Serves: n/a
Approx cost: €0
Approx calories (per portion, if divided by 4): n/a
Approx preparation and cooking time: ~120 minutes
[button link=”#recipe” color=”silver”] To jump straight to the recipe, click here[/button]
[dropcap style=”font-size: 60px; color: #0B0B61;”]Hello everyone. I thought I’d share a few more photos from my recent vacation with you today, and I’m very excited to run another giveaway today, but that will come a bit later on in the post. As usual, most of these photos will be available for download on my downloads page (not all of them this time because some of them just aren’t that good and I’m posting them more to tell a story). We’ll jump straight into the photos with a shot from outside a coffee-shop in town. It was snowing and cold and as a result was absolutely packed to the rafters inside. I didn’t have a chance to take any photos inside alas, but believe me when I tell you that it’s very cute – lace tablecloths, small flowers on the tables, small oil paintings of nameless people of yesteryear on the walls, and a whole mismatch of furniture in varying styles, sizes and colours.
I was pretty dumbstruck when I found out that there were actually babies sleeping in the strollers outside the café – I think things like this are really indicative of a very different way of life. It just wouldn’t be the “done thing” in England or France… not only would people be freaking out about mad baby-snatchers, but they’d be worried that the child would be freezing in its sleep. On this day it was about -5 or so – not so cold. I was told that when the temperature really goes lower, past -15 or so then the babies wouldn’t be left there, but when it’s barely below zero, and they’re wrapped up warm in their stroller it’s not really an issue.
Just outside the café is an old-fashioned telephone box – I would suspect (in fact I’m almost 100% certain) that it doesn’t work any longer, but to be honest I’ve never asked, and never dared look inside. I always think the outside looks rather cute though. Just down the road from the café, heading out of the town a little way you get to a wonderful little “town” just down the road from a beautiful church. The houses here aren’t, and never were, permanent dwellings – because a trip into town to attend church required quite some time for country-folk in the past there are a large number of these small buildings for the families to stay in. The buildings themselves are quite spartan. No plumbing, no electricity – usually the insides consist of a table and seating bench, a small fireplace, and then a low-ceiling attic area for sleeping. This “church town” has existed since the 17th century and really has a very communal feeling to it – small streets between the houses and so forth, and this way the people living a long distance away could come in on Saturday afternoon/evening, stay the night, and be up bright and early, and on time, for church the next day, before beginning the long journey home. These days of course the town is no longer used for this purpose, although the houses are owned by individuals who often go there in the summer months to relax with a cup of coffee and enjoy the tranquility.
For those of you interested, you can read a bit more about the history of Bonnstan here – it’s really quite fascinating with several old photos and information about how it came to be.
Just below the church town is a river which is particularly wide at this point. It actually has an island in the middle, accessible by bridge where I had våfflor with cream and cloudberry jam a couple of summers ago from a small café there – very idyllic :). This time though, it was about 2.30pm and the sun was setting fast so I hope you’re able to appreciate the photo I took of the river below. It was pretty much all frozen over, but you can just see the end of the island on the left of the photo. I thought the setting sun on the horizon made for a beautiful landscape!
Do you remember in this post I talked about how the Swedes have a special word for the kind of snow which clumps together well when conditions are right (so you can build snowmen and so forth…)? Well a lot of the time, it was pretty darn cold and conditions just weren’t right for building a snow-anything. You know how when you grab a pile of snow with your glove and it just ends up flying away as a powder, or sticking to your whole glove? It was mostly like this, but the temperature came up a smidge two days before I left and I decided it was high time I built a snow-cave. In the end, it was a fun old time – my wife’s father came out and decided he wanted to help too, which came in rather handy since to be honest I don’t really have the first idea about building snow caves! 😀
When it was all done he went off and fetched two lanterns which we put inside the cave and it just looked like the most adorable, cozy place I ever saw. Chilly, yes, but it sure had a warm snuggly appearance to it!
Before we move on to the giveaway, I’ll leave you with a final photo of one of the out-buildings in the yard of my parents-in-law which I thought just looked so beautiful with the little lantern, the snow-covered wreath, and the thick snow on the roof, as well as the snow whipped up against the bottom of the door after the windy day. I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing a few of my memories and do enjoy the rest of today’s post. Stay tuned for more photo posts in the future :).
The Giveaway!
Another Swedish item up for grabs today – a “Tomte”, “Väsen” (pronounced a bit like “v-air-sen”). This little guy is hand-made using locally produced wool and will sit on your shelf or desk and give you lots of love and he’s just the softest, cutest little thing ever.
The tomte or nisse was believed to take care of a farmer’s home and children and protect them from misfortune, in particular at night, when the housefolk were asleep.
I had the hardest time ever trying to find out the precise history of this little guy – Scandinavian and Norse mythology is complex, and intertwined, but if you fancy a bit of interesting reading, I’d really recommend reading about Tomtar and also Vættir
As always, this giveaway is open to everyone, regardless of where you live (unless maybe if you live in some science station in Antartica – postage might be a smidgen prohibitively expensive to there!)
To enter:
As per last time, all you have to is leave a comment below specifying your desire to enter the giveaway and guess a number, between 1 and 100. If you don’t want to participate, feel free to just leave a comment. Only people who guess a number will be included in the drawing. A number between 1-100 will be randomly generated by random.org at 2200 CEST on Sunday 29th January 2012 and the person who picked that number will win… yay! The winner will be announced in one of my regular posts on Monday 30th January, posted at 0800 CEST. In case no-one picked the winning number, then the winner will be the person who picked the number numerically closest. In case two or more people picking the same winning number, or the winning number being exactly in the middle of the two closest entries, then they will be entered into a draw and I’ll pull their name out of a hat!
Good luck! 🙂
Finally, I thought I’d post a very quick recipe today – in the theme of my new years’ resolution of posting more useful tips and tricks, here’s one which you should all be doing. I’m sure many of you already do, but just in case you’re still buying instant stock cubes… stop that right now. Home-made stock is one of the most easy, and satisfying things to make because you can use things which you would literally be throwing away into the trash. Vegetable trimmings? Chewy, fatty bits of meat? Chicken skin and carcasses? Fish heads and skin? Chuck it in a pot with an onion and boil the flavour out of it, strain it, and what do you have? A whole load of beautiful, delicious home-made stock, which you can then either freeze or use right away for whatever you like.
For vegetable stocks, if you are just one person, or a couple, and maybe you don’t eat so many fresh vegetables in a week for whatever reason, you can store the carrot peelings, broccoli stalks, cabbage or celery leaves, mushroom stumps etc in a box or bag in the freezer until you’re ready to use them. When you defrost them, don’t worry – they’ll be black, soggy and look absolutely disgusting. This is fine – you’re after the flavour, and this will still be there. You’re not going to be eating the black soggy leaves after all. 🙂
Ingredients
- Left over vegetable tops, trimmings, peelings, ends. Avoid potato peelings as I’ve heard this will make the stock bitter, although I’ve never actually tried it myself – about 4 good handfuls
- 1 Onion, peeled
Instructions
- Place the ingredients into a large pan and cover without about 2 litres of water. Cover the pan with a lid and bring the water to the boil before reducing the heat and simmering on a low heat for about 2 hours. After this time, you should have a deep brown/green coloured stock, depending on the vegetables you’ve used. Strain the liquid into a jug or freezer safe container and then store or use accordingly.
ping says
Oh, Mr Tomtar is sooo cute!! Wouldn’t want to make him angry tho.
Oh goody, this recipe is perfect. I’ve always hated throwing away small bits of vegetables. Now why didn’t I think of turning them into stock? Oh, probably by the time I’ve accumulated enough bits and pieces, they’ve turned soggy and doesn’t look too safe to make into anything but compost 😀 Freezing them is a great idea!
ping says
Forgot to tell you your pictures are beautiful! Looking at them takes me to some kind of fairy tale places.
Charles says
Thanks so much Ping – I think it’s a great idea because seriously – tops of carrots, tops of leeks, or scrappy outside layer from celery etc… it’s just such a shame to chuck it so I love turning it into something so great 🙂
Nada says
Finally! that’s the one you mentioned last time! Glad you posted it!
Nada says
oups! forgot to mention that the pictures are beaaaaaaaaaaautiful!!!
And I’ll try with 29.
Charles says
Thanks Nada – good luck! 🙂
fati's recipes says
Duuhh… that little one is SO cute!! 😀 He looks like my uncle! 😀 I did the same as last time and got 75 so that’s my number! 🙂
Your pics are so pretty! And this stock is really easy to make. I like it. 🙂
Charles says
Thanks so much Fati – Good luck! (I’d laugh if you won again 😀 )
bakingaddict says
I love your photos, thanks for sharing. I can’t believe the babies are left in the strollers – you are right, it would not happen in England or France! Do they wrap the babies in thermal wear? The snow cave looks awesome!! No snow this year so I’m feeling envious looking at your pictures (not about the temperature though!) A good vegetable stock is so versatile. I have to admit I’m lazy and tend to use ready made ones!
Charles says
Hi BakingAddict – The babies are pretty snug inside – plenty of blankets and the like so I think they’re not cold. They’re well protected from the snow and wind inside the stroller so it’s fine, and besides, as I mentioned – it’s not done if it’s really cold, but ~ -5 – -10 is fine 🙂
Kelly @ Inspired Edibles says
Would you look at that snow cave… Are you kidding me, incroyable!! Can’t wait to show these photos to my boys – they would have been right there with you (and my husband ;)) shovelling joyously. I love the shot of the caves with lanterns all aglow; gorgeous!! Indeed, all of your snow-covered shots are amazing Charles – I love that kind of stuff – and your veggie stock too of course :). And look at that handsome little fellow…full of character. Let’s go lucky 17!!
Charles says
Thanks so much Kelly – My father-in-law even poked ventilation holes in the roof of the cave because otherwise the oil-lamps would have made it a but air-less. Once they’d been in there for a while it smelled a bit parafinny, but it had a lovely warmth inside 🙂 Good luck with 17! 🙂
Eva kitcheninspirations.wordpress.com says
It is illegal to leave your children unattended in Canada, you could actually go to jail if found doing it; and they have this law, Charles, because we have our share of whack-jobs! http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1111938–vaughan-kids-left-in-freezing-car-as-parents-ate-pizza. Your photos are stunning, the little out building is adorable, and the sunset is gorgeous. I doubt I would have travelled the distance to go to church in freezing cold weather (I don’t even go down the street for that matter!!!)
The vegetable stock looks amazing, I’m sure that is what you used in your Jerusalem Artichoke Soup – I’ll have to make this one too as I am going to serve your soup for my Nephew’s sunday dinner at our place!
Ok, that little guy is so cute, that I MUST have him because I need a new avatar, and I would make it him! I will guess with the number 63. Hope it brings me oodles of luck. Very cute little dude. Any chances of entering more than once?
Charles says
Hi Eva – I hope you have good luck with 63! 🙂 I was going to offer multiple chances of entering (with facebook, subscriptions etc), but my sense of equality won over and I figured that ultimately, everyone has an equal shot and that’s the best way (plus it keeps things simple on my end :D)
Charles says
Hi Eva – I forgot to say – if you love him so much I would be happy to get you one specially next time I’m in Sweden! (That’s assuming you don’t win this time of course though!)
Prod me next time I’m going to Sweden (I’ll certainly be announcing it on my blog well in advance and I’ll up a little guy just for you 🙂 )
Vijitha says
Hey Charles
Lovely clicks. What, do they leave the baby in the stroller like that. I have a 14month at home and cann’t imagine leaving him out in the snow. Were they covered with thermals atleast? Poor babies 🙁
Perfect recipe for the stock. Easy, straightforward and we could use the left overs and vegetable peels too 🙂
Charles says
Thanks Vijitha – I shouldn’t worry about the babies – it’s quite common. They’re not left out in dangerously cold temperatures, but they’re well protected from the wind and snow inside the stroller, and they have warm clothes and blankets. My wife tells me that she was often put out on the verandah during the winter months to sleep, when the temperature was around -5 or so. She says that she slept really well 🙂
Sissi says
Charles, the photos are extraordinary, especially the snow cave one! The photo with babies sleeping at -5 outside of the café is hilarious. I really love both the photo and what it shows as attitude towards life! I suppose it’s a small village where everyone knows everyone etc… I remember when I was a child most babies in the family or among parents’ friends were left outside (balcony, house garden…), even when it was a bit chilly (not in the Winter though) because “they slept better in the fresh air”. I no longer see it nowadays…
(I don’t know about the UK, but the French at least are not afraid of leaving their babies with baby-sitters or nannies, the thing which is labelled as a “bad mother’s behaviour” in so many countries… I also know several Frenchmen who, as small boys, used to wear knee-length shorts and socks all year round until a certain age, in Winter too!).
Of course being scared of mad baby thieves is something else. I suppose such a cool behaviour is typical of a small village/city calm life… My mum told me that when I was small many mothers left their babies like this in front of shops. Then of course it stopped because of criminals and crazy people. Now people are even afraid of leaving their dogs!
Thank you for organising one more giveaway! The Swedish guy is so cute! He looks a bit like a fairy-tale dwarf (you know like from Snow White). So maybe this time I will choose 65.
Your stock recipe is an excellent idea. It looks delicious too! I see that everyone makes his or her stock in a different way. I must post my stock recipe one day too!
Thank you for this fantastic post!
Charles says
Hi Sissi – it’s interesting you say that – my wife was also put outside to nap in the afternoon in the winter (of course, not all night or something crazy, but for a morning nap etc) when she was a baby. The place where this café is is, I guess, a town, not really a village – it has quite some people living in it, although of course Sweden’s idea of a towns and cities, from a population point of view, should be viewed with the knowledge that the whole country only has ~9 million people in it – most of whom live in the south. Naturally, by default the number of people decrease the further up north you go, and it becomes more common that you know people from the local area
Good luck with #65 Sissi 🙂
lisa@smartfoodandfit says
Thanks for sharing your vacation photo’s. My mouth nearly dropped to the floor when I heard the babies were left outside alone to nap! I’m speechless!
Anyhow, that snow cave rocks! My boys are outside right now trying to build one, my 5 year old is sitting next to me drinkin hot cocoa and can’t wait to show his older brother your cave!
You know I need to make more vegetable stock, I always make chicken/turkey stock. Thanks for another great cooking tip!Have a great weekend!
Charles says
Thanks so much Lisa 🙂 Did you want to participate in the giveaway?
Speaking of stock, I’ll be cooking up some fish tomorrow, so I’ll have some great “ingredients” for a fish stock soon 🙂
Hyosun Ro says
Charles – As usual, all these photos are beautiful. Thanks for the easy stock recipe. I am trying to more veggies… How about 93?
Charles says
Thanks so much Hyosun 🙂 Good luck with 93!
Sawsan @chef in disguise says
They leave babies! OUT IN THE SNOW! my jaw literally dropped when I read this!
on another note I really loved the pictures especially the one with the lanterns in the snow cave.
The little guy is really cute, I choose number 7..wish me luck
Charles says
Thanks so much Sawsan – I think the cave looked so pretty, indeed 🙂 A real comforting place in the snow!
Good luck with #7!!
Barb @ Profiteroles & Ponytails says
Wow, I’m stunned by the baby thing over there in Sweden. It really must be a different way of life….just isn’t done here in Canada as Eva has pointed out. Your pictures are lovely…I feel like I’ve been transported to a different time and place. Please throw my name into the hat….I’m going to go with 50 as my number. I love the fact that your stock is made from trimmings and tops — very practical!
Charles says
Hi Barb – I hope one day you’ll get the chance to visit. It’s a very lovely country – I’m so please you enjoy looking at my photos… comments like yours really inspire me to take more photos and drive to improve – I hope I can post some more photos soon… perhaps some of England or something…
Good luck with your number!
Clare says
Those recent pictures are the best yet, Charlie. Love the one of the church with the twinkling lights in the background. What time of day was it when you took it? Looks like dusk, but it was probably something like midday! Ha ha! I guess number 37, same as last time. Hope that if I stick with the same one I’ll win sooner or later. That little bearded gnome man is so cute … he’d look great sitting on my desk at work. He could spread Swedish culture in China!
Charles says
Hi Clare – the church photo with the twinkling lights was taken around 1.30pm if I remember correctly. We walked up to Bonnstan after the photo, and then down to the lake. By the time we got to the lake it was about 2.00pm or so.
Good luck with your number! 🙂
Greg says
57! I’m still a bit flummoxed by those babies. Were the strollers too big to fit inside? Is extreme cold good for babies? Do parents just need a break…. I’ll never know. Great photos though.
Charles says
Thanks Greg, and good luck! The strollers were definitely too big to fit through the door. Only one side of the door opens and it’s quite narrow. I guess people feel that since the baby is well insulated in the chair, and already asleep, there’s no need to wake it up just for the 20 minutes it takes to have a cup of coffee 🙂
kristy says
I’m doing it! I’m making vegetable stock. I always have leftover trimmings and pieces. This is perfect Charles. 🙂
Now I have to tell you the thing about the strollers had me rolling in laughter. I had looked at the picture before reading what you wrote and was thinking how cute that looked. Then I read that there were babies in there! I was so dumb-founded I just started cracking up. I just can’t even imagine that! That is definitely a different way of life. I mean aside from all the other obvious things you mentioned (baby snatchers, the cold, etc.), I have no doubt this kind of thing would get you in trouble around here.
And my number…32. Was that my number last time too? I’ll have to check. It’s the first thing that popped in my head. That little guy is so cute!
Charles says
Hi Kristy – 32 was indeed your number last time too… does it have special significance? Glad I could make you chuckle. I still find it pretty curious myself, but everyone else (Swedish) who I speak to about it has this look of “ok? … not seeing the problem here…” on their face 😀 Glad you enjoyed the photos! I’ve got some from a trip to England last year that I might post sometime too, and of course – in the not too distant future will be springtime here – that’s always a beautiful time of year!
Good luck with your number, and let me know if you try making stock!
Linda says
So pretty Charles. Like stepping back into another place and time. Babies sleeping outside…wow, never, never would have I thought that!! The buildings are dreamlike, magical with the snow covered rooftops and lanterns glowing. Thanks for sharing these. Truly lovely. And for my number….lets go with 86!
Charles says
Thanks so much Linda – I’m so pleased you enjoyed the post. I love posts like these. It takes a bit longer to fix the photos up but it’s so much fun to share it with everyone 🙂
Good luck with your number!
Clare says
I showed the picture of that gnome thing to Jiajia, and she said that it looked like an ice-cream! She chose the number 87 as her draw entry. She thinks that he’d like to sit in her cot with her teddies.
Charles says
Good luck to Jiajia! 🙂
Chica Andaluza says
What a wonderful post. Not a country I really know anything about but it looks so beautiful. Anyway, I´m going for my lucky number 11 please! Babies here are taken everywhere, but handed rounded from person to person in bars and restaurants (even strangers!) so they don´t really seem to cause any bother to anyone…you just pass the baby on when you´ve had enough (or need another glass of wine)!
Charles says
“you just pass the baby on when you´ve had enough” – Haha, oh Chica – you made me laugh there 😀
I hope you have an opportunity to visit Sweden, or even Norway, someday – they’re really beautiful countries. The summers are warm, but not too hot. Of course, the winters can be a bit brutal. I guess it ultimately depends on what your favourite kind of weather is 🙂
Good luck with your number!
Jen says
Awesome pictures! I love reading your posts, they are just wonderful! I’d like number 28. Cheers
Charles says
Thanks so much Jen 🙂 Good luck with your number!
Pure Complex says
I LOVE your veggie stock.. its so simple and it looks absolutely amazing. But I must say I am still stuck on the babies being outside in the stroller. I was left speechless when I read it and when I saw your photos. But you are right.. totally different way of living. I absolutely love the photos from your trip :). Of course I would love to enter this contest and my number is 32.. Kristy can not have my number LOL 🙂
Charles says
Thanks Kay! So glad you enjoyed the post – I love sharing photos I’ve taken. People seem to enjoy them so I’ll try and do more 🙂 Hope you can make the stock – it’s a fantastic, frugal use for scraps and stuff you’d normally put straight in the trash!
Good luck with your number, but if 32 comes up, be prepared for a little war with Kristy 🙂
Helen Smith says
Lovely post, Charles and I made the stock today as had a houseful for lunch, no cubes!!!!!!! The little man is fun so will choose my lucky number 25. Needed your expertise today when planning to make roast potatoes and at the parboiled stage they were already mash. So much for buying extra veges non- organic.
Charles says
Thanks! Good luck with your lucky number! Sounds like you parboiled the potatoes a little too long – oopsie 😀
Hotly Spiced says
Oh wow! It’s another world. I’ve never seen or experienced anything like that. Does the sun really start to set at 2.30pm? That’s when we’re starting to gather around the outdoor table for lunch. And that photo of the out-house is so beautiful. It could be used for a Christmas card. All it needs is ‘Seasons Greetings’ across the top of the image. You should market it Charles! And as for leaving those babies outside in -5. You get arrested here and thrown in gaol if you leave your baby in a car for a few seconds, I can’t imagine what the punishment would be for leaving your baby out in the snow. A different world, a different life I suppose. Thanks for sharing Charles, it was fascinating.
Charles says
Hi Charlie – it does indeed start to set at that time. Sunrise is about 9.30 (later sometimes, depending on how deep into winter you are). Sunset is about 1430 (earlier, again, depending how deep into winter you are). It’s insane if you check the sunrise/sunset times for somewhere like Tromsø, in Norway, even further north. It just says “The sun does not rise in Tromsø at this time of year”. In fact, I think they had their “first sunrise” in about a month a few days ago! I’m sure that was a day of great excitement 😀
The snow will often lay on the ground for ~5 months in Winter in the north of Sweden, so if you’re not a fan of the cold and want to visit Sweden I’d advise the summer months. At the peak of summer where I was the sun will set very late… around midnight, and rise again about 3 hours later. Even then it’s not completely dark. If you look to the north you can still see that it’s very bright there, because they have constant daylight for a few months. It must really mess with your body clock, living there I think!
Ann says
Hi Charles! Thanks for the fun giveaway – SO adorable! My number is 7 (again). …and you KNOW I’m a fan of “junk stock”!
Charles says
Hi Ann – good luck with your number! I think it was your blog I was reading recently where I saw you making a stock, right? I was surprised because I think you put potato peelings in too, right? I’ve never tried it, but I’ve always read it makes the stock bitter – do you find that?
Ann says
Hi Charles – you saw right! I have been putting potato peels in for years and never had a problem! I do, however, SCRUB the potatoes and then peel so the peelings are very, very clean! I also run my stock through cheese cloth to keep the stock clear….but it’s always delicious!
A_Boleyn says
Love the snowy pictures … as long as someone else has to do the shovelling, I’m all for snow. Thank you a nice, calorie friendly recipe. It’s a good base for a healthy soup though I wouldn’t mind some ideas of how else to use it. Glad you liked my latest recipe, did you see the bread I made too? It would go great with a nice vegetable soup. 🙂
Though I’ve had a craving for cream puffs lately with a pastry cream filling.
I’d love to win the little guy. I pick #23.
Charles says
Hi A_Boleyn – I missed it actually but I just checked out your bread post now – really nice. Would make a great addition to soup, I agree!
As for other recipe ideas – Well… vegetable stock is a tough one. Chicken stock you can use to cook broccoli for a delicious taste enhancement… not just that but other veg too. I suppose you could do it with veg stock, but I always just use it for soup and that’s it really. I’ll let you know if I come across any ideas 🙂
Good luck with #23!
Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says
Lovely photos, Charles.. Breath-taking 🙂
Number 89, please?!?
Charles says
Thanks so much Kiran! Good luck with 89 as well 🙂
Noora says
I LOVE these photos. You make me so homesick. These are out of this world! What kind of a camera you have? I don’t know much about cameras but I want to get a decent, easy to use, idiot proof camera. any suggestions? See, you make me want to cook AND to take pictures. Inspirational.
Charles says
Thanks so much Noora! By the way, did you want to enter the giveaway?
The camera I use is this one. The price they have on Amazon France is actually quite good at the moment and includes an 18-55mm lens. It’s a good entry-level DSLR, even though it’s a few years old now. I bought it about 4 years ago now and I still think it’s a really good camera. The functions can seem a bit complicated at first but if you read a few guides about how to use the different settings you’ll find it very simple.
Noora says
Number 2!
Chopinand @ ChopinandMysaucepan says
Dear Charles
The scenery in your photos are truly enchanting. Contrary to a lot of people, I love the cold and would love to live in a country or city with snow capped grounds.
Charles says
Hi Chopinand – yeah… there’s a lot of people who dislike cold weather it seems. I love it. As long as you have good clothing then going outside you hardly feel the cold at all, and there is just *no* great feeling then coming inside when it’s bitterly cold outside – having a delicious meal around a table in a warm kitchen with family, lighting some candles, sitting around a fire… it’s so comforting.
Caroline says
Charles!!! Those photos are incredible. But that photo of the cave…no words. Can I live there? Well, OK, maybe it would be a bit too cold, but it sure looks awesome, as does this vegetable stock! Glad you’re doing a giveaway. Let’s see…how about number 33. 🙂
Charles says
Thanks Caroline! You could try to live in the cave – it’s definitely big enough to lie down in and store a few necessities. To be honest, if you had one of these “arctic-proof” military-style sleeping bags you’d probably be snug as a bug in a rug for the night there.
Good luck with number 33!
Kankana says
It never snows out here in CA and looking at your photos specially the cave.. i wish to visit east coast and play with snow! 🙂
Charles says
Hi Kankana – I *loved* the snow cave… would totally build one of those every year if I lived somewhere snowy 😀
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
i’ve been out of town for awhile and just now catching up with your posts. Really enjoyed your vacation photos and the story behind them. I know that some people must be shocked to know that a baby would be left outside. They certainly wouldn’t be considered safe in our country. think it is wonderful that there are still places in the world that people think it is totally safe to leave a sleeping baby. Most of the world isn’t like that. I can see why you say that you want to someday have your home there. The whole village must think that they are responsible for all the children of the village and that they are all watched over no matter where they are. Every place is so different in time. Lovely post. By the way my number shall be 17.
Charles says
Hi Karen, thanks for your comment – I was actually talking with my wife about this very thing and she said that in the last 10 years or something, in all of Sweden, only two children had been “snatched” and both of them had ended up being returned unharmed. Of course, it’s not the case for everywhere in the world, I can appreciate that, and Sweden has a very low population, even by English standards, but I think it’s nice that there’s places which don’t pass potentially over-protective laws which would would have protected only a tiny, tiny percentage of the population – potentially.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
Linda says
Oh man! Your photos make me want to go there!!! All very nice and it looks like your snow cave would have been a great place for a little glass of wine or shot of strong liquor. I want to go now! I own long johns. 🙂 I like your giveaway – very cool idea you have. I”ll choose number 6. As for leaving babies out in the snow – I think it’s awesome that there is still a place so safe in our big ole’ world…..can I move there now?
Charles says
Hi Linda, the snow cave was so much fun. I’d have loved to build an igloo but then I found out you need blocks of ice for that… Alas I had only snow!
Good luck with your number choice, check back on Monday for the results, and have a great weekend!
Nami | Just One Cookbook says
I love looking at the pictures where I’ve never been, hoping that I can ever be able to visit one day. Thanks for sharing them with us and the cute giveaway! Hmmm let’s go with #37! I should try making vegetable stock from scratch!
Charles says
Thanks Nami – You definitely should. You seem to use a lot of vegetables in your recipes – I guess you must have quite a few peelings and left-over bits which you’d normally put in the trash!
Good luck with #37!
Stefanie says
I just love your pictures! I can live vicariously through you whenever you go on a trip 🙂 And the snow cave looks super awesome and cozy. Love the outside shot with the light glowing from the inside!
As for the veggie stock, that looks super rich. I’ve tried making my own stock once or twice, and it never quite seemed to come out all that well. But this looks easy and delicious, and a great way to use up scraps 🙂
Charles says
Thanks Stefanie! I did think the snow cave looked just beautiful. You could see it all the way back from the road. I guess people walking past must have wondered what the heck it was (probably thinking we were quite crazy too, since for them, snow is “no big deal” 😀 )
How come your stocks didn’t turn out so well before? I’ve always had pretty good luck with stock in general, although I don’t make it as much as I should!
Marie says
The cave looks fantastic, as do the pictures of snowy Sweden! Hehe… leaving the babies on the street is something that can happen only in Scandinavia. 🙂 What a cute little nisse… I can’t miss on participating, so I choose number 37. Thanks for posting the vegetable stock recipe… it’s a must do! 🙂
Charles says
Hi Marie,
I stopped over in Copenhagen on the way back to France – it was quite a shock. Not only was there no snow, but I was completely unable to understand a thing anyone said. Spoken Danish is incredibly hard to understand I find!
Good luck with your number! Check back on Monday to see the winner 🙂
Marie says
Aaah… we still have snow down here in Sønderborg. I can’t tell you how entertaining it is to hear people comment on Danish language. It truly is different… especially from Swedish. I have found out I can read a bit Swedish, but I have almost no clue when it comes to spoken Swedish. On the other hand, Bokmål (one of the official languages in Norway) is incredibly easy to read… being so close to Danish. When it comes to pronunciation, it’s still a drag, but hey… it’s another language after all. 🙂 I hope you liked Copenhagen even without the snow! 🙂
Marianna says
I will go with 34 )
I really wanted to write some meaningful comment, but all I could think of is how cute the little tomte is )
Charles says
Lol, never mind 🙂
Good luck with 34 Marianna!
Sydney Jones says
Oh, he is so adorable!! I will pick 13. And vegetable stock is such a wonderful staple to have on hand, I am currently collecting end bits 🙂
Charles says
Thanks Sydney – Good luck with 13! Check back on Monday to see the results 🙂