Scandinavian easy to prepare hearty Autumn stew

Fårikål, directly translated sheep-in-cabbage is the national dish of Norway. The easy to make hearty stew even has it own official day; this year being on the 27. September, when lamb is in season (as you would use lamb rather than sheep meet). It’s excellent for both everyday and party meals.
We host an annual dinner, gathering our close friends around a large steaming pot of this delicious meal.

Ingredients: (This recipe serves 4.)

1½ kg lamb meat on the bone
1½ kg white cabbage
4 tsp black peppercorns
2 teaspoons salt
3 cups water

Method:
1. Slice the cabbage into wedges.
2. Add meat and cabbage in layers in a casserole (meat with lower fat side down). Sprinkle salt and pepper between layers.
3. Pour the water and bring it to a boil and let the stew simmer on low heat until the meat is tender (it separates from the bone, after approx 2 hours).

Serve steaming hot with “flatbrød” (thin crackers), your favourite beer and a small glass of schnaps.

Decorate the table with candle holders in a lovely lanterne design, from Holmegaard.

Now all you have to do is invite your friends! Wish you a happy Friday!

Danish Design lamp, the Holm pendant by Anton Fogh Holm

The Stylish Holm pendant light was originally designed by Anton Fogh Holm in the 1960s. His grandchild, Danish designer Kim Aa Holm, has taken his grandfathers lamp and changed the design slightly, with the suspension now being a bit different, originally glue was needed, but now it all slots together making it easy to self assemble.
This is one of the more affordable lighting and designer lamps on the market with the retail price £52.

It’s now on sale at the Scandinavian Design Centre for £35 (Cord and light bulb not included.) The pendant is made in ivercote duo cardboard and measures 50cm. We think it would be a lovely statement piece in any contemporary home.


From Wallander to the West End, Krister Henriksson to star in Dr Glas

Krister Henriksson sits on stage, casually dressed in jacket, chinos and sneakers, he talks with his eyes and his hands in a relaxed way, about his journey to the debut in West End and his life in general. By first glance you see how he belongs there, on stage in the West End. There’s a complexity to him that’s not only rare but unbelievable intriguing. He’s all the opposites you can find in one man, probably what made Inspector Wallander so human to us and why in fact Henriksson is the one that had to be Doktor Glas in the one-man stage adaptation of Hjalmar Söderberg’s haunting 1905 philosophical novel with the same name. “In the beginning of filming the Wallander series I tried to be Inspector Wallander. It’s like squeezing yourself in with a shoe horn. But after a while Wallander became me, and I was rather uncertain who was who in the end. We became one.”


The last time he played Kurt Wallander he spent the evenings in the hotel room in Ystad to read and really work with Söderberg’s novel, he processed and adapted it so that he could become Doktor Glas. “I can identify with both Wallander and Doktor Glas. It’s something about Nordic men. We work hard and we love the simple life, but yet there’s a longing and desire for something more. Both Wallander and Glass finds it very difficult to get close to another human being. I can identify with that. I’m a lonely soul as well, trying to reach out.”

Doktor Glas premiered on Vasateatern in the autumn of 2006, where it played to sold out houses, before it toured Sweden with the National Theatre and ended up as a sold out play at Dramaten 2011. Krister Henriksson’s expectations were modest but Doktor Glas was a huge critic’s and audience success, and it was a dream come true to be invited to the West End. “I’m nervous and of course I really want Doktor Glas to be a success in London as well. But to me personally, it’s always been a dream to be on stage in the West End so it’s feel like a success already.”

At the Leicester Square Theatre, producer Martin Witts told Go Scandinavian that it’s the rhythm of the Swedish language that really captured him with Doktor Glas, when he first saw the play in Stockholm. And so in terms of language there was no question that it had to be in Swedish when performed on stage in the West End. Henriksson agrees but thinks it’s not only the language but also the scenery, the Scandinavian nature which is large part of the play. Doktor Glas takes us through dusk of dawn over endless hills and fields, out to the open Baltic Sea, with an unexplained anxiety and yearning that are so frightfully present in many of us.

Directed by Henriksson and Peder Bjurman, Doktor Glas tells the story of a 19th century physician who falls madly in love with the beautiful young wife of a corrupt clergyman. When she confides in him that her marriage is making her miserable, he agrees to help in whatever way he can, driving the play towards its shocking climax.
Adapted from the novel by Hjalmer Söderberg and performed in its original Swedish with English surtitles, the one-man play will run at Wyndham’s from 16 April to 11 May 2013.


Henriksson is one of Sweden’s most highly respected and admired actors who made his breakthrough at the Stockholm City Theatre in the lead role of the Ibsen play Peer Gynt. He has since had a string of major roles on stages around the world, including working alongside Ingmar Bergman when he directed him in A Winter’s Tale at the Royal Dramatic Theatre (Kungliga Dramatiska Teatern). Later Bergman chose Henriksson for the role as the young Bergman in Liv Ullman’s film Faithless (Trolösa), which was based on Bergman’s manuscript.

In Wallander he played maverick detective Kurt Wallander in the original Swedish series adapted from Henning Mankell’s novels. The grittiness of his performance has won him plaudits from critics across the globe. It was subsequently adapted by the BBC for a British version starring Kenneth Branagh.

Scandinavia’s current impact on British culture looks set to continue when Krister Henriksson makes his West End debut co-directing and taking the lead in Doktor Glas. Martin Witts for London International Art Theatre told the press they hoped this would be the start of a series of Nordic plays in the West End.

And as for Wallander, Henriksson will feature in six new episodes, to be launched in 2013.

Useful Information
Venue: Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DA (nearest tube Leicester Sq)
Dates: 16 April – 11 may 2013
Prices: £10-£65 (Group booking available)
More information to be found at drglas.com

Building a walk-in closet in one afternoon – Stolmen. Ikea

Building a walk-in closet in a small bedroom may seem like an impossible dream, but it’s pretty easy to do. With the affordable IKEA wardrobe systems to choose from you can divide your room and double your storage, easily by being your own interior architect. This is a DIY video on how to build a walk-in closet in one afternoon using the PAX storage system. Very clever!

I’m considering the flexible floor-to-ceiling storage STOLMEN system, great for smaller bedrooms, hallways and any room. You start with two poles and then mount the storage units you choose between them. Just add more sections whenever you need to. You can fix it to the wall or the ceiling. Storage options include everything from cabinets and shelves to clothes rails and hooks. Also recommend to pop over to Style Bubble; Say Stoooolmen for great DIY inspiration and lots of photos.


Now, need to start sketching STOLMEN IKEA dream wardrobe system… Wish me luck!

FROM a magazine about youth & culture

Copenhagen based Magazine with Scandinavian beliefs, interested in the whole world. frommagazine.com


FROM plots the childhood of contemporary life in images, statements, interviews, letters from kids. In pictures and in words youth is both documented and aestheticized. FROM is for all who find the thoughts and fashions of young people interesting – find that this is where it all begins. We dig to find ‘if the kids are alright’ consider us a testimony of ways to answer this.

Crayfish Party and Festival starts, 8th of August

The release date for fishing crayfish is August 8th. And a crayfish party is then much due, celebrating the end of the summer, around mid August.

A traditional crayfish party takes place outdoors, and gaily coloured paper lanterns should be hung round the table. The most popular type of lantern shows a smiling full moon. Both the tablecloth and the colourful plates are also supposed to be of paper. People wear bibs round their necks and comic paper hats on their heads. You eat crayfish cold, as finger food. Bread and a strong cheese such as mature Västerbotten are eaten on the side. You’ll drink beer and (lots of) schnapps.


Photo by Green Kitchen Stories

You can also see a proper crayfish party in Wallander Season 2 Episode 1 The Revenge. The series starts with Wallander and his colleagues in the middle of a crayfish party, and the jolly atmosphere of this Swedish tradition is excellent visualized.

Photo above is from Green Kitchen Stories, a fab vegetarian blog. Telling us “And when those cold and dark February mornings hit us, this warm mid-August evening is what we think back upon.” So true! Let’s celebrate!

A taste of Summer, fresh Norwegian seafood

There’s no better way to end a long day in the sun than with a bowl of fresh seafood and a bottle of white to share. Boiled shrimps, peeled and served on fresh loaf with green salad, mayonnaise, ground pepper, dill and a few drops of lemon.

All rights reserved Go Scandinavian

Fresh seafood from Fjordfisk purchased at Fjordkroken fishmonger in Utgardskilen in Hvaler, Norway.

Living the Scandinavian design dream, Summerhouse Hvaler Norway

The house is beautifully situated on the top of a hill overlooking the ocean and the horizon. The design of the house allows a close interaction with the surrounding nature and the beautiful scenery, giving the feeling of being outdoor when inside.

The use of wooden materials that will gradually develop a grey patina allows the contemporary design house to interact and naturally blend in with the colours of the surrounding landscape.





Summerhouse Inside Out Hvaler / Reiulf Ramstad Architects Photographs: Reiulf Ramstad Architects, Kim Müller and Roberto Di Trani.

Scandinavian style Bespoke Interior Design in London

Creating a home and unsure on how you’ll approach the task? A friend of mine recently bought a gorgeus 19th century flat in Oslo, with high ceilings and lots of original features. But unsure on how she can acheive a beautiful home she’s now on the look out for a experinced interior designer to assist her.
I think it is a good idea! After all purchasing the wrong designer lamp can be an expensive lesson learnt. If you don’t have the time or the skill it takes, it’s probably best to consult a professional, that will provide you with a design counselling scheme for one room or (if the budget allows) for the entire house. I’ve recently come across the London based Scandinavian interior designer Anna Hansson, with a portofolio of contemporary and sleek city appartments. Her work shown below.



© Anna hansson Interior Design London

The art of Norwegian Coffee, by Tim Wendelboe

Norwegian barista Tim Wendelboe is not only the 2004 World Barista Champion and 2005 World Cup Tasting Champion.
He has also founded the Tim Wendelboe micro roastery, a coffee training centre and an espresso bar, with the goal to be “among the best coffee roasteries and espresso bars in the world and to be a preferred supplier of quality coffee and a preferred resource for coffee innovation and coffee knowledge.”


© Tim Wendelboe making a capuccino in his Oslo based coffee bar and shop

When visiting Oslo you should stop by Tim Wendelboe to learn and experience good honest coffee, have a chat about coffee and get advice on how to best brew your coffee. They also offer coffee making course.
Tim Wendelboe is located at Grünersgate 1 in the trendy area of Grünerløkka in Oslo, Norway. Visit Tim Wendelboe at www.timwendelboe.no
Also check out How to make a perfect Cafe Latte over at the Little Scandinavian Blog.

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