BBQ at the Apartment

(Folks, I'm going to switch to first person in the post, third person was sounding silly.)

We decided to have a little BBQ at the apartment. We invited two American families also on assignment in Sweden and also one of our dearest Swedish family (although the husband was on business travel). We had 5 adults plus us, plus 7 kids from 18 mos. old to (I'm guessing) 13. J did most of the planning but because we're in an apartment for 2, we had to supplement our plates, cups, utensils, etc. with disposable ones. We aso had to buy some additional bowls, etc. and also the grill.....all without a car. J and I went to the grocery store with our roller suitcases to buy everything. In fact we went three times: she the day before as well. We also went to IKEA to find some miscelleaneous kitchen items (and just to find the place because we may be making some large purchaes when we move to an unfurnished place in October).


This being our first BBQ here with a new grill, we had a few glitches. But the guests were patient, gracious, polite, fun conversationalists, and helped overcome any problems. One glitch was my management of the BBQ. I bought some charcoal but it was a type I'd never seen so the quantity and the timing was wrong. It turns out, they sell two types here: the one I'm used to with the small bricqettes and the kind I bought which are not compressed. So the grilling took an unusually long time and several repairs to the charcoal bed (which included extra lighter fluid and fanning the embers). Thanks to some of the guests for helping lift the grill loaded with meat up so we could revive the dying coals....over and over until we got it right.

In the end and after testing the patience of the hungry guests, the meat and other food was good. The long wait was tempered by good Australian wine and some really great homemade salsa and guacamole. After dinner we also had a sampling of some yummie Swedish candies and ice cream with strawberries. Yum! We will work out extra hard next week...this is not a usual occurance!

In the photo, you can see the brand new grill all by itself in the apartment back yard. The kids played back there and also in a nearby park. I think the kids had a great time too. The older kids were amazingly mature: sweet and patient in helping out with the smaller ones. These are the good things in life.....ah...a nice evening in Sweden with food, wine, friends and making new ones! Well worth all the effort for the wonderful memories of a good Saturday night in Svierge.