Today’s Post
Today, we have another edition of our “Five Things We Have Been Loving This Week” series to post. We haven’t shared one of these in a while, so there is plenty to catch up on in terms of things we have been loving. July in particular seems to be the month of important sporting events, so you will catch a couple of those on this list. We have also experienced a lot of change this month, as Sofie moved house and Emma has been settling into a new job and apartment. Change means we have sought some home comforts, so you’ll also find some of that on the list. We always love sharing these short lists, as we can go beyond baking/cooking and tell you about other parts of our life too. Enjoy, and leave a feel free to leave a response below with any questions or comments!
Thing 1: Road Trips
This past month, Sofie drove halfway across the United States to her new home, Austin, Texas! While there wasn’t the chance to stop too much on the road for much sight-seeing with a dog in the car as well, we wanted to take a moment to talk about how great road trips can be for a family vacation! Many years ago, our family drove from Los Angeles all the way across the country! We got to visit the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest, Graceland, Nashville, and a lot more places along the way! And you don’t even have to live in the US to take a road trip across the country; at the time, we flew into Los Angeles from Europe, rented a car, and returned it on the East coast, and then flew back home to Europe from there. It’s a great way to see a lot of sights without paying for flights to each state.
Thing 2: Summer Produce
One thing that we absolutely love about summer is the fresh produce and in season fruit! It’s hard to beat fresh grilled corn on the cob as a dinner side dish, or deliciously refreshing slices of watermelon for dessert! Some fruits and vegetables that are in season in July include: avocados, bell peppers, cherries, corn, cucumbers, figs, mangos, melons, peaches, raspberries, tomatoes, and zucchini! That’s not an exhaustive list by any means, and it can vary based on different regions, but we are looking forward to testing a cherry recipe this week! You can check out a full list of seasonal produce in the US on the USDA website!
Thing 3: Tour de France
In our family, July is a month we often spend glued to the TV screen. Why? Well, it’s the month of the Tour de France! We used to spend our childhood summers in Denmark watching the Tour on and off throughout the month, as our morfar always watched it. This appreciation for professional cycling is also a big part of Danish culture, as our cyclists often do well in the Olympics and other competitions. The Tour de France, though, has not seen many Danish winners, and only one prior to 2022. Last year and (spoiler alert) this year, however, have been amazing years for Danish cycling, as Jonas Vingegaard won two Tours in a row! This year’s race was an amazing one, possibly one of the most competitive and exciting Tours ever. It sadly came to an end over the weekend, but it could not have ended any better for the Danes! See the image above for a glimpse at Emma’s yellow jersey duck figurine, Jonas, watching Jonas win the Tour 😂
Thing 4: Women’s World Cup
Here is another sporting event on this list, which may come as a surprise to you. But if you know our family, you know that we love soccer (football), and we watch as much as we possibly can. The women’s World Cup started this month, and while it isn’t too exciting in the group stage just yet, it’s going to be a great few weeks! Denmark won their first game against China 1-0, and they play England on Friday. Emma watched them play live last summer at the Euros, and while they didn’t do too well and aren’t expected to go very far in the World Cup, you never know! Women’s soccer is very popular in the US too, so we’re looking forward to seeing how the US team does. Ultimately, though, we think that nobody is going to beat Germany, who has a particularly strong team. As the Danes like to say: when it comes to soccer, in the end the Germans always win!
Thing 5: Stocking up on Scandinavian goodies!
Lots of change like moving or starting a new job can sometimes call for some comforts from home. For us, that usually means stocking up on some Danish and Scandinavian foods. As Emma lives in the UK, she can easily order a package from a shop in London called Scandikitchen. They have everything you could ever need or want as a Scandinavian abroad! In the US, we order from a shop in Connecticut called the Scandinavian Butik. Emma’s summer care package included koldskål and kammerjunker (a must-try Danish summer dessert), rugbrød mix, different forms of chocolate, crispbread, herring in curry sauce, salami, remoulade, and some snacks and sweets. This is the type of delivery that keeps us going for weeks!
Thanks 🙂
Thanks for reading today’s post! Leave us a comment below to continue the conversation or ask any questions that you have. What are some home comforts that you miss? What is one thing that you would put on your list of “Five Things I Am Loving This Week”?
