Larsson, Carl (1853 - 1919)
Swedish painter who captured the every day life of swedes about a hundred years ago.

Some of his paintings can be found at Project Runeberg.

There is no copyright on his work as he's been dead for over 50 years.

Traditional Swedish Celebration centers around food, and some are even the cause. Christmas and New Years used to be a time of year to show how well you had done throughout the year; planting, harvesting, feeding, maintaining and preserving. Nowadays it is a question of stamina- who shops and cooks and bakes the most. On the table you can see; ham, roast beef, meatballs, potatoes, herring, different kinds of bread, "herring-salad" (sounds worse than it tastes!) and much more.

A couple of months after Christmas it is time for "Fet-Tisdag", when you eat a bun filled with marzipan and whipped cream- as it is the last day before the fasting begins in the religious year. This is not followed by the average Swede- just used as an excuse to eat the sweets!

At the end of June, the Sun is at his highest- and who wants to sleep when it is bright outside at midnight? A three day celebration with traditional dancing and singing around the Midsummer-pole, alot of food is consumed; herring, salmon, potatoes, jansson's temptation, many different kinds of bread and with Aquavit topping it off.

In August and September when the nights are getting darker, it is time for "Surströmmings Fest", and "Kräftskiva". Surströmming is pretty much fermented herring- smells aweful- eaten with potatoes, sour cream, chives, onions, on bread and with the indispensible Aquavit (now we all know why!).

Drinking is done on social occasions, and some poets have graced us with their wit and musical abilities producing songs sung (?) with your glass of Water of Life in your hand. During a "Kräftskiva" the drinking and singing carry over, but you are supposed to wear silly hats with crawfish as a motif at the same time- and of course, they are the celebration and the main course.

Naturally, when abroad and homesick, the best cure is to make some food with a taste and smell which will take you "home" again- the recipes here is mine.

© 1998 lillamy.org (except scanned paintings)