The Tango: A Cherished Finnish Tradition

Yes, that may come as a surprise.

Posting

I apologize for my absence of late, I have been having a rather busy and stressful time. I have also been struggling with a difficult post on my other blog. I hope to write more here soon!

Dorrit Moussaieff

The intriguing story of Dorrit Moussaieff, Iceland's Israeli-born First Lady.

The Hackapell

The Mad Monarchist discusses Gustavus Adolphus' fearsome Finnish cavalry corps, the terror of the Catholic armies during the Thirty Years' War.  Their name derives from a famous Finnish battle cry, Hakkaa päälle ("Hack them down!"), which would later became a rallying cry for the beleaguered Finns in their desperate Winter War (1939-1940) with the USSR.

A Talk with Mette-Marit

A brief but interesting clip of a CNN interview with Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway.

The Myth of the Dannebrog

Here is Christian August Lorentzen's 1809 painting of the legendary origin of the Danish flag, the Dannebrog. According to an old story, the flag fell from heaven to encourage the beleaguered, Danish crusaders during the desperate Battle of Lyndanisse (Tallinn) with the pagan Estonians on June 15, 1219. The Danes had been on the point of defeat, but the banner, sent from God, raised their spirits. Seizing the flag, the Danish king waved it enthusiastically, rallying his warriors and leading them to a resounding victory. Henceforth, the red banner with the white cross would always be the flag of the Danish monarchs...Patriotic myth?  Perhaps, but still a stirring tale!

Grand Duke Michael

The Mad Monarchist reports on the doomed younger brother of Tsar Nicholas II.

This Looks Interesting...

This is a book I think I'd enjoy reading...Not surprisingly for a cosmopolitan aristocrat and courtier, C. G. E. Mannerheim had a great appreciation of fine cuisine. Dining with Marshal Mannerheim, by Ritva and Risto Lehmusoksa, attempts to address this aspect of the multi-faceted Finnish war hero's life. According to one enthusiastic review:

From his childhood in a Swedish-speaking manor house in the Finnish countryside, through his time as a Chevalier Guards Officer and the splendour of the zakuski tables of the Russian Imperial Court, his wide travels in Asia, and his time as a political and military figurehead in Finland, Mannerheim always showed a strong interest in culinary affairs. He appreciated carefully prepared, fine cuisine, collected menus from his extensive travels, and acted as a generous host in his private home to numerous luncheons and dinner parties, the menus to which he designed himself.

This is a culinary and historic adventure through eight decades with the Marshal of Finland including numerous delicious recipes from the original menus, as well as many compelling anecdotes and stories from his life. Dining with Marshal Mannerheim even contains the recipes from a dinner offered to a very controversial vegetarian guest, Adolf Hitler, who suddenly appeared at the Marshal's table on his 75th birthday in June 1942.