Swedish News

Swedish wheat harvest threatened. Swedish rhubarb pie; uncomplicated yet great-tasting. Stina Persson at New York’s Gallery Hanahou. Prince Carl Philip won Porsche GT3 Challenge in Kinnekulle. Royal Honeymooners on their way back home.  

  • Wheat harvest threatened
    The wheat harvest in mid Sweden is threatened by a fungal disease, called "dvärgstinksot" in Swedish. Several cases have been detected by the Swedish Board of Agriculture in areas south-west from Stockholm and they fear a spread to the whole mid-Sweden. There is a risk that the whole harvest in the area may be impossible to sell because of bad smell from the fungus.

  • Swedish rhubarb pie
    Swedish food might not be the most exciting or complex of cuisines (it’s much too practical to compete with, say, the French) – but sometimes that’s what you want, isn’t it? Something uncomplicated yet great-tasting? If you want to impress friends with a Swedish recipe, why not try this Rhubarb Pie, which is tart and has a wonderful crust. If you want added sweetness, serve it with vanilla ice cream, but the pie is great all on its own. Crust: 1 cup flour, 150 g butter, 3 Tablespoons water Filling: 500 g rhubarbs cut in small pieces, 5 oz sugar, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1 egg for brushing
    1. Pre-heat oven to 450 F. Mix flour and butter until it’s crumbly, add water and work quickly into a dough.
    2. Let the dough rest in a cold place (in fridge for about 30 minutes). Then roll out 2/3 of the dough on a floured table. Coat a pie dish (about 24 cm/10” in diameter) with the dough, the bottom as well as the sides.
    3. Mix the rhubarbs with the sugar and the cornstarch and put on top of the piecrust in the dish. Roll out the rest of the dough on the table and cut into strips. Put the strips over the rhubarbs.
    4. Beat the egg and brush the dough with it.
    5. Bake the pie in the lower part of the oven for 25-30 minutes. Let cool and serve with vanilla ice cream (optional).

  • Stina Persson at New York’s Gallery Hanahou
    Mark your calendars - don’t miss Swedish artist Stina Persson upcoming solo show “Perfectly Flawed”, at New York’s Gallery Hanahou. Nordstjernan met with the lovely artist from Lund a couple of years ago, when she had her show “Immacolata & her Friends” at the same gallery, and fell in love with her Sicilian beauties. We can’t wait to see what Persson is up to this time. The former commercial illustrator has found herself conforming to trends of narrowing hips and ever-smoother skin by digitally altering her original watercolors, often without prompting from a client: edges have gradually become cleaner, features more defined, and the painterly more photographic. For her newest work, the artist asked herself what would happen if she didn't scan, didn't retouch, and didn't work digitally at all. The result of that question is a series of more than 30 new works on paper, watercolor pieces of women with running paint, unconventional color choices, and skewed perspective - imperfections that are natural, unsettling, and beautiful. Stina Persson’s “Perfectly Flawed” opens on September 9, 7-9 pm. For more information: Gallery Hanahou, 611 Broadway, Suite 730, New York City, www.galleryhanahou.com

  • Prince Carl Philip won Kinnekulle race
    “It feels so good!” Said the Prince, kissed the cup and raised his pointer signaling he came in as number 1 in the Porsche GT3 Challenge in Kinnekulle the other day. “The track was slippery and I had some difficulties, but I managed and it feels so good.” Prince Carl Philip has developed well as a racer, and has established himself as one of the ten best in Sweden. “It’s getting better and better as I learn more about the car as well as the tracks.”

  • Honeymooners on their way back home
    It’s been an exotic honeymoon for Victoria and Daniel, one that has taken them to the South Pacific (Bora Bora to be specific), Brazil (where they visited Victoria’s relatives), as well as to the U.S. Now the countdown to everyday life has begun. When the couple visited America, they came to New York, where they went to one of Lady Gaga’s concerts at Madison Square Garden. In Boston they saw Swedish singer Robyn in concert (and they were seen dancing to some of the songs). Victoria and Daniel also visited Colorado. Hopefully they now return to Sweden well-rested and ready to take on a long string of royal duties.