Den som väntar på något gott, väntar aldrig för länge(He who waits for something good doesn't wait for long!).



Copenhagen, Denmark

         Whenever I sit down to make another entry here I have to conjure up some experience or adventure, and I am always afraid I have run out...but have no fear...I haven't!  How could I ever forget my first trip to Europe with my husband?

   We were living in Cherry Hill, New Jersey...not my favorite place!  Moving far from my family and leaving behind my parents, sister, aunts and friends...my area of comfort and my New York City haunts was wrenching, indeed.  I had made my peace with living here where we built a custom home in a new community...I  began an interior design business with a friend... got my children situated in new schools and joined in all the school activities...participated in charity work... joined in the social obligations demanded by my husband's position ...and hired a Nanny/Housekeeper to help me out. Not terrible by any means, but not familiar, it just never felt quite like "home". 

   One evening, after a long and exhausting day, I was upstairs getting the children ready for bed when my husband burst through the front door calling my name and waving a sheet of paper like a flag.  He bounded up the stairs just as I was putting the baby into his crib.  I took the paper from him before the baby grabbed it and I saw the words... "Itinerary: 10 Days in Copenhagen and Stockholm"... It seems that he was among a group of about ten men who had won this fabulous trip with their wives from a vendor.  It would be a group of about twenty-six all together, including people from the sponsoring company.  

   Weeeell...I had work to do!  I called and arranged for my parents to come down and be with Loretta and the children for that time...I arranged with my partner to cover the time I was away...I went into New York City to shop and have my hair done...and I wanted to prepare the children for our absence (which they would probably not even notice with Nana and Poppy there, spoiling them!).

   And then...it was time to leave...we drove to Newark Airport and met the rest of our party.  I knew some of the people and the others were warm and welcoming.  This would be our first trip abroad, together.

     On the plane a sense of party and excitement prevailed.  The engines were revved and the doors were locked...and then a light went on a few rows ahead of us...suddenly the flight attendants were crowded around that seat and the engines were cut ... an ambulance pulled up beside the plane...a woman in our party had suffered a stroke!!!  After some delay she was removed from the plane and we were able to take off...The rest of the flight was uneventful and while slightly subdued by the earlier event, we  landed in Copenhagen, Denmark, excited and looking forward to a wonderful adventure.  

Beautiful, beautiful Copenhagen.  Bright, clean,friendly and gorgeous.We toured museums and saw all of the sights. We went to see The Little Mermaid and took pictures and bought souveniers for our children, who loved Hans Christian Andersen's stories.  There was a small bus that transported the whole group and small groups often went out on our own. Many of the Danes spoke English so going out on our own was easy.  I was besotted with the Tivoli Gardens...a gorgeous public garden/amusement park that was immaculatley clean.  Joyous voices of children rang through the gardens and lovers strolled hand in hand.  The lights at night gave a sense of romance and celebration.

                                                         

Carousel at Tivoli Gardens

It was at Tivoli Gardens I met the woman with the Royal Copenhagen shopping bag.  She was English but lived in Copenhagen.  We struck up a conversation and I told her that my sister had given us a wedding gift she purchased at Royal Copenhagen...a tea set of 8 each, cups, saucers and cake plates. Eight years and three children later there had been a bit of attrition.  She suggested we visit the "seconds room" where, if you had the patience, you could find what RC called seconds. Sometimes only a hallmark or signature on the back of a dish rendered it a second...all you needed was the will and the time to pick through the hundreds of pieces to find the best ones. We did...so off we went!

We spent over two hours going through the thousands of pieces of our pattern.  At last we took our cart to the cashier, who arranged for shipping and took our payment which was significantly less than if we had bought "firsts".  We paid and left, the proud owners of service for twelve each...dinner plates, salad plates,  cups and saucers!  How ever did that happen? (smirk)

And then it was time to leave this beautiful city and go to our next city...Stockholm, Sweden.

                                                             


Stockholm, Sweden at night

  Stockholm was beautiful.  We stayed at a hotel that had a huge fire-pit surrounded by comfy banquetts in the lounge.  This is where we gathered at days' end to unwind and recount the happenings of the day over drinks and hors d' ouvres.  This is also where we learned that the woman who fell ill on the plane had died.  Something of the excitment was diminished for those who knew her well, and even those of us who did not know her at all felt a real sadness at the news.  But this was our adventure and onward we went.

We visited the royal palace, museums and shopped, shopped, shopped...(How could I return to my children without Viking helmets with huge horns <and braids on the one for my daughter>!)              

A most memorable experience was our visit to the Vasa musem.  

                                              

The Vasa was a war ship that set sail some time during the 1600's and sunk almost as soon as it was out to sea during it's maiden voyage.  In the  1960's it was raised and a museum was built to house the ship and the artifacts found aboard it.  The museum is kept damp and humid at all times to keep the wood from rotting.  (Let us not even discuss what my hair looked like after this visit!!)

Our last night in Stockholm our party was invited to partake of a Swedish Smorgasbord.  I thought we Jewish folks set out a big spread...but this was a veritable food orgy!

                                                     

 Not only are there copious amounts of food, but a there is a protocol for eating it!!!  One begins with the herrings...egg with  anchovies or shrimp dishes...salmons (smoked or gravlax)...Matjes herring prepared with sour cream and chives...

Swedish crisp bread and cheeses are served with this course and round one of either Aquavit or beer is the beverage of choice...

   Grab a clean plate and you are ready for the sausages, ham and Pates...All the courses are served with various salads and delicious fresh vegetable dishes...potatoes with dill are a big favorite...

  Take a deep breath, some Aquavit, another clean plate and dive into the warm dishes.  Here are the meatballs with lingonberries, roast beef, spare ribs, and baked ham and smoked reindeer...(ok...I passed on the last item...somehow a little red nose and Gene Autrey's voice singing about Rudolph kept playing in my head whenever I looked at that platter!)  

  Are we done yet?  Not a chance!  Dessert.  Pastries, cakes, puddings, fruits and coffee and tea.  Just inches from being comotose, we returned to our hotel to pack up our two weeks in Scandinavia.

And then it was over.  Time to go back home.  Thankfully the return flight was without incident and the original group of semi-strangers were coming home as good friends.  

We drove home from Newark Airport and as we passed through the Thruway exit for Cherry Hill we saw a sign that said "Welcome Home, Elli and Pete"...my nutty friend Gail had been at work.  At every stop sign on our way home Gail had posted a sign...what a way to come home...and oddly, at last, it did feel like home!

                                    Swedish Meatballs

2/3 cups bread crumbs (unflavored

1 cup heavy cream (you can use half and half)

3 tbsp of butter

1 small onion chopped

1 lb. ground beef

3/4 lb. ground pork

1 egg yolk

1 tsp. dried dill

1/4 tsp allspice

1 1/8 tsp. of salt

1/2 tsp ground pepper

vegetable oil

1/4 cup flour

3 cups of beef broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

 Heat oven to 300.

Mix the bread crumbs with 1 cup of cream and set aside

Heat 1 tbsp butter in a large saute pan with straight sides and saute the onions over a medium flame until they are transparent...add a pinch of salt...remove from heat and set aside... 

Combine breadcrumb mixture, meats, egg yolk, 1 tsp kosher salt, pepper,spice seasonings and onions.  Mix together with your hands.  Shape into 1 1/4 inch meat balls... 

Melt the remaining 2 tbsp of butter in the saute pan and in 3 batches, add the meatballs until thet are browned on all sides.  Remove meatballs to a baking dish and place in the oven for about 6 minutes or until cooked through

Add flour to the saute pan  and whisk until llightly browned...gradually add the beef stock and whisk until itbegins to thicken...add the remaining 1/3 cup of cream until sauce reaches desired consistency.  Remove meatballs from the oven and cover with sauce...garnish with fresh chopped dill and serve!