Norwegian Designer: Cecilie Melli

In the March 2015 issue of Viking, we featured one of Europe’s hottest young fashion designers, Cecilie Melli. Known for her cocktail and bridal dresses, Melli also creates lovely jewelry and accessories. Melli got her start in design at the Esmod International fashion school in Oslo and Paris. In 2004, she started her namesake brand and currently has a shop in Oslo. Melli has a true Norwegian design aesthetic, one that’s very clean and simple. Head to her online shop and keep an eye on Melli’s blog for the latest designs.

Follow Cecilie Melli on all her social media accounts: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Lingonberry Photo Shoot

In the March 2015 issue of Viking, we kicked off a new type of recipe feature, taking one Scandinavian ingredient and showing how to use it in many ways. Lingonberries are the star of the show! We chose the antioxidant-rich berries for their versatility. They are a wonderful compliment to dishes both savory and sweet. To create the recipes, we enlisted the help of Norwegian-American food stylist and recipe developer Betsy Nelson. She did a great job creating four, easy and delicious recipes: Lingonberry Cardamon Rolls, Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches with Lingonberry Chutney, Lamb Chops With Lingonberry Red Wine Sauce and a Lingonberry Gin Fizz Cocktail.

Read on for a peek behind the scenes of our photo shoot!

What: Viking’s Lingonberry Photo Shoot
When: January 8, 2015
Where: Northrup King Building, Minneapolis
Photographer: Tom Thulen
Recipe Developer/Stylist: Betsy Nelson

Schedule: 
 9 a.m.: Arrive on set at the studio and start preparing the Grown-Up Grilled Ham & Cheese sandwiches and Lingonberry Cardamom Rolls.
10:30-11:30 a.m.: Photograph sandwiches
11:30 a.m.–1 p.m: Photograph the cover shot for the rolls
2-3 p.m.: Set up and photograph the opening shot of the rolls
3:15-4 p.m.: Make lamb chops, lingonberry gin fizz cocktail and set up for the shot
4-5:30 p.m.: Photograph the final shot with the lamb chops and cocktail

 

Looking for more recipe ideas? Don't forget to check out Sons of Norway’s Recipe Box. Let us know if you make any of the lingonberry recipes and send an email to vikingeditor@msp-c.com. Enjoy!

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Norwegian Chef Wins Bocuse d’Or 2015

©Photos Le Fotographe

In January, Norway chef Ørjan Johannessen won the world’s most prestigious food competition, Bocuse d’Or, in Lyon, France. The contest, created by Paul Bocuse in 1987, rewards the best chef among 24 international candidates. Traditionally, Scandinavians have come out on top. This is the fifth time a Norwegian has won. Johannessen, 29, follows in the footsteps of previous Norwegian gold medal winners Bent Stiansen (1993), Terje Ness (1999), Charles Tjessem (2003) and Geir Skeie (2009).

Here’s a look at the countries that placed in the top 10 at the
2015 Bocuse d’Or:
1. Norway
2. The United States            

3. Sweden
4. Finland
5. Japan
6. Denmark
7. France
8. Iceland
9. The Netherlands
10. The United Kingdom

You may remember Johannessen from Viking’s August 2012 issue, where we featured him and one of his recipes, Venison Carpaccio “Austevoll.” Johannessen works as a chef at Bekkjarvik Guesthouse, in Austevoll, just south of Bergen.

Follow Johannessen on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. 

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

The Minnesota Trilogy

Do you love Scandinavian crime fiction? Be sure to check out books by celebrated Norwegian mystery writer Vidar Sundstøl. In the February 2015 issue of Viking, we feature a Q&A with Sundstøl on page 46. He’s the author of seven novels, but is probably best known for his Minnesota Trilogy. The three books showcase his affinity for the North Shore of Lake Superior and combines immigrant stories with murder mystery.

The Minnesota Trilogy includes the books, The Land of Dreams, Only the Dead and The Ravens.

This spring, he will be touring the Midwest in conjunction with the release of The Ravens. Check out this podcast which features an interview with Sundstøl.

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Viking's Book Giveaway!

Viking is giving away a signed copy of Paul Lowe’s cookbook, “Sweet Paul Eat & Make” to a lucky Sons of Norway member. On page 32 of Viking’s February issue, we feature a recipe from the book for aquavit-cured salmon with mustard sauce.

Lowe is a Norwegian-born crafter and food/prop stylist living in New York. His new book features charming recipes and easy craft projects for morning, brunch, noon and night. Lowe’s popular online magazine, Sweet Paul, is published quarterly and brims with more wonderful ideas for food and crafts.

Here’s how to enter Viking’s book giveaway contest: Send an email that includes your name, mailing address, phone number, lodge number and a brief description of one of your favorite Scandinavian recipes to vikingcontest@msp-c.com. Use “Book Giveaway” in the subject line. All emails received by midnight, Feb. 28, 2015, will be eligible for our drawing in early March.

Keep an eye out for Viking’s upcoming May, August and November 2015 issues in which we’ll include more recipes from “Sweet Paul Eat and Make” and additional chances to win signed copies of the book.

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Tubfrim winner announced

Last month was a lucky time for Violet “Vi” Hills, a member of Jotunheimen 4-499 in Billings, MT . Vi was the winner of the Tubfrim drawing to give away a ticket to Norway, worth up to $1,000. Her postcard was drawn from among 2,530 other cards. With one card for every pound sent to Norway that means that Sons of Norway sent at least 2,531 pounds of stamps to Tubfrim in 2014. Gene Brandvold, Sons of Norway’s Tubfrim chairperson, conducted the drawing.

What is Tubfrim?
Tubfrim was established in 1928 by Postmaster Ditlef Frantzen in Nesbyen, Norway. The aim was to collect and sell used stamps and use the proceeds to aid in the eradication of tuberculosis among Norwegian children. Since tuberculosis is no longer the threat to health that it once was, today children and youth with disabilities and special needs receive the proceeds from the resale of the stamps. Sons of Norway has been involved with the organization since 1986 and is its major contributor of stamps from a group outside of Norway.

Win a Ticket to Norway
While helping children is a great motivation for Sons of Norway members to participate, there is a special incentive to say “thank you”. For every pound of stamps collected, the member or lodge can enter a drawing, held in mid-January every year, to win a round trip ticket to Norway, worth up to $1,000.

Have questions? Need additional information?
Contact Gene Brandvold, Tubfrim chairperson, at genegbrand@aol.com or 952-831-4361.

More With Sig Hansen

If you’ve watched episodes of The Discover Channel’s “Deadliest Catch,” you’re probably familiar with Norwegian fishing captain Sig Hansen. We had the pleasure of interviewing him for the February issue of Viking. Hansen helms his family’s boat, Northwestern, and is one of the Alaskan crab industry’s top producers. Check out his interview on page 7. Here are a few more quotes from Hansen about his seafaring life.

“The town that my folks were from in Norway was a fishing village. The main thing they did was herring and cod. My grandmother would work at salting the herring and then put them in wooden kegs. Fishing has always been a big part of our lifestyle. Not just the Norwegian heritage, but for our family.”

“We like to keep the same people on board. If you pay well, and you get the same guys returning, it makes the whole operation a lot safer because we have a crew that knows the boat and has a routine. If you take five new guys and have them on a boat that they aren’t accustomed to, the odds are that bad things are going to happen. Every boat is different, and that is why we like to keep the same people.”

“You’re in charge of your business, your own destiny. And that is a nice feeling. I really appreciate what I have! Most people look at us like we are nuts, but the reality is, I don’t think we are crazy because we know what we are doing.”

“When we were younger, we could be gone anywhere from eight to 11 months. Now, depending on what we participate in, we are gone for four to six months for King Crab fishing.”

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Join the Team and Make a Difference with Sons of Norway

Sons of Norway Seeks Insurance New Business Representative

Sons of Norway of Minneapolis, MN is seeking a New Business Representative that will assist in our Insurance Services Division. 

About us:

Sons of Norway  has been in the business of selling annuity and life insurance products since 1895.  Since then we have grown to become a $360 million Fraternal Life Insurance company that serves 60,000 members in nearly 400 communities throughout North America and Norway.  We are headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota and have agents selling insurance and servicing members throughout the United States.

Job Summary:

This position is primarily responsible for processing of new applications, ordering requirements as part of the underwriting process, and generating insurance contracts after the application has been approved.  This position communicates regularly with our agents and outside vendors during the application, underwriting and issue process.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Summary of core duties and responsibilities. Other duties may be assigned.

• Prepares and completes  initial set up process for all annuity and life applications.
• Perform the initial underwriting review of all annuity and life applications, and when appropriate, will take them through the approval process.
• Order the underwriting requirements as directed by the underwriter.
• Coordinate all communications for 1035 exchanges, rollovers and transfers.
• Upon application approval, generates policy pages for distribution to the agents and delivery to the clients. 
• Share responsibility for processing all new business mail.
• Manage vendor websites by receipting and distributing underwriting requirements.
• Reinsurance Administration.
• Commission and Production maintenance for the agents.

Job Requirements:

·         Undergraduate degree preferred.  Associates degree required.

·         5+  years demonstrated knowledge and experience related to Insurance processes and procedures preferred.

·         Strong Technical aptitude.  Ability to analyze and use various computer software programs with minimal direction.  Intermediate Microsoft Word and Excel preferred.

·         Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

·         Excellent oral and written communications skills. Ability to effectively work with both internal and external customers.

·         Ability to work effectively in a team environment.

·         While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit and talk or hear.  The employee is occasionally required to stand and walk.  The employee is frequently required to use hands.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 

To Apply:

Please submit your cover letter, salary requirements and resume to:

Sons of Norway

Attn: Diane Gill

1455 West Lake Street

Minneapolis, MN 55408

Or Email: dgill@sofn.com

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer

Jarle Bernhoft Up for a Grammy

You may recognize Oslo-born musician Jarle Bernhoft’s name from Viking’s January issue in which we asked Norwegian notables about their favorite places to dine, shop and play in their home country. Check out his favorites, including Oslo's Rockefeller Music Hall, Credo restaurant and the Henie-Onstad Art Center, on page 23.

Last spring, Bernhoft released his third full-length studio album, “Islander,” to rave reviews. The album is nominated for a 2015 Grammy Award in the R&B category. It’s the first time a non-American artist has received a nod in the category’s 20-year history. Tune in to the Grammy Awards on February 8, 2015, to see if he wins!

Photo: Fred Jonny

If you’re in Scandinavia this winter, catch Bernhoft on tour in Norway and Sweden through March and stay up-to-date by following him on Facebook and Twitter. 

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Happy Founders' Day!

Happy Sons of Norway Founders' Day!

It was on this day 120 years ago that 18 Norwegian immigrants came together in Minneapolis, MN to form a mutual assistance group that would support their community members in times of tragedy. Since then, Sons of Norway has grown exponentially and you are now part of an international organization with a network of members and lodges throughout North America and Norway.

As I reflect on the occasion, I can't help but wonder if our founders could ever have conceived the notion that their small, community-based group would one day grow into the Fraternal Life Insurance company we know today?

So, in honor of Founders' Day, I encourage you to spend time out in the community today wearing your membership pin and talking to friends and neighbors about Sons of Norway. You can tell them about the member benefits, philanthropic opportunities or financial products offered exclusively to members, as well as the great work being done by your lodge. 

Above all, today is an opportunity to celebrate our founders, show pride in our heritage and boast about all the great things Sons of Norway does in your community. 

In closing, on behalf of everyone at the Sons of Norway Headquarters, I wish you a happy Founders' Day and offer my heartfelt appreciation for your dedication to the organization. 

"The Imitation Game" Nabs 8 Oscar Nominations

This year’s Academy Award nominations were announced this morning, and Norwegian director Morten Tyldum’s film
“The Imitation Game” has a shot at winning eight Oscars. Here’s as recap of the categories in which the film is nominated:

• Best picture
• Best director (Morten Tyldum)
• Best actor (Benedict Cumberbatch)
• Best supporting actress (Keira Knightley)
• Best adapted screen play
• Best film editing
• Best original score
• Best production design

The film tells the story of British mathematician, cryptanalyst and war hero Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch). During World War II, he created a machine that cracked the codes of Germany’s Enigma and saved millions of lives. His work generated a field of research into "Turing Machines"—what we know today as computers. The film is based on Andrew Hodge’s book, “Alan Turing: The Enigma.”

Photo: Jack English courtesy of Black Bear Pictures

Tyldum has directed several films in his native Norway, including the BAFTA-nominated “Headhunters,” but “The Imitation Game” is his English- language directing debut. Early in the process, filmmakers were excited to welcome him to the project.

Photo: Jack English courtesy of Black Bear Pictures

In the film’s production notes, Teddy Schwarzman, head of film production and financing company Black Bear Pictures, knew Tyldum was the man for the job: “Ultimately it was a Norwegian who blew me away with his true understanding of the characters. Morten Tyldum knew what was driving everybody in the story and that it was a story of love and loss and triumph.”

Screenwriter Graham Moore was also thrilled for Tyldum to join the production: "I never dreamed that we would end up with a director with the level of skill and craft that Morten brings to this movie. From the first second I sat down with him, I left the meeting and called everyone else and said 'It has to be this guy. This is the director of the film. He just got it and so instinctively.'"

Benedict Cumberbatch and director Morten Tyldum on set.
Photo: Jack English Courtesy of Black Bear Pictures

“The Imitation Game” is no stranger to award nominations, as it also garnered five Golden Globe and three Screen Actor Guild Award nominations earlier this winter. Check out the Academy Awards to see the results on February 22, 2015.

Have you seen the film? What did you think?

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Upcoming Film Festival

If you’re in the Seattle area, check out the sixth annual Nordic Lights Film Festival from January 15-18, 2015, presented by The Nordic Heritage Museum. Features, documentaries and short films from Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden will be shown at SIFF Film Center.

“The Nordic Lights Film Festival is one of the Museum’s most compelling programs,” said Nordic Heritage Museum CEO Eric Nelson. “By screening films that are both critically-acclaimed and wildly popular in the Nordic countries, we are able to connect our community to this intriguing component of contemporary Nordic culture.”

 One heartwarming film is a Norwegian documentary called The Optimists/Optimistene, which follows an extraordinary Hamar volleyball team consisting of ladies between 66 and 98 years of age. Director Gunhild Westhagen Magnor and cast member Anne-Grethe Westhagen will be attending the screening and the opening reception.

Festival passes are available for purchase. Prices are: $65 for the general public and $55 for Nordic Heritage Museum and SIFF Members. Single-ticket admission is $8 for Nordic Heritage Museum Members and SIFF Members; $12 for the general public. Check out the festival page and purchase tickets here. 

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.

Viking's Travel Issue

Happy New Year from Viking magazine! Our January issue is all about travel, and we couldn’t be more excited to start 2015 off by sharing some Norwegian destination inspiration. In the issue, we highlight Norway’s wildlife safaris, Bergen and recommendations from three notable Norwegians—chef and television host Andreas Viestad, Olympic snowboarder Silje Norendal and musician Jarle Bernhoft. 

If you need even more reasons to set your travel plans in motion, check out this link for stunning photos of Norway’s landscape. Let the travel planning begin!

Anya Britzius is editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Minneapolis, Minn., and enjoys baking, reading and keeping up on modern Norwegian trends.