Vol. 35, No. 4 Winter 2016-17 Skål to the Holidays The holidays are once again upon us and it The history of imbibing on special (and is time to delve into the comforting traditions not so special) occasions predates the of winter. All over Scandinavia, December proliferation of Christianity in Scandinavia. and January are filled with celebrations of The Norse god Odin was credited with good food, good drink, and good company. teaching humans how to brew beer, and Just as certain cookies are part of Swedish drinking beer could take the form of worship Christmas traditions, so are traditional and offering to the deities. The Norse sagas holiday drinks such as Christmas beers, mention drinking beer, especially in celebration aquavit, and glögg. We can rest assured that of battle victories, and sometimes in the there will be plenty of opportunities to offer form of drinking challenges. When harvests a hearty “Skål!” to our friends, neighbors, were small, however, beer brewing was coworkers, and family. restricted in order to reserve enough grain for food preparation. Some claim that the word skål has a root in the skulls of the vanquished, from which Around the 1500s, the strong stuff made its Viking warriors would drink to celebrate way into society when brännvin (brændevin their victory. But this is a grisly tale, and most in Danish / brennevin in Norwegian), a likely just a story. Most agree that skål, which term for vodka or distilled liquor, became is the word for bowl in Danish, Swedish and known through Scandinavia. It was primarily Norwegian, harkens back to a time when distributed as medicine, but we can see that wooden bowls, sometimes elaborately a wider use had become common by 1551 decorated, would be filled with beer and when King Christian III of Denmark-Norway passed from person to person at community attempted to ban serving brännvin on gatherings like weddings or festival days. holidays to prevent people from attending From that tradition of passing the bowl, the church while drunk. By the 1600s, brännvin Traditional Aquavit term skål is now also a toast – “Cheers!” was widely available through home-based continued on page 2 Connecting Cultures and Community Skål to the Holidays continued from front cover distilling, though the results often tasted Discover more about these and other fun, Note from awful, which led to adding herbs and other boozy histories when ASHM opens the the Director plants to improve the flavor. These selective exhibition Skål! Scandinavian Spirits. This infusions became what we now know as exciting travelling exhibition focuses on the How important is your cultural heritage aquavit, which is regularly served with heritage of beer and aquavit through stories, to you? This is a question we have been herring at any decent smörgåsbord. traditions, and recipes. Over 50 historic thinking about a lot lately. and contemporary artifacts related to King Gustav I Vasa of Sweden was fond Scandinavian drinking traditions will be Our survey for members and visitors that of a German drink called Glühwein, which on display from the Museum of Danish began in October asks various questions was a sweet mixture of wine, sugar, honey, America, American Swedish Institute, about your cultural background. I hope cinnamon, ginger, cardamom and cloves. It Swedish American Museum, the Nordic that you have filled it out and that it was later named glödgad vin in 1609, which Heritage Museum, and the Vesterheim inspired you to think about the ways your meant “glowing-hot wine.” The word glögg Norwegian-American Museum. It may be heritage impacts your life. When I was is a shortened form that first appeared in the first collaborative project to involve talking to one of my friends who filled out our survey, I realized that I really didn’t print in 1870. Swedes consume glögg from such a broad spectrum of Scandinavian- know much about her cultural background. the beginning of Advent through the New American museums; it is as if we all I interpreted the question about whether Year, as the beverage is almost exclusively gathered around the table—Skål! my heritage affected my buying habits reserved for the Christmas season. Swedish to be asking if I preferred to buy glögg is a souped-up version of the German Skål! Scandinavian Spirits opens on Swedish things. She took it much deeper drink consisting mainly of red wine, brandy, Saturday, January 28, 2017 and will be and shared about how her Anabaptist and port infused with spices, and then raisins on view through September 17, 2017. heritage from Switzerland imbues her and blanched almonds are added to the cup. with a sense of thriftiness when shopping Presented by Aalborg and Linie Aquavits and generosity when giving. I learned so Glögg is preferably served in a special little This exhibition was organized by the Museum of much about her as a person and about mug with a handle. While it’s not so typical Danish America, Elk Horn, Iowa. the culture she comes from because the to “Skål!” while holding an adorable cup of Museum provided a starting point for glögg, it can and does happen and everyone It is presented at ASHM through the generosity of the this conversation. enjoys the ritual: Swedish Council of America, the ASHM Auxiliary, Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, George C. We recently hosted a cooking workshop Raise your glass. and Esther Ann McFarland Foundation, where people got hands-on experience Say “Skål!” with gusto. Midsommarklubben, and an anonymous foundation. making limpa bread and potato sausage. I Support provided in part by the Philadelphia Cultural was amazed that one third of the Look your companions in the eye. Fund. Funding for the American Swedish Historical Museum is supported by a grant from the Pennsylvania people who attended drove over 100 Take a drink. miles to be a part of the class. Why? Historical and Museum Commission, a state agency Look your companions in the eye again. funded by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I think it was because there are foods which connect them to their Swedish Set down your glass. heritage that they had never learned to make for themselves. Learning to cook together gives a sense of community and connection that you probably don’t get when you attempt a recipe on your own. Become an Aquavit These anecdotes are wonderful illustrations of the Museum’s new Ambassador marketing tagline, “Connecting Cultures and Community.” Whether Swedish or We are looking for a few members of Swiss, Norwegian or Nigerian, we hope our community who love aquavit and are the Museum helps you connect more willing to assist us with tours of Skål! and fully with your own culture and others. associated programs. If you like working with people, public speaking and are willing to learn, consider joining this group of interpreters. Training will be provided. Please contact Lauren at Tracey Beck [email protected] if you are interested. 2 Winter 2012-132016-17 | Vol. 35,30, No.No. 44 Farewell to Our Senior Curator It is with mixed emotions that we announce with the first bringing our collection and that the Museum’s Senior Curator, Carrie the story of New Sweden into one concise Hogan, has accepted a position with the exhibition, and the latter providing the New Jersey Historic Trust as their Senior Museum with a space for young children Historic Preservation Specialist and will be and families to explore and play. leaving ASHM at the end of November. She has curated or co-curated 23 When Carrie joined our staff in 2006, the exhibitions and installed many more subject of Swedish culture and history was that have been seen by approximately relatively new to her, having studied history 104,000 visitors. She is known for her and political science at Webster amazing ability to mentor interns, build University before completing her master’s “Philadelphia: The Great Experiment- A Lost relationships with donors, and give degree in museum studies and history, with World (1600-1680)” and “The Forgotten engaging tours. She has been a vigilant a focus on African American history at Journey”. steward of the Museum’s collections and University of Missouri St. Louis. Yet she building, and she has supervised multiple wasted no time and dove head first into the Carrie has made enormous contributions conservation and building improvement subject of New Sweden, along with multiple as a staff member in her 10 years here. projects. In addition she has been an aspects of Swedish history, culture, arts Carrie curated two of our major long-term enthusiastic colleague and co-worker on and design. Her expertise on New Sweden, exhibitions, Sven Gunnarson and Jonas any and every project which needed an specifically on the subject of Queen Nilsson New Sweden Gallery, as well as extra hand. She will be greatly missed, but Christina, has been highlighted at the delightful and engaging Pippi we wish her well in her future endeavors. conferences and speaking engagements, Longstocking gallery. Both of these have along with two recent documentaries been hugely significant to the Museum, Now We’re Cookin’! Limpa Bread On Sunday October 9th, a group of aspiring ½ cup brown sugar ½ Tbsp dry yeast • Mix first six ingredients then add hot water. chefs gathered at the American Swedish ¾ Tbsp caraway seeds 3 cups flour • Wait for water to cool to around 100° then Historical Museum to explore Swedish 1 tsp fennel seed 2 cups rye flour add yeast and proof. 1 tsp salt cuisine. Auxiliary President Dawn Gould led 1 tsp grated orange peel • Add 1 cup white flour and 2 cups rye flour 1 cup raisins the group while they made limpa bread 1 Tbsp butter to make a soft dough.