You’ve heard of ABBA, right? You know, the Swedish pop group from the early 70s. They were one of the most commercially successful musical acts of all time. In 1974 they brought Sweden its first Eurovision song contest win.

Yeah, that’s the one. You remember, ABBA, the first pop group to come from a non-English-speaking country and rocket to the top of the   charts in the UK, the US, South Africa, the Philippines and Latin America (where they recorded many of their hits in Spanish).

A mere 80 years earlier the Swedish Club was founded in Seattle in 1892. Who would have predicted that the renamed Seattle Swedish Cultural Center would grow to become a center of Scandinavian activities in the Pacific Northwest for members who are both Scandinavians, and a wide range of many other cultural backgrounds.

This April marked the fourth annual Seattle Swedish Cultural Center’s ABBA Night. If you missed Seattle’s celebration of Sweden’s contribution to 1970s pop-culture, you can always attend next year. Just remember to bring you fur vest and platform shoes. A sur flicka banan shirt wouldn’t hurt either. Be cool, man.

The days of the American Swedish smorgasbord restaurant pretty much peaked and waned along with ABBA’s radio airtime.  For decades the American idea of Scandinavian cuisine has been little more than a cliché punch line.  Fortunately, that’s all changing.

Your friends at Sur Flicka recently had the opportunity to re-visit Broder, an old-world chic Swedish restaurant in Portland, Oregon.  Aside from the hip, yet truly genuine atmosphere, what really makes Broder unique are the delicately authentic Scandinavian flavors.

Sure, you’ll find overtly Scandinavian items like swedish meatballs and aebleskivers on the menu, and don’t get us wrong they’re all great.  But the real gems are Broder’s breakfasts, especially the Pytt i Panna – a traditional Swedish breakfast hash with a perfect balance of flavor that evokes a real sense of Scandinavia.

So now you’re dying to try it, right?  Check out Broder on the web at http://www.broderpdx.com/about

In Scandinavia, December 13 means only one thing – the annual Sankta Lucia celebration.

You may have seen the iconic Scandinavian Luciatåg lead by the year’s elected Lucia wearing a crown of candles on her head. You may have watched the Lucia pageant and sung along with the classic Lucia songs. What you may not know is that Saint Lucia’s day has a dark history.

Saint Lucia’s day was historically observed on the shortest day of the year. Why the shortest (and darkest) day of the year, you ask?

Well, Lucia, the patron saint of the blind is named after the Latin word for light. That sounds nice so far. But why is Lucia often portrayed in medieval art without eyes? We’ll spare you the gory details. Suffice it to say, as the legend goes Lucia chose to give up her eyes rather than her principles.

Leave it to the Scandinavians to turn a dark and morose historical account into a symbol of hope, unity, and rebirth. It really is all about perspective. Happy holidays and glad jul!

Sur Flicka is serious about doing its part in the fight against Scandinavian cuisine discrimination (you know the old stereotype – lutefisk, boiled meat, bland potatoes…)

As promised, here’s the second in our series of Scandinavian recipes with a Thai twist created by Chef Pranee Halvorsen.

I’m sure your Morfar and Mormor can turn some cod into a mean serving of fiskefrikadeller or fiskbullar, but this spicy salmon fishcake would knock those ladies right out of their socks.

TOD MAN PLA SALMON

Pranee adapted this recipe from her mom’s famous fish cake. This dish is rich with flavors and fragrance. Oven baking makes it lighter than traditional deep-fry method. When the fish cakes are served with cucumber salad and sweet chili sauce, the hot, sweet and sour taste will awaken all one’s senses.

Servings: 10 to 12 persons (Yield: 3 cups to makes 12 patties)

Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes

5 shallots, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 to 2 tablespoons red curry paste

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1½ pounds salmon

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

¼ to ½ cup coconut cream (the creamy part from the top of coconut milk can)

10 basil leaves or 4 fresh Kaffir lime leaves, chiffonade

7 green beans, sliced

1 cup breadcrumbs or as needed

Peanut oil or corn oil for deep-frying

Preheat the oven to 375° F.

In a food processor, put in shallots, garlic, red curry paste, cilantro, salmon, sugar, light soy sauce, salt, egg and coconut cream. Let it blend for 5 seconds.

Put the fish mixture in a bowl and mix in shredded basil leaves and green beans with a solid wooden spoon until it is blended.  Let the mixture stand in refrigerator for 15 minutes or longer. Test by pan-frying a small portion first. If the batter is too soft, stir in some Panko breadcrumbs.  Use ice cream scooper to scoop the mixture into a bowl of breadcrumbs, cover the mixture well with breadcrumbs and pat to hamburger-like to make a fish cake patty with a ¼ inch thickness and put on the baking sheet. Repeat the process until the mixture is gone.

Heat the frying pan with 2 tablespoons cooking oil and pan-fry fish cake on each side until golden yellow and set aside on a baking sheet until all are done. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. Serve with cucumber salad and sweet chili sauce from recipes below.

NAM JIM TUA PAI

Sweet Chili Sauce

Yield: 1½ cups

Preparation: 10 minutes

3 tablespoons garlic, chopped

3 tablespoons canola oil

1 cup sweet chili sauce

1/3 cup vinegar or more if needed

¼ cup ground peanuts

¼ cup chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper as needed

In a frying pan over medium heat, fry garlic with canola oil until light yellow to golden.

Whisk all ingredients in small bowl to blend. Set aside.

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© 2010 Pranee Khruasanit Halvorsen – used with permission

Pranee teaches Thai cooking classes in the Seattle area. Her website is: I Love Thai cooking.com.

Stay tuned for the next recipe in the series. Hej då!

Check out the latest and greatest from Sur Flicka and get 20% Off your next order* of $30 or more. Use discount code SUMMER at check out.

the NORSK tee is here

We’ve received countless requests from our Norwegian fans and we’ve listened. Sur Flicka introduces the new norsk tee. Wear it with pride whether you’re Norwegian, or just a fan of the Viking lifestyle. Shop it! >>>

Check out the new version of the svensk tee >>>

dansk in grey

The dansk tee now available in unisex heather grey >>>

banan at home

Sur Flicka takes it’s designs to the couch >>>

*Discount good through Augut 31, 2o11.

Available in unisex green with yellow ink and women’s blue with black ink.

That’s pretty much what the approach of Norse longships represented to the civilized world for over four hundred years. The reputation of the Norse may have changed over the centuries, but the viking blood still flows in Norweigan veins. Be a part of the viking tradition with your own sur flicka norsk shirt. Is the blood red color just a coincidence? Yeah, probably.

Available in unisex red-orange with navy ink, and women’s red with navy ink.

14″x 14″

14″x 14″