Traditional Swedish Crafts include linen wall hangings; embroidered cushions, clothing, and coverlets; fancy knitted mittens; carved wooden boxes and kitchen utensils; decorative painting on chests, boxes, and bedsteads; and carved stamps for cakes or cookies.
Cookie Stamps
The custom of making the cookie stamp is believed to have begun in the early sixteenth century. There were either made of clay or carved in wood. To make a clay stamp start with a ball and work it so that it is flattened to a disk about a 1/2 inch thick. Make several as a set. The bases may also be formed in square or triangular shapes. The next step involves making a handle. Make this by rolling the clay into a snake 1/2 inch thick cut into 2 inch lengths. Place the handle in the center of the disk and join by smoothing away the joint crack. Rotate the stamp, smoothing all the way around the handle. Allow the clay to dry to the leather hard stage before cutting a design into the stamp. Using linoleum cutting tools cut out geometric patterns, flowers, snowflakes, hearts, animals, leaves, birds or Holiday symbols. A simple design cut with deep wide lines is most effective. The stamp bust dry out thoroughly for several days before being fired. The handle and the top side of the disk can be glazed for further decoration if you like. But the part of the disk that will press into he cookie is not glazed.
To stamp Cookies try a Swedish Pepparkaka recipe or An Almond Butter Cookie recipe (as follows).
Almond Butter Cookie
- 1 cup butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 Cups flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cream the butter and sugar until light. Add the almond extract, salt, and flour. Chill the dough about one hour. Preheat the oven to 350. Form one inch balls and roll them in the sugar. Stamp with the cookie stamps and bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
And thanks to Eva for this recipe:
Swedish Meatballs
- 14 oz ground beef
- 1 1/2 oz bread crumbs
- 6 -7 fl oz milk
- 1 -1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp white or black pepper
- 2 tbs chopped and lightly browned onion or 1 tbs grated raw onion
- 7 fl oz stock
- 1 1/2 tbs flour
- 1 3/4 cold water
- 1 3/4 -3 1/2 fl oz cream (optional)
Soak the bread crumbs in the milk for about 10 min. Mix the meat with the soaked bread crumbs and the
milk, salt, pepper, and onion. Blend the mix thoroughly. Using your hands, dipped in cold water, or two
spoons, form the mixture into small meatballs of uniform size. Place them on a carving board, rinsed with
cold water. Brown the meatballs, a few at a time, in a little butter in a frying pan. Shake the pan so they
brown evenly. When browned, transfer the meatballs to a saucepan. Deglaze the frying pan with the
stock and pour the gravy into the saucepan. Simmer until the meatballs are done, 8 -10 min. Strain the
gravy into a saucepan and add enough water or stock to make up 1/2 pint. Mix the flour with the cold
water. Beat this thickening into the boiling gravy. Simmer on low heat, 3 -5 min. Add the cream. Season
with salt and pepper. Serve with the sauce, boiled potatoes and a salad.
Makes 4 servings
Loganberry jam is often used too. That is the traditional way to serve meatballs, but it is used in many other ways. Served with macaroni, or mashed potatoes, it is favorite of all children. Eva seldom does the sauce, and often uses more spices. Garlic and cayenne pepper is delicious. Meatballs can be served with everything. Cold meatballs are also perfect for open sandwiches, often with a salad made of beet root.
Sweden has a history of folk painting dating back over 100 years.
Allmoge Folk Painted Antique furniture originally used intense blue (ultramarine),
white, and black colors then progressed to light blue then to earth
and mineral colors (gold, brown, red, & green). In the past combs
and fingers were used to decorate allmoge furniture in Sweden then
stone and marble painting became popular.
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