Special Events at ASI
ASI Forum: “Cooking Up a Book: A Lifetime Adventure” with Beatrice Ojakangas
Wednesday, August 25 ― 7 p.m.
To kick off this fall’s ASI Forum lecture series, on Wednesday, August 25 at 7 p.m., freelance food writer and food consultant Beatrice Ojakangas will give a talk titled “Cooking Up a Book: A Lifetime Adventure.” Ojakangas will speak about her life story—cooking, writing, teaching, and the process of recipe development. She will also sign copies of her cookbooks, which will be for sale at the talk.
Beatrice Ojakangas grew up on a farm in northern Minnesota, the oldest of ten children. As a child, she developed an interest in cooking and baking, which, over the years, has led to her writing 267 cookbooks. She received a B.S. in Home Economics from the University of Minnesota Duluth in 1956 and has done graduate work at the University of Missouri-Columbia.
Ojakangas has written for food magazines including Gourmet, Woman’s Day, Family Circle, Country Living, Bon Appetit, Cooking Light, and Fast and Healthy. She also writes for other magazines and for newspapers. She was an invited guest on the PBS series “Baking With Julia,” hosted by Julia Child, and was also a guest presenter on the Martha Stewart Show. Find out more by visiting her website: www.beatrice-ojakangas.com.
ASI Forum presentations are free for ASI members and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Freewill contributions are welcomed for refreshments after the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory. For reservations call 612-871-4907.
ASI Crayfish Party
Saturday, August 28 ― 6 p.m.
It’s time to celebrate summer at ASI’s annual crayfish party! The party will take place at the American Swedish Institute on Saturday, August 28, beginning at 6 p.m. Tickets for an evening of food, dancing and entertainment are $35 for ASI members, and $45 for nonmembers. Two alcoholic beverages are included per ticket. This event will also have a cash bar and is 21+.
Swedish crayfish parties (called kräftskivor) began in the early 20th century, when over-fishing became an issue and restrictions were placed on when crayfish could be harvested. The first week of August marked the beginning of harvest season, so Swedes celebrate by enjoying crayfish boiled in salted water seasoned with fresh dill. The delicacy is served cold, eaten with fingers, and is accompanied by bread, cheese, and cold beverages. Today there are too few crayfish in Swedish lakes to be harvested—most of the crayfish consumed there is imported—but the tradition of an August gathering with food, drink, singing and celebration remains.
ASI’s crayfish party will feature traditional paper lantern decorations, and party hats and bibs will be provided. Though not typical in Sweden, at ASI’s crayfish party Swedish meatballs and boiled potatoes will also be served in addition to plenty of crayfish.
Kräftskiva songbooks will be provided in both Swedish and English, and song master Gregg White will be on hand to encourage diners in spontaneous singing. There will also be a demonstration on how to eat crayfish, so newcomers can see firsthand why bibs are provided (and that the mess is part of the fun!). After dinner, Ole Olsson’s Oldtime Orkestra (featuring Mary Abendroth, Art Bjorngjeld, Char Bostrom, and Paul Wilson) will provide old-time Scandinavian music with special dance instruction led by Bruce Bostrom and Elise Peters.
Come hungry and be ready to eat, drink, sing, dance, get a little messy, and have fun! Seating is limited, so make your reservations early – no later than Friday, August 20. Call 612-871-4907 to register with a credit card, or send payment to: ASI Crayfish Party, American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407.
Swedish Choir Mariakören Performance
Tuesday, August 31 ― 7 p.m.
The first 15 members of Mariakören were parents to the girls in one of Lennart Johansson’s children’s choirs. The word spread about the choir and today the group has approximately 65 members. Besides tours around the northern part of Sweden, Mariakören has toured in southern Sweden, Spain, and Great Britain. They perform 12–15 times each year in churches and concert halls. Their repertoire is mainly composed and arranged by Johansson, and consists of sacral music as well as Swedish folk music. For more information on the choir, visit their website at www.mariakorengammelstad.se.
"With A View of Water" Three Day Curator's Tour
Monday, September 13 – Wednesday, September 15
Join ASI Curator Curt Pederson for a three-day tour that will give you a unique glimpse of private and public works by famous Finnish and Finnish-American architects. This is a great way to get even more out of ASI’s summer exhibition, "My Paradise, Finnish and Finnish-American Summer Architecture."
This tour, September 13–15, will feature homes "with a view of water," designed by Duluth-based architect David Salmela. The first day focuses on a visit to Salmela Architect studio in Duluth, and two Salmela-designed residences on the North Shore of Lake Superior. The evening features socializing and dinner at The New Scenic Café on the North Shore, acclaimed by Minneapolis St. Paul Magazine and Minnesota Monthly as one of the top northern Minnesota restaurants.
On the second day, awake to breakfast in Duluth and then take the luxury motor coach to Bayfield, Wisc., to tour Salmela-designed private residences on Madeline Island and around Bayfield. The evening features a special dinner at Wild Rice Restaurant on Lake Superior (also designed by David Salmela and critically touted as a destination restaurant). The chef and staff will prepare a unique culinary experience for our group, as well as a tour of the restaurant facilities. Awaken to breakfast in Bayfield on day three, and visit another Salmela residence en route back to Minneapolis.
This three-day tour includes all dining, hotel for both nights, travel by luxury coach and guides. The coach will depart ASI at 8 a.m. on Monday, September 13 and return at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, September 15. Double occupancy: $695 per person for ASI members, $715 per person for nonmembers. Single occupancy: $825 per person for ASI members, $845 per person for nonmember. Download the itinerary and registration form here. To reserve your place mail in the registration form or call 612-871-4907. The registration deadline is Friday, August 13.
9th Annual Minnesota Tile Festival
Saturday, September 18 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
There is no better place than the American Swedish Institute, with its 11 elegant tiled stoves, for the 9th annual Minnesota Tile Festival, held on Saturday, September 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is organized by the Handmade Tile Association (HTA) and hosted by ASI. The festival brings together 40 of the most talented handmade tile and mosaic artists in the country, showcased in the Turnblad mansion gardens and ASI auditorium. The full day of activities includes demonstrations, workshops, and sale of one-of-a-kind art tiles and tile-related artwork from around the United States.
Sponsored by the Handmade Tile Association, the American Swedish Institute and Spaces Magazine, the 2010 Minnesota Tile Festival is not only a coming-together of the tile and mosaic artist communities; it’s also a great way for the whole family to experience art and history. Talk to the tile artists about the inspiration behind their work, learn how to spice up your next home improvement project with handmade tile, purchase one-of-a-kind pieces, and bring the kids! They’ll love the hands-on projects and Swedish treats.
The Handmade Tile Association, founded in 1999, is a diverse group of independent members and volunteers dedicated to serving tile-related fields in the community and beyond. It exists as a resource to nurture and inspire each member’s unique talents and creativity and works to improve excellence and innovation in design.
Admission is $5 (free for ASI and HTA members and children under 12 accompanied by an adult). For more information, please call 612-781-6409 or visit www.handmadetileassociation.org/MNTileFestival.
Intro to Finland: One Country, Two Religions, Three Languages
Wednesday, September 22 ― 7 p.m.
The third and final session of the “Intro to Finland” series takes place on Wednesday, September 22 at 7 p.m. and is September’s ASI Forum presentation. Betsey Norgard will give an illustrated talk, “One Country, Two Religions, Three Languages,” touching on various aspects related to Finland.
Finland’s cultural traditions, reflecting both east and west, stem from its history for hundreds of years under the empires of both Sweden and Russia. From this have come two official languages, Finnish and Swedish, and Sami, a strong minority language spoken in northern Finland, all of which are protected by national language laws. Likewise, while the country is predominantly western Lutheran, the Finnish Orthodox Church is also a state church.
Betsey Norgard is a first generation Swedish-speaking Finn, with family in the Åland Islands. She studied in the Scandinavian Languages and Literature department at the University of Minnesota and spent a Fulbright year in Finland, studying literature at Åbo Akademi. She also participated in a Ministry of Education program to study Swedish-speaking culture and language in Finland. She has served locally as the coordinator of the Finlandia Foundation Twin Cities Chapter.
This presentation is free for ASI members, and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Visit the ASI Kaffestuga (coffee shop) before this presentation for a summer dinner, treats, or coffee!
The American Swedish Institute, founded in 1929, serves as a gathering place for people to share stories and experiences around universal themes of tradition, migration, craft and the arts, all informed by enduring ties to Sweden.
The American Swedish Institute
2600 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55407, USA
612-871-4907 phone
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Woodcarving Workshop: Rural Pattern Carvings – Is There A Story Behind It?
Monday September 13 and Tuesday, September 14 ― 9 a.m.–4 p.m.
Swedish woodcarver Jögge Sundqvist returns to ASI this September to teach a two-day workshop, “Rural Pattern Carvings – Is There A Story Behind It?” Sundqvist will teach you the basics of cutting traditional patterns into wood. You’ll practice making lines, circles, nailcuts, uddsnitt and take a look at shallow relief cutting. Basic painting and sharpening will also be covered. Get inspired by the characters and symbols that have been used throughout time in folk art as you look at centuries of traditional cuttings.
Jögge Sundqvist is a craftsman, artist, and author who is one of Sweden’s most highly regarded woodcarvers. Working mainly with greenwood, he creates stools, chairs, cupboards and spoons using traditional hand tools and equipment such as axes, knives, and drawknives. In addition to running his business Surolle, Sundqvist teaches extensively. He comes to ASI this year via a partnership with North House Folk School in Grand Marais and Country Workshops outside of Ashville, North Carolina.
Some woodcarving experience is preferred. A tools list will be mailed out to those who register. The registration fee for this workshop is $190 for ASI members, $210 for nonmembers. All materials plus a Tuesday lunch are included. Please bring a bag lunch on Monday. Space is limited to 12 students. Please register by calling 612-871-4907.
Nordic Nights: Membership Dinner
Finnish Supper Club for members and friends
Thursday, September 16 — 5 p.m. social hour, 6 p.m. dinner
Please join us for the first Nordic Nights Membership Dinner of the season, featuring Finn Hall as musical guests. Finn Hall is a group dedicated to preserving the feel and sound of historic Finnish- American dance halls of the last century with the use of accordion, mandolin, violin, bass and nyckelharpa. They recently performed at ASI during Midsommar Eve Music on June 18.
As you may have noticed, we have changed the name from Membership Dinner to Nordic Nights with the hopes of focusing on all Nordic heritages. We’re also adding a social hour with time to tour the current exhibit and browse the museum shop from 5–6 p.m. prior to dinner. We encourage those who have previously come to bring friends, and those who have not attended before to join us. It is truly a fun, relaxed, and exciting evening!
The evening’s meal will begin with a mixed salads and breads, followed by Karjalan Paisti – a Finnish meat stew with beef, pork and lamb, flavored with allspice and cloves served with boiled potatoes and glazed carrots. Dessert will be vanilla ice cream topped with cloudberry jam.
The cost of the membership dinner is $21 per person. Reservations must be made by Tuesday, September 14 by calling 612-871-4907.
September Smörgåsbord
Sunday, September 19 ― 1 p.m.
The first smörgåsbord of the season takes place on Sunday, September 19 at 1 p.m. Leroy Larson and Mel Brendan will perform old-time Scandinavian music during the meal.
As a tasty kick-off to the season, enjoy baked pork loin with mixed mushroom sauce. This main dish will be accompanied by herring in wine sauce, dill and lemon herring, eggs topped with creamed caviar, gravlax (marinated salmon served with sweet dill mustard sauce), three kinds of Swedish cheese, smoked ham, mimosa salad, pickled cucumbers, a fresh fruit platter, Jansson's temptation, meatballs, red cabbage, Swedish sausages, and boiled potatoes. To top it all off, take pleasure in a homemade cloudberry parfait served with ginger cookies for dessert!
The cost of the meal is $23 for members, $28 for nonmembers, $9 ages 6–11, and free for children under six. There will be a cash bar. Reservations are required by Friday, September 17 and are non-refundable. Please let us know if you have special seating requests in advance. Call 612-871-4907 for credit card reservations or mail payment to ASI.
“The Opposite of Cold” Book Release Party
Thursday, September 30 ― 6 p.m. reception, 7 p.m. presentation
Join author Michael Nordskog and photographer Aaron W. Hautala for the release of their book “The Opposite of Cold: The Northwoods Finnish Sauna Tradition” at the American Swedish Institute on Thursday, September 30. Festivities will begin with a cash bar reception in ASI’s Grand Hall at 6 p.m., with opportunities to explore the exhibit My Paradise: Finnish and Finnish-American Summer Architecture, browse the Museum Shop, and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres. At 7 p.m., Nordskog and Hautala will give a short talk and slideshow presentation on the book, with an author book signing afterwards. This event is free and open to the public. Registrations are strongly encouraged; please call 612-871-4907.
Beginning with the origins of Finnish sauna and arrival of the practice to North America, and continuing all the way to contemporary design, “The Opposite of Cold” is an exquisite commemoration of the history, culture, and practice of Finnish sauna in the north woods. With stunning photographs of unique and historic saunas of the region—including the oldest sauna in North America, surviving saunas from immigrant farmsteads, and contemporary saunas from noted architects—Michael Nordskog and Aaron Hautala unveil the importance and beauty of sauna culture in modern Midwestern life.
Michael Nordskog grew up in the heart of North American sauna country. He works as an attorney, writer, and editor, and he lives with his wife and three children in Viroqua, Wisc. Aaron W. Hautala is the creative director and owner of RedHouseMedia in Brainerd, Minn. He has helped launch a variety of magazines and was the founding art director at Lake Country Journal.
ASI Male Chorus Svensk Frukost
Saturday, October 2 — 8–11 a.m.
Enjoy this fall’s Svensk Frukost (Swedish Breakfast), sponsored by the ASI Male Chorus and Auxiliary. Bring your friends and family to enjoy a hearty Swedish breakfast and songs sung by the Chorus.
Tickets are $12 for adults and $4 for children age 10 and under. Tickets are nonrefundable and must be purchased in advance. To order tickets, contact any Male Chorus member or send your check (made payable to ASI Male Chorus) and a stamped, self-addressed, envelope to: Frukost, The American Swedish Institute, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407.
Victorian Tea
Tuesday, October 5 ― 2 p.m.
Also offered Tuesday, November 9 ― 2 p.m.
Autumn is here, bringing cooler days – a perfect time to relax with family and friends and enjoy a Victorian Tea. Join a small company at tables of four on Tuesday, October 5 at 2 p.m. in the Viking Room of the Turnblad mansion.
The tea will begin at 2 p.m. featuring a vegetable quiche with crostinis, cinnamon chip scone with honey butter and Devonshire cream, savory sandwiches and assorted petite desserts. Orange & Spice Constant Comment Tea will be served.
The cost for the tea is $27 per person. When making reservations, please include the name of each person in your group so that parties can be seated together. For reservations, send payment with date preference to: ASI Victorian Tea, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407 or call 612-871-4907 to reserve with Visa or MasterCard. Reservations are non-refundable and require advance payment. Each tea is limited to 24 people.
Cinnamon Bun Day
Wednesday, October 6 — noon–7 p.m.
Indulge your sweet tooth with a Swedish day devoted to cinnamon buns! Kanelbullens dag (Cinnamon Bun Day) started in Sweden in 1999 when the Home Baking Council (Hembakningsrådet) celebrated its 40th anniversary. Now the day has become a tradition held every year in early October.
The American Swedish Institute will celebrate the day on Wednesday, October 6 this year. Come to the ASI Kaffestuga (coffee shop) between noon and 7 p.m. to enjoy freshly baked cinnamon rolls. The cost for each roll is $3. Swedish coffee, lingonberry saft (a soft drink), pastries and cookies will also be for sale. From 4–7 p.m., soup and sandwich selections will also be available.
Youth Slöjd Workshop: Ceramic Tile
Saturdays, October 9, 16, 23 and 30 — 1–3 p.m.
Join us as we create narrative tile murals! Students will develop a narrative (which may be fictional) and design a personal way to present their story using flat ceramic techniques such as rolling, carving and building up of the clay. Different techniques are appropriate at different stages in ceramic production and will be taught in order. The finished ceramic murals will be glazed, fired, and returned to the Institute for pick-up.
Ceramic Slöjd is for youth ages 8 and older and will be held on four consecutive Saturdays in October. Cost is $50 per student including materials. Registration is required and space is limited. To register, call 612-871-4907.
Adult Slöjd Workshop: Ceramic Tile
Saturdays, October 9, 16, 23, and 30 – 9:30–11:30 a.m.
This workshop is taught by Joel McKinney, who has been creating and teaching for more than 30 years. He is the owner of Blackhawk Studios in Walnut Grove, Minn. The workshop costs $95 for members and $110 for nonmembers (cost includes materials). Registration is required and space is limited. To register, call 612-871-4907.
Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian: Saga II Film Premiere
Sunday, October 10 ― 2 p.m.
Get set for a film whose cast includes Ole and Lena, and whose content is sneaky, “smårolig” humor! Award-winning Swedish filmmaker Stefan Quinth (of CameraQ) and former ASI staff member William Beyer return to ASI on Sunday, October 10, to premiere ”Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian: Saga II,” the second in their series of light-hearted films about contemporary Scandinavian America. Admission proceeds of this benefit performance go to ASI in recognition of the contributions that ASI members, collections, and facilities have made to the series. The event begins at 2 p.m. in the ASI auditorium. Cost is $10 ($8 for ASI members and ages 6–18; free under age 6). Reservations are strongly encouraged; please call 612-871-4907.
Quinth and Beyer have sought what has tickled the funny-bones of Scandinavian Americans from the immigrant Swedish American vaudevillian “Olle i Skratthult” to contemporaries such as Norwegian Americans Leroy Larson and Art Lee, Swedish American Merrilyn Belgum, and a variety of neighborhood joke-tellers tracing roots to Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. The 90-minute performance of “Saga II” includes an introduction by Quinth and Beyer, the finished 60-minute film, and samples from the remaining 100+ hours of footage.
Beyer and Quinth toured “Pretty Much 100% Scandinavian: Saga I” in Minnesota in October 2009 and in Sweden in February 2010. After the ASI premiere of “Saga II,” the duo will tour it around Minnesota, and then through Sweden in 2011.
Quinth first brought his work to the Midwest in 2004. CameraQ has won awards at film festivals in the U.S., Estonia, Russia, Mexico, and most recently in Japan. Making films professionally since 1976 in some forty countries, Quinth is based both in Västergötland, Sweden, and Kodiak, Alaska. Beyer served five years as Director of Museum Education, Collections, and Programs at the American Swedish Institute. A member of the board of the Swedish American Historical Society, he and his spouse, a native of Gothenburg, Sweden, live in Saint Paul.
October Smörgåsbord
Sunday, October 17 ― 1 p.m.
The flavorful smörgåsbord season continues on Sunday, October 17 at 1 p.m. Once again, Leroy Larson and Mel Brendan will entertain and delight attendees with their Scandinavian music.
October’s main dish will be kåldomar (meat-filled cabbage rolls) served with cream sauce and lingonberries. Additionally, the following are also on the menu: herring in wine sauce, creamy garlic and herb herring, eggs topped with mayonnaise and shrimp, cold baked salmon served with dill sauce, three kinds of Swedish cheese, smoked turkey breast, Waldorf salad, pickled cucumbers, a fresh fruit platter, smoked sausages, Jansson's temptation, meatballs, red cabbage, Swedish sausages, and boiled potatoes. A tasty apple crisp with refreshing homemade vanilla sauce will be served for dessert.
The cost of the meal is $23 for members, $28 for nonmembers, $9 ages 6–11, and free for children under six. There will be a cash bar. Reservations are required by Friday, September 17 and are non-refundable. Please let us know if you have special seating requests in advance. Call 612-871-4907 for credit card reservations or mail payment to ASI.
Nordic Nights: Membership Dinner
Swedish Supper Club for members and friends
Thursday, October 21 — 5 p.m.
Come celebrate the fall with jazz at Nordic Nights! We encourage those who have previously come to bring friends, and those who have not attended before to join us. It is truly a fun, relaxed, and exciting evening!
The evening will start off with a social hour from 5–6 p.m. During this time, the mansion will be open for viewing, as well as the museum shop. There will also be a cash bar. The evening’s meal will begin shortly after 6 p.m. with a mixed salad and breads. The main course will be apricot stuffed pork loin served with a cream sauce, boiled potatoes and warm vegetables. For dessert, enjoy apple and almond cake with vanilla ice cream.
After dinner, the Travis Anderson Trio will perform. Anderson, who is a jazz pianist, regularly plays at the Dakota Jazz Club in downtown Minneapolis. He starting playing at the age of five and was trained classically, teaching himself to play jazz by listening to jazz legends such as Art Tatum and Oscar Peterson. Anderson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in animation from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design and also works as a freelance photographer when not playing piano.
The cost of the membership dinner is $21 per person. Reservations must be made by Tuesday, October 19 by calling 612-871-4907.
Welcome Fest for Sister City Uppsala’s Educators
Monday, October 25 — 4:30–6:30 p.m.
Come help ASI welcome fourteen educators from the Uppsala, Sweden, public schools to Minneapolis! Now in its fifth year, the educators’ exchange between Minneapolis and Uppsala sent nine Minneapolis educators to study Uppsala’s schools in April of this year. In late October Uppsala educators will make a reciprocal visit to Minneapolis schools.
Educators from the 2010 Minneapolis delegation and earlier delegations will also be present to share their perceptions of education in Sweden and in Uppsala. Both groups are eager to talk with the reception guests about what they have learned from each other’s schools. Music, refreshments, and a cash bar will make this a festive welcome for the guests from Sweden. This is a great chance to learn more about Minneapolis' sister city and our relationship.
The cost for this reception is $10 for adults and $5 for youth under 18. Reservations are strongly encouraged but space may be available for walk-ins that day. To secure space at this event with your credit card, please call 612-871-4907.
ASI Forum: “Nordic Form and Fire: Swedish Ceramic Brilliance in the 20th Century”
Wednesday, October 27 ― 7 p.m.
In the year 1900, Alf Wallander of Rörstrand returned to Sweden from the Paris Exposition Universelle with a Grand Prix award, the highest award possible for ceramic art. In the century that followed, Swedish art pottery firms and studios would contribute to the evolution of Art Nouveau and Art Deco ceramics, and eventually lead the world with their unique Scandinavian Modern style. For a century, Swedish potters expressed a love for nature and a unique sense of form and style. They used their pots to express respect for traditional Nordic designs, to bring natural beauty into urban life, and even to call for social and artistic reform. This ASI Forum will trace the development of Swedish Ceramics in the modern era. Magnificent and mundane examples will be available to enjoy and experience.
This month’s ASI Forum presenter, Truett Lawson, is a member of the ASI Board of Trustees. He has collected American and European ceramics for more than 25 years and, in recent years, has specialized in Swedish pottery. Pieces he has discovered and owned are in major U.S. museums. During the last few years, he has researched the ceramics of Åke Holm, a Swedish Studio potter from Höganäs.
ASI Forum presentations are free for ASI members and included with museum admission for nonmembers. Freewill contributions are welcomed for refreshments after the talk. Reservations are encouraged but not mandatory; call 612-871-4907.
Workshop and Luncheon with Swedish Organist Gunnar Idenstam
Saturday, October 30— 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
ASI will host a workshop with famed Swedish concert organist Gunnar Idenstam on Saturday, October 30 at 10 a.m., followed by a luncheon at noon. Idenstam’s visit to Minneapolis is sponsored by Central Lutheran Church in downtown Minneapolis.
Gunnar Idenstam is a concert organist, composer and folk musician. He comes from a background of classical music, but has a “distant love relationship” with the folk and symphonic rock of the 1970s and has brought these influences into the context of organ music. He studied at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and then studied the virtuouso French tradition in Paris. In 1984 he was the first—and to date, only—musician from northern Europe to win the prestigious international competition in improvisation, the “Grand Prix de Chartres.” Since 1986 he has pursued an international career as a concert organist.
Gunnar Idenstam aims to expand his audience’s appreciation of the organ so that they are no longer limited by preconceptions of the instrument or any particular genre. In this workshop at ASI, Idenstam will demonstrate his approach to interpreting Swedish folk tunes into keyboard composition and performance. He will do so using recordings of Swedish folk tunes, alternating with piano. The workshop will be followed by a luncheon of open-faced sandwiches, soup, light dessert, and coffee. Cost of the workshop and luncheon is $18. To register, call 612-871-4907.
Idenstam will perform at Central Lutheran Church on Friday, October 29. For details, visit www.centralmpls.org or call 612-767-9101.
ASI Christmas Fair I
Saturday, November 6 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The julmarknad (Christmas Fair) is an annual event at the American Swedish Institute, just as in many places in Sweden. The fanfare of the näverlur (birch bark horn) signals the opening of ASI’s fairs on Saturdays, November 6 and November 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both fairs include music, food, Christmas decorations, and shopping. Kids of all ages can make a Christmas craft from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Victorian Tea
Tuesday, November 9 ― 2 p.m.
Autumn is here, bringing cooler days – a perfect time to relax with family and friends, and enjoy a Victorian Tea. Join a small company, at tables of four, on Tuesday, November 9 at 2 p.m. in the Viking Room of the Turnblad mansion.
Tea will begin at 2 p.m. featuring a vegetable quiche with crostinis, cinnamon chip scone with honey butter and Devonshire cream, savory sandwiches,and assorted petite desserts. Orange & Spice Constant Comment Tea will be served.
The cost for the tea is $27 per person. When making reservations, please include the name of each person in your group so that parties can be seated together. For reservations, send payment with date preference to: ASI Victorian Tea, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407 or call 612-871-4907 to reserve with Visa or MasterCard. Reservations are non-refundable and require advance payment. Each tea is limited to 24 people.
Swedish Genealogy Workshop
Thursday, November 11 ― 9 a.m.–3:30 p.m.
Your Swedish family tree awaits! Beginning and intermediate genealogists are invited to a workshop with instructors Dee and Ray Kleinow on Thursday, November 11 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Dee and Ray have a combined 40+ years of experience in doing, teaching, and assisting with genealogical research. This class will range from the Basics of Genealogy to computer database demonstrations (including Genline) and internet research.
Attendees will complete the workshop knowing the steps needed for successful genealogical research, which records to use and how to access them, and how to analyze the data found and continue their research. Please bring a bag lunch. Required class text Your Swedish Roots is available in the Museum Shop to participants, or you can order it for $24.73 including tax (ASI members subtract 10%) when you call to register. Class registration fee is $45 for members and $55 for nonmembers. To register with a credit card, please call 612-871-4907 or mail your check payment to “ASI Genealogy,” 2600 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55407.
ASI Christmas Fair II
Saturday, November 20 — 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
The julmarknad (Christmas Fair) is an annual event at the American Swedish Institute, just as in many places in Sweden. The fanfare of the näverlur (birch bark horn) signals the opening of ASI’s Christmas Fair on Saturday, November 20 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Enjoy music, food, Christmas decorations, and shopping. Kids of all ages can make a Christmas craft from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
November Smörgåsbord
Sunday, November 21 ―1 p.m.
Longing for a taste of Sweden? Join us for our monthly smörgåsbord on Sunday, November 21 at 1 p.m. Musicians Leroy Larson and Mel put on old-time Scandinavian music as a background to this food event.
As fall temperatures continue to cool, kalops (Swedish beef stew) served with pickled beets is the perfect entrée to fill you up. Along with it, you’ll find mild apple and curry herring, glasmästare sill (pickled herring), eggs a la Kalle (hard boiled eggs filled with Kalles Kaviar and dill), smoked salmon served with horseradish cream, three kinds of Swedish cheese, cold roast beef, potato salad and gherkins, pickled cucumbers, a fresh fruit platter, smoked sausages, Jansson's temptation, meatballs, red cabbage, Swedish sausages, and boiled potatoes. The finale to this delightful meal is a slice of ostkaka (Swedish cheesecake), served with strawberry jam and whipped cream.
The cost of the meal is $23 for members, $28 for nonmembers, $9 ages 6–11, and free for children under six. There will be a cash bar. Reservations are required by Friday, September 17 and are non-refundable. Please let us know if you have special seating requests in advance. Call 612-871-4907 for credit card reservations or mail payment to ASI.
Make Your Own Gingerbread House
Sunday, November 28 — 2–4 p.m.
Make a Gingerbread House for your home! Bring your family to the American Swedish Institute on Sunday, November 28 from 2 to 4 p.m. to celebrate the season with the sweet smell of pepparkakor. Learn about how Swedes celebrate the coming of Christmas with baking, candles and holiday decorating. The hustomte (house elf) will join us and share Christmas stories. Each family will receive one pre-assembled plain pepparkakshus (gingerbread house), along with candy decorations and lots of inspiration.
Registration is $15 per house for ASI members, $20 for nonmembers. Just one house per family, please. Ticket sales begin Monday, November 1 and can be ordered by mail, in person, or by phone.. Send payment with phone number to: Gingerbread House, ASI, 2600 Park Ave., Minneapolis, MN 55407, or call 612-871-4907 for credit card reservations. Space is limited.
