Fikadrottning

Hej allihopa! How was your New Year's celebration? Hope the weeks have been kind to you.
This is Series 5 Episode 1!! Yippee!!! In Series 5, we will explore more about Swedish culture and traditions.

In today's episode we will talk about meals (måltider) in Sweden specifically breakfast (frukost). So what do the Swedes eat for breakfast? Havregrynsgrött with lingonsylt, knäckebröd, muesli, filmjölk, to name a few, are breakfast food on a Swedish table.

Do check out more about måltider in Sweden on our blog page, www.fikadrottning.com.

SMAKLIG MÅLTID! 

God fortsättning! Gott Nytt År !! Gott Slut!! These are the many ways of bidding farewell or wish anyone a Happy New Year..

So 2020 is finally coming to an end. In this special edition, I will be sharing fond memories of my first New Year's Eve celebration in Stockholm. Ting Wei will share his memories of firecrackers or fireworks. In Singapore, it is illegal to have any form of firecrackers or fireworks in your possession.

If you would like to dive further into Swedish, here are some of my recommendations:
1. Say It in Swedish podcast
This podcast is great for all levels (Absolute beginner to Advanced level).  It has even "Pronunciation" episodes where you will learn how to pronounce the letters and combination letters properly so that you will sound like a Swede! Check out their webpage at www.sayitinswedish.com to find out more.

2. Simple Swedish Podcast
This podcast is more for anyone who has passed the beginner's stage and are still working on grasping the language. Fredrik Arhusiander speaks at slower pace and uses simple every day vocabulary in his podcast episodes. So, don't worry about that!

3. Radio Sweden på Lätt Svenska
This is more of daily news in simple Swedish. Good for training your listening comprehension.

4. Swedishpod101.com
You can bring your lessons anywhere with this mobile app. All you need is Wifi or 3G/4G connection. You can choose a free account or paid account with them.

DISCLAIMER: I am not sponsored or paid by any of these to advertise for them. I am merely sharing with you what I am using because these are very good resources to start learning Swedish. 

Thank you everyone for your support since the very beginning. With that, I wish you Gott Nytt År and vi hörs om två veckor!

Puss och Kram från mig, Tini, YOUR Fikadrottning! 

In this last episode of Series 4, I will be sharing with you fond memories of my very first Christmas experience in Stockholm. From getting my first julgran and meeting Jultomte for the first time. So how do you say "Merry Christmas" in Swedish? Learn to say this in our "Words of The Day" segment

What was it like for you to celebrate Christmas in Sweden for the first time? DO share with us your experiences.

We, at Fikadrottning and on behalf of Cavewoman Productions, would like to wish you EN RIKTIGT GOD JUL! 

Did you know that tea was never the beverage in England until the women folk slowly caught on it slowly as they perceived it to be a genteel drink (according to Peets.com) and that Ireland was the second-biggest per capita consumer of tea in the world?!!

This week's phrase is the follow up to last week's "Behöver du hjälp?" (Do you need help?). If you are just window shopping or looking around, you say "Jag tittar bara." which means "I'm just looking." or "Saya tengok saja." in Bahasa Melayu.

Wanna find out more about tea? Check out https://www.peets.com. 

Lucia or Saint Lucy's Day is celebrated annually on the 13th of December. This is one tradition in Sweden that I certainly look forward to (even though I do not celebrate Christmas).  I remembered the first Lucia procession I witnessed at Skansen with my kompis in 2010.  I also witnessed the crowning of Lucia in Gothenburg in 2013.  Both experiences were magical.

As we are still shopping for julklappar (Christmas gifts), we are looking into a useful phrase that you may hear from a sales person. The phrases are: "Vill du ha hjälp?" or "Behöver du hjälp?". Both phrases means "Would you like help?" or "Do you need help?"

Remember to drop by our webpage, www.fikadrottning.com, to find out more about Lucia and the LIVESTREAM of Lucia procession in Singapore.

This episode is dedicated to all my TEA drinking listeners. Yes, for the next few episodes we will be exploring TEA. So, what is your favourite tea? Do share with me by commenting on our Instagram fikadrottning_podcast. 

In the "Word of The Day" segment we will learn not one but THREE words which will come in handy since Christmas is just around the corner! The words are:
SE: REA
ENG: Sale
Malay: Jualan Murah
 
SE: RABATT
ENG: Discount
Malay: Potongan Harga

SE: ERBJUDANDE 
ENG: Offer
Malay: ??? (There isn't really a Malay word for this.)

So do look out for them when you're shopping!

Disclaimer:
Today's content is for informational purposes only and it is NOT intended to be used as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis and treatment. Always consult your doctor or other professional qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding medical condition, procedure, treated and/or before starting a new nutrition, diet, exercise, fitness or wellness program.

Oh YES! Chocolate is good for you when taken in moderation. Chocolates have been suggested to have high level of antioxidants however chocolates, also, have been associated with diabetes and heart diseases. Whatever you do, enjoy your sinful indulgence in moderation. LAGOM.

For more information, check out these links:
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/270272
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/7-health-benefits-dark-chocolate

Peter joins us today in our "Words of The Day" with warning phrases:
Akta dig!
Var försiktig!
Se upp!
which they mean "watch out" or "be careful" depending on the context of the situation.
In Malay, we say "jaga-jaga".

So...AKTA DIG! 

Have you ever wonder why chocolate goes so well with coffee? Or have you ever wonder if chocolate goes well with tea? In this episode we will look into why chocolate goes well with coffee and/or tea. We will also explore how and why should you pair your chocolate with coffee and/or tea. In the "Word of The Day" segment, we learn a new Swedish word/expression, "Mumsigt". Mmmmmmmm.....

For more information about chocolate pairings featured in this episode, check out these links:
www.coffeefriend.co.uk
www.teamuse.com

CHOCOLATES! CHOCOLATES! CHOCOLATES!
You can never go wrong with chocolates unless, of course, if you're not a chocolate fan. However, even if you are not a total fanatic over chocolates I'm sure you do eat chocolate. So, what is your favourite chocolate?

In "Words of The Day" segment, we are joined once again by Peter and Ting Wei as we look into the use of the expressions "jaha" and "jaså". 

This episode is an introductory to Series 4 where we will be sharing with you what to expect in the upcoming episodes. Yes, we have decided to move our podcast on Wednesdays instead of Mondays as Wednesdays are seen as a mini weekend in Sweden (so I have observed). Well, perhaps in the near future, Fikadrottning will be aired on both Mondays and Wednesdays. Who knows! SO this week we dive straight into our "Words of the Day". Well, "Phrase of the Day" to be more precised. Yes, we will still be introducing simple Swedish phrases with the usual English and Bahasa Melayu translations PLUS an additional Chinese translation. 

So hope you enjoy the episode..Stay safe!