The Scandinavian Christmas Market was this weekend in London. For Scandinavians – like Kris and I – it’s a must-visit Christmas street market each year. The Scandinavian Christmas Market is held in Rotherhite between the Norwegian and Finnish churches. Both of the churches also host their own individual indoor Christmas markets during the same weekend. At least the Finnish Church’s Christmas market is super popular each year. I have never been there during the weekend so that there would not be a queue.
First thing this Saturday morning – when I say morning what I really mean is noon – we set out to travel to East London. With all the weekend tube closures and track replacement works it really felt like traveling. Slowly but surely we finally arrived to Canada Water tube station with Jubilee line and after that there was only a short less than 10 minute walk to Albion Street.
This year the Scandinavian Christmas street market took the whole Albion Street and had several food and drink stalls, a couple of Scandinavian ‘mini-marts’ with wide variety of Scandinavian groceries and, stalls with cute Artisan products and gifts. The food stalls offered ‘Rudolph’ in two different forms: Reindeer Burger and Reindeer Stew, which were so popular that we were not fast enough to taste either. I know it sounds bit harsh to eat ‘Rudolph’, but it’s so good and I only have it once a year (I am sorry, Rudolph!). We were left with a choice of either Salmon Soup or Scandinavian Hot Dogs, but decided to skip both and head straight for the glogg.
Glogg is basically the same as mulled wine or German glühwine. It’s usually red wine based with lots of spices. The spices are similar to the mulled wine spices – only the end result tastes stronger and more full-bodied. Glogg is usually served with a couple of almonds and raisins (in the glogg). It warms you up nice and fast! And we sure needed that as the weather had turned bit chilly in London.
After strolling up and down the street market checking out all the different stalls we headed into the Finnish Church for our main event of this trip, which was to get some national Finnish Christmas delicacies. Delightfully the queue was not too bad and the Finns were serving free glogg to the people who were queuing. Now that’s an excellent way to queue – while sipping steaming hot glogg. It makes the queuing time feel so much shorter. I should add that as the glogg was compliments of the Finnish Church it was alcohol free.
Inside it was pandemonium as always, but you could also feel the Christmas spirit. The choir was singing Christmas carols. Occasionally the whole staff joined in – even while they were carrying around full crates of bread, coffee or chocolates. The air was filled with the smell of freshly brewed coffee, candles and gingerbread. The shelves were stacked with traditional Finnish goodies – like Christmas bread, chocolates, coffee, cookies, cheese and Finnish designs like Aarikka and Marimekko. And of course pickled herring, Grill Chips (crisps with barbeque seasoning – I know the name only makes sense to a scandi!) and glogg. Needless to say we did not leave empty-handed.
If you missed the Scandinavian Christmas Market in London this year, it will be back next year and usually during the second last weekend in November.
The Finnish and Norwegian Churches Christmas Markets are annual and usually take place during the second last weekend in November.
The annual Swedish Christmas Market is held at the Swedish Church in Marylebone usually during the second last weekend in November.
For Scandinavian delicacies you can also visit the Scandinavian Kitchen or their online shop and also Totally Swedish with shops in Marylebone and Barnes in London.
Plus for all things Swedish (and Scandinavian) including national delicacies there’s always that blue and yellow giant – IKEA.
Photos: Marthafied
The post Soaking Up Scandinavian Christmas Feeling in London appeared first on www.marthafied.com
