano.com Washington Seattle 11.23 - 11.24, 10 AM - 6 PM Julefest. Nordic treats, kids’ crafts and activities inside Santa’s workshop. Nordic National Museum, www.nordicmuseum. org/julefest Seattle 12.05, 10-11 AM Nordic Stories. Children’s christmas stories from the Nordic countries, fun craft projects. Nordic Heritage Museum, nordic@nordicmuseum.org / www. nordicmuseum.org For continuous info from all over the U.S., see events at www.nordstjernan. com. Find your local SWEA chapter by going to www.swea.org - almost every SWEA organization has Lucia and Christmas fairs.
Augusta’s Daughter Ever wonder what made so many emigrate from Sweden in the nineteenth century? Judit Martin’s novel, “Augusta’s Daughter,” about 19th century Swedish peasant life made such an impression on us, we decided to offer it to the Nordstjernan readership. call 1.800.827.9333 for your own copy ($24.90 incl. S&H to cont. U.S.). The sequel,
Kajsa
was just released. The story of 15-year-old Elsa-Carolina’s illegitimate daughter Kajsa,who was cast out into the world from a foster home at the age of 8.
12 NORDSTJERNAN
Please send me ____ book(s) “Augusta’s Daugheter” x $24.90 = _______ Please send me ____ book(s) “Kajsa” x $24.90 =
Incl. S&H (in continental U.S.)
_______
Total: _________
Name Address City State Zip Tel. m Check enclosed payable to Nordstjernan m Please charge my credit card: Card# Signature
Exp. Date: SSC Code:
Mail to: Nordstjernan, P.O. Box 1710, New Canaan CT 06840
/
readers forum
InBox Hi Nordstjernan, För 147 år sedan antar jag att Nordstjernan stavades med ‘e’ istället för Nordstjärnan?? Skickar här ett urklipp från en svensk tidning jag tyvärr inte har namnet på som handlar om Janssons Frestelse. Två versioner av hur rätten fick sitt namn nämns i tidningsklippet: “1. En sångare vid Operan som hette Per Adolf (Pelle) Janzon som levde 1844-1889 samlade ibland vännerna i sin ungkarlslya efter föreställningen med förtäring av öl, snaps och Janssons Frestelse. 2. Förutom detta med operasångaren Janzon sägs upphovet kunna ha varit filmen ‘Janssons Frestelse’ som 1928 hade premiär på Stockholmsbiografen Röda Kvarn. Så, vem har rätt? 1928 eller 1929 ...? Eleonora Nyrén, CA Sådant är aldrig lätt att veta med 100% säkerhet, Eleonora. Filmen “Janssons frestelse” med Edvin Adolphson hade mycket riktigt premiär 1928 men den Östermalmsdam, fru Stigmark, som eventuellt myntade namnet för ansjovislådan använde namnet vid en supé 1929. Uppgiften fick vi från vår framlidne kollega professor Jan-Öjvind Swahn (1925-2016). Kärt barn har många namn säger man ju och kanske gäller det också ursprunget till en så folkkär rätt som Jansson. /Ed.
“You can not live here without Nordstjernan”
Blev så glad att läsa om Norrland, det är så roligt att läsa om olika landskap eftersom jag inte hann att resa så mycket runt om i Sverige innan jag flyttade till USA. Man kan inte leva i det här landet utan Nordstjernan. Vi är 7 st damer i Spokane, WA som kallar oss “The Swedish Mafia of Spokane.” Vi träffas regelbundet och lagar svensk mat. Marianne Leek, WA Det var ord och inga visor. Som värmde: “You can not live in this country without Nordstjernan.” As for us, we couldn’t agree more. Just wishing more of our 327 million fellow Americans knew about us. But, with the help of subscribers like you we’re getting there. Thank you, Marianne! /Ed.
Dear Editor, I learned about Nordstjernan a year ago and have been subscribing since then. Now I am a happy Swedish aficionado. I really like current events, what is going on in the government in Sweden, in visual arts, and am now looking forward to getting more of the practice your Swedish articles. After I read the article on the birding sanctuary, I asked my friend “How would you like to go to Sweden for a birding trip.” She said I would love to but how much is it going to cost me? (I gave her my Nordstjernan copy) Jeanette Mogadam, MA Thanks Jeanette, We’d like to think of a subscription to Nordstjernan as a continuous trip to Sweden … you may have suggested her own subscription by giving her a copy—definitely the least expensive way to travel! Other than that, as I’m sure you know, both SAS and Norwegian have daily departures for Sweden from several U.S. gateways. (Just a bit more expensive than your subscription, however—not to mention, it will likely not last a full year.) /Ed Page 2, Sept 15, Calendar! The Names Day “Mikael” should be on a Sunday—NOT a Monday. Did you perhaps have the wrong month printed? Also, the names days are in a way TOO small print. NOT readable for most people. Otherwise, I really enjoy your publication. Ulf Moren, CA We did mistakenly print July’s calendar image in our first issue in September, Ulf. Coming back from our summer print hiatus opens us up for some mishaps, but this, running the calendar for July in September may also have been wishful thinking … be that as it may, we regret the confusion. We have a year to make up for it. As for the name days on page two, the calendar image is more of an illustration, since we list the coming period’s names over on the left side of the page. /Ed.
Dear Editor, I have been a subscriber to Nordstjernan for many years and have followed all of your Santa Lucia adventures from town to town. My husband, Duane Falk, is from Stanton, Iowa, and there is no town “more Swedish” in the United States. Of course I am a bit prejudiced. I am including a newspaper clipping of last year’s Lucia Fest, along with a copy of a newsletter from the Swedish Heritage and Cultural Center. It would be wonderful to see Stanton’s events included in Nordstjernan from time to time. Can you explain how that might happen? I think Stanton began the tradition of Santa Lucia in 1952. All of my grandparents, as well as Duane’s, came from Sweden, and we have visited our relatives over there and many of them have been to our home in California. We enjoy Nordstjernan and it keeps us up to date on things Swedish in the USA as well as news from “the old country.” Keep it up and thank you, Donna Falk, CA Thanks for sharing Donna. Stanton, IA being so Swedish was news to us, we’ll be sure to stop by next time we’re in the area. Listings under our events pages are free. The easiest way to become included is to enter information online—we have a form under “events” at the website (www.nordstjernan.com/calendar). Other than a title for the event, contributors need to submit an address, dates and time, a brief description and where visitors can find more information, a website, phone number or email address. /Ed. NOVEMBER 01, 2019 13
feature
pinot noir king of Oregon wine industry
The fabled Red Hills of Dundee, the birthplace of Oregon Pinot Noir, is believed to produce worldclass wine from Willamette Valley’s preeminent hillside, where vineyards can be successful only through non-industrial, artisanal wine-making. Of all the wine grape varieties, Pinot Noir is considered to be the most responsive to the conditions in which it is grown. Because of the quantity produced, Pinot Noir is hard to nail down to one region. Purists stick to French Burgundy varietals, however many American well known startups in California, Oregon and Washington have a dedicated following, with lots of favorites stemming from Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
The elements of winemaking
Some “grape growers” are very focused on the vineyard, “celebrating the fact that wine is an agricultural product that is grown in a very diverse agricultural environment” (Wayne Baily, winemaker in Young Hills, McMinnville). They are farmers at heart (a positive image in Europe, not so in the U.S.), who grow wine-grapes and are concentrating on soil type, structure, porosity, water-retaining capacity, nutrient, depth, acidity and temperature (day/night), and a host of other 14 NORDSTJERNAN
factors all affecting how the grapes will grow and ripen into a good crop. In general this goes under the definition of “terroir” (definition of environmental factors), so the vineyard location will have a significant effect on the style of wine. The Willamette Valley region in Oregon has most of these important ingredients available to the wine grape farmer to produce excellent wines. In the winemaking process, the expertise of the winemakers is exceedingly important for the success of the products. They have specific ideas on the crop level, fruit exposure, picking parameters, and they relinquish the growing of the grapes to viticulturists. Viticulture (from the Latin word for vine), or wine growing, is the cultivation and harvesting of grapes. Viticulturists are often intimately involved with winemakers, because vineyard management and the resulting grape characteristics provide the basis from which wine-making can begin.
Swede success
I decided to search for winemakers with Swedish heritage much like my own. In my research I came in contact with Dr. John Bergström and his winemaker son Josh. The Bergströms’ wine-making is concentrated around Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that
NOVEMBER 01, 2019 15
feature
A selection of Bergström Pinot Noir wines. 16 NORDSTJERNAN
The Bergström family: Josh and Caroline Bergström and Dr. John and Karen Bergström
is thriving in the Oregon terroir and climate in the Red Hills in the Dundee area of Willamette Valley. John Bergström grew up in the province of Härjedalen in the center of Sweden (and yet 340 miles north of Stockholm). He immigrated to the USA at the age of 18, thanks to an offer from an aunt living in Portland, Oregon. During the three summers before entering college he worked in heavy construction during the day, and from 6 p.m. to midnight he worked as an orderly at the old Multnomah Hospital. John received a substantial scholarship for his freshman year at Willamette University. He lived at Salem Memorial Hospital and took the night calls as an X-ray technician. He continued to work nights all the way thru college, and had some part-time jobs during medical school, even working as a buyer of fruit and vegetables for Safeway. He received his MD and did his residency in ERs at Gresham Hospital (now Mt Hood Hospital), Providence Portland Hospital and the now closed Physician and Surgeons Hospital. He paid for his entire education and had minimal student debt. I’ve met other medical professionals in winemaking and asked Dr. Bergström why that is: “There are of course many similarities between the study of medicine and vineyard/wine production. They both involve biology, organic and biochemistry, botany, physiology, etc. So it could be that since most doctors major in chemistry, biology or physics, they feel comfortable delving into wine studies or at least wine appreciation. For me, vineyards and wine have had a certain mystique and sometimes you have to create that which you want to be part of. And, I have never been afraid to seize opportunities that present themselves. My wife Karen and I also wanted to lead a very active lifestyle after our retirement and live out in the country, so it all came together for us with a vineyard development.” “‘Ekollon’ (Swedish for acorn) became the place for our new wine tasting experience, our home in Dundee Hills and the site of our original Bergström vineyard. The vineyard is composed of volcanic basalt. Eight acres were planted by hand in 1998, followed by another four later. Following biodynamic farming practices these acres later had a yield of approximately 3,000 cases, mainly Pinot Noir and some Chardonnay, most of which are bottled as single-vineyard wines.” Dr. Bergström was later joined by his son, Josh, who had returned to Oregon after a postgraduate program in viticulture and oenology in Burgundy, France, and they founded the Bergström label. Josh is now the general manager, winemaker and vineyard manager, while his wife Caroline is in charge of sales. They added more Chardonnay to their grape and wine assortment, and acquired four more estate vineyards, totaling about 70 acres in the vicinity. There are now five vineyards across four American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) in the Bergström family: Dundee Hills, Chehalem Mountains, Yamhill-Carlton and Ribbon Ridge.
feature
A selfie by Caroline Bergström in the foreground with Dr. John Bergström rocking the sorting table and viticulturist and winemaker Josh Bergström in the background—clearly happy and for good reason: the Bergström Winery 2017 Sigrid Chardonnay was recently named “Year’s Best Chardonnay” and featured at this year’s Wine & Spirits Top 100 Tasting.
Dundee Hills AVA: Grapes planted in the Dundee Hills of Oregon’s Willamette Valley produce a wine with a taste of silky red cherries or raspberries with a touch of autumn-dewed forest floor and a smidgeon of mysterious minerality. It should be, in short, the very signature of what the world associate with Oregon Pinot Noir. Chehalem Mountain AVA: From Parrett Mountain to the south and running northwest across Bald Peak and Ribbon Ridge, the Chehalem Mountains were formed by uplifted sedimentary seabeds, lava flows and wind-blown silt to create the highest elevations and most diverse soils in wine country. These distinctions make the wine growing region famous for rich, elegant and complex wines including benchmark Pinot Noir. Yamhill-Carlton AVA: North of McMinnville, Oregon, in the Northern Willamette Valley, the land slowly rises to the hamlets of Carlton and Yamhill. Low ridges surround the two communities in a horseshoe shape. The free-flowing North Yamhill River courses through the center of a lush patchwork quilt of nurseries, 18 NORDSTJERNAN
grain fields and orchards. The neatly combed benchlands and hillsides are home to some of the finest Pinot Noir vineyards in the world. Historically nourished by forestry and farming, this area is rapidly emerging as a global center of Pinot Noir production. Reminiscent of pipe tobacco, espresso, clove and dark chocolate and accented by scents of rose, violet, lavender and sweet wood smoke. These are alluring, complex, supple gems of Pinot Noir to sip and savor. Ribbon Ridge AVA: The soils of Ribbon Ridge are relatively uniform, in a distinct, natural, geological formation of eastward-tilted marine sedimentary strata dated about 40 to 50 million years ago. The ridge is ancient and stable, so the soils from these fine sedimentary parent materials are weathered and deeper in profile and more finely structured than soils in surrounding areas. Bergström’s expanded winery in the five estate vineyards in the four AVAs, produces approximately 10,000 cases of ultra-premium, extremely sought-after wine each year, including two Chardonnays, nine Pinot Noirs and Pinot Gris.
Sometimes blending with other estate farmed grapes happens (Cumberland Pinot Noir and Chardonnays), the goal being to bring together wines that don’t stand alone to make a wine that is superior to its parts. It is also presenting an interpretation of both the site and the fruit resulting in the winemaker’s view of what an excellent wine should be. There is an argument that all wines have some sort of blend. Even wine from single estate vineyards is stored in oak barrels, all with their own oak characteristics (age of oak, flavor, tannins etc.). The winemaker must know which barrels characteristics would result in the best end product. Great vineyard sites are great mostly because they produce the best grapes in the most challenging vineyards. Great winemakers are great because they make the best and most consistent wines when the fruit is less than perfect. The Bergströms have been demonstrating consistent successful choice of sites, farming technics and excellent winemaking ability. By Leif Rosqvist Photography: John Valls and CWK Photography For more info, see www. bergstromwines.com
More vineyards in Sweden Since 1991, Sweden has on average become one Celsius degree warmer, according to SMHI, the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. But that’s not why winemaking has grown; it’s because many have discovered the relatively new green grape variety Solaris. It was developed by German scientists and adapted to mature at northern latitudes with less sun and doesn’t requite the use of pesticides. So far, mainly white wine is produced in Sweden, in relatively small volumes, but there are other grapes represented as well. Blaxta Vingård won the Grand Gold Medal at the Concourse International des Vins for its Vidal Icewine 2016 and is releasing a first Swedish produced Cabernet Franc/Merlot in December this year (and to clarify: that’s wine from a vineyard actually located an hour and a half southwest Stockholm). The image here, of vines in a typical Swedish setting is from Blaxsta just outside Flen in the province Södermanland. The winery offers wine tastings, a year round restaurant and limited hotel accommodations. For more info, see www.blaxstawine. se and for vintners in other parts of Sweden, see www.svensktvin.se, check “vingårdar” but remember, many of the 200 plus listed are hobby vintners.
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feature
The heartwarming story of a dream come true catwalk during New York Fashion Week
Emma Örtlund on the catwalk in New York City, September 14, 2019. Photo: Charlie Bennet. The movie “Catwalk” will open in Sweden on January 31, 2020, but the cast and production crew together with World Childhood Foundation were invited to an afternoon during the week of the ensemble’s catwalk in the city. 20 NORDSTJERNAN
Two princesses in New York “We are now two princesses in New York,” Emma Örtlund exclaims as she enters the stage in front of the packed auditorium at Gateway, SACC-New York’s new meeting place in Midtown Manhattan. The occasion was a presentation and panel discussion about a unique film project and fashion show during New York Fashion Week. Sweden’s Princess Madeleine, representing World Childhood Foundation, along with fashion aficionados, a large crew from the producing Storyfire, Glada Hudik groupies and curious local entrepreneurs were in the audience. The panel was Hans Vestberg, CEO of Verizon and native of Hudiksvall, local Swedish Consul General Annika Rembe and Pär Johansson, founder of the Glada Hudik Theater, and the masterful emcee was the former CEO of Sweden’s TV4 Jan Scherman. But the star of the show entered just after Pär Johansson’s brief presentation of the project when Emma Örtlund entered in a fairy tale princess dress to greet the audience. “I feel I have fulfilled my dream now. It feels fun and absolutely magical and absolutely wonderful and absolutely fabulous. And magical. I have really gotten my revenge now,“ Emma said as she entered the stage. She also said she hopes those who bullied her while growing up will regret it now and that they teach their children to behave in a different way than they did. Since February, this special heartwarming project and has been filmed by Storyfire together with the Glada Hudik Theater. The last part was filmed a few days after the meet at Gateway during the actual catwalk on September 14. The film is about going against the current, breaking skewed ideals and daring to invest in your dreams. The whole project started with a letter from Emma Örtlund to Pär Johansson, founder of the Glada Hudik theater. In the letter, she asks Pär if he can help her with her lifelong dream to become a model. Emma has a disability and wants to take revenge on her bullies. The rest just became history when, on September 14, Emma Örtlund and the Glada Hudik Theater did their catwalk in New York City. Clothes from the Swedish designer Frida Jonsvens and jewelry from Caroline Svedbom were presented by the five models Alex, Emma, Ida, Niklas and Kitty to music by Avicii.
Dreams do come true
It became a haunting show where a big dream came true while at the same time clearly showing us the obvious: We are all equally valuable, important and amazing but we are still being treated differently. Some don’t get the chance to shine, they are labelled as incapable and others limit them. Emma Örtlund’s story—and the other four in the cast from Glada Hudik—show how everyone can do anything they set their mind to.
Emma Örtlund, with Pär Johansson and Jan Scherman at the podium, speaks to the audience.
Princess Madeleine with the cast of Catwalk, L-R: Niklas Hillberg, Princess Madeleine, Ida Johansson, Emma Örtlund, Alexander Rådlund and Kitty Jonsson.
“My dream is that everyone in the group that made this catwalk will be an inspiration for all people who have never had the chance to shine,” says Pär Johansson of Glada Hudik. The Glada Hudik Theater is the brainchild of Johansson, and is comprised of a mix of differently abled people. On stage he told the story of how the theater was created in 1996. “We were in a bus coming home from a class where they were learning to tie their shoelaces, when I asked the bus driver to stop. I asked them to show me how to tie their shoes, but none of them knew how. This shoe-tying project had been going on for eight years, and yet nobody had learned to tie their shoes. I told the bus driver to take us to the nearest shoe store where I bought shoes with Velcro for the entire group. Instead of focusing energy on something these people will never be able to do, it’s better to focus on something they actually can do.”
Princess Madeleine with Emma Örtlund and Pär Johansson, founder of Glada Hudik, creator of dreams. NOVEMBER 01, 2019 21
local events Like theater, for instance. Though many were against it, Pär pursued his theater project, and to call it a success is an understatement. The Glada Hudik Theater has changed his life, it has changed the lives of everyone involved and the entire community in the small town Hudiksvall, three hours north of Stockholm. One of the performances was broadcast on Swedish TV and the ensemble performed the show Elvis at Brooklyn Academy of Music in 2010. The project with the fashion show is becoming a film with the appropriate title “Catwalk.” Other than the main producer Storyfire, Nordic Entertainment Group recently released the news that they are investing in the film’s production as well as a six-part series about the journey from Hudik to New York to run on Nordic streaming service Viaplay. “Catwalk” will open in theaters in Sweden on January 31, 2020. UBM
20 years of World Childhood
The World Childhood Foundation, with U.S. offices at Gateway (often referred to simply as Childhood), turns 20 years old this year. It was founded by Queen Silvia of Sweden in 1999 in an effort to reach and support children at risk around the world. The organization’s focus is on protecting children from sexual abuse as well as supporting those who have already been victimized, with a concentration on girls and young mothers. Childhood currently supports over 115 programs in 17 countries, including Belarus, Brazil, Estonia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Nepal, Poland, Russia, South Africa, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine and the United States. The foundation also works actively to raise awareness for children’s rights and spread information about the exploitation of children taking place around the world. Childhood has offices in Sao Paulo, Brazil, New York City, and Munich, Germany. The foundation’s headquarters are in Stockholm, Sweden. For more info, see www.childhood-usa.org
A princess and a queen. HRH Queen Silvia of Sweden with Princess Madeleine at the 20-year gala banquet of World Childhood in New York City.
Titanic Sailing Again A new book by Lilly Setterdahl
The passengers dress in period clothing, dance, flirt and fall in love on the maiden voyage of the newly-built Titanic Princess sailing from Jiangsu, China to Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2018. But will the ship reach Southampton, England and New York without serious threats? True to her tradition, the author creates Scandinavian characters and fits them into the story. Whether or not you are a Titanic fan, you will love reading about the surprise onboard meeting of the grandsons of two Titanic survivors, the lady’s maid Anna and her rescuer, Roberto, both featured in Setterdahl’s previous Titanic novels.
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Swedish contrasts at Toronto Film Festival Two Swedish films screened in Toronto are polar opposites: one trying to find lost time while the other is finding artistic endlessness. From a troubled past to a taste of eternity, two highly anticipated films from Sweden traveled to the prestigious Toronto Film Festival. One of them made a splash. My Life as a Comedian (“En komikers uppväxt”), based on Jonas Gardell’s beloved novel, depicts a theme everyone recognizes: the role we get as children. In the early 1970s, 12-year-old Juha wants to be loved by everyone. As the class clown in the sleepy Stockholm suburb Sävbyholm, he struggles to fit in with both the cool kids and the bullied ones, and his Finnish foul-mouthed mother doesn’t make his life easier. Almost entirely told in flashbacks, we follow the middle-aged Juha questioning the sometimes cruel actions of his past. Today Juha is a famous comedian and an unhappy soul—his past won’t escape him. Coming from such a compelling, profound, painful, funny, beautiful novel, this film adaptation is astonishingly flat. There is no nerve despite the intriguing story. The director Rojda Sekersöz (“Dröm vidare”) clearly has a sense for details from the 70s (think blue curtains and brown wooden clogs), however, and she found the wonderful young actor Loke Hellberg to embody Juha. Johan Rheborg does what he can with the adult Juha, and Ulla Skog and Klara Zimmergren refreshingly steal scenes with their comic timing. In general, the film feels forced, overly explained and tonally uneven. Perhaps they simply should have chosen another of Jonas Gardell’s excellent novels for the screen. On the other hand, Roy Andersson’s new film About Endlessness (“Om det oändliga”) proved to be an otherworldly experience. The 76-yearold Swedish filmmaker returns to Toronto, just after winning the director prize in Venice, with dry humor and profound awareness. As with his trilogy about “being a human being,” Andersson continues to examine our time here on earth with his signature aesthetic, weaving multiple visually striking vignettes into a whole cinematic package. Once again he blows your mind with deep focus tableau, static cameras, beautifully grey photo, non-linear narrative and silent satire—he is one of cinemas grand masters in the most innovative way. This time around Andersson comments on how life is painful, limitless and beautiful, when he unleashes a desperate priest who lost his faith, an exhausted Hitler his last days, a flying couple over a ruined city and a dentist having a really bad day, among many other odd characters. It is morbidly funny, stunningly beautiful and philosophically thought provoking. After all, life is pretty absurd. Niclas Goldberg
Master’s Programmes at Chalmers, 2 years, taught in English, in Gothenburg, Sweden. www.chalmers.se/masters
Photo taken at the Onsala Space Observatory, where Chalmers students and researchers conduct space observations
NOVEMBER 01, 2019 23
news in brief
A Nobel dessert Have you ever wondered what the Nobel Prize recipients eat at the Nobel dinner? Would you like to try the food yourself? Everyone who doesn’t have the advantage of being invited to the Nobel ceremonies can still sample the food at Stockholm restaurant Stadshuskällaren, which offers Nobel menus from the previous year—if you book a couple days in advance. The very first Nobel banquet in 1901 had 150 invited guests. Dinner was enjoyed at the newly renovated Grand Hotel, and Crown Prince Gustav (the future King Gustav V) presented the prizes, as King Oscar II was occupied in Norway. The menu? First a large variety of hors d’oeuvres, followed by filet de boeuf à l’impériale as then main course, then a dessert of apricot tartlet with ice cream. And just in case you’re not visiting Stockholm anytime soon, here’s the recipe.
Apricot Tartlet with Ice Cream
Instructions: Defrost the sheets of puff pastry and roll them out to double their size. Set oven to 175°C (350°F). Prepare the filling by whisking the sugar and butter until pale and airy. Grate the marzipan. Add the egg, flour, marzipan and cream. Divide the puff pastry into six pieces and use them to line six individual baking tins, cutting away excess pastry. Fill the tins with marzipan mixture until 3/4 full. Bake the tartlets in the center of the oven for about 15 minutes. Allow to cool. For the sauce, process the pitted apricots with the lemon juice and sugar until they form a fine purée. Dilute with a little apricot juice if necessary. Slice the remaining apricots. Warm the sauce. Arrange the apricot slices over the tartlets and pour over the sauce. Serve the tartlets on a circle of sauce with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Tip: An easier way to make the apricot sauce is to start with a jar of apricot purée baby food and add lemon juice and sugar to taste.
Serves 6
2 sheets puff pastry 6 fresh apricots or 12 preserved apricot halves 100 ml (1/2 cup) red currant or rowanberry jelly 600 ml (2-2/3 cups) vanilla ice cream Filling 150 g (5 oz) marzipan 75 g (2-1/2 oz) butter 2 eggs 1 teaspoon flour 1 teaspoon sugar 50 ml (3-1/2 tablespoons) heavy cream Apricot sauce 5 fresh apricots or 10 preserved apricot halves 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons sugar 11151254_NordicReachAd_8.5x2.5_Option1.pdf
Today’s Nobel banquet at City Hall is an event many would pay a fortune to attend (and some do). Only 1,300 guests are chosen. Recipes and photography courtesy of Mixoft and its U.S. distributor. 1
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news in brief
DID YOU KNOW? Swedes in the orange industry. When you think of oranges in the United States, you think Florida. At least you don’t think Sweden. Florida’s 12,000 citrus growers cultivate some 107 million citrus trees on more than 858,000 acres of land generating more than $8 billion in revenue a year. We have Swedes to thank for much of it. The fact that Swedes founded Florida’s modern citrus industry is a forgotten chapter of SwedishAmerican history. Johan Anders Boström, a sailor and teacher’s son from the Swedish island of Gotland was among the first immigratns, arriving to Florida in the 1860s. (Nordstjernan 1804) Sustainable mobility. The traction power of a locomotive is often excessive, causing its wheels to start slipping. A Swedish team led by Tore Nordin (b. 1932) found a solution in 1960. It used thyristors to facilitate non-skidding transfer of traction power, regardless of load. Thyristorcontrolled locomotives were made by ABB (then ASEA) and have been a major Swedish export product—the company estimates it has an installed base of more than 40,000 traction transformers globally. In 2016 ABB unveiled Effilight, a patented next-generation traction transformer aimed at reducing the weight of on-board components and ensuring more energy-efficient rail networks in the future. All we need now in the U.S. are the railways to run the trains. Move over Elon Musk. A Swede developed a stylish electric scooter that saves the world from fossil fuels. Just in case Musk’s electric Tesla car feels like too much of an investment, here’s the perfect alternative for stressed metropolitan residents: the Swedish developed scooter Vessla (Vessla in Swedish = weasel). Easy to drive and easy to park with a portable battery that charges in an ordinary outlet and takes you 25 to 35 miles, the Vessla was released with almost perfect timing in early 2018. So far only available in Europe. (Nordstjernan 1806) For more info, see www.vessla.com 26 NORDSTJERNAN
Stockholm University’s Aula Magna. Photo: Cecilia Larsson Lantz
Although the college and university courses growing most in popularity are those in the IT field, traditional jobs such as lawyer is what most Swedish students seem to aspire to get.
Food for thought for future students in Sweden
The 20 most popular university programs in Sweden this fall (number of applicants per educational program sorted by qualified applicants): 1. Stockholm University: law - 5,342 applicants, 330 accepted. 2. Uppsala University: law - 4,869 applicants, 290 admissions. 3. Lund University: law - 4,591 applicants, 160 admitted. 4. University of Gothenburg: law - 4,469 applicants, 320 admitted 5. Karolinska Institutet: medicine - 4,091 applicants, 240 admitted 6. Uppsala University: medicine - 4,042 applicants, 145 admitted 7. University of Gothenburg: medicine - 3,859 applicants, 173 accepted 8. Linköping University: medicine - 3,748 applicants, 140 accepted 9. Örebro University: law - 3,583 applicants, 171 accepted 10. Örebro University: medicine - 3,581 applicants, 95 accepted 11. Lund University: medicine - 3,455 applicants, 155 accepted 12. Uppsala University: psychology - 3,444 applicants, 48 accepted 13. Umeå University: medicine - 3,430 applicants, 159 accepted
14. Stockholm University: socio-economics - 3,382 applicants, 230 accepted 15. Stockholm University: psychology - 3,378 applicants, 75 accepted 16. Lund University: economics graduate program - 3,283 applicants, 320 accepted 17. University of Gothenburg: psychology - 3,275 applicants, 65 accepted 18. Uppsala University: economics - 3,266 applicants, 180 accepted 19. University of Gothenburg: socio-economics 3,156 applicants, 180 accepted 20. Kristianstad University: behavioral science 3,153 applicants, 110 admitted Source: Universitets- och högskolerådet (UHR: the Swedish University Council
New system for evaluating foreign grades
Prior to the fall term of 2019, the Swedish University Council revised its system for evaluating foreign grades. The decision means several students from abroad get their overall grades lowered and may therefore find it more difficult to be accepted at Swedish schools. The decision was made in May this year to change the value of foreign students’ grades as they apply to higher education and university programs. The reason is Sweden has passed a new A-F rating system, which makes it more difficult to get the highest grade. Swedish high school students compete in the same category as students with foreign grades and the University Council believes the new system provides a more fair comparison.
news in brief
Swedish News Future lack of certain skills
Swedish radio reports that in five years the Swedish labor market could be missing 100,000 people with the skills employers are looking for. Education in healthcare, pedagogy, IT and technology are safe bets if you’re looking for a guaranteed job, according to a compilation from the Swedish Employment Service (Arbetsförmedlingen). The most popular university programs, rather surprisingly, show no correlation to this.
More women get higher degree
Of the 350,000 students that started at Sweden’s colleges and universities this fall, the majority are women: 62 percent are women and only 38 percent are men. Even in primary and secondary schools, girls average better grades than boys. The average level of education was higher for women than men already 25 years ago - and has been true ever since. Formerly male-dominated professions are nowadays more and more taken by women.
The salary gap narrows
The Career Barometer is an annual survey conducted by Universum Global in Sweden. This year 21,634 professional economists, civil engineers, graduate engineers, IT staff and lawyers were asked about their career preferences. The average pay gap between men and women among all surveyed has decreased 25.3 percent since 2015. Only in the IT sector is the trend going in the other direction, where wage differences between men and women have increased 69.6 percent between 2015 and 2019. In the list of most attractive employers, Ikea is at the top of several categories. As in previous years, tech giants like Google and Spotify continue to be popular. The UN has climbed several places since last year and is gaining the highest popularity among lawyers. For more info, see www.universumglobal.com/se/ karriarbarometern-2019
2019 Nobel Prizes The Nobel prizes have been announced and eight of 11 of the science prizes have been won by U.S.-based scientists. Historically, Nine out of 10 universities where most researchers who win the prestigious science prizes are located are in the U.S. Makes you wonder why. Swedish researchers who have worked in the U.S. say the explanation to the nation’s dominance is the American winning mentality. However, Swedish epidemiologist Hans-Olov Adami, member of the Kungliga vetenskapsakademin (the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences), and professor emeritus at the Department of Epidemiology, Harvard, has said the success is a combination of tough admissions processes, continuously scrutinized research and teaching, and that the U.S. universities also have a lot of money. This year, the Nobel Prize in Medicine was awarded to William G. Kaelin Jr. (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School), Peter J. Ratcliffe (Francis Crick Institute in London) and Gregg L. Semenza (Johns Hopkins University) for discoveries about how cells sense and adapt to oxygen availability. The Nobel Prize in Physics: The cosmologist James Peebles (Princeton University) split the prize with two European astronomers, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, for work the judges said “transformed our ideas about the cosmos.” The Nobel Prize in Chemistry went to John B. Goodenough (University of Texas at Austin), M. Stanley Whittingham (Binghamton University, State University of New York) and Akira Yoshino
(Meijo University in Nagoya, Japan) who were recognized for research that has “laid the foundation of a wireless, fossil fuel-free society.” The three were instrumental in the development of lithium-ion batteries, today used in everything from mobile phones to laptops and electric vehicles. The Nobel Prize in Literature, this year given to two winners, was won by Austrian author Peter Handke and the Polish novelist Olga Tokarczuk (received for 2018). The 2018 and 2019 laureates were named at the same time because last year’s prize was postponed overthe earlier reported scandal in the academy. The prime minister of Ethiopia, Abiy Ahmed, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in restarting peace talks with neighboring Eritrea and beginning to restore freedoms in his country after several decades of political and economic repression. The 2019 Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel was awarded to Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo of MIT and Harvard’s Michael Kremer “for their experimental approach to alleviating global poverty.”
Björklund leaves parliament
Increasing property prices
Former Liberal Party leader Jan Björklund submitted his request to leave Parliament on October 31. Björklund left the party leader position in June, when Nyamko Sabuni took over the leadership of the Liberals. Jan Björklund was Party Leader 2007-2019 and Minister of Education 2007-2014. He has now been re-appointed as an officer of the army reserve.
Property prices rose three percent in July to September, compared to the previous three-month period, according to Statistics Sweden (SCB). Compared to July-September 2018, prices have also risen by three percent. The biggest increase was in Kronoberg and Kalmar counties in Småland with eight percent, followed by Västerbotten County with six percent.
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