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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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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).