SVEA ADVENTURES APRIL NEWSLETTER

April is such a wonderful month! Spring is in the air, and you can feel it everywhere! The warmer days and longer hours of daylight make me want to dust off my bicycle and go on a bike ride with a nice picnic basket. A leisurely excursion on a bicycle is a great way to get exercise and be active, while enjoying quiet country roads and charming landscapes. And it's very environmentally friendly! We've chosen our Self-Guided Biking Adventures as the "Trip of the Month" for April, and we'd like to share some of the itineraries we offer with you in this newsletter.

I also want to share with you that I recently ordered Tina Nordström's new cook book "A Culinary Tour of Sweden". It arrived this week and I've spent every evening looking through the recipies and dreaming away to this summer's adventures. The recipies are absolutely fantastic and I cant wait to try them all! The pictures in the book are phenomenal and give an exceptional impression of the Swedish countryside and the local specialty foods we love to indulge in. With permission from New Scandinavian Cooking, we've included a typical Swedish recipe below, and also a link to where you can purchase your own copy of the book! Happy Swedish cooking!

This month, we're also introducing a new hiking adventure in the mountains of Dalarna, in the southern part of Sweden! This is a great adventure with a comfortable base at a mountain lodge with daily self-guided excursions on foot. There are also guided day trips to enjoy for those who wish to be in the company of a guide. Find out more below!

May Spring bring you lots of colorful, blooming bulbs and warm rays of sunshine!

- Linda

Svea Adventures

PEDAL AT YOUR OWN PACE

Enjoy a Self-Guided Bicycle Adventure through Sweden’s Countryside        

One of the best ways to see Sweden is from a bike seat. Thousands of kilometers of quiet country roads makes Sweden one of the best bike destinations around. Plan a self-guided biking adventure this summer with the help of Svea Adventures and enjoy an off-the-beaten-path experience through picturesque farmlands, past fresh-water lakes and along the open sea. Discover the true Swedish countryside with its culture, charm and tasty culinary specialties. Pedal at your own pace, stop when you want and take in everything you see along the way.

Svea Adventures offers three different self-guided biking adventures in 2006. Choose from hotel based or inn-to-inn adventures ranging from 4-6 days.

Southern Swedish Delights in the Province of Scania
In Sweden’s southern-most province of Scania, wide open countryside with colorful farmlands, fresh ocean air and picturesque villages await. With a comfortable base in Simrishamn, guests enjoy daily excursions on bicycle to many of this regions highlights and sights. This eastern part of Scania is known as Österlen, and has long been a destination for relaxation for many of Sweden’s city folk. Explore sleepy fishing villages, apple orchards, cider mills, medieval churches, impressive mansions, castles and ruins and take in the relaxed pace and atmosphere of Scania.

Read more about Scania Self-Guided Biking Adventure

Pedal Along The Famous Waterway Göta Canal
Originally built as a transportation route between the North Sea and the Baltic Sea at the beginning of the 19th century, Göta Canal has become one of Sweden’s most cherished tourist attractions. Cover a distance of more than 100 kilometers as you pedal from the lakeside town of Motala, on the eastern end of Lake Vättern to the quaint village of Söderköping, close to the shoreline of the Baltic Sea. Along the way, enjoy picturesque farmlands, quaint villages, comfortable hotels and good conversations with some of the many boaters and sailors on the canal.

Read more about Göta Canal Self-Guided Biking Adventure

Climb to Spectacular Views in the High Coast World Heritage Site
The High Coast region of eastern Sweden’s central coast has been placed on UNESCO's World heritage list and is Sweden's highest coastal area. The irregular topography of the region, with lakes, inlets and flat hills up to 350 meters above sea level, has been shaped by glacial retreat and new land rising up from the sea. This self-guided bicycle adventure takes you through the heart of the High Coast and offers unspoiled countryside, spectacular views and a dramatic coastline. Stay in quaint B&B’s and inns and enjoy evening hikes to surrounding mountain tops for panoramic views of the fjords and ocean.

Read more about High Coast Self-Guided Biking Adventure

MORE SCANDINAVIAN CULINARY ADVENTURES WITH NEW SCANDINAVIAN COOKING!

Now available to order: A Culinary Tour of Sweden with Tina Nordström. This 219 page coffee table book offers the very best of Swedish food filled with recipes, gorgeous pictures of Sweden’s landmarks and Tina with her favorite dishes. Trail along with Tina from North to South and enjoy new twists of Swedish classics. The recipes are based on fresh products available at your local market.

Here you will find a complete collection of all the recipes from the series. The recipes are accompanied with world class photos of Tina’s lovely food. In addition to the lavish layout, the book also works as a travel guide to Sweden with travel tips for every destination.

The book also contains a valuable and interesting introduction to Swedish history, culture and food.

Order Tina's New Book

Pre-View the Book (can take a while to load)

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A RECIPE FROM THE BOOK!

Royal Swedish Meatballs with Parsley Dressed Carrots

In Sweden, we like to think that meatballs are a Swedish invention. Here they are complimented with some nice, creamy carrots with parsley.

Ingredients for 4 servings:

This is how you make it:

Meatballs: Mix the eggs and the milk in a bolw. Cut off the crust of the bread and place in the bowl so that the bread soaks up the liquid and gets mushy. Mix in the ground meat and the leek. Season with salt and pepper and let it rest for 10 minutes. With wet hands, make small balls of the mixture. Fry them in oil and butter for 10 minutes. Make sure that they are done by testing one.

Parsley Dressed Carrots: Scrub or peel the carrots. Put them in a pot and cover with water. Season with salt and pepper. Boil until soft.

Sauce: Melt the butter in a pan and add the flour. Whisk in the milk. Let it boil for about 10 minutes. Stir every now and then. It should be thick and creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Before serving, strain off the water from the carrots. Mix the carrots with parsley and onion in the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with lingonberries (or cranberries if you cant find lingonberries).

Go to Recipe Page

See all of Tina's Recipes

Linda's note: You can find lingonberries in most grocery stores now-a-days, in the jam section. If your store does not carry lingonberries, you can contact any of the Scandinavian Specialty Shops on our Links page. They carry many Swedish specialty foods.

NEW HIKING ADVENTURE!

Introducting Grövelsjön Mountain Adventure

- A lodge-based, independent hiking adventure in southern Sweden's mountain range

Discover Sweden’s southernmost mountains in the province of Dalarna. This unique hiking experience takes place at Grövelsjön Mountain Station, your base for 4-6 days as you explore this pristine mountain region. The options are endless on this trip, and you decide how you want to plan your days. Enjoy a a self-guided hike on one of the many marked trails or spend a lazy day in the sun, reading a book by the lodge. Most days of the week, the mountain station offers guided and educational walks in the surrounding area and you’re welcome to join and hike to spectacular points and learn about this beautiful mountain range. Climb to mountain tops, bring your fishing rod and fish for trout in hidden lakes or pick fresh blue berries and cloud berries from never-ending berry patches (August is berry month!).
Read more about Grövelsjön Mountain Adventure

NEW ADDRESS FOR SVEA ADVENTURES

Spring brings change for us at Svea Adventures! We've moved to a new location in Brunswick, Maine. Please update your records with our new contact information. Please note that our email address and website will remain the same.

Svea Adventures
P.O. Box 297
Brunswick, ME 04011

Tel: 207-729-1460
Fax: 207-729-1381

Email: info@sveaadventures.com

Web: www.sveaadventures.com