Swedish-American Society  Newsletter, December 1999 Edition President: Leland Peterson 489-7061 Web master: Larry Leonardson 721-6827

When Last We Met   Our monthly meeting was held on Sunday, November 21st.  The social hour began at 4:00 with a variety of tasty hors d’oeurves.  The meal began at 5.  At usual, there was a delicious spread, complete with the usual delicious bread baked by Kierstin Bertilrud, and lots of luscious desserts.  Ted Johnson led us in singing the Doxology, Du Gamla, and American the Beautiful. We then prayed our Swedish table grace preceding the meal.  Following the meal, Nellie Leonardson and 3 little male students were excused to retire to another room to work on Christmas ornaments.   Leland Peterson began the meeting by introducing Marilyn Melendy, who presented  BOB & NANCY OLSON with a wedding gift.  He also made the announcement that Alan and Lisbeth Coker are moving to Richmond.  Lisbeth has shown great loyalty and dedication in organizing the Sankta Lucia celebration held each year at our Christmas meeting.  She has agreed to organize it one last time this Dec. 12th, to be held at First Lutheran Church in Norfolk. Volunteers to set up on Saturday will be needed.  The cost will be $5.00 for guests.  Bentley Anderson suggested that we plan to have a group picture taken at that time.  A sheet was passed around so the members could sign up as to what they would be bringing for the Smorgasbord at the Sankta Lucia Festival.  A sheet was also passed around for any who would like to serve and had not been assigned a committee.   Our president then turned the program over to Don and Joanne Lundquist, who briefed us on their first-time adventure to Sweden.  They traveled by car, and showed on a map, where their journey took them.  They began in Stockholm and traveled in a circle around the South of Sweden back to Stockholm. Both Don and Joanne are 100% Swedish so they   visited many relatives.  They had the opportunity of staying in farmhouses, condos,  B & B’s and summer places.  Some points of interest they shared with us were the Larsen House, the 43 foot tall Dalarna Horse , and the first copper mine.  They had a wonderful time and credited the  members for having encouraged them to take the trip.

Before adjourning the meeting, Leland announced that we had received an invitation to contribute any special programs or ideas with which we are involved, to a Newsletter published by the Swedish Immigrant Institute in Veijo, Sweden.  He also encouraged members to volunteer to share their Swedish family history with the club.         At the close of the meeting, Ted Johnson led us in practicing the singing of Sankta Lucia in Swedish.  He assigned each of us the task of learning this before the December meeting.  He also led us in the singing of Silent Night in Swedish.          Andy Andersson then led the raffle.  The meeting was adjourned at 7:15.  As usual, everyone helped Sue Arith with the clean-up and she was ready to lock up in no time.    Respectfully Submitted,    Georgie Unser - Secretary  DIRECTIONS TO OUR MEETINGS    If coming from the peninsula, take I-64 across the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel, follow 64 to 264 East (144). Follow 264 to the Witchduck Road exit, after exiting, turn left onto Witchduck Road. About 1/4 to ½ mile is Ruritan Drive (fire station light is there). Turn left on Ruritan, go the end of the street, building is on the left.  Remember we are not meeting at this location in December. CLUB OFFICERS  President - Leland Peterson 489-7061  Vice President - Alise Dilworth  Secretary - Georgie Unser  Treasurer - Don Lundquist  Newsletter Editor - Nellie Leonardson  Web Master-Larry Leonardson 721-6827

RECIPE FOR GLÖGG    1 bottle of red wine (cheap)  1/4 - 1/2 cup (0,5 - 1 dl) vodka             (not spicy)  5 - 20 pcs of cloves  1 large teaspoon of cardamom seeds  2 - 4 pcs (sticks) of cinnamon  1 - 2 pcs of ginger  Peels from half a lemon  1/2 - 1 cup of sugar  1 large teaspoon of vanilla suger    OW TO DO IT:  Crush cinnamon and cardamom. Peel lemon. Put all spices + peels in a glass jar with the vodka. Cover. Leave over night. Strain the vodka, toss the spices. Mix the now spicy vodka with wine and sugars.  Heat all ingredients in a large kettle until steaming hot. Do not boil! Stir and taste. If not sweet enough, add sugar. If  too sweet, add vodka and wine.  Serve with peeled almonds (or just chop them up) and raisins, plus of course pepper cookies (ginger bread).  The Glögg will be even spicier and gets a fuller taste if you bottle it and leave it for a week. You can also leave out the vodka if you wish something with less alcohol.

PEPPER COOKIES  (SWEDISH GINGER BREAD COOKIES)  1 cup (2 dl) water  1/2 cup (1 dl) syrup (molasses)  2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon  1 tablespoon of ground cloves  1 tablespoon of ground ginger  1 teaspoon of ground cardamom  1 tablespoon of bicarbonate  10,5 oz (300 gr) butter  2,5 cups (5 dl) sugar  7,5 cups or about 1 lb. (1,5 litres) flour    OW TO DO IT:    Mix butter, sugar and syrup. Add spices and bicarbonate,  then water and finally part of the flour. Mix in the rest of the flour. Let the dough sit over night, wrapped in foil in the fridge.  Roll the dough as thin as possible using flour.  Cut out figures - preferable Christmas figures, hearts, stars etc.  Bake in oven for about 5 minutes at 200-225 degrees C (400-425 degrees F).  Watch it! They burn fast once they start.  You can get about 300 cookies, depending on how big you  make them.