the swede life in toronto

Sorry I have been out of commission the last week or so since I was traveling to Texas to meet my family. I feel like a fish out of water here, as I traveled from an arctic -15C to a balmy +28C with nearly 70% humidity within a day! My skin feels great, but I […]

As a Swedish child, you have plenty of ways to play or “leka med” other Swedes in Toronto. Nowadays, you can easily get Swedish toys and books as well as join in a Swedish playgroup. First, a shout out to the Swedish Church and Pastor Anna Runesson, who started a wonderful program for Swedish kids […]

Before coming to Karelia Kitchen, we didn’t know what to expect. After reading stellar reviews of the place and the background of the owners, we were a little skeptical. Can a couple with no Scandinavian roots cook really good “Scandinavian” food? The answer is an astounding YES! After a lengthy discussion with Leif Kravis and […]

UPDATED: MARCH 24, 2014 One thing that people miss from their home countries which makes living abroad easier is definitely local TV in their native language. Luckily, the Internet has eliminated most of that problem. However, it is still a bit limited because of local copyright and region access laws. So while you may get […]

It seems that Swedes are masters of dairy, drinking and eating all sorts of yogurts, cheese and milk products. It’s no wonder that if you’re under 6 foot for a guy, you’re considered a shorty. Anyways, my husband grew up on this yogurty-like phenomenon called Filmjölk. There really isn’t an English equivalent, but it closely […]

The Swedish House Mafia, a Swedish electronic dance music group, is not for everyone, but they sure made a thumpin’ good song for Absolut Vodka that really rocks! Hailing from Stockholm and newly formed in 2008, this group plays primarily progressive house music for the club scene. Check out the song “Greyhound”, the Absolut Vodka […]

Today, we had some time to make an all-time favorite of Jan’s, Swedish pancakes! He’s not a big fan of American pancakes, but then again, I don’t call Swedish pancakes, pancakes, I refer to them as crepes! 😛 We had delicious wild blueberry compote (sylt) and homemade whipped cream, YUMMO! I just love wild blueberries, […]

Being smart is not only a personality trait, but a way of design and living. The Swedes have it down to an art form, by combining highly functional design and aesthetic beauty, which is something I find so appealing! In addition to having a passion for Swedish food and people, I am also a known […]

Oh, you Swedes can be surprisingly funny (or is that fun?). Oh well… Swedes use the same word for fun and funny and often get it mixed up in English. At times, it makes me go hmmm??? I thought I might post something totally light since this is one of the first posts of my […]

At the Toronto library. they are paying tribute to a quietly sung hero from World War II named Raoul Wallenberg, a Swedish diplomat who saved tens of thousands of Jewish people from succumbing to the Nazis wrath. He distributed thousands of visas and hid scores of Jewish refugees in Swedish diplomatic buildings. I have been […]