CULTURAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT SlideShow:
Map of Different LandMarks in Sweden
This map shows different landmarks of cultural importance in Sweden.
Source:
- Map of sweden - TravelMap8.com ®. (2015, September 4). Retrieved October 5, 2015.
Source:
- Map of sweden - TravelMap8.com ®. (2015, September 4). Retrieved October 5, 2015.
Cultural resources
https://sweden.se/society/history-of-sweden/ is a great resource for learning about Swedish culture. The website has information on Sweden's rich history and traditions.
http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/ is also a great resource for learning about different Swedish cultural events and where to go in Sweden to learn more about the culture and heritage.
http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/ is also a great resource for learning about different Swedish cultural events and where to go in Sweden to learn more about the culture and heritage.
SOURCES:
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+royalty&biw=1600&bih=731&tbm=isch&imgil=Ug10Kj-E5CT8hM%253A%253BG8owRWxtICRmxM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.huffingtonpost.com%25252F2013%25252F05%25252F09%25252Fswedish-royal-family-dc-visit_n_3244433.html&source=iu&pf=m&fir=Ug10Kj-E5CT8hM%253A%252CG8owRWxtICRmxM%252C_&usg=__sIbdJV9DUJJLg7MLrPDzWL3b8qQ%3D&ved=0CDUQyjdqFQoTCPnC5bHzncgCFU7AgAod7JsMoA&ei=ZmILVvn3Ic6AgwTst7KACg#imgrc=Ug10Kj-E5CT8hM%3A&usg=__sIbdJV9DUJJLg7MLrPDzWL3b8qQ%3D
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+military&rlz=1C1CHMO_enUS571US571&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=731&site=webhp&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMIqOr23fOdyAIVR4oNCh2rMQnF#tbm=isch&q=swedish+change+of+guard&imgrc=upYH9W7nafi7fM%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=sweden+art&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI3LLS0fSdyAIVBI4NCh12kAMx#tbm=isch&q=swedish+street+murals&imgrc=l9VIHQl3mkpN9M%3A
- http://www.virtualschoolsandcolleges.info/news/swedish-school-without-classrooms/
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+culture+festival&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIzPyUx_adyAIVQ5eACh0VIAJB#imgrc=b5VrLCs8gwStgM%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+homes&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIgs7XoPedyAIVA5UNCh1roQvl#tbm=isch&q=sweeden+neighborhood&imgrc=QV7ivU_HguFvxM%3A
- http://caramellacooks.blogspot.com/2009/02/fat-tuesday.html
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+family+traditions&biw=1600&bih=731&tbm=isch&source=lnms&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoA2oVChMIgbGFz_mdyAIVj_2ACh339Ax5#imgrc=9kROthMG3Uh3vM%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=Swedish+economics&rlz=1C1CHMO_enUS571US571&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAmoVChMI4_bqhPudyAIVQtWACh03XgmX#tbm=isch&q=Swedish+Royal+Palace&imgrc=nqhr9UZDR6z1sM%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=big+homes+in+sweden&rlz=1C1CHMO_enUS571US571&espv=2&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI1MjW2fudyAIVxJ2ACh2Y_A9G#tbm=isch&q=neighborhoosds+in+sweden&imgrc=9LKXeiEiFAFX6M%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=st+lucia&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMI7remwPydyAIVQYsNCh2cIgSp#tbm=isch&q=st+lucias+day+&imgrc=BQl-P-fjhdEYBM%3A
- https://www.google.com/search?q=sweden+farmers+market&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0CAgQ_AUoA2oVChMIwa3h3vydyAIVzAmSCh2CXwe0#imgrc=0_EaQPSzoseexM%3A
- http://www.vasamuseet.se/
- http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Regions--Cities/Stockholm/Culture-in-Stockholm/Old-Town/
- http://www2.upplevhorby.se/sv/se-gora/a843510/a-slice-of-swedish-hospitality-the-franklin-family/detaljer
- https://www.google.com/search?q=swedish+parliament+building&biw=1600&bih=731&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAWoVChMIw-TAzuyeyAIVSI0NCh3COAdH#imgrc=k8vHaVE4rTaprM%3A
Gapminder
What I gathered from researching these maps is that the population has had a slight increase over the last century. The life expectancy has increased over the last century. The two things I found most interesting was the map showing children per women and women employment rates. As I have stated above, Sweden has very deep traditional roots and it proves itself true in both maps. The children per women map doesn't show that significant of a change in the last century, which is odd when compared to other countries. The employment rate for women also had a very unique trend that showed it increased, and then decreased, and then slightly increased over the last 20 years. This to me says that the traditional roles are still very strong in Sweden.
Source:
www.gapminder.org/world
Source:
www.gapminder.org/world
Religion
The majority of religious practices in Sweden are Lutheran; in fact the Church of Sweden was the official church of the country up until the year 2000. According to https://sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/ approximately 64% of the population of Sweden is members of the Church of Sweden. Lutheranism is considered one of the largest practiced Protestant Christian denominations in the world. The beginning of Lutheranism can be traced back to the credited founder, a German Monk named George Luther. According to http://www.religionfacts.com/lutheranism George Luther established Lutheranism in 1517 by protesting the Roman Catholic Church. Lutheranism spread feverishly from its origins in Germany to Scandinavia and eventually Europe.
According to http://www.religionfacts.com/lutheranism, “Lutheran beliefs are expressed in numerous historical Lutheran confessions, most of which were penned by Luther himself or early Lutheran leaders. These confessions have been collected into the Book of Concord, which is regarded as an authority for doctrine and practice by all Lutherans.
ELCA Lutherans view the Book of Concord as an important expression of the Lutheran faith, but not necessarily binding in its entirety for all modern Lutherans. LCMS Lutherans, on the other hand, "regard their doctrinal content as a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and as authoritative for all pastors, congregations and other rostered church workers." [3]
The Book of Concord contains the following Lutheran texts:
- The Three Ecumenical Creeds
- The Augsburg Confession
- The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
- The Large Catechism
- The Small Catechism
- The Smalcald Articles
- Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
- The Epitome of the Formula of Concord
- The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord
The official statement of faith of the ELCA is as follows:
- This church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This church confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe - Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. - The proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. - The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.
- This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.
- This church accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church.
- This church accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it In faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.
- This church accepts the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.
- This church confesses the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God's mission in the world.
One of the sacred places for Lutheran’s in actually located in Sweden. According to, https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/english, “The Church of Sweden is an Evangelical Lutheran church with 6,4 million members (almost 70 per cent of the population). There are 3500 churches in Sweden, and 13 dioceses. The Church of Sweden is part of the global fellowship of churches, with close relationships to other churches around the world. It’s active in the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the Conference of European Churches and the Christian Council of Sweden. As one of the churches and organizations in the ACT International network, we play an active role in disaster relief.
All dioceses enjoy close relationships with partner-dioceses all over the world. The Church of Sweden also provides Swedish-speaking-fellowships in 45 locations all over the world.”
There are no real connections between religion and government in Sweden. According to https://sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/, “To help finance its international and domestic activities, the Church of Sweden levies a tax (kyrkoavgift) on its members. The tax currently averages 1 per cent of members’ income. The church’s spending priorities include maintaining and renovating the 3,600 church buildings belonging to it throughout Sweden
The Church of Sweden has assets of around SEK 40 billion, and its total annual costs mount to about SEK 2.7 billion. In keeping with the Swedish practice of transparency and openness in public organizations and institutions, the public can scrutinize the activities and finances of the Church of Sweden in its Annual Report.
Other faith communities can receive state support to help with their finances. The Swedish Commission for Government Support to Faith Communities (Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund) is a government authority that provides financial help to faith communities other than the Church of Sweden. The aim of this support is to help faith groups ensure the sustainability of their activities and services.”
The role of religion is very strong in Sweden, even today. All though Sweden’s religion is not very diverse, you can find a rich Lutheran culture that makes up a large chunk of the Swedish population. My grandmother is from Stockholm and is a devout Lutheran. Even living in America today, she still attended church every week and even bugged us grandkids about going whenever we saw her.
According to http://www.religionfacts.com/lutheranism, “Lutheran beliefs are expressed in numerous historical Lutheran confessions, most of which were penned by Luther himself or early Lutheran leaders. These confessions have been collected into the Book of Concord, which is regarded as an authority for doctrine and practice by all Lutherans.
ELCA Lutherans view the Book of Concord as an important expression of the Lutheran faith, but not necessarily binding in its entirety for all modern Lutherans. LCMS Lutherans, on the other hand, "regard their doctrinal content as a true and binding exposition of Holy Scripture and as authoritative for all pastors, congregations and other rostered church workers." [3]
The Book of Concord contains the following Lutheran texts:
- The Three Ecumenical Creeds
- The Augsburg Confession
- The Defense of the Augsburg Confession
- The Large Catechism
- The Small Catechism
- The Smalcald Articles
- Treatise on the Power and Primacy of the Pope
- The Epitome of the Formula of Concord
- The Solid Declaration of the Formula of Concord
The official statement of faith of the ELCA is as follows:
- This church confesses the Triune God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This church confesses Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and the Gospel as the power of God for the salvation of all who believe - Jesus Christ is the Word of God incarnate, through whom everything was made and through whose life, death, and resurrection God fashions a new creation. - The proclamation of God's message to us as both Law and Gospel is the Word of God, revealing judgment and mercy through word and deed, beginning with the Word in creation, continuing in the history of Israel, and centering in all its fullness in the person and work of Jesus Christ. - The canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the written Word of God. Inspired by God's Spirit speaking through their authors, they record and announce God's revelation centering in Jesus Christ. Through them God's Spirit speaks to us to create and sustain Christian faith and fellowship for service in the world.
- This church accepts the canonical Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments as the inspired Word of God and the authoritative source and norm of its proclamation, faith, and life.
- This church accepts the Apostles', Nicene, and Athanasian Creeds as true declarations of the faith of this church.
- This church accepts the Unaltered Augsburg Confession as a true witness to the Gospel, acknowledging as one with it In faith and doctrine all churches that likewise accept the teachings of the Unaltered Augsburg Confession.
- This church accepts the other confessional writings in the Book of Concord, namely, the Apology of the Augsburg Confession, the Smalcald Articles and the Treatise, the Small Catechism, the Large Catechism, and the Formula of Concord, as further valid interpretations of the faith of the Church.
- This church confesses the Gospel, recorded in the Holy Scriptures and confessed in the ecumenical creeds and Lutheran confessional writings, as the power of God to create and sustain the Church for God's mission in the world.
One of the sacred places for Lutheran’s in actually located in Sweden. According to, https://www.svenskakyrkan.se/english, “The Church of Sweden is an Evangelical Lutheran church with 6,4 million members (almost 70 per cent of the population). There are 3500 churches in Sweden, and 13 dioceses. The Church of Sweden is part of the global fellowship of churches, with close relationships to other churches around the world. It’s active in the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation, the Conference of European Churches and the Christian Council of Sweden. As one of the churches and organizations in the ACT International network, we play an active role in disaster relief.
All dioceses enjoy close relationships with partner-dioceses all over the world. The Church of Sweden also provides Swedish-speaking-fellowships in 45 locations all over the world.”
There are no real connections between religion and government in Sweden. According to https://sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/, “To help finance its international and domestic activities, the Church of Sweden levies a tax (kyrkoavgift) on its members. The tax currently averages 1 per cent of members’ income. The church’s spending priorities include maintaining and renovating the 3,600 church buildings belonging to it throughout Sweden
The Church of Sweden has assets of around SEK 40 billion, and its total annual costs mount to about SEK 2.7 billion. In keeping with the Swedish practice of transparency and openness in public organizations and institutions, the public can scrutinize the activities and finances of the Church of Sweden in its Annual Report.
Other faith communities can receive state support to help with their finances. The Swedish Commission for Government Support to Faith Communities (Nämnden för statligt stöd till trossamfund) is a government authority that provides financial help to faith communities other than the Church of Sweden. The aim of this support is to help faith groups ensure the sustainability of their activities and services.”
The role of religion is very strong in Sweden, even today. All though Sweden’s religion is not very diverse, you can find a rich Lutheran culture that makes up a large chunk of the Swedish population. My grandmother is from Stockholm and is a devout Lutheran. Even living in America today, she still attended church every week and even bugged us grandkids about going whenever we saw her.
Sources:
Images:
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/mitres-some-lutheran-bishops-don-others-dont.7860393/
http://darrough42.tripod.com/id3.html
http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/ReligionMaps.html
Other:
10 fundamentals of religion in Sweden. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from https://sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/
Lutheranism. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.religionfacts.com/lutheranism Church of Sweden | Swedish Lutheran denomination. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.britannica.com/topic/Church-of-Sweden
Images:
http://www.christianforums.com/threads/mitres-some-lutheran-bishops-don-others-dont.7860393/
http://darrough42.tripod.com/id3.html
http://maps.unomaha.edu/Peterson/geog1000/MapLinks/ReligionMaps.html
Other:
10 fundamentals of religion in Sweden. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from https://sweden.se/society/10-fundamentals-of-religion-in-sweden/
Lutheranism. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.religionfacts.com/lutheranism Church of Sweden | Swedish Lutheran denomination. (n.d.). Retrieved October 20, 2015, from http://www.britannica.com/topic/Church-of-Sweden
Biodiversity in Sweden
Biodiversity, simply put, is the assortment of different types of life (life defined as plants, animals, and micro-organisms) found on Earth. The country of Sweden is extremely rich in natural resources and is home to a plethora of different species and natural landscapes. The current state of Sweden’s biodiversity is, like most countries, on the decline. With the growth of industry and human consumption of natural resources the integrated ecosphere is dwindling.
Sweden is home to approximately 50,000 different species of both animals and plants, this number translates to roughly 32% of the total species in all of Europe and approximately 3% of the species across the globe ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). In a recent study conducted by the European Red List, a European review of species that are considered near extinction, examined 950 species that reside in Sweden and found that the species of vascular plants, saproxylic beetles, and butterflies are considered threatened. The examination found that the majority of the threatened species reside in ecospheres in the country such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands. Figure 1 captures the number examined by the European Red List assessment.
Currently Sweden hosts a very large portion of Europe’s threatened species. “Sweden as an EU Member State has committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020 but urgent action is needed to meet this target and better monitoring capacity is required to measure if the target is met.” ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). To ensure that future generations of Swedish citizens can enjoy the diversity of all the species a call to action in the form of conservation needs to be created. Figure 2 is a snapshot of the current status of Sweden’s threatened species.
The major driver for the decline of the biodiversity in Sweden lies with the loss of species habitat. “Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are the most significant threats at the European level to species that occur in Sweden.” ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). In the case of the erosion of freshwater species the threat is pollution. In the case of forest species the demise is caused by the countries logging operations and urban expansion. Figure 3 depicts the major threats to Sweden’s biodiversity.
Sweden is a land that is full of natural resources and a variety of different types of life. The threat to Sweden’s biodiversity is growing in the form of urban growth, pollution from industrialization, and deforestation by means of logging operations. The Swedish government needs to address the decline in biodiversity and work to conserve their ecosphere.
References
Biodiversity - Sweden - Climate Adaptation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.climateadaptation.eu/sweden/biodiversity/
Biodiversity Conservation in Swedish Forests. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3357677/
Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/sweden_s_biodiversity_at_risk_fact_sheet_may_2013.pdf
Swedish strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services - Government.se. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.government.se/articles/2015/08/swedish-strategy-for-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services/
Images
Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/sweden_s_biodiversity_at_risk_fact_sheet_may_2013.pdf
Biodiversity, simply put, is the assortment of different types of life (life defined as plants, animals, and micro-organisms) found on Earth. The country of Sweden is extremely rich in natural resources and is home to a plethora of different species and natural landscapes. The current state of Sweden’s biodiversity is, like most countries, on the decline. With the growth of industry and human consumption of natural resources the integrated ecosphere is dwindling.
Sweden is home to approximately 50,000 different species of both animals and plants, this number translates to roughly 32% of the total species in all of Europe and approximately 3% of the species across the globe ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). In a recent study conducted by the European Red List, a European review of species that are considered near extinction, examined 950 species that reside in Sweden and found that the species of vascular plants, saproxylic beetles, and butterflies are considered threatened. The examination found that the majority of the threatened species reside in ecospheres in the country such as grasslands, forests, and wetlands. Figure 1 captures the number examined by the European Red List assessment.
Currently Sweden hosts a very large portion of Europe’s threatened species. “Sweden as an EU Member State has committed to halting biodiversity loss by 2020 but urgent action is needed to meet this target and better monitoring capacity is required to measure if the target is met.” ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). To ensure that future generations of Swedish citizens can enjoy the diversity of all the species a call to action in the form of conservation needs to be created. Figure 2 is a snapshot of the current status of Sweden’s threatened species.
The major driver for the decline of the biodiversity in Sweden lies with the loss of species habitat. “Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradation are the most significant threats at the European level to species that occur in Sweden.” ("Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action," 2013). In the case of the erosion of freshwater species the threat is pollution. In the case of forest species the demise is caused by the countries logging operations and urban expansion. Figure 3 depicts the major threats to Sweden’s biodiversity.
Sweden is a land that is full of natural resources and a variety of different types of life. The threat to Sweden’s biodiversity is growing in the form of urban growth, pollution from industrialization, and deforestation by means of logging operations. The Swedish government needs to address the decline in biodiversity and work to conserve their ecosphere.
References
Biodiversity - Sweden - Climate Adaptation. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.climateadaptation.eu/sweden/biodiversity/
Biodiversity Conservation in Swedish Forests. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3357677/
Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/sweden_s_biodiversity_at_risk_fact_sheet_may_2013.pdf
Swedish strategy for biodiversity and ecosystem services - Government.se. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.government.se/articles/2015/08/swedish-strategy-for-biodiversity-and-ecosystem-services/
Images
Sweden's biodiversity at risk: A call for action. (2013, May). Retrieved from https://cmsdata.iucn.org/downloads/sweden_s_biodiversity_at_risk_fact_sheet_may_2013.pdf
FOOD IN SWEDEN
The most famous Swedish dish is the Swedish Meatballs dish or Kottbullar in Sweden. This dish was brought to Sweden by King Charles XII upon his return from Istanbul in 1713, since then this dish has become world renowned.
The recipe for this delicious meal is:
Shortcut Swedish meatballs
serves 4
This is a “shortcut” way of preparing Swedish meatballs by broiling and baking them. Of course they can also be fried in butter on the stove top in the traditional manner if you have the time and inclination to do so. I have tried frying the meatballs in this recipe as well and don’t find it makes a huge difference taste-wise as opposed to the “shortcut” option. These meatballs freeze beautifully and can be used on sandwiches or as an easy picnic food since they are delicious cold as well.
· For the meatballs
1/3 cup (25g) oats
1/2 cup (120ml) cream
1 tablespoon potato starch flour or flour
1/2 pound (250g) lean ground beef
1/2 pound (250g) ground pork
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
· For the sauce
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon potato starch flour or flour
1/2 cup cream
3 tablespoons beef fond*
· lingonberry preserves to serve
· Make the meatballs
· 1. Preheat the broiler to the highest setting.
· 2. In a small bowl, mix the cream with the potato starch until it dissolves. Add the oats and mix well. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
· 3. Combine the remaining ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Add the oat mixture and mix everything together gently with your hands. You don’t want to overwork it and compact the mix too much. Once everything is incorporated it’s a good idea to fry up a little piece of the meatball mix in some butter to make sure the seasonings are right. It’s a great teaser to the meatballs you will soon get to enjoy. Add more spices to taste and proceed.
· 4. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into the preferred size. One generous tablespoon or so of the meat mixture works well. If you rinse your hands with cold water and shape the mixture with your wet hands it won’t be so sticky to work with.
· 5. Place the meatballs in a large baking dish allowing a bit of space in-between each one. Broil them about 4″ (10cm) from the heat until the tops are browned and well-crusted, about 5-10 minutes. Keep a good eye on them so the tops don’t burn. Set the oven to bake and reduce the heat to 300°F(150°C). Bake until the meatballs are cooked through, another 5-10 minutes depending on their size. If you find they are getting too brown on top you can cover them with foil to finish baking. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.
· Make the sauce
· 1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and potato starch stirring until the potato starch is dissolved. Stir in the cream and fond.
· 2. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
· Serve the meatballs hot offering the sauce on the side.
· *Fond is essentially concentrated stock and is widely available in Sweden. If it isn’t available in your area, substitute 1-2 bouillon cubes.
While no direct connections between religion and food types in Sweden exist, the Swedes do enjoy a Swedish meal on Christmas. The meal usually consists of Swedish Lutefisk which is whitefish meal. The fish is usually cod that is locally produced in Sweden.
References
Diehl, K. (n.d.). What Is Lutefisk? - Scandinavian Food Definition. Retrieved from http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/scandinavianfoodglossary/g/Lutefisk.htm
Shortcut Swedish meatballs (köttbullar) | semiswede. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://semiswede.com/2012/01/20/shortcut-swedish-meatballs-kottbullar/
Swedish Christmas - Svensk Jul - Swedish Holidays and Traditions -Swedish Christmas Gifts - Swedish Christmas Decorations. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hemslojd.com/swedish_christmas.html
Swedish Christmas | sweden.se. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/christmas/
The most famous Swedish dish is the Swedish Meatballs dish or Kottbullar in Sweden. This dish was brought to Sweden by King Charles XII upon his return from Istanbul in 1713, since then this dish has become world renowned.
The recipe for this delicious meal is:
Shortcut Swedish meatballs
serves 4
This is a “shortcut” way of preparing Swedish meatballs by broiling and baking them. Of course they can also be fried in butter on the stove top in the traditional manner if you have the time and inclination to do so. I have tried frying the meatballs in this recipe as well and don’t find it makes a huge difference taste-wise as opposed to the “shortcut” option. These meatballs freeze beautifully and can be used on sandwiches or as an easy picnic food since they are delicious cold as well.
· For the meatballs
1/3 cup (25g) oats
1/2 cup (120ml) cream
1 tablespoon potato starch flour or flour
1/2 pound (250g) lean ground beef
1/2 pound (250g) ground pork
1 egg
1 tablespoon grated onion
2 tablespoons minced parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
· For the sauce
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon potato starch flour or flour
1/2 cup cream
3 tablespoons beef fond*
· lingonberry preserves to serve
· Make the meatballs
· 1. Preheat the broiler to the highest setting.
· 2. In a small bowl, mix the cream with the potato starch until it dissolves. Add the oats and mix well. Let it stand for 10 minutes.
· 3. Combine the remaining ingredients for the meatballs in a large bowl. Add the oat mixture and mix everything together gently with your hands. You don’t want to overwork it and compact the mix too much. Once everything is incorporated it’s a good idea to fry up a little piece of the meatball mix in some butter to make sure the seasonings are right. It’s a great teaser to the meatballs you will soon get to enjoy. Add more spices to taste and proceed.
· 4. Using your hands, shape the meatballs into the preferred size. One generous tablespoon or so of the meat mixture works well. If you rinse your hands with cold water and shape the mixture with your wet hands it won’t be so sticky to work with.
· 5. Place the meatballs in a large baking dish allowing a bit of space in-between each one. Broil them about 4″ (10cm) from the heat until the tops are browned and well-crusted, about 5-10 minutes. Keep a good eye on them so the tops don’t burn. Set the oven to bake and reduce the heat to 300°F(150°C). Bake until the meatballs are cooked through, another 5-10 minutes depending on their size. If you find they are getting too brown on top you can cover them with foil to finish baking. While the meatballs are baking, make the sauce.
· Make the sauce
· 1. In a small saucepan, combine the water and potato starch stirring until the potato starch is dissolved. Stir in the cream and fond.
· 2. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Adjust the seasonings to taste.
· Serve the meatballs hot offering the sauce on the side.
· *Fond is essentially concentrated stock and is widely available in Sweden. If it isn’t available in your area, substitute 1-2 bouillon cubes.
While no direct connections between religion and food types in Sweden exist, the Swedes do enjoy a Swedish meal on Christmas. The meal usually consists of Swedish Lutefisk which is whitefish meal. The fish is usually cod that is locally produced in Sweden.
References
Diehl, K. (n.d.). What Is Lutefisk? - Scandinavian Food Definition. Retrieved from http://scandinavianfood.about.com/od/scandinavianfoodglossary/g/Lutefisk.htm
Shortcut Swedish meatballs (köttbullar) | semiswede. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://semiswede.com/2012/01/20/shortcut-swedish-meatballs-kottbullar/
Swedish Christmas - Svensk Jul - Swedish Holidays and Traditions -Swedish Christmas Gifts - Swedish Christmas Decorations. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.hemslojd.com/swedish_christmas.html
Swedish Christmas | sweden.se. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/christmas/