In Sweden, today is a red day and most Swedes enjoy a long weekend with proper spring weather.

Ascension of Christ by Garofalo, 1520.

According to the Swedish Church, Ascension Day has been celebrated for hundreds of years:
“Ascension Day has been celebrated since 300′s. It always fall on the Thursday 40 days after Easter Sunday. The date varies depending on when Easter Sunday falls, but is Ascension day always is on or after May 1st and before June 4th. In the Middle Ages, there were often dramas performed along with an Ascension game. They wanted to portray Christ’s physical leave of the Earth in a spiritual way.

Jesus leaves the earth
At Easter, we have the large Easter candle, the symbol of life’s triumph over death. On Ascension Day, the candle is blown out as a symbol of Jesus leaving the world. We celebrate this with an open-air church service, often at dawn to hear the birds sign brightly in the morning.
{via the swedish church}

What will most Swedes be doing? I’m guessing drinking beer and being solar panels.

Today at midnight is the end of filing taxes in Sweden. Skatteverket is quite friendly when it comes to tax filings as long as you saved all your receipts.

illustration by Jonas Karner.

Sweden has a colorful collection with dead people on the notes (you have to be dead – sorry Swedish Chef). But since the notes are 25 years old; there’s been no updates to the printing and security features, the Riksbank (the Swedish Mint) announced a design competition to create a collection of new notes for the country.

The winner was announced last week. The jury chose Göran Österlund’s entry “Kulturresan/Cultural journey” as the starting point for the new bank notes.

Each note has a motif and color which was predetermined by the jury:
20 kronor
Astrid Lindgren
Småland
Purple
120*66mm

50 kronor
Evert Taube
Bohuslän
Yellow/orange
126*66mm

100 kronor
Greta Garbo
Stockholm
Blue
133*66mm

200 kronor
Ingmar Bergman
Gotland
Green
140*66mm

500 kronor
Birgit Nilsson
Skåne
Red
147*66mm

1000 kronor
Dag Hammarskjöld
Lappland
Grey-brown
153*66mm

My favorite are these two because of the backsides. They didn’t win but they were cool.

If you notice, the Riksbank will be introducing a new note, the 200 kronor to ease change carrying and breaking of 500kr notes. The new styles will not enter circulation until 2015 and the new coins, pictured below, will enter circulation in 2016.

The new coin will be a 2kr and the lowest coin is the 1kr. Death to the 50 öre!

Security features include sparking, a color shifting ink used in the new US banknotes and motioning, a window thread where micro-lenses are embedded to give the feeling of movement of the subject.

I already like the Swedish banknotes, especially Carl von Linné’s 100kr note with a superimposed image of bumble bee staring at you.

I will have to keep a copy when Mint begins to fade out the current collection.

But what I found really interesting about Sweden’s banknotes, the most popular, circulated note is the 500kr. There are 114 million 500kr notes in current circulation, that is 57 billion kronor out of a total 95 billion kronor in circulation. And there are 28 million 1000kr notes in circulation, amounting to 28 billion kronor. I wonder how much of that is black money.

My mom love licorice, like real licorice candy in the US. The Swedish variety was too salty for her tastes but she still enjoyed them. And she’s the only person I know in the US that actually ate real licorice candy, not the “red licorice” or alternative fake licorices.

On Sunday when I went to the Lakritsfestivalen {Licorice Food Festival}, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I was on a mission to figure out why Swedes love licorice, but I did not expect to fall in love with licorice too.

Boy oh boy! Licorice is delicious.

Soft, chewy.

Sweet, salty (not too salty though!)…

And flavored with citrus or berries, yum!

I had so many interesting flavors and types of licorice at the festival.

Powdered licorice
It’s the new culinary ‘in’ thing. Martin Jörgensen, founder of Lakritsfabriken, says to “Use it as a spice and add a dash of it to your sweet and savory dishes.”

What licorice powder looks like

He made this delicious panne cotta with licorice

And he also made raspberry smoothie. That was amazing! Raspberries and licorice are like best friends.

Others used the powdered licorice to season salads (no tasting available) and in cotton candy. That was nuts.

Candies, fudges, jams and everything else in between
At the show, there were the traditional candy powerhouses Malaco and Panda but the most exciting was meeting all the small boutique companies.

My stash of licorice infused goodies

The orange confiture with licorice from Liquorice Reglisse, an Italien company, will be exciting to try! I had no idea Italy is one of the largest produces of licorice from the southern region called Kalabria.

A favorite was the Australian soft and slightly sweet candy from Kookaburra

Cupcakes

Lots of interesting and somewhat odd flavors:
Michelle Obama – chocolate, almond, raspberry, licorice
Black Violet – licorice, violet, salt licorice
Old school – licorice, anise, fennel, pistachio nut
Finnish citrus – licorice, lemon, salt licorice
H&D – chocolate, star anise, salt licorice
Pingvinen {Penguin} – licorice, mint, salt licorice sauce

Super über salty licorice from Iceland

Mini cupcakes from Damen med Bakelsen

Chocolate

Frejyu Lakkris Draumur – Supposedly the first licorice+chocolate created

Macaroons

Bath & Body infused licorice
Can you imagine candy-infested smelling store Bath and Body Works selling a licorice soap, shampoo, and massage oil?

Queen of Licorice did just that. They make organic soaps, massage oils, lip balms, shampoo and conditioners. Licorice is a medicinal plant and it’s ability to cure dry coughs, excema, dandruff, makes it magical plant used in ayruvedic medicine for thousands of years.

The Queen of Licorice products are meant to help people with dry and flakey as well as improve their mood (licorice releases adrenline in the body). I picked up a massage oil in the hopes of curing my excema on my arm. Let the experimenting begin!

Licorice Books
The books are not made of licorice; they’re books about licorice. I know, disappointed.

Annica Triberg and Annika Wallin wrote the definite guide to licorice called Lakrits. It’s a historical, cultural, and cookbook all rolled into one. So far it’s only in Swedish but available at the major bookstores. I already love the book and have learned so much about this little root.

Did you know that people used to brush their teeth by using a piece of licorice root and rubbing it on the teeth? True story.

Lakrits, Mynt, & Choklad is a cookbook by bestselling author Elisabeth Johansson. I flipped through the book and everything looks amazing. Still need to get my hands on one, I’m excited to try my own licorice panne cotta.

All in all, it was a great time and I’m hoping to try out some licorice based recipes now!

UPDATE: Feb 24, 11.29.

Her name is: Estelle Silvia Ewa Mary !!!

What’s with the W spelling? I thought Swedish normally didn’t use a ‘w’ in the alphabet?

Update: Feb 24, 11.19 The name will be release live today. In the meantime, enjoy this FAIL from the Royal House by calling the new baby David.

At 4.26 this morning, Crown Princess Victoria gave birth to a beautiful baby girl.

Mom and baby are doing well and are already on the way home! Geez, that was a quick in and out procedure.

Baby princess has a name and it will be announced on Friday by the Riksmarskalk.

You check DN for the press conference Prince Daniel had.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

He caught a fish THIS big. No wait, that’s a baby…

 

It also made me think of the differences between the two countries…

Norway
They always sound happy when they speak
Lax
Super athletic
NATO
Two languages: Nynorsk & Bokmål (why oh why…)
North Pole

Sweden
Land of the semlor, kanelbulle
The Swedish Bikini Team
Station wagon baby-mobiles
Fil
Stinky fish
Should have never given Norway independence

Maybe we need to make a new one??

You must read it, you’ll be crying yourself silly for more.

This strip, about the lions on the coat of arms of the countries is by far my most favorite. EPIC.

The real coat of arms in Scandinavia

Denmark

Image via wikipedia

Sweden

Image via wikipedia

Norway
I think the lions appears a bit retarded with his tongue hanging out and running with an axe…

Finland

Om nom nom nom nom … flowers!

I put together a list of questions and answers on how Christmas is celebrated in each of the countries. This is thanks to my friend EC who bombarded me with similar ones by email and chat.

When is Christmas celebrated?
United States – 25th – Christmas Day. In the morning families enjoy sticky/cinnamon buns for breakfast. After breakfast they open presents, starting with the stocking. Stockings are the large “socks” hung over a fireplace. They have small goodies, especially candies and favorite snack in there.

Christmas dinner is similar to the Thanksgiving dinner. There is mashed potatoes, stuffing, bread, pies, cookies, but instead of turkey most families have a honey baked ham.
Sweden – 24th – Christmas Eve. Families start the festivities by watching Kalle Anka Önskar God Jul, a Disney collection of songs from the last sixty years. During the show, they eat pepparkakor and drink glögg (Swedish mulled wine). Then for dinner, Swedes partake in the famous Christmas smörgåsbord called Julbord; which is a collection of different foods.

On Christmas Day Swedes rest and enjoy a smaller meal.

Do you go caroling?
United States – Yes, it is common in neighborhoods with children that kids and parents go door to door singing Christmas songs. At the end of the evening, the group gathers at a home for hot chocolate and cookies.

Sweden – It’s very uncommon. But, in church, families gather to sing songs.

When do you put up the Christmas tree?
United States – The weekend after Thanksgiving which falls on the first Advent.

Sweden – On the third Advent or after. It is not uncommon to put up the tree just a few days before Christmas Eve.

What are the most popular decorations?
United States – Wreaths, Christmas lights, and stockings. And when it snows, there’s always Mr. Snowman.

Sweden – Christmas stars to represent the town of Bethlehem and candle lights. Both are displayed in the windows.

What kinds of sweets do you eat?
United States – Cookies are most popular during the holidays. Everything from traditional chocolate chip to peppermint bark to decorated sugar cookies. Candy canes are well known to hang on the tree and of course eat.
Sweden - Swedes are not big on cookies but they enjoy other treats. The only cookie exception is gingerbread cookies called pepparkakor. The Swedish version are thin and crispy and more spicy and flavorful than the American counterparts, which are chewy-soft and sweeter.

Saffron buns, or lussebullar, are soft rolls made with saffron, kesella (quark), and touch of sugar. Swedes also enjoy a hard candy called knäck, literally meaning crack. It is hard toffee candy and can be flavored with almonds or exotic spices.

What kind of drinks do you have?
United States – Eggnog is a classic love-hate Christmas drink. Made with eggs and cream and flavored with anything from rum to cinnamon, eggnog is one of those drinks you imagine Auntie Georgia getting smashed on.

Similar to Swedish glögg, there is mulled wine and mulled cider. They are flavored with the traditional Christmas spices: cinnamon, clove, cardamon, star anise. For children there is hot chocolate with whipped cream and/or marshmallows. I’m a total kid; I love a dollop of whipped cream with dark hot chocolate.

Sweden – Glögg is the ubiquitous choice of drink to have on any cold afternoon or evening. Drop a few raisins and blanched almonds and you have the perfect strong drink to survive the Swedish winter. For toasting and Christmas dinners, there is aquavit or snaps. Children and non-drinkers can enjoy julmust, a Christmas cola soda, or a non alcoholic version of glögg.

What food do you leave out for Santa (Jultomten)?
United States – Cookies and milk. Any sort of cookie will do but most popular are sugar cookies, chocolate chip cookies, and gingerbread cookies.
Sweden – Risgynsgröt. It is a rice pudding with cinnamon and brown sugar. Some tales call for a pat of butter on top of the pudding to ensure Jultomte does not break out in a rage.

What does Santa (Jultomten) look like?
United States – The American version of Santa can be credited to the Dutch’s Sinterklaas, cartoonist Thomas Nast, and folklore from other countries.

The modern version of Santa we know today is based on Coke-Cola’s creation by Haddon Sundblom in 1931. He based the modern day St. Nick on Clement Clark Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit From St. Nicholas” (commonly called “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas”) and Nast’s work from 1862.

Santa Claus is seen as jolly, fat, well tempered and with a large white beard and red outfit.

Sweden – Santa is known as Jultomten in Sweden and julnisse in Norway. Jultomten derives his name from tomte, a small man living in a farm who worked using magic. The tomte could be very kind and bestow gifts but also very moody and sometimes borderline sociopath. In folktales he’s known to kill a cow out of anger for not receiving his pat of butter on risgrysgröt and beating those who do not keep the house/farm well.

Jultomten however has a better temperament than the tomte. The name Jultomten came into use somewhere around the 1500-1600s. He rides on a giant goat, like Thor, and hands out presents.

Today’s Jultomten are similar to the American Santa Claus who is a fat, jovial, old man riding a sleigh. But you can still find the traditional jultomtar statues in the store; big hat, lots of hair, little nose, and faceless.

Note: Anyone who has more knowledge about how Jultomte derived his name from tomte and what he looked like in Sweden let me know. It’s tricky finding good information about jultomte in Sweden.

You can guess that our home is an amalgamation of both cultures with a dash of Indian (lots of color!) and Jewish (rugelachs, latkes and when younger, dreidels).

More reading on Christmas

http://gd.se/extra/nuardetjuligen/1.241333-sa-kom-jultomten-till-sverige

http://sv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jultomte

We meet a few years ago via Facebook when I was looking to meet other photographers in Sweden. And there he was! He’s a veritable road-warrior who has traveled the world for photographers. He’s met everyone from President Clinton and Carl Bildt to little tent mice to tribal leaders.

When I got married early this spring (sorry I’ll share photos one day), I asked him to be our photographer. While he was reluctant at first to shoot a seven day wedding, he was the right man to be the pusher. Wedding photography is guerrilla warfare after all.

Today he works with private clients who are models looking to bolster their portfolio or normal people looking for private portraits of an artsy nature (not sexy, but not necessarily non-nudes). He has a full plate working with private clients, shooting for the Daily Photo, and working hands deep in gum printing. In 2012 he will delve deeper into the New Topographics movement and exhibiting his prints.

Christopher also runs the DailyPhoto.se a collection of photographs from his town, Sweden, and the world. Personally, going through his photographs is mesmerizing.

Check out his timeline page:

How you can not be addicted to every photo? Each of his photos has a short story and through them you observe a slice of life in the Great North.

The man himself…on the left not right.

Even though we speak on a regular basis, it has been a long time since I bothered about Chris why’s and how’s of photography. Here’s an interview I had with him.

How did you get into photography?
I don’t believe I was ever out of photography. Even at a young age I was making photographs with my mind, imagining snapshots of life. I didn’t begin making a living out of it though until I befriended a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer who started me along my own path.

Why did you start Daily Photo?
It’s important to complete work, which I’m horrible at. On dailyphoto.se it’s a sort of canvas for everyday projects that never get finished, but it trains me to try.

How do you focus to get that “one shot”?
When I wake I look for the emotions inside me and try to find inspiration in the world that expresses those emotions. The stronger the emotions the stronger the focus for the photograph.

What is the most amazing place you visited?
Deception Pass, Washington State. I recovered a bit of my soul there.

What three tips do you have for budding photographers?
Shoot cliches.
Get good at it.
Then, never shoot a cliche again.

If you were a tea, what tea would you be? :)
Fo Cha, but I drink a far more mundane variety.

Check out Christopher’s sites
Christopher Grant Portfolio – English / Swedish
The Daily Photo – English
Ezine – Sign up – Focusing on the best photographic moments, the magazine will be published quarterly starting in the winter of 2011. Sign up to receive the ezine for free.

You all should be able to get culturally immersed and maybe find a lovely Swedish man or woman.

YSC in San Francisco Bay Area
Scandinavian Club in Connecticut
Scandinavian Club of Hawaii
Scandinavian Club of Columbus, Ohio
American Scandinavian Society of New York, NY
Swedish Cultural Center in Seattle, WA
Norwegian National Club in Chicago, IL
Danish Clubs and Associations across the United States
Icelandic-American Organizations in America
Swedish Organizations in America

If you know of a Scandinavian/Nordic community in the US that should be added to the list, please let me know.