A Real Taste of Scandinavia in Portland
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
Farfar Would Love this Board
While checking out the local Sunday market, your friends at Sur Flicka were drawn to a wild display of candy colored disks and a rainbow of glossy wood grains from honey yellow, to deep red, to chocolate brown. It was time to investigate.
What we found was Erickson Longboards- a cool collection of incredibly unique vintage styled skateboards made by Bill Erickson, a local Swedish-American craftsman.
Bill crafts high quality longboards from sustainable and reclaimed hardwoods. Each hand-built board is a uniquely created work of art that would look just as good cruising down the street as it would next to your Hans Wegner table.
Take it from Bill, “No lift ticket, roof rack or bulky clothing required. They’ll match your vintage furniture!” Plus you’ll look cool hanging ten.
Check out Erickson Longboards and Bill will set you up with a board that Farfar would be proud of!
…and when you’re done picking out your longboard,pick up one of Sur Flicka’s farfar surfklubb tees to accessorize your ride with – on sale now $18!
The Swedish Mule!
With the Summer Solstice here, it’s a good time to start planning your midsommar festivities this weekend. If you’re looking for a cool new addition to the traditional snaps and akvavit, sur flicka has a suggestion.
Sur Flicka teamed up with local Swede John Lundin of Bluewater Organic Vodka to bring you the exclusive recipe for this summer’s signature cocktail – the Swedish Mule.
Swedish Mule
1 oz Bluewater Organic Vodka
1 oz fresh lime juice
1/2 oz Elderflower Syrup
3 oz ginger beer
Combine in a cocktail shaker. Shake to mix well, and serve over crushed ice
To learn more about Bluewater, visit their website at www.bluewatervodka.com
A Thai Twist on Scandinavian Cuisine
Scandinavian cuisine. We’ve all heard the jokes. It’s supposedly bland, salty, and overwhelmingly gray – in color and taste. Of course you Sur Flicka fans know better.
For some of you newcomers, let’s talk a little about Scandinavian food. No, this time we’re not going to talk about reindeer meat, kötbullar, or herring. This time we’re talking about fusion.
While traditional Scandinavian cuisine is built around a few main types of food including fish, meat, dairy and potatoes, a willingness to incorporate foreign flavors has also been a tradition in Scandinavia. For example, the traditional Swedish dish Kåldolmar (or cabbage rolls) were adopted by King Charles XII from the Ottoman Empire. The exotic spices that give pepparkakor their distinctive flavor came to Sweden from Armenian cuisine in the 1200s.
In this tradtion, Sur Flicka is proud to bring you a series of Scandinavian recipes with a Thai twist created by Chef Pranee Halvorsen (that’s right – it’s a Thai and Danish name).
Recipe #1:
Curried Crab Filo with Thai Lime-Green Chili Jam
Yield: 36 pieces
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Baking time: 10 minutes
1 cup cream cheese
1 cup chopped fresh or canned pineapple, squeeze out excess liquid to get about ⅔ cup of pineapple
⅓ cup sliced green onions (about 5 green onions)
4 teaspoons Madras curry powder
A dash of Thai chili powder
8-ounces crab meat (about 1 cup), squeezed lightly to drain out excess water
9 (17 by 12-inch) sheets filo dough, thawed if frozen
½ cup cooking oil
3 tablespoons Thai Lime-Green Chili Jam (click here for recipe)
36 cilantro leaves
36 sliced red peppers or red loganberries
Preheat oven to 375°F.
To make the filling, combine cream cheese, pineapple, green onion, Madras curry powder, and chili powder in a medium size bowl; mix well. Gently fold in crabmeat until combined. Yield: about 2 cups filling.
Take one filo sheet from the stack and lay it out on a work surface. Brush well with oil to cover the entire surface. Lay another layer on top and brush with oil again. Add a third layer and brush with oil again.
With the length facing you, place one-third of the cream cheese filling along the edge lengthwise from left to right to make a line of filling 1 inch by 17 inches. Fold the edge forward to make a roll. As you continue to roll, brush the dry surface of filo dough with oil. The finished roll should be about 1 inch in diameter. Using a knife, cut the roll into 12 pieces and place them on a greased baking sheet.
Repeat these steps to make two more rolls, for a total of 36 pieces. Place on the same baking sheet and bake until golden, about 10 minutes.
Transfer to a platter and place a ¼ teaspoon Thai lime-green chili jam on each curried crab filo and garnish with cilantro leaves and sliced red pepper or loganberries.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
© 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!
VODKA – SENSIBLY SWEDISH
Today’s Sur Flicka happy hour includes a chat with our favorite vodka maker. John Lundin, a Seattle-based Swede, recently launched Bluewater Organic Vodka as a merger of his love for sailing and spirits. With a hearty “Skål” we chatted about Sweden’s vodka culture and why this spirit so enduring and endearing.
It’s no secret that Sweden’s passion for vodka helped propel this iconic spirit into the global mainstream, says Lundin. But vodka hasroots that go back centuries. In the 1500s, monks began distilling brännvin – distilled wine infused with herbs, spices and berries – for medicinal purposes. Eventually grain became the base for brännvin
(cheaper and more available than wine), and thespirit soon became a national drink. By the mid-1800s, advancements in distillation techniques meant a higher degree of purity could be reached – and the distillate began resembling our modern day vodka.
Vodka isn’t just Sweden’s creation, as most cold-weathered people of the old-world countries claim kinship to the spirit. The Vodka Belt encompasses the nations from Scandinavia to Russia, including Poland, the Baltic States, Belarus and Ukraine. Each region brings defining characteristics to their vodka, from the grain or potatoes used,distillation and filtration techniques, and the water source.
With Bluewater, Lundin tells us that he pursued the ultimate alchemy of combining the wild, high-alpine water from the remote San Juan Mountains in Colorado with the distilled spirit from 100% organic wheat. Remaining true to old-world techniques, Bluewater receives a finishing distillation in a beautiful copper kettle to enhance character and elevate its smoothness. With no additives, the spirit is as natural as can be.
Vodka isn’t uniquely Swedish, but our favorite Nordic nation has certainly made its mark. With Bluewater Organic Vodka, Lundin continues the Swedish vodka tradition through old world tradition and progressive perfection.
We’re enjoying Bluewater straight over a few rocks – Swedish style. Now we only need some pickled herring…
To learn more about Bluewater, visit their website at www.bluewatervodka.com
Scandinavia in the Desert
Have you ever wondered what kind of connection there is between Scandinavia, Mid Century Modern design, and Palm Springs? Well whether you have or not, we’re about to tell you.
What we now call Mid Century Modern first emerged in the early 1900s through the combination of organic design forms with elements of the Avant Guarde European esthetic movements. Scandinavian architects, designers, and furniture makers were consistently at the forefront of this revolutionary style – a style characterized by functionality, clean simplicity, and a smooth integration with nature.
In the US, Mid Century Modern architecture brought modernism and the Scandinavian esthetic into near universal reach in the American post-war suburb.
One of the best places to experience this truly American interpretation of Scandinavian mid century design is in Palm Springs, California.
In fact, many of the neighborhoods along Palm Canyon Drive have preserved stunning examples of original Scandinavian inspired mid century modern homes. In the shops along Palm Canyon Drive, you can find more museum quality Scandinavian furniture than pretty much anywhere else west of Malmö. And if that still isn’t Scandinavian enough for you, Palm Springs is home of the Cafe Scandia – a true Scandinavian restaurant in the middle of a desert oasis.
Now you know. Palm Springs might as well be Copenhagen.
Check out Sur Flicka’s hus print>>
Not Your Typical First Aid Kit
…it’s the kind where the “stripes” of Detroit (by way of Nashville) and Stockholm collide. What the heck are we talking about? A First Aid Kit track produced by Jack White of The White Stripes. Sur Flicka just picked this up and was blown away by the strong vocals, harmonies and vintage rockabilly-esque sound. We just love pleasant surprises 
Check it out here >>
Red, White….or Glögg
Glögg and Pepparkakor
Nearly every Scandinavian is familiar with Glögg – the sweet, strong, spicy, holiday favorite. The history of the humble glögg, however, is not quite so well known.
According to the Wine & Spirits Museum in Stockholm, King Gustav I Vasa of Sweden had a particular affinity for a winter drink made from German wine, sugar, honey, cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. Since the King’s drink was served piping hot, it became known as “glödgad vin”, which meant “glowing-hot wine.” At some point after the early 1600s the word was shortened to “glögg”.
Here at Sur Flicka, we don’t mind if you call it Glögg, Gløgg, or Glögi. We just ask that this holiday season you invite your friends and family to share some glögg, pepparkakor, and holiday cheer.
Glad Jul, och Skål!
See Sur Flicka in the New CRAVE Seattle
Announcing the brand new CRAVE Seattle guide for 2011-2012!
Sur Flicka is excited to be featured in CRAVE Seattle, the most unique and stylish guidebook for Seattle living.
Get your copy and check out Sur Flicka along with some of Seattle’s kewlest independent businesses. Not only is CRAVE your guidebook to Seattle shopping and lifestyle, but it also has great coupons and discounts as well.
You can buy the CRAVE Seattle guidebook right here at Sur Flicka! Shop now >>
Vikings, Norse Gods and Outstanding Beer
November 3, 2010 – After getting hooked on a new ale called Odin’s Gift, your friends at Sur Flicka tracked down the source of this Viking inspired brew from
Odin Brewing Company – right here in Seattle, Washington.
Odin Brewing embraces the adventurous spirit of the Norse Vikings who crossed the Atlantic Ocean over a thousand years ago without the benefit of modern navigational tools. The Viking’s greatest strength was their courage and determination. They forged their legacy by traversing the unknown to reap opportunity in areas where other men dared not tread.
Dan Lee, founder of Odin Brewery, is a direct descendant 
of the Viking Spirit. In Dan’s words, “The Vikings were amongst the most adventurous cultures in the history of the world. They weren’t afraid to go out into the great unknown. I have an affinity for that kind of mentality. I asked myself, what kind of brewery would I have to build to live up to that spirit?”
The spirit of the Norsemen lives on and continues to inspire Odin Brewing to make a seriously high quality product with the best regional ingredients.
Odin’s hand crafting starts with a traditional brewing processes and ends with layers of unique flavors to provide truly distinctive and unique product.
Take if from us, if you have a seat at the table of Valhalla with a pint of Freya’s Kolsch or Odin’s Red Ale you’ll understand what kept those Vikings motivated.
You can visit the Odin Brewing Company at
www.odinbrewing.com.
Skål!
See Sweden By Volvo
September 28, 2010 – Scandinavian design, functionality, and quality. These are the hallmark elements of the modern Scandinavian lifestyle. Of course Sur Flicka doesn’t make Volvos (we don’t sell them either), but we know a Scandinavian classic when we find one. Since its first car rolled of the assembly line in 1927, Volvo has been providing the world with some of the safest, smartest and coolest vehicles. Vehicles that are truly Scandinavian at heart.
Sur Flicka and Barrier Volvo team up and invite you to experience true Scandinavian design through the Volvo Overseas Delivery Program. I can’t think of a better way to purchase a new Volvo than to meet it at the factory in Sweden. Not only will you pay less for your Volvo, but they’ll handle all the details. You get to know your Volvo on the roads of Sweden (you can also visit anywhere else in Europe you’d like to go), and they’ll ship your Volvo back home for you.
Take it from us. Volvos have literally saved our lives on more than one occasion. A Volvo S60 and a Volvo V50 have both given their lives to protect ours. Before asking this of your next Volvo, don’t you think you should see where it was born? Yeah, we think so too.
For more information about how to meet your next Volvo in Sweden, contact our friends at Barrier Volvo. Ask them about the winter travel special, and complementary flights on Scandinavian Airlines and. And sure, you can let them know we sent you.
Contact Wayne Thiessen at Barrier Volvo to learn more about purchasing your Volvo and planning your trip to Sweden:
Phone: 877-304-6086
Email: waynethiessen@barriermotors.com
Project TransAction Leather Work Inspired by the Sami
July 22, 2010 – Inspired by the reindeer leatherwork of the Sami people indigenous to the artic circle, Jacob Vaughn Gushue of Project TransAction is a one man leatherworking and screen printing phenomenon! He designs and manufactures unique handmade screen printed leather goods in his workshop located in the heart of San Francisco.
Each Sami bracelet is designed and hand-crafted with close attention to detail, using eco-friendly, bio-degradable cleaners, and a focus on ethical decisions on all fronts. Jake creates finely crafted and unique accessories designed to last. Now that’s a Scandinavian attitude. Check out the full line of modern Sami bracelets here.
Read what Jacob has to say about Scandinavian culture and design :
To a New England born artsy anglo-mutt transplant living in San Francisco, Scandinavian design influence may seem like a foreign concept. Sure, I’ve had my share of Ikea hand-me-down furniture from Craigslist. I have also appreciated the clean, simple, and satisfying aesthetic of Marimekko style prints displayed loudly in chic boutique windows. But how does this foreign land of fjords and the Finnish directly influence my work? Enter Sur Flicka: A modern take on classic Scandivanian traditions and designs presented with an innovatively minimalistic and modern approach.
In this fast paced world of reality television and bluetoothed cyborgs, it’s refreshing to appreciate the simplicity of classic stylings while continuing to respect the art history of other cultures. Working with animal hides has been a part of our civilization from the start- and Scandinavian designs are some of the most intricate and interesting styles around. Traditional Sami artists of Lappland used strands of silver to accent their designs, but Sur Flicka and Project TransAction have teamed up to bring you a new take on this classic design by combining the bold, bright colors of today with the simple and ever popular style of the braided leather bracelet. We’ve taken a classic folk art approach and made it modern- combining super soft and supple earthtoned leathers with bright contrasting edges to create the Lappland Sami bracelet of today’s fashionista.
Jacob Vaughn Gushue
Project TransAction
www.project-transaction.com
Skål! Have a Sur Flicka Mai Tai
June 30, 2010 – What’s the connection between tropical drinks and Scandinavian style? If you’ve ever had a Mai-tai flavored with elderflowers or sloe berries, you wouldn’t have to ask.
Sur Flicka is proud to join up with Pür Spirits to bring you the exclusive Sur Flicka Mai Tai recipe. We’ve mixed exotic tastes of the tropics with the traditional Scandinavian flavors of elderflowers and sloe berries. Pür Spirits’ elderflower liqueur and sloe vodka are produced according to traditional Northern principles by a 3rd generation artisan distiller in a remote village in Northern Europe. These time-honored recipes have been passed down and refined over decades, if not centuries.
Unlike many other “flavored” vodkas, Pür sloe contains no juices, syrups, sugar additives, and of course, no artificial flavoring of any sort. In the same spirit, Pür elderflower liqueur embodies centuries of refinement and is crafted in accord with ancient practices of purity in harmony with nature.
If you’re planning a midsommar luau, feel free to use our recipe to whip up a few Sur Flicka Mai-Tais and seriously impress your vänner. If you make one, send us a picture of you and your friends enjoying it and we’ll post it on the site. Come to think of it, we’d better get over to our Nordic tiki bar and do some more research.
- 2 oz pineapple juice
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz pür•likör blossom, elderflower liqueur
- ¾ oz pür•geist sloe
- ¼ oz akvavit
- ½ oz passion fruit syrup
- ¼ oz simple syrup
- ¼ oz orgeat syrup
Combine in a cocktail shaker. Shake to mix well, and serve over crushed ice. Dress up in your favorite sur flicka tee and Skål!
To learn more about Pür Spirits, visit their website. Become a Pür Spirits fan on Facebook!
Pacific Northwest Lifestyle blogger, Jaime Broersma, explains What It Means to be Scandinavian
June 2, 2010 – Am I Scandinavian? I sure hope so. Pacific Northwest Lifestyle blogger, Jaime Broersma, explains What It Means to be Scandinavian in her June 2, 2010 blogpost on hori hori dig dig.
