Smörgåsbord!

Julbord is the traditional Christmas smörgåsbord in Scandinavian countries. Traditionally, it has three courses and features family recipes as well as local dishes.

Course One: Fish, Fish, Fish!

Start your holiday Julbord off right with some fabulous pickled herring and lox! For some traditional pairings, try your herring with boiled potatoes and hard-boiled eggs, washed down with strong spirits. (Snaps, Aquavit, or Brännvin – your choice!) Some other popular dishes in the first course include: baked salmon, smoked eel, and crab canapes (with a variety of sauces and dips.)

Course Two: Cold Cuts Galore!

This is when the Christmas ham makes an appearance, usually paired with a strong mustard. Other traditional cold cuts include sausages, head cheese, and liver paste. Soft and crisp breads serve as the base, and various cheeses and relishes top off the creations.

Course Three: Warming it Up

A traditional start to this course involves dipping bread into the stock from the Christmas ham.  Other dishes include Swedish meatballs, roasted pork ribs, small fried sausages, and a potato casserole of matchstick potatoes, cream, onion, and anchovies called “Jansson’s Temptation.”

(Wait... what about the lutfisk? It is traditionally served for dinner two days following the Julbord feast.)

...Did you think I forgot dessert?

Julbord desserts vary according to traditions and tastes, but a staple is rice pudding sprinkled with cinnamon.  An almond is hidden in the bowl, and whoever finds it receives a small prize or recognized for their luck. Ginger cookies, sandbakkels, and krumkakke often make an appearance as well. (A delicious pairing with the rice pudding, IMHO.)

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Want to try a Julbord, but don’t know where to start? We’re hosting one!  Join us at IKEA Twin Cities on December 9, 2011 for a fabulous all-you-can-eat feast of Swedish fare.  Tickets are $9.99 for adults, $2.49 for children 12 and under. We will have two seatings this year, one at 5pm, and one at 7pm. Live music and a cash bar ensure much singing and toasting throughout the evening! Tickets are on sale now at the IKEA Twin Cities restaurant, and will sell out – don’t wait!

The Never Ending List #23

We believe that home is the most important place in the world, and that children are the most important people in the world.  Since 2005, IKEA has partnered with UNICEF and Save the Children for our annual Soft Toy Campaign.  To date, the campaign has raised 35.2 million euros ($47.5 million US) and enabled approximately 8 million children in nearly 40 countries the great opportunity of having access to a quality education.

This year’s event runs from November 1 – December 24^th, and includes soft toys, children’s books, and kids’ meatball combo meals in the IKEA Restaurant. For each of these items sold, one euro (approximately $1.35 US) is donated to the Soft Toys for Education Campaign. These incredibly affordable and cuddly creatures will certainly put a smile in the hearts of children, while supporting millions of other children who are in need of a quality education.

The best gift you can give a child is the gift of an education. And educating our children is a top priority. Yet every day millions of children around the world are unable to receive a quality education.  School offers chil­dren a safe environment with support, supervision and socialization. Kids learn life skills that can help improve their own health as well as for their family and community. No doubt, it’s imperative that every child, no matter where they live, receives a quality education.

In conjunction with other IKEA stores around the country, IKEA Twin Cities will donate hundreds of soft toys to our local Toys for Tots chapter this year. We have also selected Toys for Tots as the beneficiary of our in-store donation bin!  Customers are invited to purchase a soft toy or children’s book to go to their local efforts.

Learn more about some of the projects that benefit from our Soft Toy Campaign here.

 

Read about UNICEF and Save the Children on their official sites.