Four Words for You

Tapioca.

Comments

[Card's wife]

What's going on with the sill salad this year?

[Card]

What's in the sill salad?
Swedes should like herring. Is there any herring in it? If there is, I want some.

[rannva]

Misspent, I thought we educated these people about Swedish Christmas foods last year...

[Misspent]

Rannva, I share you bewilderment. Perhaps the drinking started a little early (late?) at the Cardinal house today.

Question for you, do you have any opinion on aquavits?

[rannva]

Indeed, while drinking is very important it should never cloud one's knowledge of the Swedish Christmas traditions! Or we'll make you watch Ingmar Bergman movies 24/7!

I'm not a huge aquavit consumer. Most of that was done during parties in college (do they do drinking songs here too? seated at long tables?) The shotglasses were always icy cold and the vodka thick as molasses.

[Card]

There is no drinking or Christmas cheer going on at the Cardinal's home. Mrs C has been very ill. All she want's for Xmas is an answer to her simple question about sill salad.

Excuse me, but I have to go. Mrs C is ringing her sick bell.

[rannva]

I am sorry to hear Mrs C has been ill. Some nice and warm Glögg might cheer her up!
Here are some links to Finnish and Swedish Christmas recipes and traditions.
Bookmark them for future reference.
• http://virtual.finland.fi/xmas/?
• http://www.massrecipes.com/recipes/95/08/herringsaladsillsallad298214.html (it is also called Rosolli salad when not including herring -- see recipe under the Virtual Finland link)