Day 59: Got (fortified) milk?

Yesterday I was struggling to think of what to blog about, since nothing out of the ordinary has really happened… Until I woke up in the middle of the night with a cramping right leg – lack of calcium!!!

It’s ironic because earlier in the day I thought about my calcium and vitamin D intake and whether it was enough. I guess the rude awakening answered that!

But I was thinking how and why?!

I quickly got up and chugged a glass of milk like a frat boy gunning a cold shot. Then I had a look at the nutritional info.

I realized that milk is fortified much less here in Sweden. Also I have not been drinking as much milk/milk alternatives as I should.

As a nutritional sciences major, shame on me for not being aware of my nutritional intake! I guess fortification isn’t all that bad at home… If you aren’t aware or take it for granted, you can easily deny yourself of some key nutrients!

I googled, and learned that Europe has much stricter rules for fortification. In the past Sweden has rule against iron fortification in foods despite it being the most common nutrient deficiency in the world! Gotta do more research and learn the food rules here.

Day 57: culture clash SWE vs CAN

One of my close friends is coming to visit this week – very excited to see him and show him the majestic land of blondes!

I have been planning the itinerary and also logistics for his stay such as hotel. I did something Swedish and have adapted to a part of the lifestyle here, and didn’t even realize until he called me out on it!

It’s the flygbussarna bus!

I told him I would meet him at the central station where the Arlanda Express (rapid airport to city train) and Airport buses terminate at the end of the commute. For some this may not sound odd, but back at home the airport is very accessible. We drive to the station or can arrive by public transportation easily and inexpensively. I remember the time I visited my meatball in Stockholm and I was expecting him to arrive at the airport to greet me with open arms and flowers in hand. However, instead he told me he would meet me at the central station. Wamp wamp wamp. Also it was in the afternoon awhile he was still working… so benefit of the doubt goes to him.

However, after visiting and living in this city sometime, you realize that the fares to take the Arlanda Express (best train ever) or airport buses are expensive. Also it’s too bad I JUST had a birthday and am now too old for the youth pass of 18-25 years old.

(OH YES you are considered a YOUTH here if you are 18-25! Scandinavians really know how to flatter the women!)

Reeling back to the point… subtly I’ve become a little more Swedish and if you Swedish friends ask you to come to the central station from the airport, please don’t be offended!

In the end, I will honor my Canadian ways and meet my friend at the airport this one time.

Day 56: It’s a dream final for hockey!

Two countries, one passion – HOCKEY!

Ever since both Canada and Sweden advanced to the ice hockey finals yesterday… there has been a line drawn in our flat, as we prepare to watch the biggest prize of the Winter Olympics!

It’s a dream final & the only gold that truly matters…

The trash talk started before the night even ended as Swedes see us as Cocky Canadians!

There’s probably a big community of Canadians in this city, but since a good majority of us are here for our sambos, the best place will be to watch it at home and bantering throughout the game. To my fellow Canadians, BE LOUD AND PROUD!!! GO CANADA GO!!!

Day 55: There’s a new princess in town!

Grattis to Princess Madeleine and her hubby! It was announced this morning that there’s a new addition to the Swedish Royal family. First off it is very exciting to have a royal family now, and now Princess Madeleine gave birth this morning to a baby girl!!!

Here’s a family photo:

The Swedish Royal Family celebrating Swedish Flag day. (The little one is so grumpy cute and her name is Estelle)

The Swedish Royal family does not have any legislative power ( I think that’s the term?), rather they act as the Ambassadors worldwide.

Of course I like Kate & William and the scandalous life of Harry, but the (former) littlest royal Swede Princess Estelle stole my heart last year!

She’s absolutely precious, is grumpy cute (true sign of a princess) and always has a bow in her hair!

Like a true princess!

Showing Sweden how to make xmas cookies

‘And that’s an ORDER!’

Anyway CANNOT WAIT for the newest one! It’ll be interesting to see if the cute grumpy genes run in the family or not.

Day 53: Pirates of Stockholm

I don’t know why I don’t frequent Gamla Stan (Old Town) more often…

People dress like this every night!
We totally missed the memo in this…

So usually you would think people are at home relaxing after a day of work, but meanwhile THIS is actually happening:

Last night’s trip back to Swedish roots has us pondering important things like:

What is the different between medieval music and folk music?

Did medieval Swedes eat moose meatballs as big as apples regularly?

Are all Swedes reserved by day and rowdy underground pirates by night?

In all seriousness I had an amazing time out with friends! There are a few pubs in Stockholm that offer the blast to the past night out that include a tour of Gamla Stan (Old Town Stockholm) and finishing off with an intimate medieval experience at a pub for grub and alcohol! Last night we went to Sjätte Tunnan (The sixth tunnel). The jesters are always jiggling and the singers are dancing on your tables.

It looks like a great thing to do if you are a tourist, expat or a swede!

Skål!

Day 52: Rusty deja vu

It feels like months have passed since we last saw sun here in Stockholm. We had clear blue skies yesterday and today, and it feels like everything is gonna be alright.

When the sun finally comes out it feels like it could be spring and the birds will be singing. Everyone in my Swedish class felt renewed and we all arrived with smiles on our faces – jätte jätte jätte bra!

I found another rusty bike today in the city – 2 and counting!
I can’t wait to be able to bike around the city during the spring and summer time. Well I would need a bike first… and perhaps longer legs for a Swedish one!

Day 50: Great balls of chocolate! (recipe post)

Domesticated life ain’t so bad in Sweden. The Swedes actually have a special term for when you and your partner cohabit – you are SAMBO. You can also call your partner your sambo, or use the slang terms tjej for my gal, and kille for my guy. ANYWAY… I’m enjoying it so far, especially when I learn how to make swedish food from my meatball! Today we made chokladbollar/chocolate balls. You can find these goodies at cafes, but they’re so simple to make at home – yes even in a non-swedish one…What is up with swedes and ball shaped food?

These are for chocolate lovers, sweet teeth, gluttonous indulgers, dessert fienders out there.

Swedish Chocolate balls

Ingredients (swedish measures):
1/2 cup (100 g) of butter at room temperature
1/2 cup (1 dl) of sugar
1 1/2 cup (3 dl) of rolled oats
1 tsp (1 tsk) of vanilla sugar (it’s a swedish thing) OR 1 tsp of vanilla extract
3 tbsp (3 msk) of cocoa powder

Optional ingredients for topping:
Pearl sugar aka nib sugar, coconut flakes, additional cocoa, powder sugar

Directions:
1) Cream together the butter and sugar. Then add the rolled oats and blend well – I was told that kids usually use their hands here to mix it together!
2) Then blend in the cocoa powder and vanilla powder/extract. Mix well.
3) Form small balls of chocolate and then roll them in the toppings desired.
4) Place balls onto a plate or container and refridgerate for at least 30 minutes.
5) Eat and enjoy!

Yield: depends on size, but we made 18!

Apparently many Swedish kids make this with their parents when they are young. If they can do it, so can you!
These little bites are a verryyyyy guilty pleasure… good thing one batch doesn’t make too many!

Lmk if you have feedback or questions. Smaklig måltid!

 

Day 49: Forget the flask

Tetra paks – a Swedish invention – have come a long way! Anything can comes in a glass container can easily be replaced with a Tetra Pak – even wine!

When I first saw this at a liquor store years ago, I was appalled! But since then, the screw top became social acceptable and wine boxes were on the market.

Tetra Pak wine (750ml) is rare in Canada but it’s quite common in the Swedish liquor stores (known as Systembloget).

It’s of course cheaper to buy and they now even come in juice box sizes! That’s ~250mL for those who aren’t familiar. My attitude has totally change after seeing this and I can enjoy juice boxes again!

So forget the flask next time and get a flat of juice boxes for your lunch!

Day 48: love and pizza!

Swedes love their pizza! They might even try to argue that it’s their food.

There are many different combos at the local pizzerias and unusual additions such as bernaise sauce and some sort of coleslaw…

For the foodies out there, you MUST try a kebab pizza. I’ve only seen this concoction in Sweden and it is delish!
Adding tuna to pizza is also another thing I tried for the first time in Europe – Spain to be specific.

Don’t be surprised when you see that pizzas are very very very thin crusted here – which I like more – and you end up ordering a whole pizza each instead of by the slice or sharing pizzas. It’s just the Swedish thing to do.

Happy Valentine’s day to all who love, love!
My meatball and I decided to celebrate the day of love with our love for pizza!
Happy Alla hjärtans dag!

Day 46: SFI – study for inclusion

My content has slowed a bit since I have started my swedish language classes with SFI, and they run Monday-Friday. Originally I wanted to blog to share the oddities and pleasantries of swedish culture, but now that I’m in class I’m just finding the language funny… like the ‘yoda talk’ and the different sounds (audio blog next time… or I’m sure there’s a youtube clip to show).

    

It’s challenging for me to listen to the words, but last night after watching mästerkock ON MY OWN without my meatball translator, I am picking up a few things! Since I’ve learned french previously and a little german, I can understand written words a lot easier. Apparently this is the challenge that most native english speakers have – we are great with the reading and writing, but struggle with listening and speaking.

It’s hard to speak with my partner at home, since we have communicated in english since we met. It’s a bit of a transition, but we haven’t had a ordinary conversation yet in swedish. I probably need to a few more words before that can happen! So far, I’ve only practiced my classnotes but that doesn’t really force me to think and use swedish.

Will I ever think in Swedish? That would be weird… I don’t even know if I think in Chinese…

I know it’s only been a week since I started this class, but the keener in me wants to excel and be a winner. If you can’t tell, I tried to chase A’s through out my schooling… But just so you know, I never was the teacher’s pet!

Even though English can be readily spoken here, knowing Swedish will make me feel more adequate and a better part of this society. Coming from a city that’s the gateway to Canada, it is often flooded by immigrants and some just refuse to learn the language and culture – big pet peeve! So I do not want to be like that here!

Baby steps Joce…baby steps!