Monday 28 November 2011

We have moved!

We have moved our VisitSweden UK blog to this URL http://visitswedenuk.tumblr.com/

Come join us!

Thursday 10 November 2011

Vilma Núñez de Escorcia awarded the Stieg Larsson prize

Vilma Núñez de Escorcia has been awarded this year’s Stieg Larsson prize for her contribution to human rights in Nicaragua.

She has been fighting for human rights in Nicaragua since being a student during the time of the dictator Somozas. Today she is still fighting for human rights as the president and founder of the CENIDH organisation.

The Stieg Larsson prize was founded two years ago by Stieg Larsson's brothe and father, as well as the Norstedts publisher. The award goes to a person or organisation that follows Stieg Larsson's own work to fight racism and oppression.

Vilma Núñez de Escorcia has been awarded the prize for her fight to improve day to day life for women in Nicaragua.

The award ceremony takes place in Stockholm today 9th November.

Wednesday 9 November 2011

Experience a Swedish Christmas fair in London!

Don't miss the traditional Swedish Christmas Fair at the Swedish Church in London!  Come and enjoy Swedish mulled wine, saffron buns and gingerbread snaps, traditional handicraft and lots of yummy Christmas food.


Where:
The Swedish Church in London
6 Harcourt Street
London
W1H 4AG
United Kingdom

Map:
Map to The Swedish Church

When:
17th November, 11am to 8pm.
19th November, 11am to 6pm
20th November 12noon to 5pm.

Enterance: £1 for all three days

Monday 7 November 2011

St Martin’s Eve, celebrating the goose in Skåne!

Fried goose breast with brawn on the thigh wıth black pudding and berries.
Jakob Fridholm/imagebank.sweden.se

As the days are getting darker and the thick autumnal fog covers the fields in the Southern county of Skåne, many people start to look forward to the goose feast on St Martin’s Eve 10th November.

St Martin’s Day was an important medieval autumn feast, and the custom of eating goose spread to Sweden from France. This is the time of the year when seeding is completed and goose is ready for slaughter. Many countries celebrate St Martin’s Day and traditionally 11th November marked the start of fasting so at St. Martin's Eve, people ate and drank for a last time before they started to fast.

A goose dinner takes a long time to cook and it is incredibly rich. Traditionally you start with a bowl of "black soup" (svartsoppa), made from goose blood and goose broth. The goose is often stuffed with apples and prunes and you eat it with seasonal delicacies like cabbage, apples and potatoes. Very often you finish with an apple tart and vanilla sauce.

Have you ever been to a goose feast? What do you do to celebrate St Martin’s Day? Let us know!