Happy Thanksgiving from Sons of Norway CEO Eivind Heiberg

With Thanksgiving coming up tomorrow, I find myself reflecting on the many things in my life for which I am thankful. In addition to the blessings of family, friends and good health, I am thankful for all the Sons of Norway members throughout North America and Norway.

Specifically I am thankful for their dedication to their lodges and communities as well as their passion for preserving Norwegian heritage and culture. Every day I hear about a lodge or group of members who are living the fraternal spirit by giving back to their community through events and volunteerism. It gives me a great sense of pride every time I hear one of these stories.

So, this Thanksgiving, I want you to know that I am thankful for all you and your fellow members are doing throughout the organization. I hope tomorrow is a day of peace, joy, appreciation and thankfulness. Also, if you find yourself in a moment of reflection on the things you are thankful for this year I hope you’ll share them with me by contacting me at ceo@sofn.com.

Fraternally

Eivind Heiberg
CEO
Sons of Norway

Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast: An Interview With Dr. Anderson

Today is the last day to purchase your tickets for the 2013 Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast and to mark the occasion we bring you an interview with St Olaf President, Dr. David Anderson. Not only is Dr. Anderson speaking at the event on the subject of Family & Friends, he's bringing the entire St Olaf Choir with him to perform for attendees. Keep reading to get a sneak preview of his presentation for next week!

SofN: Please tell us about your connection to the Nordic American community.

DA: On both my mother's and my father's side, my family emigrated from Norway in the 19th century, settling on both sides of Wisconsin, one in Westby, WI and the other near Columbus, WI.  I grew up eating lutefisk and lefse!  I belong to Torske Klubben, the Norwegian American dining society.  And I have the honor of serving as President of St. Olaf College.

SofN: Can you give us a sneak peek into what the audience can expect from your presentation?

DA: A short story about an adventure the mother's family had on their voyage to America from Norway followed by some thoughts on what light that experience might shed on our world today.

SofN: A person in your position is sure to have a very busy schedule. Can you tell us a little about what convinced you to speak at this year’s event?

DA: At St. Olaf we treasure our Norwegian-American heritage.  It is an honor to represent the College at this important event for Norwegian-Americans in the Twin Cities.

SofN: You’re this year’s speaker on the topic of Family & Friendship. Why is this an important topic to you?

DA: Family and friendship sustained the Norwegians who emigrated to America, many of them arriving with little more than hopes of a better life for their family.  Family and friendship continue to sustain the Norwegian-American community today.

SofN: This year the world renowned St. Olaf Choir will be performing at the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast. Can you tell us about the choir and their upcoming performance? 

DA: The St. Olaf choir is one of the country's pre-eminent a cappella choirs. Last June the choir toured Norway, marking the 100th anniversary of its first tour to Norway.  The tour concluded with a magnificent concert in Trondheim Cathedral.  "A Christmas in Norway," a program recorded at the cathedral during that tour, will be broadcast on public television stations across the country this Christmas.  When not making beautiful music, the students in the choir are studying everything from music to chemistry, from physics to French.

Award-Winning Actress

Photo by Robyn Skjoldborg

In the November issue of Viking, we caught up with award-winning actress Ingrid Bolsø Berdal. She has appeared in Norwegian television shows and films, including “Hellfjord” and “Cold Prey”—which earned Berdal an Amanda Award for Best Actress. Now, she’s transitioning to the American market. Perhaps you’ve seen her in “Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters.” Look for her in next summer’s film, “Hercules: The Thracian Wars.” Here’s more of our interview.

Viking: You attended the Oslo National Academy of Dramatic Arts and started working in The Norwegian Theatre. Did that give you a good foundation for your career?

Ingrid Bolsø Berdal: Yes, of course. The education I got from the drama school was very thorough. It was three hard and intense years, and I learned a lot not only about acting, but also about myself. I'm so grateful I got to spend four years at The Norwegian Theatre, too. It gave me great experience and a good base for the work to come. I learned so much from watching and working with my colleagues.

V: You’ve played roles on stage, on television and in films. Do you have a favorite type of role?
IBB: I can't say that I have. We tell stories about people, and people are so different. I thrive the most when I'm surrounded by a creative team that I communicate well with. I love when everyone works toward the same goal and collaborates. The story should be interesting, that's the most important thing to me.

V: What has been the highlight of your career so far?
IBB: I'm really happy about a physical monologue I did a couple of years back. It was such a tough process. Preparing alone and being alone on stage was hard on many levels. But it went really well, and I'm actually astonished that I managed to pull through.

V: What are your future goals?
IBB: I wish to continue to do both theatre and film. I learn so much every time I do theatre. I get better as an actor. I love the rehearsal period, but unfortunately I tend to start getting bored playing the shows after a while, and that's a bit silly when the shows are what the audience pay money for and want to see! Luckily you can continue working on the scenes on stage if you have fun people that you're acting with. Film is faster, but then again we do the scenes once and then it is there on film forever. There’s no chance to develop more. I'd love to get to the place where I can chose what I want to do on a longer scale.

V: What do you enjoy doing in your leisure time?
IBB: I play the bass in a hobby band. It's four guys and me—they are the best guys in the world! When I'm outside of Norway working I miss them so much. It's more like a club than a band.  And I really enjoy hanging out with my girlfriends. They are shining lights in my life.

V: Who are some actors you admire?
IBB: I was gobsmacked by Ian McShane's work in "Deadwood."


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

Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast: An Interview with Brad Hewitt

Next Wednesday is the deadline to get your tickets for the 2014 Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast! If you haven't decided whether or not you want to be a part of this exciting event yet, then maybe this post will help. Today we have an interview with Thrivent CEO, Brad Hewitt who will be speaking to the audience on the topic of freedom.


SofN: Please tell us about your connection to the Nordic American Community?

Hewitt: None specifically other than living in the Twin Cities most of my life and being Lutheran, it is hard not be affected by the Nordic culture.
SofN: Have you ever attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast before?

Hewitt: No, but I'm looking forward to it.

SofN: Can you give us a sneak peek into what the audience can expect from your presentation?

Hewitt: I'm going to give a little family history about fighting for freedom - struggles and successes:  my grandfather's generational – Scarcity, my father's generational - Security, and what I think our current freedom fight that we are engaged in - Surplus.

SofN: A person in your position is sure to have a very busy schedule. Can you tell us a little about what convinced you to speak at this year’s event?

Hewitt: Sons of Norway is a fellow fraternal benefit society, and I am honored to be asked to help in an important community event that they sponsor.

SofN: You’re this year’s speaker on the topic of Freedom. Why is this an important topic to you? 

Hewitt: Frankly I would have loved to talk about any of the three.  I like this one because I normally get asked to speak about the other two.  In America we value freedom – I value freedom, but I’m not sure I think about the implications and cost of it deeply enough.  When you are asked to speak about something it makes you think about it more deeply than normal.

SofN: Do you have a favorite quote or passage about freedom?

Hewitt: Yes, partly because I was just in South Africa -  Nelson Mandela – “For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”
SofN: As the CEO of a Fraternal Life Insurance Company, can you share with our readers the importance of supporting community events like the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast?

Hewitt: Our mission is to guide people on the journey to be wise with money and generous.  We believe if you want to have a healthy relationship with money generosity is the best diagnostic tool and the best prescription.  Community events are a wonderful way to give back and encourage one another.

SofN: Can you share with our readers the role that fraternal organizations, like Thrivent and Sons of Norway, play in supporting local charities?

Hewitt: As a member owned organizations all we have is theirs.  For Thrivent part of our  goal is to inspire our members to be more generous, so  local churches and charities are the most common beneficiaries.

Hello from Viking’s new editor Ann Pedersen

As you probably read last week, Sons of Norway's Viking magazine has had a change in editors. In a post last Wednesday, long-time editor Amy Boxrud bid a fond farewell as she began an exciting new chapter in her life. And, as Amy mentioned in her last post, Viking has a new editor, Ann Pedersen, and we at Sons of Norway are very excited to welcome her to the magazine. We also would like to  introduce her to you, our dedicated readers. What follows is a post written by Ann about her background and connection to Norwegian heritage and culture.

Viking magazine: there were probably copies lying around on side tables at my grandparents’ farmhouse in western Minnesota when I was a kid. I confess I don’t remember. But the story of how they met at a Sons of Norway lodge meeting in 1937—and then eloped—is front and center in our family lore. They remained Sons of Norway members for their whole lives, and their pride in their Norwegian heritage was as much a part of them as the wheat they planted in the fields. Little could any of us have known that years later I would be writing—and now editor—for Viking.

My entre to Viking began when my good friend and Viking editor Amy Boxrud approached me to write a feature about progressive prisons in Norway (May 2011). Knowing nothing about prisons or the justice system in Norway, I accepted and dug into the research. It was the beginning of a wonderful writing adventure and collaboration with the magazine; the 1612 Battle of Kringen feature followed (August 2012), then the stave church feature “Cathedrals of Wood” (April 2013). The story of the Sloopers of 1825 and their ship The Restauration just came out in the October 2013 issue.

My familiarity with the magazine gets down to the nitty-gritty as well: I have been a freelance proofreader for Viking since 2011, assuring that all the glorious details of punctuation, grammar, usage and style are accurate. It’s an assignment I have always looked forward to, and I can honestly say that I have enjoyed every issue and feature, and I always learn something new.

My discovery of my own Nordic heritage began when I was six years old: when my parents packed up their two kids in the early 1970s and took us on a trip to Scandinavia. It was unforgettable, even for a six-year-old, and not your typical family vacation at the time. I find it interesting to reflect on now in light of Viking’s feature on traveling with children in the upcoming January 2014 issue. 

Back at home in St. Paul, Mn., Nordic traditions were part and parcel of growing up:  knitting and baking, hiking and biking. My parents both spoke a little Norwegian (and Danish) and pursued their family histories and genealogy with passion. Herring, lefse, fruit soup, and rice pudding were among the Nordic regulars on our holiday tables--always with a frozen bottle of akvavit at the center and a steady stream of stories.

I graduated from St. Olaf College with a double major in English and Norwegian, then earned a master’s degree in English and Creative Writing at Hollins College in Roanoke, Va. After working as a production editor at a Minneapolis publishing company, I worked as freelance editor from home while raising my three daughters. I have had the good fortune to travel to Norway with my daughters both in 2008 and in 2011. I still love to knit and bake, hike and bike, and I’ve added Nordic folk music to the family traditions, occasionally playing with the local Nordic Roots session and attending the annual Nisswa-stammen in Nisswa, Mn. My husband, also a descendant of Norwegian immigrants, serves up a mean genealogy and when he’s not researching family and local history, he’s in the woods with hand tools, currently building an authentic Norwegian timber-framed sauna.

Amy Boxrud leaves me with a beautifully crafted magazine and big editorial shoes to fill! Together with the team at Sons of Norway, she and art director Jill Adler and associate editor Anya Britzius have passionately pursued content, art and photos that both celebrate Nordic history and heritage and explore the exciting culture of modern Norway.

I raise my virtual glass of akvavit to Amy on her wonderful legacy at Viking. Skål Amy! I’m honored to take the helm and I look forward to working with the Viking editorial team and everyone at Sons of Norway to bring you more fresh, interesting and beautiful content about this wonderful Norwegian culture and heritage we all share.

Ann Pedersen is a freelance writer and editor of Viking magazine. She lives in St. Paul, Mn., with her husband and three daughters.

Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast: An Interview with Rev. Svennungsen

With the ticket deadline of November 20th fast approaching Sons of Norway hopes you'll be in attendance at the 2014 Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast! To give you a little taste of what you can expect at this premier event, we hope you will enjoy the second in a series of interviews with this year's NATB speakers. This time we interviewed Rev. Ann Svennungsen, who will be speaking to the audience on the topic of faith.

SofN: Please tell us about your connection to the Nordic American community. 

Svennungsen: My paternal grandparents were 100% Norwegian. In 1994, my father and I took a once-in-a-lifetime trip to visit the sites where our ancestors lived. In addition to the Svennungsens, our ancestors were Groethes, Monsons, and Frichs. The Frich family was well known in Bergen, where a museum still stands in their name. Norman Borlaug and Leland Sateren are also descendants of the Svennungsen immigrants (though spellings vary). I attended Concordia College in Moorhead, and served as pastor at St. Olaf and President of Texas Lutheran – all of which have significant Norwegian (and Swedish) ties.

SofN: Have you ever attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast before? 

Svennungsen: No. But I’m delighted to attend this year! 

SofN: Can you give us a sneak peek into what the audience can expect from your presentation?   

Svennungsen: I am eager to speak about what I sense as a deep yearning for faith and about how the church is meeting - or struggling to meet - that yearning. I also love to tell stories – so there will be a few of those!

SofN: A person in your position is sure to have a very busy schedule. Can you tell us a little about what convinced you to speak at this year’s event? 

Svennungsen: I have high regard for Rick Torgerson and knew he’d spoken at last year’s event; so I sensed it was well worth my time. Also, I’m pretty proud of my Norwegian heritage (in a good sort of way, I hope!).

SofN: As this year’s speaker on the topic of faith, can you share with our readers what you believe is most important element of faith? 

Svennungsen: The good news of God’s unconditional love – revealed in the death and resurrection of Christ.

SofN: Do you have a favorite quote or passage about faith? 

Svennungsen: “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

SofN: As a person with a long history in the church, what is the most important lesson our readers should know about faith? 

Svennungsen: If we are justified by faith in Christ as a gift from God, then our whole theology grows out from that central promise: We celebrate the priesthood of all believers and the vocation of all the baptized to love the neighbor; we rejoice in the gift of community and the promise that God meets us in finite, sacramental ways; we rest in the “theology of cross,” a theology that welcomes questions, appreciates struggle, and calls us see God most clearly in the cross; and we live out the radical welcome we ourselves have received from God. 

SofN: Can you share with our readers why you think it’s important to support local charities?  

Svennungsen: As one theologian put it, “when some have too much to eat and others have none, we ain’t got the Kingdom of God.” We give generously because it’s a powerful way to live out our call to love the neighbor as oneself, and especially the neighbor in need. When charities promote the fullness of life for all people – as well as the common good – we are called to share in cheerfulness and gratitude.

Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast: An Interview with Don Shelby

At the end of this month Sons of Norway is hosting the 29^th annual Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast! It’s an exciting event and this year our slate of speakers is top-notch with the likes of broadcast journalist and event MC Don Shelby, Thrivent CEO Brad Hewitt, Dr. St Olaf President David Anderson and Bishop Ann Svennungsen.

In the run-up to this year’s big event, Sons of Norway has interviewed each of the speakers and over the next couple of weeks we’ll be sharing what they had to say. To kick things off, this week we bring you an interview with Peabody and Emmy award winning journalist, Don Shelby. Mr. Shelby who is well known in Minnesota and throughout the United States for his investigative journalism, community work and his popularization of the Pratt knot, will be leading the event as this year’s NATB Master of Ceremonies.

SofN: Please tell us about your connection to the Nordic American community.

 

Don Shelby: One cannot live in these communities for 35 years and fail to be swept up in the Nordic tradition.  And, before I became a nephew of Norway, my heroes were Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen.  I am a member of the scion society of the Baker Street Irregulars known as the Norwegian Explorers.  And, as they say, 'some of my best friends are Norwegian.'  I am of Welsh descent,  but after 885 AD, I expect that I have a good share of Nordic blood in my veins.

SofN: Have you ever attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast before?

 

Don Shelby: I have attended the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast and have been a featured speaker.  I have attended past events with my late great friend General Doyle Larson. 

SofN: We are very excited to have you as this year’s MC can you give us a sneak peek into what the audience can expect from this year’s event? 

Don Shelby: At this year's Thanksgiving breakfast you can expect a long list of dignitaries, consuls, and diplomats, plus the cream of the Norwegian crop in the Twin Cities.  And, as always, we will be surrounded by friends who simply wish they were Norwegian, and will behave as though they are Norwegian  for this day of Thanksgiving.  We will be entertained by the finest college choir in America from St. Olaf, as well as the M-Saxteens from the 34th Infantry Division of the Minnesota National Guard.  We will have speakers on the topics of Friends, Family, Faith and Freedom.  As a part of every Thanksgiving breakfast, we will raise money this year for the Second Harvest Heartland foodshelves and the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.

SofN: You probably receive a lot of requests to speak at events throughout the year, so can you tell us a little about what convinced you to participate in this year’s event?

 

Don Shelby: I am often asked to participate in events like the Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast, and I cannot say yes to each one of them.  I have developed a method of winnowing the requests down to a manageable number.  I accept those requests made by Gary Gandrud, Major General Richard Nash and any request made by anyone whose name ends in "sen" or "son."  Therefore, I am busy in Minnesota every day of the week.

SofN: Over the years you’ve spent a lot of time focusing on local issues. Can you share your thoughts on the importance of supporting local charities, like Second Harvest and the Minnesota Military Family Foundation?

Don Shelby: I have had a long association with both Second Harvest and with the Minnesota Military Family Foundation.  I'm currently the capital campaign chair for the Washburn Center for Children's new 25-million dollar building in Minnesota to serve the needs of children with mental health issues.  As host and master of ceremonies, I've been a part of the generous giving nature of the Twin Cities and in my career at WCCO and after, have helped raise more than 200 million dollars for causes ranging from the Ronald McDonald House to Cystic Fibrosis and Cancer Research, to town libraries and sports fields for children.  It sounds like a large undertaking, but in a community like ours, it is fairly easy to do.  This community loves to give.  All you need is a good story, a wonderful cause and the people will give. 

SofN: Can you share your thoughts on the role that local events, like the NATB play in making Minnesota a vibrant place to live?

 

Don Shelby: The Nordic American Thanksgiving Breakfast has set a standard for how to make everyone feel like Minnesota is their home.  The emphasis on heritage old and new is essential in communities like ours.  We are reminded, by events like the Breakfast, that we all came from some place else, and, in order to stay vibrant, we must always hold out the hand of welcome to those who still come to find a home.

My Thanks

Four years ago, when I became editor of Viking, my first task was to check final proofs for the December 2009 issue. Now, almost exactly four years later, I'm wrapping up my editorial duties as the December issue heads to the printer. It seems fitting that my tenure at Viking has been four years—the length of time it takes to earn a college degree—because the whole experience has been a real education for me.

I learned something new—often many things—with every issue of Viking that we put out. Some of my favorite topics ended up being those that I started out knowing the least about, such as Norway's progressive penal system (May 2011), the country's oil fund debate (August 2011), and its changing role in the Arctic (March 2012). Our story on Norwegian eco-fashion forever changed my shopping habits (March 2012). And it probably comes as no surprise that the most difficult story was our coverage of Norway's July 22 terror attacks (December 2011). I loved collaborating with Viking Art Director Jill Adler on our design features: Scandinavian modern design (May 2012) and my interview with design guru Genevieve Gorder (August 2011). And my favorite themed issues were without question the January travel issues!

This year's November issue included an article highlighting Sons of Norway's fraternal operations. In it, we looked back at Viking through the years. It reminded me of how many people have contributed to the magazine (and its predecessor publications) since its beginnings in 1904, and what an honor it has been to be a part of it.

Viking made its foray into the digital world a few years ago with our online edition and our contributions to this blog. I look forward to seeing where the magazine will go in the future. I know that its new editor, Ann Pedersen, along with Associate Editor Anya Britzius (whose work you've already been enjoying in the magazine) will chart a great course. I wish them all the best, and I'll be watching and reading along with all of you!

Amy Boxrud is a writer and the former editor of Viking magazine. She lives in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo: Nancy Bundt

More Viking Holiday Gift Picks

The holiday season is fast approaching! As you’re making your shopping list, be sure to check out the November issue of Viking for our Scandinavian-inspired gift guide. Of course, not all of our favorite gifts could make the cut. Here are a few more gift ideas that we love.

The Little Scandinavian Girls Sticker Paper Dolls by Barbara Steadman is a perfectgift for little ones. Dress the dolls in eight traditional costumes with 25colorful stickers. $1.50, booksamillion.com

Send greetings to your friends and family with these Rosemaling Design Note Cards, featuring eight blank cards by artwork from Ethel Kvalheim, an award-winning rosemaler from Wisconsin. $12.95, ingebretsens.com

Norwegian company Helly Hansen is known for its outdoor gear for men, women and children. The 3-in-1 waterproof Ashbury CIS Coat has a zip-in fleece jacket to keep you dry and warm throughout the year. $300. hellyhansen.com

Looking for a new crime thriller to cozy up with this season? Check out “Police,” the latest novel in the Harry Hole Series by award-winning Norwegian author Jo Nesbø’s. amazon.com

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

Who Was Gange Rolf?

Rollo statue in Rouen, France

At Viking, we're lucky to have so many engaged and knowledgeable readers. We recently received information from Joe Skodje of Clearwater, Fla. about Gange Rolf, the Viking leader credited for settling French Normandy. How much do you know about this important historical figure?

As legend has it, Rolf was so tall that his feet dragged the ground when he rode a horse, earning him the name Gange Rolf or "Walking Rolf."

During the 9th century, Vikings repeatedly sailed up the Seine, raiding and plundering. To put an end to these raids, King Charles the Simple made a treaty with Rolf, who became known as Rollo (or Rollon) in that area, granting him an area of land around Rouen. Rolf's people from the North (the Normans) settled in such high numbers in this area that it became known as Normandy. Gange Rolf went on to become the forefather of William the Conquerer, the first Norman king of England.

A statue of Rollo stands in a churchyard near the center of Rouen where Joan of Arc was buried. It was erected there in 1911 at the Normandy millennial celebration.

A second statue statue was given to the city of Fargo, N.D. from the city of Rouen. Commissioned in 1912, "it originally stood in a large grassy area next to the old Viking Hotel, just south of the Great Northern Depot on the north side of town," writes Skodje. On July 12, 1912, the Sons of Norway's Supreme Lodge Convention was recessed to give officers and delegates the opportunity to take part in the parade and dedication of the Gange Rolf statue. The statue now stands about a block north of Kringen Lodge in Fargo.

A third statue stands in the city of Ålesund, Norway. The statue commemorates the birthplace of Gange Rolf on the nearby island of Giske.

"All members of Sons of Norway should know the history of the man whose statue stands on these pedestals in Rouen, in Ålesund and in Fargo," Skodje writes. I fully agree. Thanks, Joe, for the history lesson!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Photo courtesy of Flickr user Cross Duck.

Dill Lover's Martini

Last week's Viking photo shoot served double-duty. Not only did we shoot three mouthwatering desserts from renowned pasty chef Sverre Sæatre, but we ended the day by getting some photos for our upcoming aquavit feature, which will appear in the same issue. (Note: I said we got photos—not shots—of aquavit!)

Here, food stylists Rachel Sherwood adds some garnishes to a Dill Martini, made with locally produced Gamle Ode dill aquavit. If you enjoy a cocktail now and then, you're definitely going to want this recipe—look for it in our December issue!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Holiday Baking With Viking

Prince Cake

One of the most rewarding parts of being an editor is seeing an idea become a full-blown article. And perhaps no subject is more satisfying to work with than (you guessed it) food! When I first became aware of master pastry chef Sverre Sætre and his cookbook "Norwegian Cakes and Cookies," I imagined his recipes would make a great holiday feature for Viking.

After browsing Sætre's collection, I found three recipes that I thought readers would especially enjoy for the holidays: Thick Lefse with Blueberry Butter, Prince Cake, and Butter Cookies With Almonds. Each of these recipes had a familiar-but-fresh quality to them: something potentially new for our mostly North American readership, but not so unusual or complicated that readers would shy away from experimenting with them.

Another thing I love about being an editor is being able to work with some really talented people. I shared the recipes with Viking art director Jill Adler, who ran with them. She found the perfect props to create a homey, holiday atmosphere. She also brought in the skillful help of food stylist Rachel Sherwood and photographer John Mowers of Unleashed Productions. The results? Deilig!

Look for Sætre's recipes in the upcoming December issue of Viking!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Minnesota's Own Nordic Noir

Vidar Sundstøl in Two Harbors. Photo by Shea Sundstøl.

I'm currently reading "Land of Dreams" by Norwegian crime novelist Vidar Sundstøl. Set on Lake Superior's North Shore, the book is Part One of the author's Minnesota Trilogy published by University of Minnesota Press and translated by Tiina Nunnally.

I'm only a few chapters into it, but the book has caught my interest on a number of levels. It's interesting to read a crime novel set in an area of Minnesota I know so well. I'm also enjoying getting aquainted with Sundstøl's Norwegian-American characters, knowing they've been created by a native Norwegian. Finally, I'm intrigued by the author's relationship with the North Shore, an area he initially resisted living in, but came to love, as he described in a recent U of M Press blogpost:

"How did 'I hate this place' become 'I can't leave here'? It was a mixture of two things: The landscape with its special magic and the people with their stories."

Those of us living in the Twin Cities metro area have several opportunities to see Sundstøl in the next few days:

Tues., Oct. 15, 7 PM
Mindekirken—The Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church
Q&A, reading, and book signing with the author. The event is free and open to the public, though reservations are required. Call 612-627-1932, email presspr@umn.edu, or go to mnlcp.org to register.

Wed., Oct. 16, 4:30–6 PM
Dock Café, Stillwater
Valley Bookseller’s monthly “Totally Criminal Cocktail Hour” meeting includes a talk by Sundstøl and a Q&A session. Cost is $10 and includes appetizers. Reservations are required; call 651-430-3385 for details. A cash bar will be available.

Thurs., Oct. 17, 1–3 PM
Ingebretsen’s, Minneapolis
Book signing

Thursday, October 17, 7 PM
Once Upon a Crime, Minneapolis
Author Q&A session and book signing

Viking magazine will also have the opportunity to meet with Sundstøl when he's in town. Stay tuned for an interview with the author in 2014!

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.

Happy Leif Erikson Day!

Happy Leif Erikson Day! This year marks the 49th Anniversary of the Presidential Proclamation of Leif Erikson Day, originally signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and first-issued on October 9, 1964. This was quite an auspicious occasion, considering that the idea was first proposed in 1865 and enjoyed the support of many of groups and individuals, like Ole Bull, F.D.R., and Edgar Allen Poe, throughout the years. But, we Scandinavians are nothing if not tenacious, so even though it took almost a century, we finally were rewarded with the acknowledgement that Leif got here first and beat the better known Columbus by 500 years.

Here’s how it happened: After traveling from Greenland to Norway in 999, and becoming a hirdman for King Olaf Tryggvason, Leif was given a mission: introduce Christianity to Greenland. According to various sources, while Leif was on his voyage to Greenland he was blown off course to a land that he did not expect to see, where he found "self-sown wheat fields and grapevines".

After returning to Greenland Leif purchased a new ship, gathered a crew of thirty-five men, and mounted an expedition towards the land he had found. Leif landed first in a rocky and desolate place he named Helluland (Flat-Rock Land; possibly Baffin Island). After venturing further by sea, he landed the second time in a forested place he named Markland (Forest Land; possibly Labrador). Finally, after two more days at sea, he landed in a place he named Vinland. There, he and his crew built a small settlement which was called Leifsbúðir (Leif's Booths) by later visitors from Greenland. After having wintered over in Vinland, Leif returned to Greenland in the spring with a cargo of grapes and timber. The rest, as they say, is history.
Well, actually, it wasn’t until the 1960’s when a couple of archeologists by the names of Helge Ingstad and Anne Stine Ingstad discovered L'Anse aux Meadows and changed history as we knew it. Their discovery proved that Norse explorers had not only set foot on North America long before Christopher Columbus, but they had settled there, too.

Today, all people of Nordic descent should be proud of their heritage, the great accomplishments of their ancestors, and the contributions that Nordic people have made to the world throughout history. Happy Leif Erikson Day!

Twin Cities' Leiv Eriksson Festival Offers Top-Notch Entertainment

Uranienborg Vocal Ensemble

The highlight of my week was hearing Oslo's Uranienborg Vocal Ensemble, (UraVok) when they performed in St. Olaf College's Boe Chapel last night. The 20-piece choir is currently touring the state. Tonight the group performs at Mindekirken, the Norwegian Lutheran Memorial Church, as part of the Minneapolis Leiv Eriksson International Festival. The ensemble will perform at services at Immanuel Lutheran Church of Eden Prairie on the morning of Sunday, Oct. 5, and will give a 6 p.m. concert at the church that evening. (If you live outside the Twin Cities metro, you're still in luck: Last night's 80-minute concert is archived on St. Olaf's website.)

UraVok isn't the only top-notch Norwegian group to come to Minnesota for the festival. Two weeks of concerts and events were kicked off by trumpeter Kai Robert Johansen. The comedic duo of Uppstad and Waade from Rogaland, Norway will also entertain audiences at the Danish American Center and Mindekirken on Oct. 6 and 8, respectively.

PATINA

The festival comes to a close with a performance of PATINA, which makes its U.S. premiere at Pantages Theater in downtown Minneapolis. Comprised of 27 rural Norwegian women aged 70 to 80, PATINA "celebrates the beauty, strength, wisdom, and experience of the daughters and granddaughters of the women who fought for and won the right to vote in Norway exactly 100 years ago." (Read more about Norway's celebration of women's suffrage in the June issue of Viking!)

Amy Boxrud is editor of Viking magazine. She lives with her family in Northfield, Minn., where she’s a member of Nordmarka 1-585.