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All You Need to Know About Halloween and All Saints’ Day in Sweden

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Halloween and All Saints’ Day are both celebrated in Sweden, let’s look at the differences. Halloween – a spooky tradition that now haunts Sweden alongside the rest of the world, and All Saints Day – a day of remembrance of those who have passed on. Both are full of ghosts, but one sports costumes and candy and the other light and reminiscence.

Although many of us may enjoy the cozy (mysig in Swedish) feels of autumn, the crisp air, the beautiful foliage, the candles starting to crop up in everyone’s windows, there are two events that occur at the end October and beginning of November that can really add to the coziness: Halloween and All Saints’ Day.

How is Halloween celebrated in Sweden?

Although Halloween has only more recently been widely celebrated in Sweden and throughout Europe, Swedes and non-Swedes alike have been more readily embracing the spookiness and candy-ness of Halloween since the ‘90s and (mainly) kids participate in the celebrations today. Kids dress up in costumes (mainly simple witches and other ghostly characters) and walk around their neighborhoods saying “bus eller godis” (trick or treat) and ask for candy. Teenagers are now also taking up the mantle and elevate their dress-up to more intricate costumes and go to parties or events. Adults in Sweden have the option to attend parties, events, parades, etc. as well, as some restaurants and establishments will decorate for Halloween and host events.

Halloween and all saints day in Sweden
A local COOP decorating for Halloween.

You will also find the theme of Halloween in the plockgodis (picking candy) aisles – behold many strange creatures and characters!

Local grocery stores often put up displays of pumpkins and other Halloween items such as masks, skeletons, and other fun items prior to Halloween.

Coinciding with Autumn break for many schools, Halloween (October 31st) and All Saints Day (November 1st) are often celebrated while children are at home.

Nowadays, it is a bit more common for pumpkin patches (självplock – choose yourself) to crop up at farms that typically sell other fruits and vegetables throughout the year, although this trend is still quite small and not every farm sells pumpkins that you can pick yourself.

 Halloween and all saints day in Sweden

Pumpkin Patches in Sweden

Choosing and carving your own pumpkin is a time honored tradition in many cultures that Sweden has caught on to. Not only do many grocery stores sell pumpkins these days, (to decorate or eat, you decide) but now many farms are setting up activities for the entire family and growing pumpkins in their fields (patches) in the autumn.

Stockholm

The nearest patch to Stockholm is Thorslunda, about 45 minutes outside of the city by car. You can also get there by bus. They have information on how to get to them on their website (information in Swedish). They also have a café that serves lunch and “fika”.

Southern Sweden

  • In Southern Sweden, you can pick pumpkins at Söderköpingsbonden. They also have tractor rides for the kids, pigs, and a strawberry field.
  • In Malmö, pick your pumpkins and corn at Slattvikgård.
  • In Södertälje, you can find a pumpkin patch and many other items to choose yourself at Trädgårn Södertälje.

Halloween Events in 2023

There are plenty of halloween events around Sweden to keep you spookily entertained. Here are a few from some of the major cities in Sweden. But just google Halloween + evenemang + the name of your city or Allhelgona + evenemang + the name of your city and you will find something more local.

Stockholm

If you fancy an extensive parade to enjoy with the family, Stockholm hosts the Shockholm Halloween Parade, this year taking place on November 4, 2023.

Gamla Stan hosts ghost tours all year, but around Halloween they pull out all the stops to bring an even ghostlier walk. Tours are in English and Swedish, so take a look for on their website before booking.

You can also journey through Gröna Lund amusement park to celebrate Halloween where they host special Halloween themed evenings.

Skansen, the open air museum located near Gröna Lund, hosts some fun fall activities and has a lot to do for the entire family during autumn break.

Drottningholm Slottsteater hosts a haunted theater show during the autumn holidays this year in their usually closed theatre. You book tickets on their website.

Gothenburg

In Gothenburg, there are various activities throughout the city during autumn break. Liseberg, the amusement park, decorates for Halloween and has activities for the entire family. The Culture Center puts on shows, and many more events for young, old, and in between.

What is All Saints’ Day and how is it celebrated?

All saints day

All Saints’ Day is the day to remember passed loved ones and has religious basis dating back to the 7th century. In Sweden on November 1st, many will make their way to Skogskyrkogården, an extensive cemetery and UNESCO World Heritage site. Families gather around graves of those they wish to remember and light candles. Others attend church service in one of the five chapels on the cemetery grounds. Although it is no longer seen as a religious affair, it was once considered a hallowed day, which is why All Saints’ Day is a red day (röd dag) in Sweden.

All saints day in Sweden
Candles light up the cemetery near Stockholm on All Saints’ Day.

By November 1st, Sweden can already be quite dark. But the numerous candles surrounding the gravesites up and down the entire cemetery at Skogskyrkogården is a serene sight. Skogskyrkogården is open to the public and the cemetery, aglow with candlelight, is a peaceful place to visit. If you choose to walk the paths of the cemetery, you are sure to see many families taking part in the traditions of reminiscence.

Other traditions outside of lighting candles at the cemetery include wreath making. They are made from evergreen branches that can be laid on gravesites. The wreaths are usually made to fit around candles and can also be decorated by items that have specific importance. The circular wreath is said to symbolize eternity and lighting candles are meant for remembrance.

Where do these celebrations for Halloween and All Saints’ Day in Sweden come from?

Modern day Halloween comes from Celtic traditions, where evil spirits were warded off by lighting bonfires and wearing costumes on Samhain (October 31st). It is said that the veil between the living and the dead is the thinnest on this night. This adds a layer of spook to Halloween celebrations and explains the traditions on November 1st, when All Saint’s Day (Alla helgons dag) is celebrated in Sweden. All Saints Day, also called All Hallow’s Day or All Souls Day, celebrates those that have passed on. They were said to visit family members during the Samhain celebrations the evening before (or All Hallow’s Eve).

Influence from other cultures on Halloween and All Saints’ Day in Sweden

Cultures and traditions often go beyond their physical borders – the same is true of Halloween and All Saints’ Day celebrations. Let’s delve into the influential cultures that have likely shaped Sweden’s celebrations today.

Halloween in the US

The US is a long way away from the simplicity of Samhain. Ghosts are now warded off by lighting a “bonfire” no bigger than the average jack-o-lantern with a tea light candle. But Halloween is often celebrated by child and adult alike. In the US, Halloween is treated as an important event every year. Children go trick-or-treating (or dress up in various costumes and ask the neighbors for candy) as soon as it’s dark out as well as during school hours. Adults partake in similar cosplay but go searching for alcohol instead of (or alongside) candy. Houses are decorated with pumpkins, spider webs, spooky characters, and fake grave stones. Neighbors often camp out on their front lawn dressed as their favorite characters to hand out giant candy bars. Pumpkin patches and haunted hayrides are a common occurrence and you can find them wherever there is a field (or a farm!).

Day of the Dead in Mexico

Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead (Dia de los Muertos) on November 1st. They make offerings (ofrendas) to their family members who have passed on. These can include favorite foods, drinks, pictures, and cut marigolds. This tradition celebrates their loved one’s memory and often includes lighting candles by their gravestones.

American culture brings an over-the-top-ness to Halloween including political statements and giant skeletons. Swedish festivities are usually more simple but still influenced by the US Halloween culture. There is also a similarity to Mexican traditions in Sweden. Many Swedes journey to the cemetery (kyrkogården) to light a candle and remember their loved ones on All Saints’ Day.

Autumn in Sweden comes on quickly and moves just as quickly into winter. But in its midst are fun celebrations for Halloween and remembrance of those who came before during All Saints’ Day.

How do you plan to celebrate Halloween and All Saints’ Day? Do you have similar traditions where you are from? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to hear from you!

Party or Poverty – Can You Eat Well On a Tight Food Budget?

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Food is not very cheap in Sweden. Why? Well, this country is far up in the North where things don’t grow year-round. Which means that a lot of food is imported from far away. And that (big surprise) will affect the price – and sometimes the quality.

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Some of our newbie readers have sometimes not too complimentary things to say about Swedish supermarkets. “They are too expensive”, “the quality is poor and there is not enough variety.” However, many other newbies quite like what is on offer – although no one is too fond of the prices 🙂

So, it seems that there are as many opinions about food in Sweden as there are newbies.

Here we have put together a little guide to help you get started on your Swedish food journey.

Sweden’s supermarket chains

As in most other countries, Sweden has a number of different supermarket chains. They vary in price, quality and location so my best bet is to try out a few different options before settling for “your” grocery shop. The most common shops that you can find in various locations are:

  • Willys
  • Coop – there are types of Coops, like Coop Forum, Coop Nära etc
  • ICA – there are many types ICA’s, like ICA Nära, ICA Maxi etc
  • Lidl
  • Hemköp
  • Netto
  • City Gross

Tip: On the different websites, you can find where their shops are located. Mostly it is under the heading “hitta din/min butik“. Or just do a Google search for the name of the shop and the name of your town.

Online food shops

The online food business exploded a few years ago and there are now many options available for you – as long as you live in the bigger cities. Newbies who live in less urban areas may have slightly fewer online food options.

  • Linas Matkasse* – if I am not mistaken, Linas Matkasse was one of the first, if not the first, to offer a matkasse. Their concept was that it is not necessarily the buying of groceries that is annoying but the coming up with what to eat. And as the question “what shall we eat tonight” is said EVERY single evening in my house, I can only applaud their business idea:-) Linas Matkasse therefore offers 5 recipes for four people and all the groceries you need to cook the meal. They do home delivery.
  • Matsmart* – this is the place for those of you who are very price-conscious and/or want to contribute to less food waste. Matsmart sells food that “normal” shops can’t or won’t sell, such as items with old or incorrect packaging, short or passed sell-by dates, overproduction or seasonal items. They offer 20-90% discount and deliver all over Sweden.
  • Hello Fresh* offer you their own super easy and healthy recipes, then they deliver you home all the desired ingredients. They update their “cookbook” every week with 12 new exciting options!

  • Most of the “physical” grocery shops like ICA, Willy’s, Coop etc. also offer an online version. Some with home delivery and others give the option of picking up the ready packed bags at your local shop. Check out their websites.

Tips to keep in mind when buying food

Don’t buy the wrong thing 🙂 As most product labels and special deals are in Swedish, it can be a good idea to use Google Translate or a friend to avoid some usual pitfalls. Mostly you will know what you are buying but some products can be a bit confusing. We asked our newbies what products they got most confused in the beginning and have set up a list to help you out during those first supermarket visits:

  • “I bought fil instead of yogurt and then threw it out because it was “sour”. I just couldn’t understand how it would go bad so quickly.
  • All the different types of flour. I just couldn’t keep them apart.
  • The weird smell of packed chicken, I though it was off so took it back to the shop:-) “
  • “Mörkt muscovadrörsocker instead of brunt farinsocker! PS. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep the farinsocker soft? I usually put in a dried orange slice at home but it doesn’t seem to do the trick here…”
  • “I bought filmjölk and put it in my coffee. Thought the milk had gone bad so went back to she shop. Bought filmjölk again, same thing. I now drink my coffee black:-)”
  • “I bought messmör thinking it was butter. But it wasn’t. ?”
  • “A guy in my student halls bought hair mousse thinking it was squirty cream. “
  • “For the longest time I thought that apelsinjos was apple juice or a bizarre mix of apple and orange juice. Why don’t these crazy Swedes have pure orange juice, I wondered each time I was at the grocery store.”
  • “I bought filmjölk—like four or five times. I started thinking this was a country to worry about food safety..”.

Bring your own shopping bags. Sweden is working towards more sustainable goals which means that you have to buy paper or plastic bags in most shops today.

Sign up for membership programs. Pretty much all shops offer memberships and membership deals. Sign up and wait for the deals to come.

Make comparisons – Every year, there are surveys mapping the most expensive and the cheapest grocery shops in Sweden. Here is a comparison between food chains all over Sweden (article in Swedish).

So, I hope you enjoyed this post and that you found some good tips for your future grocery shopping. If you want to read about traditional Swedish food, check out this blog post. Aaaand before you go, please let us know what were your early “grocery shopping mistakes” in the comments, it is always nice to know one is not alone in making these kinds of mistakes. 🙂

Swedish Summer Berries

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Written by Sara Costa

Swedish forests are abundant in berries at this time of the year, which is actually one of my favorite things about the Swedish summer. I love the variety and the versatility that berries offer. One can make jams, drinks, pies, crumbles, cakes, sorbets or eat them fresh. However, not all types of berries fit all types of cooking/eating. Plus, there are so many different kinds that it might be difficult to recognize them, both in the bush or in the supermarket. Don’t worry though… here is a crash course in Swedish berries.

Svarta vinbär (blackcurrant)

Dark berries, black on the outside and dark red on the inside, with quite an intense tart flavour. They might not be the best to eat fresh but they make great jams, sorbets and juices.

Blackcurrant berries
Blackcurrant berries (Photo: Sara Costa)

Lingon (lingonberries)

Lingonberries are one of the most common and versatile berries at the Swedish table. Small bright red berries with a sour taste. They can be used to make drinks (saft or cocktails), jam (lingonsylt) and as a compliment in savoury or sweet dishes. In savoury dishes you will probably find them on the side of meat, such as steak, meatballs, or pannbiff.

Source: Pixabay

Blåbär (blueberries)

Blueberries are small blue berries, very juicy and not too sweet, but not really sour either (if matured anyway). One can use them in nearly everything, from pies and cakes to jams and even a sweet soup. Warm blueberry soup is traditionally consumed during Vasaloppet, a 90 Km long ski race. However, my favourite way to eat these berries is fresh with some yogurt and granola.

Source: Pixabay

Röda vinbär (redcurrant)

They are like blackcurrants but in vibrant red and with a slightly more intense flavour. Their looks are quite attractive and therefore, are often used to decorate cakes and tarts. Redcurrant juice is also delicious. Do not mix these with lingonberries, both are red and about the same size but the taste is different.

Redcurrant crumble, my favourite! (Photo: Sara Costa)

Hallon (raspberries)

Raspberries are red, juicy and sweet. Just as blueberries, the best way to eat them is fresh with yogurt, vanilla ice cream or cream. They also make delicious jams and they brighten up any cake.

Photo: Sara Costa

Krusbär (gooseberries)

Gooseberries exist in several varieties, cultivated or wild, they can be green, yellow or red. They are sour if picked too early and have a somewhat special taste when mature. If the taste is too strong when fresh, try to use them in desserts. They are delicious in cakes, crumbles and other desserts.

 

Gooseberries
Photo: Sara Costa

Nypon (Rose hips)

Orange berries, slightly larger in size than others, they are most commonly used to make soup (nypon soup). Don’t be fooled – Nypon soup is served in desserts, with ice cream or with cream.

Photo: Sara Costa

Hjortron (cloudberries)

Some call it the king of all berries, probably because the taste is so special and hard to describe. They look like orange/yellowish raspberries, although their taste is very different. They can be eaten fresh with some vanilla ice cream and they make a great jam. The jam is best on top of baked/grilled camembert cheese.

Source: Pixabay

Björnbär

Similar looking to raspberries but black. They are sweet when matured and grow mostly wild in the forest. They taste great fresh, in jams or in crumbles.

Source: Pixabay

Smultron (wild strawberries)

Smultron is just like a strawberry, but smaller and they usually grow wild. Strawberries are not actually berries, but I included these here because they are quite popular in Sweden. The flavour is sweeter and more intense than regular strawberries, so eat them fresh off the bush.

Wild strawberries
Photo: Sara Costa

The list is endless and I could continue but I think I covered the most common ones. Keep in mind that berries are very nutritious as they are loaded with vitamins. There’s a lot to choose from, so pick your favourites and enjoy the berry season!
About the Author 
Hej! I’m a Portuguese Newbie in Sweden. I have also lived in Brazil, Poland and the Czech Republic. It’s been fun to be a foreigner in so many different countries and I enjoy learning about other cultures. I’m a fan of sports, some to watch and some to practise, my favourite being running. I also love food, reading and blogging. I hope you enjoy my posts!

Mastering the art of fika

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Written by Sara Costa

Fika is much more than just a cup of coffee and a piece of cake. At work, fika is a social event, in which one gets not only to relax and take a break but also to know the colleagues a little better. The art of fika doesn’t rely on the quality of the coffee, as one might think, but instead on the quality of the conversation. In fact, a bad coffee is a very good conversation starter.

As a Newbie is not always easy to blend in and be a part of something that others seem to do so naturally. Especially if the conversation is in Swedish, a language that you might not master yet. Here are some tips that might help, based on my own experience.

Observe the masters

I dare say that every group has at least one fika master, that is someone that can initiate, carry and lead a conversation so well and naturally, that it is never boring to sit around them. Fika masters can turn the most trivial subject into something interesting and worth to discuss. They are usually great story tellers and have good social skills.

Tip: Identify the fika masters and observe them. You will not only improve the art of conversation but also have fun.

Keep it neutral… at first

The themes during a conversation during fika break can vary quite a lot, from trivial everyday life things, like I need to buy a new bag/bike/whatever, to what are your plans for the weekend. As a newbie (not in Sweden but in the group) it will be frowned upon if you start asking personal questions right from the beginning. Instead, keep it neutral until someone asks you a more personal question. This might take a few (or a lot) of fikas, depending on the group, but it will happen.

Tip: You can also show them that you are open to more personal subjects by telling something about yourself without anyone asking. For instance, saying “I saw this movie with my girfriend/boyfriend” instead of just saying “I saw this movie”, will tell your colleagues something about your personal life without actually saying too much. Sometimes that’s the green light they need.

Find conversational themes

A lot can be said during a fika break. Comments about the weather are a good start but they run out quite fast. The best is to engage in a theme in which anyone can and is happy to participate. That theme should be more or less neutral, not related to work and of interest to everyone… That’s a tough one! Actually not. Movies, sports, travelling and current events seem to work pretty well.

Tip: Keep yourself updated on what’s happening in Sweden. Have a look at the news, check how it’s going for the local teams, see which events are about to happen in your city.

Dare, be patient and never give up

I remember my first fika at work. I had just completed the first level of SAS at school and thought I could understand quite a lot and speak reasonably well if given some time to think. The real world proved to be quite different though. The fika room was full of people, many talking simoultaneously, using slang and speaking in different tones and dialects. It was loud and confusing and I felt lost and out of place, but I didn’t give up. I kept going and trying every day. A couple of months after I could not only contribute to the conversation, but I had also improved my conversational swedish more than ever. Nowadays, I still can’t follow every conversation but I can sit comfortably in the fika room without feeling like an alien.

Tip: Remember that listening is also a part of it, so you don’t have to feel forced to participate. Laugh along, smile and be there until you feel like one of them.

Happy fika!

About the Author 
Hej! I’m a Portuguese Newbie in Sweden. I have also lived in Brazil, Poland and the Czech Republic. It’s been fun to be a foreigner in so many different countries and I enjoy learning about other cultures. I’m a fan of sports, some to watch and some to practise, my favourite being running. I also love food, reading and blogging. I hope you enjoy my posts!

What to Expect the First Year (in Sweden)

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Written by Hayu Hamemayu

People say the first year of everything is actually the hardest. What about the first year living in Sweden? Well, it’s not easy, I must say. But, if you know what to expect, you will know how to deal with that.

1. Bureaucracy

Welcome to Sweden!
First thing first: get your personnumer and your Swedish ID as soon as possible. These two things are essential for your new life in Sweden. Brace yourself during these times, as Skatteverket will be your number one office to visit. Expect a long queue so come to the office early. Make sure you provide every document they need and double check no document is missed.

Then, whenever you are in doubt, ask!

I know that coming to Skatteverket office over and over can be really exhausting (and boring!), but it is unquestionably important to keep your eyes on the whole process. I personally had quite an experience with Skatteverket when my personnumer application was rejected but I didn’t know it sooner because for some reasons I didn’t receive the rejection letter. Later I knew it was because my residence permit was almost expired at that time so I needed to renew it first to be able to apply for personnumer. Thus, if you found something suspicious with your application, like the duration of the process or no reply after two weeks, do not hesitate to check it in nearby Skatteverket office.

2. Language

Feeling confused with Swedish? Relax. You’re not the only one. Luckily, Swedish has some quite similar words to English and they both are Subject-Verb-Object language, so you can guess the meaning based on familiar words as a starter (be aware of “slut” and “bra” though as they have totally different meanings 😀 ).

My newbie advice is to understand the pattern, especially for simple daily conversation.

When you shop in supermarket, for instance, most of the times the shopkeeper will only ask you two questions. First, “Do you have a member card (medlem)?”. Second, “Do you want/need the receipt (kvitto)” These are both the yes and no questions; so, you can simply answer them with “Ja” or “Nej.” Then, when you shop in any stores other than supermarket, there will be another frequently asked question which is: “Do you need a bag?”. Again, it’s a polar question and you can reply it with “yes” or “no”. Once you’ve understood the pattern, you will reach that level of Swedish I call: “Enough to survive” 😀

3. Food

For you who come from other parts of the world where foods are cooked with various herbs and layer of spices, like me, you may find getting spicy foods in Sweden is bit hard. But again, there’s something to anticipate. Most herbs and spices can be found in the “Livsmedelbutik” or “Livs” which simply means grocery. Search on Google for Livs in your area by using these keywords: “Kina” (Chinese), “Thai”, “Asiatisk” (Asian) or “Arabiska” (Arabic). Or, you can simply go to chain supermarkets and find the Asian section. Their collection is limited but it’s still better than nothing.

4. Weather

The template weather in Sweden isn’t just cold, but also windy. And it’s changing pretty quickly so we need to be always well prepared. Install at least two weather apps in your phone for comparison, then prepare the following weather essentials: wind and rain and snow proof jacket/coat, strong umbrella (the one that doesn’t easily blown away), waterproof shoes/boots, skincare products, vitamins and if you have young kid, that overall dress is definitely a must.

5. Housing

There’s nothing unusual with moving around in Sweden. I’ve been living in Sweden for a year now and I’m going to move to my 3rd place by the end of this month. Finding house or apartment is indeed really challenging, especially during the first year. Thus, soon after your arrival, sign your email address up and queue in as many housing providers as possible, both public or private ones. Then, join Facebook groups, Blocket, BoPoolen or any other housing related services in your area. Beware of the scams though.

No matter how desperate you are, never send any money before you see, in person, the place you’re going to rent.

6. Social Life

Moving to a new place can create lonesomeness sometimes. Before the homesick hits you, check the international hubs in your area regularly. They often create event, gathering, tour, seminar, workshop, or other activities. Use Facebook to discover events near you, or visit interesting places like museums or the state library to spend the day. The libraries in Sweden always have different language sections so you do not need to worry about language. Another option is to do voluntary works. You can find these kind of works in the international hubs’ websites, in your kommun’s website or even your kid’s school websites (this particular one applied to me). By doing this, you will meet new people, experience new things, and create new circles.

Now that you’ve known what to expect during the first year in Sweden, I think you are ready for the second one. And counting! ☺

Hayu Hamemayu is a Lund-based freelance writer whose work has appeared in The Jakarta Post, Media Indonesia, Kompas, Majalah Kartini, and Indonesia Travel Magazine among others. A traveller mommy by nature and random thinker by inclination, she keeps memories in her Instagram @hayuhamemayu and writes her everyday stories in her blog.

Saving Money from Swedish Supermarket Shopping

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Being a newbie for 9 months in Sweden and unfamiliar with the language can be a tad intimidating, and sometimes altogether confusing. In the beginning, grocery shopping in the supermarket can even seem a little frightening as there are just so many Swedish words all over the place.

But the more I shop at the different Swedish supermarkets, the more I begin to understand and learn how to look out for deals along the way. Here are some tips that I found useful to help me save some money while out grocery shopping.

Dagens Lunch

One of the nice things about the bigger ICA supermarkets is probably the hot cooked food section, where I can find the “dagens lunch” menu. Only on weekdays, there will be a list of different daily freshly-cooked food, choices from salmon and potatoes, cream pasta or lasagna at only 60-70 kronas which is one of the cheapest option for lunch.

Bagging your own groceries

The first time I shopped at a Swedish supermarket I had a culture shock. It was so different from where I came from where all plastic bags are given out free and the cashier does all the bagging of groceries. Here, the plastic bags are to be paid for and everyone does their own grocery bagging. It resulted in shorter queues that moved quickly as the cashiers need not spend so much time on each customer.

Membership Price

Signing up for the supermarket membership allows me to get discounts on various items that are member-priced, which will be deducted upon the final payment. Membership is free for ICA and Willys, and there is always some awesome deal or other, so it’s a great way for saving money.

Do you have any tips on how to save money on groceries or shopping in general? Let me know in the comment section:-)

Written by June Low

Hi, I am June and I am a newbie in Sweden! I arrived in Stockholm from Singapore together with my husband and our little French Bulldog named Mochi in March of 2017 and it has been our home sweet home ever since. We’ve just welcomed a little human in our lives, so we’ll be looking forward to more adventures and future travels! Follow me on Instagram @junilicious or our dog @mochifrenchie for more updates!

How to bake your own birthday cake

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Did you know that there is a tradition in Sweden that you bring your own cake on your birthday to your friends\colleagues? That’s new (and also a little strange) to me, since in my culture it is vice versa – generally people get YOU a birthday cake!

It is not an actual must. But if you don’t bring one, chances are that you won’t get any cake from others 🙂 So it is either no cake or the cake you bring! But don’t get upset! Probably you will have a fika to celebrate your birthday even without a cake 😉

Princesstårta reminds me of the birthdays and celebrations of my childhood. Today, I will share the recipe and how to bake it – and let me tell you – this one passed Swedish tasters test and got comments like it tastes better than most of the cakes you buy.

Let me know in the comments what your experience is with Swedish birthdays and recipes! And maybe you want to share some pictures of your recipes too?

The truth is Swedish recipes can be tricky. You can find many different recipes and there is not much consistency among them. So if you want to cook a Swedish recipe – check multiple recipes, get the main idea and then cook it as you wish. Don’t overthink the details 🙂

One more thing before the recipe: there is a question that’s kept my mind busy for some time now. Why do most Swedish recipes use dl as measurement even for flour or sugar? For me dl is a measurement for fluids. Recently I had an enlightenment and I think I now know the answer! dl measurement indicates the measurement spoons. So when they say dl, just use a measuring spoon. Fluid or not you will measure the right amount. Some might think this is totally obvious but for me it was a real mystery 🙂

Traditional Swedish Princesstårta – I know, I know… That chocolate heart doesn’t seem much tasty 🙂

Recipe for princesstårta

Here is the recipe. As main source, I used this recipe with some differences in the method.

For the cake:

  • 200 g of eggs
  • 110 g of sugar
  • 120 g of flour
  • 50 g butter, melted

Beat the eggs, add sugar and whisk until it gets a little fluffy. Add the flour slowly while you keep whisking. Finally add the butter and mix it all together. Put the mix in a 20 cm diameter cake mold and bake for 25-30 min at 180 degrees. Every oven is different so check the cake occasionally to be sure it doesn’t burn.

You can just bake one cake and cut it into two to put the cream inside. However, since we didn’t put any baking powder to make the cake fluffy, the layers might be too thin but it is still ok. Yet, I personally prefer to bake two of them to make the cake look bigger.

Vanilla Cream:

  • 500 g of milk
  • 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 120 g of egg yolks
  • 125 g of sugar
  • 40 g corn starch
  • 50 g butter

Boil the milk, half of the sugar and vanilla extract. Remove from the stove and let it rest for 5 minutes while you occasionally keep stirring.

Beat the eggs, add the other half of the sugar and corn starch – mix well. Then add to the milk mixture and boil again until it gets creamy and thick.

Remove from the heat, add the butter and keep stirring. Now you should have a proper, thick vanilla cream.

If something is wrong, try to add either more milk or some flour.

Other ingredients:

  • 1000 g whipping cream
  • 300 g of raspberries, blueberries and strawberries (I prefer fresh but frozen also work)
  • 500 g marzipan
  • Icing sugar

Put whipping cream in a bowl and mix with a mixer until it gets fluffy and thick.

Princesstårta
Princesstårta – just about to be eaten:-)

Cut your cake into three pieces. Inside the first layer, put the vanilla cream outer edges. Then put lots of fruit inside the circle. And mix the remaining vanilla cream with one or two full spoon of whipping cream and put it on top of  the fruits. So in the first layer, there should be vanilla cream, fruit and whipping cream.

On the second layer, there is just the whipping cream. But you can also put fruits or vanilla cream also if you want – it’s your birthday cake after all 🙂

And on the last layer, we put the remaining whipping cream all over the cake including the sides and cover all the visible sides of the cake with cream.

Now we need to cover our cake with marzipan (that green thing that makes a princesstårta a princesstårta!)

I prefer ready-to-use marzipan because it is a lot more convenient to roll out (rolling out marzipan properly requires a good amount of strength and effort and sometimes I prefer to take the easy way) But there are also marzipans which you can buy and roll out yourself at home.

Cover the cake with marzipan and try to make it look as smooth as possible (it is really hard for me to make it look good) And you can sprinkle icing sugar on it or put some edible ornaments.

And that’s how you can put a lot effort to bake a cake while you’re preparing for your birthday! Still, it is fun to do if you’re into baking like me 🙂

Written by Busra Zenging

Hej! I am a Newbie who is close to become an Oldbie in Sweden! I’ve been in Stockholm nearly for six months, I already did so many “fika”, swam in cold waters of Sweden, walked barefoot in Stockholm’s parks during the summer and, of course, had too many interactions with the Swedish bureaucracy 🙂 So far so good! My next challenge is job hunting – we’ll see how this will go 😉

Stockholm Curry

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No don’t be bewildered, this post doesn’t list a curry recipe and doesn’t help you find the best curry places in Stockholm. Neither does it explain a syndrome where you tend to love or hate curry. This is all about how I handle my hunger cravings, find awesome food in the city and use various apps and video tutorials to experiment with cooking.

Not so long ago I moved from India to Stockholm and had to deal with one of the biggest questions – What to eat? This was a hilarious situation. I am not a vegetarian, I eat all kinds of meats, luckily I do not even have any allergies and I am not finicky about eating Indian meals. Yet, this question hit me twice every day.

Back home in Bangalore, I never had to plan for a meal or groceries or hunt for good restaurants. I just knew where to go, what to order, where to look for reviews, which shelves to look at in the grocery store or where to hunt for discounts. Things were sorted. And now, everything had to start from scratch again.

The first few months

The first few weeks both me and my husband used to spend hours in the grocery store google-translating everything. We endlessly translated the names of the vegetables, matched them to the right price, translated the ingredients in food items, walked past the same shelf or freezer multiple times to finally find what we had been looking for and then stood at the self-service counter trying to decipher things, embarrassing ourselves and finally calling out for help. After that ordeal, our staple diet was eggs, sandwiches and fruits for the first few weeks.

We were always on the lookout for good restaurants, finding affordable deals, asking friends for suggestions and reading reviews for everything. It was interesting to know how some places were only open for lunch while some for dinner. How you had to reach a place at 11:30 to avoid long lunch queues and grab a table. Why was dinner almost always costlier?

And how drinking coffee at the end of your meal was a tradition. One of my favourite discoveries was lunch at museums. I had enrolled at SFI and almost every other Friday they took us to a new museum in town. It was in these museum cafes that I first tasted the amazing salmon, ate huge portions of assorted salads, crispy knäckebröd and often sat down reading a book with the unending coffee that was always on the house.

Home Cooked Food

Then came the cravings to eat Indian food. Many think that Indian food is all about the Chicken Tikka Masala and a fluffy naan bread. But very few know that Chicken Tikka Masala originated in Birmingham, Britain. And Indians don’t eat Naan bread at home daily.

Also, one needs to understand that India is so diverse that food preferences, the style of cooking and language change every 100 km as you travel through the country.

I always knew that finding good South-Indian Food (Idli Sambhar, a nice crispy Dosa or Nadan Beef Curry) would be impossible in Stockholm. But I did muster some courage to try a few places. The success rate wasn’t great.

It did not take long to realise that the food in Indian restaurants was highly “Westernised”. The menu was mostly monotonous and hardly changed from one place to other.

So the next logical steps to satisfy my cravings were to find ingredients in an Indian store to start my cooking experiments and to find some Indian friends who cook often and get invited to dinners/ parties. Both weren’t as easy as they sound.

Every recipe somehow had something that was difficult to find.  I had to spend time figuring out the alternatives. And sometimes despite doing everything by the book it did not taste the same as my mum used to make it.

As far as dinner parties are concerned, I did get lucky and had some of the most delicious home-cooked meals ever. But as it happens when you are in a new city, it takes time to build friendships.

Now, many people ask me where to go for the best Indian food. Well, it’s certainly not at a restaurant. You need to befriend an Indian and get invited to dinner to taste the best Indian food in the city.

Written by: Akanksha Srivastava

Hi I am Akanksha. After living and travelling to multiple cities and villages in India, I’ve recently moved to Stockholm. Backpacking across Europe, discovering cities and nature (especially Sweden’s Allemansrätt) convinced me to make this big move. Though I am still trying to find my feet in this city, I am glad to be discovering new stuff and things to do. Food, technology, motorbikes, the fast pace at start-ups and sunshine always keeps me ticking. If you are ever looking for a fika-buddy or a movie-buddy, feel free to shout out!

Stockholm Kulturfestival

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The Swedish summer is slowly fading away (sad face), but in Stockholm, we are holding on as much as we can. August was full of outdoor food-based festivals, and if you ask me, there is not much else better.

One such festival that surprised me (in a good way!) was Stockholm Kulturfestival. I’d not heard of it before and happened to stumble across it when walking through Gamla Stan/Kungstragården, and I’m glad I did!

Stockholm Kulturfestival is an annual celebration of Sweden’s diversity, with this years theme being India (previous themes include France, the UK and Barcelona). Entry is free, and gives you access to amazing food, shows and various activities.

As the theme this year was India, there was, naturally, a great selection of Indian food.  From  All accompanied, of course, by overpriced beer – this is something I’m still getting used to. But it was awesome! The weather held out, the atmosphere was great, and I don’t know about any of you, but I’m a sucker for anything located by water.

As well as the food, there were performances, dance workshops and demonstrations – there really was something for everyone.

This festival, in my opinion, was Stockholm at its best. It showed just how diverse Sweden really is and it brought everyone together. Wherever you are in Sweden, be sure to check Stockholm Kulturfestival out!

Also, check out  Stockholm Beer and Whisky Festival

Written by: Neelam Varia

Hej, I’m Neelam and I recently moved to Stockholm from London. I really love writing about food, events, restaurants and pop-ups, both professionally and on my personal blog (www.nveats.wordpress.com). You’ll find me spending my spare time with an IPA at a music festival somewhere across Europe, baking my own cupcakes or planning my own restaurant!

Follow your passion!

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I moved to Stockholm at the beginning of March with my partner, who had gotten a job with Spotify. Though I’d googled around for jobs before arriving, I didn’t find much, but luckily, I was here for only 2 weeks before I found an internship.

Sadly, that internship came to an end – probably at the worst time since June/July is when most Swedes take their month long holiday. Suddenly I had a lot of spare time, and though of course I was still sending countless emails to companies a day, I decided (and was pushed by my partner) to turn my passion for food into a little earner.

From April to September, every weekend, Hornstull (the most western point of Södermalm) becomes home to a market that sells food, clothes and other things you might typically find at a market. As it turns out, renting a stall is not too expensive, and there isn’t a whole lot of admin, so I thought why not. I booked my stall, spent 2 days baking non-stop, and last Sunday, took my 108 cupcakes down to Hornstull. It was a successful day! Especially considering the 2 hours of torrential rain!

Of course it’s hard finding a job in a new country, especially if you don’t know the language. Believe me, I’ve been trying. But if you’ve got the time, and there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, do it! You’ve nothing to lose, and who knows, you may even be able to forge a career out of it!

Written by: Neelam Varia

Hej, I’m Neelam and I recently moved to Stockholm from London. I really love writing about food, events, restaurants and pop-ups, both professionally and on my personal blog (www.nveats.wordpress.com). You’ll find me spending my spare time with an IPA at a music festival somewhere across Europe, baking my own cupcakes or planning my own restaurant!

Swedish supermarkets – what can they teach us?

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Written by Sara Costa

If you want to know more about someone, go and look in their fridge. If you want to know more about a country, go and look in their supermarket. There you will not only find out about the most common shopping routines of the locals, but also other hints about their culture. Is it clean or dirty? Is it organized or a mess? Do you feel good in there or more like running away? I like Swedish supermarkets and, believe it or not, that did have some weight on my decision of moving here.

When I was small I had a childhood best friend who I only saw on the weekends because we didn’t live in the same neighborhood. She was the youngest of five and together with her brothers and sisters built a play supermarket. They saved empty boxes, jars, and packages, and the result was as realistic as it could get when you are a child. I loved it. I joined them in the play many times and I was only sorry that I couldn’t spend as many hours there as they were allowed to.

That experience ended up having a significant influence in my life since I love going to the supermarket still today. Every time I travel to a new country I have to go to a supermarket and look. For me, it is just as important as any other sight or museum. And maybe I have learned as much about other cultures this way.

For instance, in Brazil, I found loads of fresh tropical fruits but the meat was sometimes green. In Argentina, just south of Brazil, I found fantastic meat but the fruit section was not as interesting. In Italy the supermarkets are noisy while in Finland they are so quiet, one can hear a pin hitting the floor.

What can we learn about Sweden by visiting  Swedish supermarkets?

The experience is influenced by other factors, such as location and size both of the city and of the supermarket, and it can also vary within different stores. However, if you take a local average supermarket you can find all the hints you were looking for.

Source: Pixabay

Organized and clean

The supermarkets are well organized, with well-marked sections for the different types of products. So is Sweden. The supermarkets are in general very clean. So is Sweden.

Technology and smart ideas

Swedes love smart and simple ideas, especially the ones that make life easier and less complicated. There are quite a few examples in the supermarket. The coin-counting machine at the cashier, that protects employees from the dirtiness of money and saves them the trouble of counting a lot of coins. The split conveyor belt, that allows you to pack your things without trouble or rush, as the cashier can just send the next costumer’s products to the other side. The guess-the-vegetable scales, that although are not yet in all supermarkets can be found in more and more. The self-scanning and self-payment machines, that make our lives so much easier every day.

Source: Pixabay

Easy and efficient payment

In most swedish supermarkets, there are many payment options available. One can scan while shopping and just pay at the end. One can scan and pay alone at the end. One can simply go to the regular queue and have a cashier do the scanning. There’s also membership cards, from more simple to more advanced, that work as credit cards. All of these combined with some of the technology described above make it so that shopping for groceries is simple and easy.

I don’t think I have ever been in a queue here for more than 10 minutes and I finally understood why my Swedish boyfriend always gets so annoyed by the long wait in other countries.

EKO, EKO, EKO

The Swedish concern about the environment is well expressed in the supermarkets. For almost every kind of product, there is a more ecologic version of it, whether it is in the section of fresh produce, staples, toiletries, or others.

Not noisy, not quiet

There’s no constant advertisement on the loudspeakers, which make the supermarkets a quiet place. Although, they are not as quiet so it gets uncomfortable. I would say they usually have a good amount of noise. Just like any other public place in Sweden.

Big variety and international food

I have heard a few times from Swedes that two decades ago the variety of produce in the supermarkets was quite limited. Things have changed and the supermarkets here, especially the larger ones, have a huge variety of products. That also means that the international section is usually quite large. There is a big range of Mexican products (Swedes love their tacos and tortillas), a decent Asian section, good Mediterranean and middle-eastern ingredients, among others. This is probably a result of the multicultural population of Sweden but is also one of the reasons why foreigners enjoy it here.

The truth is once one moves abroad you will never stop missing some things, whether it is from home or from other visited countries. I miss food, ingredients, and dishes from each place I have lived in. In Sweden, I can start missing a certain dish, spend the day dreaming about it and then go to the supermarket and cook it in the evening. This was not possible until I moved here.

Do you have a similar relationship with Swedish supermarkets? Have you spotted any other cultural hints that I might have missed?

About the Author 
Hej! I’m a Portuguese Newbie in Sweden. I have also lived in Brazil, Poland and the Czech Republic. It’s been fun to be a foreigner in so many different countries and I enjoy learning about other cultures. I’m a fan of sports, some to watch and some to practise, my favourite being running. I also love food, reading and blogging. I hope you enjoy my posts!

Is there such a thing as something genuinely Swedish?

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With the winter solstice around the corner and the streets waiting for snow glistening like Christmas cards, the Swedes are turning inwards, in space and time. Knowing there is no way we can overcome the darkness, we embrace it. We collect and bring home warming fragrances of citrus, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, saffron, conifer needles. Stars and paper lanterns show the way through dormant, suburbs. Candles create not only atmosphere but space, place, and belonging. We listen to, and tell, stories.

The predominant one is not about the Christian nativity. On the contrary, this is secondary, only superficial, a justification, something we are almost embarrassed about. Instead, we are telling the story of ourselves. The Christmas season gives us the excuse to indulge ourselves in a romanticising national self-image. This is based onto a narrative reflecting not so much the truth, but the belief that if there is truth, it is residing somewhere in the past.

Perhaps this is the year of your first corporate Julbord

Literally, this translates as Christmas table. In practice, we are talking buffet. A buffet of heavy foodstuffs traditionally served at most festivals and celebrations. This stage set is rural and abundant. Telling the story of diligent peasants (- Lutheran!) enjoying the fruits of their work at the end of the year.

Pickled fish and meats in all forms, backed up by no-fancy potatoes and breads, defying contemporary dietary ideology and Instagram aesthetics.

And this is important. Introducing something contemporary, or worse, new, would be heresy. The purpose of this celebration is to reinforce the idea of stability, as the antonym of change. Of course, this is illusory. And of course, as for anything we are keen to preserve, this is a direct consequence of its inherent ephemeral qualities.

Let us take the example of the very highlight – köttbullar

We are, naturally, talking about the most mundane constituent – köttbullar. You know, these famous meatballs served with jam all year round. At IKEA, globally and at home locally.  Thawed fried hastily or not at all, feeding starving pre-school kids, growing teenagers, nostalgic hipsters, conservative couples, non-imaginative singles. Enjoyed on paper plates, in sandwiches, on first-class china, straight from the pan. In a range of formats, from hand-rolled to mass produced, big to small, everyday to occasional, there are still unwritten rules on how they can be prepared and served, and in what context.

Köttbullar plays a curious role in Swedish national identity. When my (French) parents in law put them in a salad – salad – I had to count to ten before not telling them this was nothing but a crime.

So, where do köttbullar originate from?

The answer is as straight-forward as it can get. Turkey. King Carl brought them back from the Ottoman empire in the 18:th century. Going through various adaptations, they saw their big break-through with industrialisation (very late 19:th century in Sweden) where the concept of husmanskost, as we know it now, was introduced. Turkey does not sound like a genuinely Swedish place. Your conclusion is right; there is nothing very Swedish about them. 300 years ago, they were unknown in this country, 200 years ago, served once in awhile, and 100 years ago – suddenly, something we had served for centuries.

In fact, meatballs can be found all over the planet. Of course, made from different animals, in different sizes, with different spices and herbs, and served with different carbs and different condiments. But there is definitely nothing uniquely Swedish about the dish in itself, if, and this is a significant if, we define something genuinely/typically/authentically Swedish as something that has been done in Sweden for a long time. Actually, if we are looking for any phenomenon fulfilling these criteria, we will not find anything that tells the story of only one country or culture.

But yes, there are things that are typically Swedish.

For me, köttbullar, boiled potatoes, brown sauce I hate, lingonberry jam. For my parents in law, apparently, köttbullar in a salad. For me, right now, köttbullar, potatoes, sauce and jam. For me, ten years ago, when I was living in the UK and conveniently picked up my köttbullar from IKEA, what I missed the most was Swedish milk. For me, in ten, twenty, fifty years, something different. For you, something different.