Poor bag.

Well, I arrived safely, but one of my bags got left behind somewhere... the one with 90% of my clothes in it. They will contact me as soon as they find it...

Time for.... jul i Sverige

Dec 20 Flights:

UA 298... as of 1:30pm, flight delayed 1h.

1:50pm - 7:47pm (3h 57m)

YVR - ORD

(Vancouver time 1:50pm - 5:47pm Dec 20)

UA 6938 (SAS)

10:05pm - 1:20pm Dec 21 (8hr 15m)

ORD - CPH

(Vancouver time 8:05pm - 4:20am Dec 21)

UA 6899 (SAS)

3:25pm - 4:35pm (1h 10m)

CPH - ARN

(Vancouver time 6:25am - 7:35am Dec 21)

(very) alcoholic... Glögg recept

Loosely translated from Det svenska köket by Schildt-Landgren... want some alcohol with your alcohol??  Hope you thought prepare this ahead of time... it takes a week.




Glögg

Ingredients
150 ml unflavoured spirits (eg Absolut vodka) [about 2/3 cup]
6 cinnamon sticks
30 whole cloves
2 pieces dried ginger
1 dried bitter orange peel
2 tbsp cardamom seeds
2 bottles red wine
4 dl sugar [about 1 3/4 cup]

Almonds and raisins for serving.

Instructions
Put vodka and all spices in a container, such as a glass bottle. Let sit at room temperature for 1 week.

Warm up a little of the wine and let sugar dissolve in it. Strain out and discard spices from vodka and mix with all the wine.

Serve warm (but do not boil!!) with raisins and almonds.

Uppsala gifs.

Uppsala gifs by an american exchange student this year... mostly to do with nations and cycling.
http://uppsalaunibetches.tumblr.com/post/32771155583/when-theres-only-few-minutes-of-free-entry-to-nations
super entertaining.

Lucia is complete!

Lucia was GREAT! No disasters, lots of 'buttered snacks' (whatever those are?? thank you Ubyssey for that... I definitely said LUCIA BUNS, oh well)...

Youtube clip made by Ingrid Tamboline of our performance:
HEEERE

Fame is being interviewed by the Ubyssey

Pretty excited as I was interviewed by the UBC newspaper this week! Short little blurb discussing our Lucia.

http://ubyssey.ca/features/our-campus-fiona-thompson-brings-swedish-carol-festival-to-ubc/

Our Campus: Fiona Thompson brings festival of light to UBC winter

By: Andrew Bates
November 28, 2012, 2:11pm PST

It takes a lot of work to bring light to the wintertime.

“Last night we were baking all of our saffron buns for the performance,” said Fiona Thompson, organizer of the eighth annual Lucia Celebration, a Swedish Christmas carol organized by the UBC Scandinavian and Nordic Cultural Association. “It’s been challenging. I have a paper due on Friday that hasn’t been started yet because I’ve been putting a lot of time into Lucia.”

The Lucia Celebration, set for Friday in the Meekison Arts Student Space, emulates the Swedish tradition of Santa Lucia, where men and women dress up in robes to sing Swedish Christmas carols. One singer plays St. Lucia every year, wearing a red sash and iron crown covered in candles. Swedish buttered treats are served.

“Lucia is the bringer of light in the darkness, and a time to bring in baked goods,” Thompson said, “getting together and singing all about the Christmas traditions. It’s a celebration of the beginning of the Advent season as well.

Thompson, 22, is in her fifth year of natural resources conservation in the Faculty of Forestry. She spent last year on exchange in Uppsala, Sweden, and plans to move back after she finishes her degree.
“I really, really fell in love with the place, the landscape, the culture and the tradition,” she said. “I really felt a connection with that, and I really love the schooling and the way the society works.”

Though a roommate had brought her to the Lucia Celebration at UBC before she went on exchange, seeing the performance in Sweden was a lot different. “They have a much larger group of people who are more interested in singing, and of course most people in Sweden actually speak Swedish, so it’s a lot easier to learn Swedish songs,” she said. “They had a lot of participants … and buttered snacks for everybody, and a lot of people went to watch.”

Though the Scandinavian and Nordic Cultural Celebration has connections in the Scandinavian community, it was a challenge for the group to find time to practice; the UBC Lucia will involve 11 singers. “Finding a time that everyone can get together is also very challenging, because we don’t have people that we can switch out if somebody can’t come,” he said. “We had to find willing participants, of course: people who are both interested in Swedish traditions and Scandinavia in general, and people who are willing to actually put in time to actually come and sing with us.”

The singer who will play Lucia this year is Thompson’s housemate, who has some choral experience. Thompson herself was involved in orchestra since the age of 10, playing the clarinet, but wasn’t able to pick music back up in university until now. “I just couldn’t find the time and it wasn’t so much of a passion that I stuck with it,” she said. “So I miss it.”

Christmas is Thompson’s favourite holiday; she looks forward to starting the festive season with Lucia. “[Lucia] is sort of the beginning of the connection to Christmas celebrations, I would say,” she said. “The way that it’s organized, everybody’s got candles, the lights are all turned down, it’s really cozy.”

For Thompson, the only thing missing at UBC is snow on the ground.
“But I am moving to Sweden, after all, and there’s plenty of it there.”

 

Lussekatter recept

Saint Lucia Buns (Lussekatter):
Adapted from Dooley, B. Savouring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland (2004)

Ingredients: 2/3 cup milk, 2 tsp toasted saffron threads (about 1g), 2-2.5 tbsp yeast (or 50g fresh), 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 F), 1 stick butter + a little extra melted, 2 eggs, 1 tsp salt, 5-6 cups flour, vegetable oil, raisins. Optional: pearl sugar.

Tools: skillet, wooden spoon, small saucepan, small bowl, large bowl, spatula, floured surface, large knife, damp cloth, greased baking pans, pastry brush (or small spoon if you don't have one)

Instructions: Place the saffron in a dry, heavy skillet and toast over medium-high heat for several seconds, stirring with a wooden spoon until the threads become slightly darker. Toasting the saffron threads before steeping them in hot milk gives the bread its intense flavour and rich color. 

Scald the milk in a small pan by bringing it just to a boil and removing it from the heat; then set it aside, add the saffron threads, and allow to cool to lukewarm. 

Dissolve the yeast and sugar in the warm water for about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the milk mixture, yeast mixture, butter, egg, salt, and flour. Mix until smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with damp paper towels or clean damp cloth, and allow to rise until double in bulk, about 1 hour.

(if it isn't rising: 1. your yeast may not be fresh, 2. your water was too hot and your yeast is dead, 3. your water wasn't warm enough and your yeast isn't active, 4. the area isn't warm enough... try placing the bowl on top of your oven or another warm place. 1-3 are not fixable... start again.)

Punch the dough down and divide it into about 24-36 parts (depending on how big you want them to be). Roll out each piece into a snake, thinner at the ends, and roll up into a reverse S shape. Put the buns on greased baking sheets spaced enough to allow them to rise more. Brush the tops with melted butter and allow them to rise until doubled. 

Brush the egg mixed with 1 tbsp water lightly over the buns. Press in raisins to the curls of the S. Sprinkle the buns with sugar (if desired) and bake them in a preheated 175 C / 350 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on wire racks.

Sankta Lucia - Song Compilation [UPDATE]

Here's a listing of the songs in the songbook, with videos I & Krista made of the tunes and lyrics, followed by someone or other singing the actual song. Also added another version of Lusse lelle by adorable icelandic children (1st one in the list, thx Krista).

*HERE* is the link to the playlist of all the music & lyrics

Sankta Lucia
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SH05xgqDIJI
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2-Q_ObdE-4

Lusse lelle
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH3rGHiF5yE
Performances: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JK5IVyYCfHE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gd4lp6lob-Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JEF1PpvGk2A

Nu tändas tusen juleljus
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTIe992WyOU
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfT06kHnHQM

Staffan var en stalledräng
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jxdpc_brIfQ
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LA-rQwhoYo

Det är en ros utsprungen
Playlist of all four parts' music/lyrics: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLpXTfykv_vdgw2ClpyF4O6B6yckYH2M9s
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWNcft9zTCA
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMdTTQ3hhzk

Gläns över sjö och strand
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WpnMIYuQKQ
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1SSYo3HcSk (skip to 1:15)

Goder afton
Music/lyrics: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fr6Oe_E0SFw
Performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL-ZkaGnhh4

APPROXIMATE ENGLISH LYRICS cobbled together from various internet sources and dictionaries

SANKTA LUCIA

The night goes with weighty step
round yard and hearth
round earth, the sun departs
leave the woods brooding
There in our dark house,
appears with lighted candles
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.

The night goes great and mute
now hear it swings
in every silent room
murmurs as if from wings.
Look at our threshold stands
white-clad with lights in her hair
Saint Lucia, Saint Lucia.

LUSSE LELLE
Little Lucia, eleven nights before Christmas,
Now we are come, so soon before Christmas

NU TÄNDAS TUSEN JULELJUS

A thousand Christmas lights are being lit

On the Earths dark round

And thousands upon thousands also shine

In the sky's dark blue foundation.

And all over town and country tonight

The joyful message of Christmas sounds

That born is the Lord Jesus Christ

Our saviour and God.

Thou star above Betlehem

O, let your gentle light

Come shining in with hope and serenity

Into every home and house

In every heart, poor and dark

Send a gentle ray

A ray of God's love

In the sacred days of Christmas.

STAFFAN VAR EN STALLEDRÄNG

v1

Staffan was a stable boy.

We gladly give thanks.

He watered his five horses,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

v2

Hastily he laid the saddle on,

We gladly give thanks.

Before the sun rose,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

v3

The best colt was dapple-grey,

We gladly give thanks.

Staffan himself rode upon it,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

v4

Before anyone had woken,

We gladly give thanks.

He arrived at the forest,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

v5

Now the fire was in the hearth,

We gladly give thanks.

Christmas porridge and Christmas pork,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

v6

Now joy was in the house,

We gladly give thanks.

Christmas tree and Christmas candles,

All for the bright star.

No dawn can be seen yet,

The stars in the sky twinkle.

DET ÄR EN ROS UTSPRUNGEN

There is a rose blooming

Of Jesse's root and stem

Of the father's pure song

It was set ahead

And bears a flower mild

In the middle of the cold winter,

In midnight's dark time.

"Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming" (19th century hymn)

Lo, how a rose e'er blooming,

From tender stem hath sprung.

Of Jesse's lineage coming,

As men of old have sung;

It came, a flow'ret bright,

Amid the cold of winter,

When halfspent was the night.

GLÄNS ÖVER SJÖ OCH STRAND

Shine over sea and shore, star, from afar,

You, who was lighted in the Orient by the Lord.

The star from Bethlehem does not lead you away, but home,

The children and the shepherds follow you gladly.

Night over the land of Juda, night over Zion.

At the western horizon, Orion is dying out.

The shepherd who sleeps, tired; the child who slumbers sweetly,

Wake up to a wondrous chorus of voices,

Behold a gloriously bright star in the East.

GODER AFTON

Good evening, good evening, both gentleman and lady!

We wish you all a joyful Christmas!

Good evening, good evening, welcome to every guest!

We wish you all a joyful feast!

Memories of Höstbal 2011

Finally made a youtube clip of the autumn ball last year in Uppsala.
Here is the youtube video...
And here is a link to my post talking about the ball, back in November 2011.

Bästa bullar!

Here is my recipe for buns! I found this recipe in a Swedish cooking periodical, and translated it. Some measurements/ingredients/instructions might not be what you are used to, so I have adapted/paraphrased them... except for white syrup (vit sirap), I haven't figured out a good replacement for that yet.

"Baka bästa bullen" (from Matglädje)

Ingredients:

Dough:

• 50g fresh yeast (or 25g dry yeast… about 2 tbsp)
• 5 dl lukewarm milk (500mL)
• 100g butter (just under ½ cup) 
•  1 ½  dl white syrup (might want to do some googling to find a substitute… I haven’t found anything except *this* and I haven't tried it)
• 1 ½  tbsp cardamom
• 1 ½ tbsp cinnamon (adjust these to your preference) 
•  2 pinches salt
• 12 dl flour (5 cups)

Filling:

• 50 -100 g of melted butter (¼ to ½ cup) 
• ½  dl sugar (50mL or just under ¼ cup) 
• 2-3 tbsp vanilla sugar (or, icing sugar and a pinch of vanilla extract)

Brushing:

• 1 egg 
• Pearl sugar

Tools:

• Small bowl
• Whisk 
• Spatula
• Spoon 
• Large bowl 
• Rolling pin 
• Knife 
• Greased baking sheets 
• Pastry brush

Bring butter to room temperature.

Stir in yeast to warm milk until dissolved (5min or so). 

Mix milk, yeast, butter, syrup, spices, salt, and flour.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
Leave to rise for approximately 1 hour.
Punch down the dough once, about halfway through. Longer leavening gives more flavour.

While waiting, mix together filling (it’s easier to spread when butter begins to solidify again).

Put the dough on a floured surface and knead gently.
Divide in half (if you like… easier to work with a smaller piece at once).
Roll out into a large rectangle.
Spread the filling evenly over dough using a spoon.
Fold over lengthwise, and cut the dough into about 2 cm wide strips.
Cut each strip into two legs (imagine V shape).
Twist each leg separately, and tie legs pressed together into a loose knot.
Place on greased baking sheet and leave covered at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 250 C. 

Gently press a finger into the dough … print should disappear quickly (then it’s ready to go).

Brush gently with beaten egg and sprinkle with pearl sugar.
Bake in middle of oven 8-10 minutes until brown. 

VARIATIONS:

-          Mix 2 tbsp cardamom into the dough, and mix cinnamon into the filling. Instead of folding over and making legs etc, just roll the dough into a tube and cut off ‘slices’ (traditional swirly cinnamon bun style).

-          Or, don’t use any cinnamon, and top with sugar and chopped almonds.

Swedish Language Movies recommended by Fredrik

Arn: The Kingdom at Road's End (2008)

Arn: Riket vid vägens slut (original title)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0950739/

Arn: The Knight Templar (2007)

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0837106/

Evil

Ondskan

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0338309/

Show Me Love

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0150662/

My Life as a Dog

Mitt liv som hund

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089606/

Easy Money

Snabba Cash

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291652/

The Emigrants

Utvandrarna

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067919/

The New Land

Nybyggarna

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0069035/

Jägarna

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116736/

Sällskapsresan eller Finns det svenskt kaffe på grisfesten

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0081590/

Behind Blue Skies

Himlen är oskyldigt blå

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1510918/

Useful words for Fiona!

How do you say ... in Swedish?
Hur säger man ... på svenska?
What's this/it called?
Vad heter det?

To have, I have, I had ha, har, hade To need, I need, I needed behöva, behöver, behövde To use, I use, I used använda, använder, använde To make, I make, I made göra, gör, gjort To go, I go, I went (by car, bus, train...) åka, åker, åkte To walk/go, I walk/go, I walked/went gå, går, gick I will, I was going to ska, skulle Boil koka, kokar, kokade Bake baka, bakar, bakade Cook laga, lagar, lagade

Always alltid Often ofta Almost nästan Next nästa Last sista Before före After efter During under Yesterday igår

Some höst ord!

http://blogs.transparent.com/swedish/autumn-vocab-list-swedish/

Maybe you want to talk about fall in Swedish! If so (or if not :P) here is a wordlist stolen from the lovely people at Transparent language!

Svenska	Engelska
höst	autumn
ett träd	a tree
ett löv	a leaf
att falla	to fall
kall	cold
att regna	to rain
en temperatur	a temperature
färgrik	colorful
färgglad	colorful
röd	red
gul	yellow
orange	orange
grön	green
ställ klockan tillbaka en timme	turn the clock back one hour
en jacka	a jacket
en gummistövel	a rubber boot
en dag	a day
kortare	shorter
en natt	a night
längre	longer
ett äpple	an apple
en kantarell	a chanterelle
en paj	a pie
en gryta	a stew
en soppa	a soup