Everywhere You Look, There Are Swedes!

You really cannot escape them this month. Winning lots of medals at the Olympics, surrounded by cheering supporters in their blue and yellow outfits.

If you are not into sport, there are two 'Scandicrimes' on at the moment.'Walter Presents' on 4 is showing the Rebekah Martinnson Arctic Murders. Usual thing, hot shot investigator with dysfunctional lovelife wandering around in snow and ice solving mysteries.Meanwhile BBC4 on Saturday evenings is showing the second series of Modus. The [female] US President has gone to Sweden, and disappeared...
If you don't like sport or crime, but are happier with an Allen Key, then you can watch Flatpack Empire, all about the growth of the IKEA furniture business. This twenty second trailer tells you all you need to know.

Apart from making Semlor Buns for Lent, I have also started wearing a Swedish Skier's Headband. No, I cannot ski, and do not intend to learn. I bought it [reduced] in Lidl in Norfolk, during a very cold visit a couple of years ago. 
I have discovered it is the thing to wear under my cycle helmet in very cold weather; it keeps my fringe out of my eyes, and keeps my ears toasty warm. Brilliant [even if the green headband looks odd under the red cycle helmet]

My final mention of Swedes is the recipe I made this week from Hugh FWs Veg book. It is Swede Speltotto!  HFW likes to make 'risotto' with other grains, such as spelt. Hence the bizarre name. I did not have any spelt, but I tried his alternative ingredient, pearl barley, as I had a small amount in a jar in the pantry. 

It was deliciously nutty, warm and filling. Probably not Scandinavian, but definitely Swede-ish! [Recipe here]