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Come and engage your taste buds with a nice tipple of Danish lager or ale at this year’s Scandinavia Show. Stefan Kappel, the Managing Director and brewer at Randers Bryghus (Randers Brewery), is making a special guest appearance on both days of the show 9-10 October. Kappel will be holding an in-depth presentation about Randers beers, which also includes a tasting of their finest brews.

Randers Bryghus is a relatively young and small brewery with three people (Stefan Kappel, Jens Rasmussen and Erik Højholdt) on the payroll taking care of the daily operation of the business. Their main market is local, but they also produce a range of beers for supermarkets all around Denmark. In the UK, Randers beer is distributed by 95% Danish, and on the 95% website you can purchase a quality bottle of Randers Burr Øl, Brown Ale or Indian Pale Ale.
“Our beers aren’t typically Danish, as we draw our inspiration from different countries and brewing cultures,” explains Kappel. Accordingly, the beers represent a mix of different styles with influences picked up from Denmark, America, Germany and England.

Kappel’s talk at the show will give you a more thorough understanding of the Randers Brewery, their beers and brewing philosophy. “It’ll be a very interesting opportunity. We normally present our beer to people who are specifically interested in buying it, but at the show we will be able to get in touch with more people from other business areas,” says Kappel. “I hope the show will make people more interested in Danish products and beer, as we might only be known abroad for our bacon.”

This is something for all the real beer aficionados out there!

For more information, please visit: www.randersbryghus.dk, www.95percent.co.uk or www.scandinaviashow.co.uk

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On the 9-10 October 2010, please listen to the grumbling in your tummy, and make your way to The Scandinavia Show at Olympia Conference Centre in Kensington, London, for a taste and a tipple of the best Scandinavian produce and brands out there. You will not be disappointed by the wide range of exhibitors, as there will be something for everyone, from Norwegian waffles for those with a real sweet tooth to Finnish vodka for the thirsty liquor connoisseur.

Scan Magazine is the proud organizer of The Scandinavia Show, a unique showcase of Nordic expertise in the fields of fashion, food, design and travel. There are numerous brands that are already flying the flag for Scandinavian workmanship and innovation, but this show will give another boost and a lot of media exposure for a whole new batch of exquisite exports, with some internationally renowned names sprinkled in between. You just cannot miss out on this opportunity to experience the best of the best that Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland and Iceland have to offer.

For the Foodies

Scandinavian food and drink is well-known for being fresh and fragrant, with a lot of natural ingredients and flavours. The influences are often drawn straight from nature, and the flavours also represent this ideal. For Nordic food newbies, the show should be an exciting experience, and for the ex-pats it should be like a piece of home transported right to your doorstep. Michael Boaler, Brand Manager for Finlandia Vodka, wants to promote this same concept: “Finlandia represents all that is pure about Finland – from our locally sourced ingredients to the nature from which we are born.”

Another very Scandinavian trait is the importance of healthy ingredients, which is very much interlinked with the natural origin of the produce. “With Scandinavian cuisine and the Nordic diet at the forefront of the British consumer’s mind, we look forward to seeing a range of visitors at the event, enthused by the exciting and healthy lifestyle of all our Northern European neighbours,” says Matt Levett, Marketing Executive of Norseland. “We will also have the chance to let visitors try our range of fantastic cheeses and get feedback.”

Promoting Brand Scandinavia

The specific foods and brands that Scandies really love are an integral part of Scandinavian identity and culture. There are some ‘Marmites’ among them, of course, such as salmiakki (salty liquorice) which is one of those ‘love it or hate it’ products. But most of the food is very accessible to everyone. Lynne Dickens, Marketing Consultant for Danish Food Direct, talks about the impact of their part of the exhibition: “We are bringing in some fantastic new products to launch at the show, many of which are extremely nutritious and equally delicious. Hopefully there will be plenty of visitors who have never tried it before and will become converts from that moment on, as well as Scandinavians who will be delighted to find so many home comforts available here in the UK.”

The different food exhibitors include Danish Food Direct, Danish Microbreweries, Finlandia Vodka, Norseland, The Norwegian Church in London, Scandinavian Kitchen and Totally Swedish, and they will be offering samples of Scandinavian food and drink, and the opportunity to buy more, if the fancy takes you. However, it is not all purely about product promotion, as The Scandinavia Show is also about bringing people together. Revd.Torbjørn Holt, Rector and Senior Chaplain of The Norwegian Church in London, also wants to set the right kind of atmosphere: “We will give a glimpse of life and hospitality at the Norwegian Church, inform about our work and give visitors a chance to try the world-famous Norwegian waffles.” So get ready to hear a mix of Nordic languages and smell the sweet scent of Scandinavian cooking right in the middle of London.

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Scandinavian food & drink exhibitors at the show include:

Danish Food Direct: www.danishfooddirect.co.uk
Finlandia Vodka: www.finlandia.com
Norseland: www.jarlsberg.co.uk
The Norwegian Church in London: www.sjomannskirken.no/london
Scandinavian Kitchen: www.scandikitchen.co.uk
Totally Swedish: www.totallyswedish.com

For more information on the show and to register, please visit: www.scandinaviashow.co.uk

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The Best of Brand Scandinavia

– for you to see, test and buy

Scandinavia is going to be on everybody’s mind and lips in London later this year, when The Scandinavia Show hits the city. More than 100 exhibitors will showcase and sell the best brands that Scandinavia has to offer in fashion, food, design and culture at a two day show.

The Olympia Conference Centre is going to be busy on October 9 and 10, when thousands of visitors will experience a true cornucopia of Scandinavian brands, ranging from Swedish Volvo, to Danish Homestore, Interior Design Company “Skandium” and tourist boards Visit ­Denmark, Visit Finland, Innovation ­Norway, Visit Sweden and Visit Iceland.

Scan Magazine is organizing the grand show and it is the first of its kind in ­London. Thomas Winther, Executive ­Editor at Scan Magazine, explains: “It seems to be a natural development of things for us since we, at Scan Magazine, have a Scandinavian team which represents ­Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway and therefore have the best possible ­platform for promoting Scandinavia.” The Scandinavia show has received great backing from several partners. The Daily Telegraph – the official media partner – is running a national media campaign to promote the show, which is the biggest of its kind.

While it will be possible to taste Scandinavian food and see design classics as well as find inspiration for Scandinavian travel, the Scandinavia Show will also offer great cultural experiences such as a fashion show arranged by the London boutique “Wild Swans”, which sells top Scandinavian clothes designs, music performances by The Copenhagen Jazz Festival, a kids’ show, Scandinavian children’s movies and much, much more. And the mission of the Scandinavia Show is clear. Mads E. Petersen, the Creative ­Director at Scan Magazine, says: ­“Exhibitors showcase and sell the great Scandinavian design classics as well as the new and hot designs, and visitors will be able to taste everything from Swedish knäckebröd (flat bread) to Danish hotdogs. The show will truly be a fantastic opportunity for both an English and Scandinavian audience to experience the best of brand Scandinavia as well as give ­ex­hibitors great media exposure.”

For further information about the show and to buy tickets visit: www.scandinaviashow.co.uk

To exhibit, contact Thomas Winther at thomas@scanmagazine.co.uk
or call +44 (0)20 79 936 313

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Many of us have memories of sitting in a field on a summer’s day eating crusty French bread and sharing a kilo of creamy brie.  In fact, some of us would like to spend most of our days doing just that, if it was not for the eventual need to then be moved around by a pick-up truck.

Less people have such glorious thoughts when thinking about Scandinavian cheese – in fact, most people associate Scandinavian cheese with Eurovision.  Except those of us who know just how many amazing cheeses actually come from our northern corner of the world.

Even back in the days when old Harold Bluetooth was a nipper and busy taking over the world, the Scandinavians made cheese.  In fact, the old Vikings had a diet rich in milk, butter and cheese and are even said to have found cheese to be a sexual stimulant.

Here’s a guide to some of the top Scandinavian cheeses

1.  Gammelost (Old cheese)
A recipe dating back to the Viking times, “Old cheese” needed very little help to mature.  Most people say both taste and smell resembles something that has spent a few months inside a sweaty old sock.  As you know, nothing pleases a true tyrophile more than a slice of stinky old sock. Admittedly, perhaps due to the taste, younger Norwegians are falling out of love with it, even if it is does have the nickname of Norwegian Viagra.

2.  Danablu (Danish Blue)
We had to include this as it is the most popular export and it is a darn fine cheese.  Invented originally to emulate Roquefort, and quickly making its own mark on the cheese scene, Danablu has a sharp, salty note and is excellent served on just about any kind of bread. Mash it with a bit of syrup to change its character and use it to spread on crisp bread, topped with some sunflower seeds – it really works.  Swedes tend to love blue cheese on ginger biscuits (we say don’t argue with anyone who invented Billy bookcases, Volvos and the zipper).

3.  Brunost (Brown cheese)
Comes in many different varieties: the two best known are the Gudbrandsdalen (cow and goat) and Ekte Gjeitost (pure goat); the latter is the connoisseur’s choice

Okay, so it’s an acquired taste, but, on average, Norwegians eat about 4 kilos each of this stuff a year so there must be something to it.  It’s as Norwegian as trolls and fjords.  It looks a bit like a block of plasticine, tastes a bit like caramel and is enjoyed on its own, on open sandwiches or with freshly baked waffles:  all you need then is a patterned jumper and people will soon start calling you Haakon.

4.  Rygeost (smoked cheese)
A very Danish invention that is never exported due to its very short shelf life.  Unmatured, smoked cheese made from buttermilk and milk and turned in less than 24 hours, after which it is smoked very quickly over a mixture of straw and nettle and topped with caraway seeds.  This cheese is simply amazing, light and divine eaten on a piece of rye bread.  Resembles a firm ricotta in texture.

5. Vasterbotten
If ABBA is the queen of cheese, Vasterbotten is the king.  A firm, crumbly, aged Swedish cheese not unlike parmesan in smell but with immense flavour and character.  This cheese is a welcome addition to any cheeseboard and is also a partner to any crayfish party.  Can also be used to make the excellent Vasterbotten pie.

6. Hushallsost
A cheese that has a name that translates as “household cheese” sounds like it belongs on a value shelf in a corner shop in Hackney, but it is actually an excellent cheese.  Mild, creamy, full of holes, this cheese is usually a big hit with the younger generation.  Hushallsost is one of six Swedish food products with a so-called TSG protection (one other cheese, Svecia, also holds this distinction).  Taste-wise it is a bit like the Danish Havarti cheese in texture (the Danes’ favourite and widely available in the UK), although less creamy.  Produced by Arla, Havarti is called Aseda Graddost in Sweden.  In Finland, the Turunmaa cheese is what is closest to Havarti in taste.

7.  Gamle Ole (Old Ole)
A sliceable mature Danish cheese, this baby stinks.  Don’t touch it too much or your fingers will honk all day.  The taste, however, is really lush.  Also known in Denmark as Danbo 45, there are many varieties in the same vein:  ‘Sorte Sara’ is a good version too.  A superb finish to any smorgasbord, eat a slice or two on sourdough bread topped with some lingon jam.  Other excellent strong Danes include Esrom 45 as well as Viggo Mortensen (he’s not a cheese, but he sure looks very strong).

8.  Präst ost (Priest cheese)
Sweden’s most popular cheese.  It was given its name because the farmers at the time it was invented could pay their church taxes in dairy products.   Präst ost comes in many varieties, from the mild to the mature and flavoured with anything from vodka to whisky.

9. Leipäjuusto (also known as “squeaky cheese”)
This is a fresh young cheese from Finland.  The milk is curdled and set into a flat round shape, then baked.  In the olden days it was dried for months and people put it on the fire to re-activate it.  The name comes from the sound it makes when you bite into it.  The taste is not unlike feta.

10. Rejeost (Prawn cheese)
For some reason, spreadable prawn cheese is immensely popular across all of Scandinavia.  Not really a great cheese from a connoisseur’s point of view, but surely any product that manages to combine cheese and prawns and make it taste good needs a mention.  If cheese and prawn can be coupled in peaceful harmony, then there’s hope for world peace.

After releasing her second cookbook in English, The Nordic Diet, Trina Hahnemann is set to tour the UK with cooking demonstrations and debates. Scan Magazine’s own food guru Bronte Blomhoj had a chat with the healthy Dane.

Every country seems to have a Delia Smith – someone who can teach us how to cook wholesome food, and, most importantly, how to eat better. In Denmark, that job has been given to Trina Hahnemann, a passionate Copenhagen-based foodie who is on her own crusade to promote Scandinavian food all over the world (albeit without longboats).

Last year, Trina published The Scandinavian Cookbook. This was her first book in English, and quickly grabbed the attention of the UK press. She has just followed up that success with The Nordic Diet. An inspirational collection of recipes, Trina’s second book is based on some of the findings from a University of Copenhagen report of the same name (a five-year study that investigated whether the traditional Nordic diet could help to combat, among other things, childhood obesity).

Having grown up in a family where food was at the heart of everyday life, Trina has continued that culinary heritage in her own catering company, supplying food to prestigious clients such as the Folketinget (the Danish Parliament). When she’s not busy feeding politicians, writing books and touring the world, she also finds the time to write food columns in the Danish press.

How did your career start?

I studied literature at university. During my time there, I had a part-time job at a friend’s café, and really enjoyed it. Later on, I bought a catering company that provided food for music tours and film productions. However, being away from home so much after I’d had children was too much, so I sold the business and started Hahnemann’s Kitchen, my current enterprise. After I was asked to write a column for a major women’s magazine in Denmark, I realised I wanted to combine my love of food with my love of writing.

How do you think Scandinavian food is regarded outside the Nordic region?

Everybody thinks it’s just salmon, herring and all sorts of weird stuff that nobody likes. Few people know about the different flavours and ingredients that we use in our cooking. Even less is known about our very seasonal eating habits. Local, seasonal food is a way of life. It’s not always something we do consciously, perhaps, but we do it anyway. When I was a child, we only ever ate strawberries in the summer. They were picked fresh, and eaten while plentiful. Anything that remained was frozen for the winter or made into jam. When we ran out, that was it. Simple. Today, people are used to eating the same fruits all year round, but produce doesn’t taste the same when it’s been shipped halfway around the world.

Do you think fast food culture is influencing the way Scandinavians eat?

There is a big effect, and we need to make sure it doesn’t become too engrained. Statistics show the Danish obesity rate is very low compared to the UK and US. General awareness of the issue is good in Denmark, which hopefully means we can reverse the effects of fatty food before they become a bigger problem. Research is being done to combat obesity, which is good. However, obesity also has a lot to do with education and social status. Statistically, the less money you have, the worse you eat. I find it so depressing that a meal cooked from fresh vegetables can be more expensive than a greasy cheeseburger.

So are the traditional Scandinavian foods out of fashion?

Actually, new influences are combining with our original food heritage. Smørrebrød – open sandwiches – were so out of fashion five years ago. Today, they’re back ‘in’, and most Danish cafés feature a platter of them. Younger people are getting into it again and are enjoying the different varieties available.

I also think that if you don’t teach young people to cook and get them to understand where food comes from, this will also lead to problems later on, because it takes away control over what goes into your mouth. It’s up to parents to help their children by teaching them about their diets, and by sitting down together to eat as a family.

Is the Nordic Diet a fad?

I don’t think so. To us Scandinavians, our diet is nothing new, but perhaps we need a small reminder. In my book, I try to present a new way of eating Nordic food. It’s a way of looking at food as a way of life.

You don’t have to live in Scandinavia to follow the Nordic Diet, as most of the ingredients can be found in any British supermarket. Other things, such as cracked rye for making your own rye bread, are sold at speciality shops or online. As for all the fish and meat, if things can’t be sourced, then just substitute them with good, local ingredients.

Do you think the Scandinavian diet has enough variety to attract people in the same way that the Mediterranean diet, or sushi has before now?

I truly believe so. It’s all about eating decent, hearty and sustainable food. Ten years ago, there was no real market for Japanese ingredients. Today, one can find pickled ginger and wasabi sauce on the shelves of most supermarkets. My sister set up Feng Sushi, one of the first Japanese chain restaurants in London. She also continues to add plenty of Scandinavian touches to her menu, which is an excellent example of how two distinct food cultures can blend.

What’s next for you?

I’m planning to tour and discuss my books, with a lot of cooking demonstrations planned for all over the UK. There will also be a few ‘pop-up restaurants’ in London with Nordic food. Back home in Copenhagen, I’m also developing a ‘grow-your-own’ project with my mother in my back garden. I’m growing tomatoes and she’s growing chillies. Delicious!

The Nordic Diet by Trina Hahnemann is out now, published by Quadrille. It is available at all good bookshops and at Scandinavian Kitchen (which, incidentally, also stocks those all-important cracked rye grains).

It happens every year: the cold winter months take you by surprise and you need extra fuel to keep you warm. Then the festive season comes around and, suddenly, you have a whole spare tyre around your waist that not only keeps you cosy and warm but also wobbles in a funny way when you walk. Before you know it, people are calling you “lardy boy” (even to your face) and you know it is time to bring out the dreaded scales.

When thinking of Scandinavians, people don’t tend to associate us with a nation full of spare tyres or with people who take up two seats when using public transport. Instead, we are often compared to beauties such as Victoria Silvstedt, and Helena Christensen and Viggo Morten­sen. Flattering, even if not entirely accurate.

But are all Scandinavians thin and healthy? No – although obesity rates in Scandinavia are around 60% lower than in the UK, things have certainly started to shift a bit. With the introduction of more ever so tempting ready meals and more fast food outlets in the Nordic Countries, even we’re seeing an increase in flab. This is simply because we’re being tempted away from what is our traditional, healthy way of eating off our lands and into the realms of the fast food circus. Indeed, we Scandies also need to get back to the core of what Scandinavian food is all about and to feel the force of the rye bread.

Traditionally, Scandinavians have eaten off the land. It’s all been about preserving what we could harvest during those fertile summer months by drying, fermenting and pickling the goodies as best we could. Drawing from a landscape rich in berries, grains and fish, those Vikings conso­lidated a way of eating that still holds true today.

The Nordic Diet

Last year, research started to emerge from Scandinavia that this new Nordic Diet (although followed by Vikings, so by definition not so new, really) would be the way forward; the new big thing and with health benefits to pose a serious rival to the Mediterranean diets that have been so popular during the last twenty years. Out with pasta, in with herring, so to speak.

The Nordic Diet draws on the Viking principles: eat a breakfast that releases ­energy slowly, such as muesli or porridge. Add lots of berries to your diet, as these are packed full of vitamins and anti­oxidants (think blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries). Cabbage-type vegetables are key, so bring on the pickled red ­cabbage and the coleslaw type salads.

Bread is made of rye and sourdough cultures. Omega 3 is added to the diet by eating lots of mackerel and herring. For meats, go for less mass produced stuff, such as game: venison, reindeer (sorry Rudolf) and even Moose (although, admittedly, Tesco’s in Hackney was out of stock of this last week). Add to this a whole load of nuts and seeds and you’re on your way to eating like a real Viking.

Seriously delicious

Much more than just a fad diet, the Nordic Diet it is a way of eating healthily, and by cutting out the mid-morning Krispy Kreme and replacing it with a handful of nuts, things will certainly start to shift from the wobbly midriff. In fact, The Nordic Diet by the Danish food writer Trina Hahnemann has just been published in the UK – and after only a week, stocks of the book were running low and they’ve started the second printing. The People are catching onto the Viking Way of life and you can expect to hear a lot about the Scandinavian way of eating in 2010.

Perhaps, this is the secret to all sensible dieting, though: if we all thought a little more about the stuff we use as fuel for our bodies and cut out the daily doughnut, the excess flab would start to disappear. Doing it the Nordic way, however, means being able to explore all those seriously delicious ingredients served with a Scandinavian twist that perhaps makes the whole issue of losing the post-Christmas flab a little easier to bear.

Follow the Nordic diet and you can indulge in open rye bread sandwiches, lots of beautiful fish and stuff yourself with berries. And maybe, just maybe, in a few months you’ll start to look like Viggo Mortensen too.

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Bronte Blomhoj is the owner of Scandinavian Kitchen in Central London – a cafe/grocery store that stocks everything you need to follow a Nordic Diet. All the staff there look a little bit like Victoria Silvstedt (especially Sebastian).

How many of us can claim to have a king buried in our back yard? Swedish wine maker Göran Amnegård, for one, passes the burial site of the Viking King Blackemost mornings on his way to inspect his vines.

After spending 17 years in Canada, Amnegård returned to Sweden to produce wine and has rapidly become one of the leading exponents of Scandinavia’s niche wine industry.

Sweden’s best wine yards

As with the best vineyards in the world, site selection is vital and Blaxsta Winery is no exception. Situated on the Langhalsen lake system, 130km South West of Stockholm, the mild winds from the nearby sea pick up warm air from this shallow lake and act as an accummulator of energy to give the vines the extra two degrees in temperature they require for ripening grapes. “This area is one of the better ones in the entire country,” he explains. “In the south, near Denmark, they have a much higher humidity factor in the air, so when the grapes are ready for ripening by early October the days are shorter with higher humidity which leads to mould on the vines.”

The Icewine law

Blaxsta winery grows Chardonnay, Merlot and Vidal Blanc, a thick skinned grape with high sugar and acidity that thrives in cold climates. It is from this variety that Amnegård produces his award winning Icewines which, as the price tag reflects, are a work of art in themselves. According to the German Icewine law which he follows,temperatures must fall to at least minus seven degrees Celsius or colder before hand harvesting the vines.

A typical scenario in many vineyards producing Icewine would see temperature-regulated alarms sounding off at 2 am, dragging winemakers fromtheir warmbeds out into the snow to harvest. Amnegård knows better than to disturb his sleep patterns. He calls upon a wine club of around 25 people in Stockholm to come down the following day to get their hands dirty. The wine is then produced and aged in the sixteenth century cellar which was discovered by chance when clearing away a bush. What else is buried in this man’s garden – Atlantis?

The history of Danish winemaking

Denmark’s wine tradition is similarly steeped in history. Wine was produced by monks for over a thousand years until a small ice age in the 17th century that killed the vines. Situated in the town of Kolding, the ancient maps of Koldinghus Castle gardens portray the blueprints of a vineyard in the castle grounds which correspond to the accountant’s book of the same era, which notes the purchase of materials from Germany for growing grapes. Today, there are 63 registered vineyards spread across the country which have popped up since the EU regulations officially permitted Denmark to produce wine commercially in 2001. Since then there has been a dramatic increase in production from20 hectolitres to 546 hectolitres last year.

Situated 55 degrees north in latitude, Skærsøgaard Vin is the largest estate in the country and is owned by Sven Moesgaard who keeps up his day job in the pharmaceutical industry to fund the operation. Moesgaard relies on the expertise of a team of four to make the wine. He grows a selection of the lesser known hybrid grapes such as Rondo, Leon Millot and Orion which are suited to the local environment.

Literally translating to bright light-lake-estate, Skærsøgaard vineyard benefits from the sunlight’s reflection off the south facing lake to ensure optimum ripeness for the vines. Moesgaard also attributes the wine growing potential of this part of the world to the long sunlight hours – two hours more than Burgundy which is at 47 degrees north in latitude. “In 50 years we will see Southern European winemakers closing down their operations due to too much sugar in the grapes, giving alcohol bombs in the wine,” he claims.

Scandinavian experiments

With climate change Finland may benefit from the predicted rise in temperatures and perhaps expand from its current focus on berry wine to join its Scandinavian peers in conventional wine production. In Norway, Anne Enggrav has returned home from working in German vineyards to experiment with planting her own vines in Kristiansand, on the southern tip of the country. Unperturbed whether the plants die of frost next year or not, she considers it interesting at least to investigate the limits and opportunities that the predicted increase in temperature may bring us. Perhaps it’s time that the international wine companies planting vines in new regions like China and India should look North for new light on winemaking.

DON’s Orion Brut, Skærsøgaard, 2007, Denmark

Here is a perfect example of a quality sparkling wine without the Champagne label. It is lemon in colour with a light citrus note on the nose. Nice and dry with fantastic crisp acidity, the palate is filled with soft and creamy bubbles. Once again there’s a lovely citrus character present in the mouth which is ideal for a casual aperitif with friends over the holiday season. Available from www.hjhansen-vin.dk for DKr 395 (Approximately £48).

Blaxta Vidal Icewine 2007

A striking amber colour to the wine, aromas of intense sweetness of caramelised fruit on the nose. The intensity continues on the palate with demerara sugar, barley and honey. A nice piece of fresh goat’s cheese would be the best match to stand up to this sweetness.

Ray regularly hosts tutored tastings at Scandinavian
Kitchen, Great Titchfield St.. For dates and more
information, see www.rayoconnorwine.com or email
info@rayoconnorwine.com

Ho ho ho, finally, it’s that time of year where you can get away with wearing patterned jumpers, silly hats and sport a red hooter and still expect to be taken seriously.

December is the time to be jolly – as well as being the opportunist’s season: a month of eternal fluttering from party to party and kissing pretty people under strategically hung mistletoe. Most of us have at some point partaken in activities during the silly season that we have all regretted later on, whether it was dancing the crazy chicken dance with your boss, photocopying your bumon the office copier or telling the management accountant fromfloor three that you are, in fact, in love with her (and then watch her face beam with that “I’m your new stalker” look). Bring it on. Whatever your preferred way of celebrating the joyful season, you could do worse than accepting an invitation to a Scandinavian Mulled Wine party – or better known as a Glögg party.

Glögg is the Scandinavian word formulled wine. To those of you unfamiliar with the concept, it is a drink usually made with red wine, sugar and spices – heated up and served warm during the cold winter months. Back in the olden days, wine had habit of going bad quite quickly and by heating it and adding spices, it became drinkable again. Across Europe, there are many different types of warmwine drinks, from Glühwein in Germany to Izvar in Moldova – and Glögg in the Nordic countries. In Scandinavia, the finished drink often has flaked almonds and raisins added, which sets it apart frommost other ‘vin chauds’ around the globe.

Scandinavians love nothing more than a Mulled Wine event, which is a potential party disguised as a calm cosy evening. Sometimes, you don’t really know if you’re in for a relaxed hour of chit-chat or set for an evening of boogie-woogie until you have assessed themood on the day. There is a chance you’ll be on your way an hour later, having nibbled on a few ginger biscuits and been polite to Benny’s mother

There is an equal possibility that you might find it is one of the more evolving get-togethers where you end up dancing the salsa with a lamp post on the streets of Copenhagen at four a.m., your only memory from the evening being that Benny’s mother is rather fit. It is potentially disastrous tomisjudge themood, so bide your time.

So as to avoid misjudging any moods and ending up in a sticky situation, you could choose to host your own mulled wine party and potentially avoid Benny’s mum altogether.

To host a true Scandinavian Glögg Party you’ll need the following:

• Mulled wine

• Ginger biscuits

• Some other form of food – in Sweden this would usually mean Lussebullar (saffron buns) and in Denmark little pan fried doughnuts called Aebleskiver. We suggest you go all fancy and serve rye bread canapés to give the event a truly cosmopolitan Scandi feel.

• Some nice candles to create atmosphere (lit, preferably)

• A bunch of friends

• Snow (optional. Rain and darkness will do if in London).

Ginger biscuits must be served with the glögg, or else the party will be deemed illegal by the laws of the Yuletide Police in Scandinavia (and at some point, it’s likely that handsome blonde people will arrest you and put you in a little cell whilst forcing you to listen to Basshunter all day). So deep-rooted are the traditions that nobody ever dares to break them. The Scandinavian ginger biscuits are thin, crispy “pepparkakor” or “brunkager” – now, luckily, readily available in the UK, meaning less need for baking and Basshunter.

As you greet your guests withmulled wine and biscuits, it is good formto offer something else food-like to help your guests fromgetting tipsy early on. What could be nicer than keeping the Scandinavian theme with canapés: mini-open sandwiches that can be eaten whilst mingling around the livingroom. From smoked salmon to pate and meatballs, these canapés can be as complicated or as easy as you choose to make them, but all can bemade in advance, allowing you plenty of time to play the social butterfly, as well as finding time to wink at Benny’smum(if indeed you dare to invite her after that incident last year).

Add extra spice to the event by revealing you own the entire back catalogue of ABBA and proceed to turn the volume to full for all the world to enjoy it with you, Scandi style.

God Jul to you all,

Bronte

If you wish to feel the London buzz, be seen and grab a bite after work, Soho is the place. That is exactly what we want to do, and we are not alone; all Londoners seem to be out on this last warm summer evening.

Tempting menu
Just seconds after arriving at the Deli Brasserie in 44 Frith Street we are sitting comfortably looking through the inspiring menu loaded with specialities from India. Unfortunately, my sneaking bad habit of wanting everything makes me incapable of deciding when it comes to food. The extensive, tempting menu does not exactly help, so picking a dish turns out to be a rather difficult affair. Luckily the friendly waiter springs to my assistance and after ordering two Indian Cobra beers we are ready for the spicy food.

We start out with the classic Papadums, different kinds of chutneys (mango chutney, lime pickle, minted sauce and onion salad), a must-have at any Indian restaurant. They are delicious and I have to remind myself to leave room for all the treats that await us.

Secret ingredients
As starter, I have the Prawn & Purie onion Bhaje; it is so good that I forget to share with my friend, even though she kindly offers me a piece of her tasty Fish Terna – cod marinated in a special secret sauce.

For the main course I have the Chicken Korai, which is made with the Delhi Brasserie’s very own secret spices – more secrets, and yes, they remain a secret. But I can reveal that the taste was excellent – full and strong.  On the other side of the table, judging from the pleased smile on Signe’s face, the Vegetarian Thali is also a hit and it is a treat for the eye as well. As a little side dish, not that we really need it, but the waiter tempted us, we have Garlic Naan and a sweet dish called Muttor Paneer, which is green peas and cottage cheese cooked in a mild spicy creamy sauce.

Perfect for groups
The grand finale is the creamy, green Indian coconut ice cream – delicious. After ice and coffee we take a tour of the Brasserie and conclude that not only is the food superb, but also that the party rooms at the back of the restaurant allow you to bring friends or colleagues for a tasteful night out after work.

www.delhibrasserie.com

Soho Branch 02074378261
Kensington Branch 02073707617

When most people think of the Scandinavian seasons, they either think of the bitter cold and round the clock dark winter days – or the vibrantly colourful summer season with its rolling green hills and sparkling silvery lakes (although, some, admittedly, think only of blonde women, Ace of Base and meatballs, but these have little to do with this article).  However, the often forgotten thing about autumn in Scandinavia is that it is certainly also a time to cherish and a time of exceptional beauty – as well as being full of some of the most amazing foodie treasures known to man.

With all the hoo-haa of Midsummer Parties and dancing around maypoles well and truly over, summer in the Nordic countries comes along in fleeting bursts and before we know it, the days are once again getting shorter and the nights colder.  By the middle of September, the whole of Scandinavia has changed its green summer coat for the rustling, golden comforting blanket of fallen leaves, and it is time for long walks in the forest, for slowing down and fattening up for winter time. Back in the Viking times, autumn signalled the time for preparing for the days when hardly any daylight at all shone through.  From the summer with its abundance of fruit and vegetables, winter proved always to be a testing time and our forefathers hunted and gathered everything they could for easy storage.   In the Northern countries they hunted for game which they salted and dried.  In the south they fished, preserving what they could by drying and curing – as well as slaughtering a good proportion of their farmed animals.  Everywhere, the Vikings harvested and milled – and stored grain and oats for the long months.  Yep, it was porridge for everyone, all year long, even back then.

Autumn nowadays in Scandinavia is first signalled by the arrival of the crayfish season in August, which carries on well into September.  Mainly in Sweden and Finland is this season a big celebration, with most people spending many a weekends enjoying the fruits of the sea along with the jolly company of some amazing aquavit and some good friends (whilst being attacked by the last hungry mosquitoes of the year).  Plenty of “snapsvisor” – aquavit songs – are sung during the crayfish season and many a horrific hangover endured.

The game hunting season is another big autumn signal in Scandinavia.  In all of the northern countries, the moose hunting season starts and eager hunters stalk out in the forest, hoping to get the catch of the season – and that all important moose-head to stuff and display on the wall at home.   Roe deer, wild ducks and red grouse, to name but a few, are also hunted.  Game in Scandinavia today is not intensively farmed at all and is of the highest of quality in the world, giving it a seriously hefty price tag – but well worth a taste if you’re ever lucky enough to be offered it.  Lately, the much publicised Nordic Diet has claimed that wild game is the meat we should all be eating for health reasons, likely ensuring even heftier price tags in years to come.
Scandinavia also harbours a vast amount of incredible treasures when it comes to late summer berries.  From wild raspberries, the plumpest, juiciest blackberries and blueberries imaginable, you can find them all here.  Of course, not forgetting the all important lingonberry either, an essential jam served with Swedish and Norwegian meatballs.

Towards the end of July to beginning of August, the much sought after cloudberry blooms across the colder areas.  The cloudberry is an orange berry that looks a bit like a plump, overgrown fat raspberry but which grows on stalks instead of bushes – and the plant itself can withstand temperatures of down to -40 C.  It is very difficult to cultivate and is most often found only in the wild; it is very hard to pick as the fragile berries burst instantly in the hands of unseasoned pickers.  Most cloudberry is therefore made into jam and sold across the world, but nowhere is it more popular than in Sweden, where this jam is often heated and served with vanilla ice cream.  Cloudberry is expensive – even during harvest season locally, prices often top £12 a litre – but the tart, unusual taste of this wonderful berry is certainly worth splashing out for.

In Finland, cloudberry is often made into an exceptional liquor called Lakkalikööri – and you can also find cloudberry yoghurt and cakes in certain shops.  Lately, the humble cloudberry has also enjoyed quite a bit of press attention from the Nordic Diet, which has hailed it as one of the best berries to eat if you want to follow a Nordic Diet because of its high vitamin content.  In the UK, cloudberry jam is available in a few different brands, the best, and the one that has the highest fruit content, is the Tillmann version – which is also less sugary than others.  Fresh cloudberries or even frozen ones are pretty much impossible to get hold of outside Scandinavia.

But even if you can’t make it to the Nordic countries to collect your own fresh berries this autumn, it is easy to sample some of the other the treasured goods from the comfort of London.  Arrange a bit of a crayfish and aquavit party for a fantastic, traditional Scandinavian feast.  Get hold of some of the amazing autumn berries on offer – either in fresh or jam form – and get cooking and inventing for both savoury and sweet dishes.  All you need then is a good bunch of mates and an autumn evening and you’re all set.  Hold off on the moose hunting, though, even after the 4th glass of aquavit when it all seems like such a good idea (even in Hackney):  it’s usually not.

Three easy-peasy ways with Cloudberry:

Cloudberry Jam and Vanilla ice cream
The ultimate Swedish dessert.  Get hold of some good quality vanilla ice cream and heat a few spoonfuls of cloudberry jam – pour over the ice cream just before serving.  Alternatively, make it a bit more exciting by adding some crushed meringue and whipped cream and gently fold in – a sort of “Swedish Mess” (inspired by the British dessert “Eton Mess”).

Cloudberry layer cake
Three sponge layer cakes (we recommend Karen Wolf “Lagkage”, which comes in three pre-made thin layers, easy to assemble, or make your own Victoria style sponge and split to three).  Pop a layer on the serving tray, add a thin layer of cloudberry jam, add a thick layer of patisserie cream.  Add sponge layer 2, repeat over.  Cover cake with a nice layer of whipped cream all round and on top and decorate with a light dusting of chocolate shavings.  Leave to set for a bit in the fridge before serving.

Cloudberry baked cheesecake
200g ‘NICE’ biscuits or other plain biscuits – most can be used, even plain Hobnobs.
75 g melted butter
800g full fat cream cheese
180 g Caster sugar
4 eggs plus 3 egg yolks
3 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
300 ml sour cream
1 jar of cloudberry jam (use as much as you need/like to – most likely just over half a jar)

Pre-heat the oven to 180 C degrees.  Grease a 23cm spring form tin.  Sit the tin in foil – and wrap the foil all around the side to prevent water from seeping in (the best way to bake a cheese cake is to bake it in a bain marie).
Crush the biscuits and combine with the melted butter.  Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the tin.
In a mixer, put the cream cheese, 160g of the sugar, the eggs, yolks and 2 tsp vanilla sugar as well as lemon juice and mix really well.  When smooth, pour over the biscuit base.

Put the cake tin, which is tightly wrapped in the foil, in a larger tin or roasting tin and pour boiling water all around it, till about half way.  Bake for 1 hour exactly.

Beat the sour cream, the rest of the sugar and vanilla, pour over the cake and return to the oven for a further 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and roasting tin (discard water).  Heat the jam gently and very carefully pour/smooth it over the top of the cake.  Leave the cake alone for at least 4 hours – ideally longer – to set properly- before opening the spring form (or else the cake may well crack).

Bronte Blomhoj is the owner of Scandinavian Kitchen in London, a place that stocks everything you need to feel truly Scandinavian, except flat packed furniture: you’ll have to go elsewhere for that. They don’t have any moose heads for sale, either, although they’d quite like one so if you want to get rid of yours, let them know.  Moo.
All recipes by Scandinavian Kitchen 2009 (c)