Brrrrrrr, it got COLD !

Our last update had been in the "incubator" for a while prior to our pushing the "send" button and we had no more done that and the temperature here dropped pretty drastically.  Had a night or two with - 10 C . Presently it is warmer, just slightly above freezing and it is snowing fat, plump and juicy snowflakes,  it is very pretty out there.  Ralle loves it!  He, just as Una and Rontu used to,  goes out there to lay in the snow then lays there still until he gets covered by snow and we can hardly find him!  It is and looks very Christmasy.

On that note we had the pleasure to attend a traditional JULBORD this week end at Örenäs Castle!

Photo: Christmas.Skane.Com webb page

Photo: www.communityofsweden.com

Invited by our fabulous neighbors and friends next door.  Talk about a treat!  Christmas Dinner In the Castle!  A brand new experience  for me.  The setting was awesome.  Snowy scenery, with fires in fire pits and outdoor candles lining the walkways.  Warm Glögg served, before we entered through those big castle doors, and gingerbread hearts to nibble on while we waited for the rest of the guests to arrive.  Aaahh it was a splendid start of an evening filled with literally endless food!  Three enormous tables loaded with delicacies!  Table number one herring in absolutely every possible form from the old fashioned pickled and brined versions and the new varieties like lime, wasabi and many other  newfangled concoctions!  Guess, just a guess, ten or fifteen different kinds of herring alone.  Add breads, cheeses, eggs, potatoes, chopped onions .......

Photo: Swedecheese.blogspot.com

Table two Salmon gravad, smoked, poached, cured, in pate' form on and on.  In addition to that various kinds of meat pate', head cheese, jellied veal, ham.  We have just started!!!   Table three, now here comes the hot food, the main course so to speak.  Ribs, meatballs, sausages along with traditional cabbage dishes, red, green and brown versions, not to forget the potato dishes like Johnsson's Temptation.  Am starting to feel "stuffed" just thinking about it.  Perhaps in between here we should mention all the good stuff to drink!

Or tell you we had so much fun, have not laughed so hard in a while.  One of the guests a really neat guy who hales from London was telling us stories about language problems when he first struggled with Swedish, priceless stories that had us all in stitches!!

Oh man......   I could continue by talking about dessert, Irish Coffee, candies, chocolate, almond cookies with whipped cream and jam, Rice a la Malta.

Photo: communityofsweden.com

No, I have to stop.

Before I go into a "food coma" I will take both Ralle and David for a walk around the field in the falling snow.  Ah, that felt good.

Now there is a chicken roasting in the oven, stuffed with lemon, thyme (had to unearth it from a layer of snow) and garlic.  Will have mashed potatoes and green beans tossed with toasted garlic slivers and crushed red pepper on the side along with a little salad......... who was talking about "food coma" ?