Swedish News

Cheers and best wishes for Eva & Efva. Bildt says too early to recognize Palestinian state. Queen Silvia’s Book of Prayers. Happy Endings with Anna and Fanny.  

• Cheers and best wishes for Eva & Efva.
  They’ve been a couple for 16 years and registered partners for 14 years, Swedish singer Eva Dahlgren and designer Efva Attling. For thousands of Swedish homosexuals they’ve become role models of courage. Now they are wife and wife. Their union at Hotel Rival in Stockholm was crowded with celebrities; among the guests were politician Mona Sahlin, Björn Ulvaeus (of ABBA), singer Peter Jöback, and singer Tomas Ledin. The two women – Efva in a beige gown and Eva in purple - promised each other eternal love on the stage which was decorated with cherry blossoms. Nordstjernan reported on the Lutheran Church of Sweden coming down in favor of church weddings for homosexuals in October.

• Bildt says too early to recognize Palestinian state.
  The European Union’s Swedish presidency voiced their beliefs that it was simply too early to recognize a Palestinian state – this while its leaders prepared to seek such recognition at the UN Security Council. “I don’t think we’re there yet,” said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, whose country holds the EU's rotating presidency. “I would hope that we would be in a position to recognize a Palestinian state but there has to be one first, so I think it is somewhat premature," he said, before chairing talks with his EU counterparts. On Sunday, chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat said they would "go to the UN Security Council to ask for recognition of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital and with June 1967 borders." The United States voiced opposition to any unilateral Palestinian move to seek recognition, saying negotiations with Israel — currently virtually at a standstill — were the best way forward. Bildt said the 27 nation EU, which is the biggest aid donor to the Palestinians and is helping train their police, wants to help the occupied territories, but that recognition of independence might not be the best way. "There is a need to look at all the initiatives that might be possible," he said. "We are discussing other steps in order to demonstrate our support for the Palestinian aspirations more clearly than we have done before." "It is clearly an act born by a very difficult situation where they don't see any road ahead," he said, expressing concern about the lack of movement in the strife-torn Gaza Strip, tensions in East Jerusalem and settlement activity.

• Queen Silvia’s Book of Prayers.
  There she sat with her hands clasped, the Swedish Queen, in the sanctuary of Slottskyrkan, where her own Book of Prayers was launched. The book includes 40 newly written prayers and has photographs taken by the Swedish King, Carl XVI Gustaf. For the Queen, the book means a lot, it’s a greeting for all those who suffer and for all of us with reasons to pray. “I need to take the time to work through what I experience,” the Queen writes in her foreword. “During my visits around Sweden and other countries I meet with a lot of joy, but also pain and vulnerability. Especially concerning children. I carry them with me in my prayers.” The book is meant for personal prayers and 10 SEK of each sold book is donated to children in need (Hela världen, Svenska kyrkans internationella arbete). The book will be out for sale November 26. “Drottning Silvias bönbok” ISBN/Art.nr.: 9789152632819. Verbum Förlag.

• Happy Endings with Anna and Fanny.
  Anna Bergenström is a beloved Swedish food critic and chef whose recipes are always on demand. Anna’s mother and grandmother (Pernilla Tunberger and Märta Zätterström) were also food critics and now fshe has passed her talent on to her daughter Fanny. “We have the same vision,” says Fanny. “And working with your mother feels very good, it’s very straight forward.” “Well, we’re both amazed it works as well as it does,” adds Anna, “since we’re both such strong personalities.” Their book “Sött, Sweet, Dulce” is a book with desserts from near and far, you’ll find everything from fresh fruit salads and home made ice creams to elegant soufflés and old-fashioned Swedish classics like “ostkaka” (which is not at all to be confused or compared with the American version). With so many recipes to choose from it’s hard to pick one, but here’s one sure to be a winner, “Dansarens tryffeltårta” (the dancer’s truffle cake). A rich cake, which is surprisingly easy to make. It yields 8-10 thin slices. If you want to make more than one cake, then make several batches, rather than double the recipe. Ingredients: 2 Tablespoons soft butter + 1 Tablespoon bread crumbs for the baking pan. 200 g dark baking chocolate, 150 g butter, 2 eggs, 8 oz sugar, 8 oz flour, 2 Tablespoons sifted cocoa powder, whipped cream for serving. Prepare a small spring form (about 8” in diameter) with a releasable bottom. Stick an oven paper in the form and cut off whatever sticks out. Butter the edges of the pan and breadcrumb them very slightly. Preheat the oven to 440 F. Melt the chocolate by breaking it into pieces, putting them in a wide-rimmed bowl on top of a small pot of boiling water. Set the melted chocolate aside. Melt the butter on low heat. Mix eggs and sugar in a bowl, add the melted butter and the melted chocolate. Fold in the flour and pour the batter into the prepared spring form. Bake the cake in the middle of the oven no more than 15 minutes. Let it cool, put it on a tray and sift cocoa powder on top of it. Serve with a bit of whipped cream. The cake can be frozen (without the cocoa powder on top) for up to 2 weeks. ISBN: 9197627925. Trio Förlag & Produktion AB.