Easy Breezy Danish Dish - Frikadeller (Meatballs)

Having been grounded in Europe for a few days, I needed something to kill my time. In this post I'll introduce you to a Danish dish called "Frikadeller", which means meatballs (or lumps of meat). This dish is popular among Germany, Denmark and Sweden.

Ingredients you need (Serves 2-3 persons)- 500 grams of minced beef (easily doubled)
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tablespoons of flour (to help the meatballs stick well together when frying)
- 1 onion
- pepper
- salt

Step 1:
- chop the peeled onion into small pieces
- put the minced beef into a mixing bowl
- break an egg into the mixing bowl
- add 2 to 3 tablespoons of flour
- add 1.5 tablespoons of salt (or add liberally according to your taste)
- add crushed pepper (liberally)
- mix all the ingredients (best done by hand)

Step 2:
- Shape the mixture into little meatballs, like the picture below (or any size you like. I prefer smaller balls since they're easier to be cooked, and quicker too)
- make sure the meatballs are shaped with mild force of your hand, try to compress it mildly so it will stick together well in the frying pan (imagine you're holding a ping-pong ball with the two palms of your hand and apply some pressure)

Step 3:
- heat the frying pan (as pictured below) with vegetable oil or olive oil, or maybe even butter if you like :)

Step 4:

- turn the meatballs over to the other side after a few minutes

- the meatballs should turn brownish in color after a while (as pictured below), I'd say keep frying it for 10-15 minutes more because the inside of the meatball is not yet cooked! But of course, it depends on how large you shaped the meatball. The smaller they are, the easier/quicker they will be cooked quickly :)

To serve, you can use boiled potatoes, or potato salad. You can use rye bread, if you'd like to try a typical Danish way of eating.
That's it. It's very easy, isn't it? :D

Picnic Day with volcanic ashes hung above the clouds *pic heavy*

It was the Danish Queen's' birthday when the volcanic ash still loomed over the clouds above Scandinavia. In fact, the royal families weren't able to join the Queen's birthday celebration yesterday just because flights were grounded in Scandinavia. Yet the weather has been LOVELY for the past week (er, like from the day we returned to Copenhagen from our trip in Berlin, which was ages ago), can you imagine waking up with blue skies and sunsets at 9pm everyday? :D That's the sort of life I can't have in Hong Kong.

While the news said the volcanic ash is hung all above Europe territories, the fact is you can't see the ash in the sky because they're above the clouds, and for that reason, our flight to Italy which is bound tomorrow night, is cancelled, what a bummer...we even booked our hostels and the flight back to Copenhagen! For this reason, I am blacklisting Iceland in my head...lol.

Anyway, we went for a picnic in the park on the day of the Queen's birthday celebration. it's the larlgest piece of green-ness in Copenhagen, correct me if I'm wrong. This park is called Frederiksberg Have (Frederiksberg Gardens/Park in English I think). This park is 2 metro stations away from our dorm.

We found this notice board frame stood aloof at the entrance, normally it should be housing a notice/map in the frame, but it was being repainted so there's no notice or map in it or whatsoever. I asked my bf to take a picture so later I can cut its size and became a picture frame like an oil painting or something, a Danish guy came by and gave us the thumbs up and said "Good Picture!" Sometimes when I'm being lame, I didn't expect some strangers to join in this lame-ness :P

I don't quite know what building this is, it has a Danish flag on top though, in front of it is a MASSIVE green lawn...cascading...isn't it lovely?

And a random shot of a fountain...can you see a rainbow in the picture?

Me sitting on the lawn (never imagined I could do that in Hong Kong...)

I found an Asian style temple with what I believe is sakura in front of it...and a swan (don't ask me why there's such kind of architecture inside a park, lol)

The ground is layered with flowers.

They're like stars in the sky...

With ducks in them...

Well, this is it! When it comes to spring/summer, Copenhagen is a lot more pretty than I expected. We'll be going to this park again I'm sure!! Meanwhile, lets keep our fingers and toes crossed for the ash cloud to dissipate and go away!!!

It's the Queen's Birthday Celebration today!!

It's the Danish Queen's birthday on the 14th, she has turned 70 now. Today there were heaps of people watching as she waved to the crowds...I sat in front of a TV watching a what looks like a talent show, or worse, a kindergarten graduation ceremony, with kids singing nursery songs, drama, dances, which did not look like a celebration for the Queen at all. I am appalled by the simplicity of celebration.

On another note, Denmark is to shut down 4 of its overseas embassies due to a cut in budget and security expenditures. "The Foreign Ministry has decided to shut its embassies in Jordan, Algeria, Bosnia and Nicaragua as well as the general consulate in Hong Kong." When I read this article, the bossy lady at the HK Danish Consulate popped into my mind. Back in last year, my friend told me about the unpoliteness of this lady when she was applying for her visa to study here. Gossip aside, how can the students apply for a student visa to study in Denmark in the future?

Now it's time to go for a picnic in the Frederiksberg Park...

Saturday Haul

Ever since I came to Europe, I didn't really shop much (clothing-wise). I went out with my flatmate this afternoon to a shopping street in Copenhagen and I got 2 bags from Gina Tricot.

One is a studded grey chain bag, I have been eyeing it for over a month because of its chain! It can be worn in 2 ways: sideway like a shoulder bag, and like a messenger bag.
The other one is a snake-print barrel bag, also can be worn in 2 ways like the grey studded handbag. Love love love!

The other news is - Benefit has come out with a new color in their velvet eyeshadows! The color is platinum silver! Just kidding. The pic below shows the empty pan of their eyeshadow Mermaid, which was shattered upon arrival.

I emptied the crushed powder inside and cleaned the compact case, secretly thinking that one day I might be able to completely pan an eyeshadow or something of that sort! Haha can you tell how pathetic I am? I have not been able to pan anything makeup-wise, besides powder foundations. One day if I pan anything except foundations, I would blog about it and let you guys know, seriously :P That would be a milestone! lol

I transferred the crushed powder into an empty jar of Creaseless Cream Shadow/Liner also from Benefit. But after this, I'm not sure if I would use it again...

For those of you who use eyeshadow pigments/mineral eyeshadows, how do you apply it to make it less messy? What brush do you use to apply pigments like this? Please share :D

Day trip to Malmo in Sweden

I went to Malmo in Sweden on Valentine's Day, Malmo is the third largest city of Sweden. It is 40 minutes by train away from Copenhagen.

Some kind of city hall in Malmo:

Harbour overlooking Copenhagen far away:

And now to the modern and stylish architectures in Malmo! This is the famous Turning Torso, a residential building. Its sister building is under construction in Dubai currently. This tower has a 90 degrees twist, we are told by the guide book.

This is actually a house! they've got doll houses (which allows you to look inside) LOL

I went into a store in Malmo and saw NIVEA has its own MU line, has anyone tried it? I also saw Lumene...

After settling in Denmark for over a month, I had no contact with anything haul-related and new MU *sobs*.

FYI, the MU brands available in Copenhagen are less than your 10 fingers, ha! Sure there are drugstores like Matas, Bilka, and stuff like that, but the only brands I've seen so far is Estee Lauder, GOSH, Rimmel, Max Factor, Maybelline, Clarins, Chanel, Dior, Origins, Clinique, no Revlon I think, Shiseido, and BORING. BORING!!!! I've only seen one MAC but only in the largest mall (in both Copenhagen and the largest among Scandinavia). And this is precisely why I am heading to London next week.......

Any thoughts on what I should pick up from London?

Clothes Haul

In case you're wondering where I have been and why I haven't been updating, here's why:

School has started, and that's part 1 of the readings I've got to finish within 7-8 weeks, and then there will be another 2 books (part 2) later to come. I'm taking 2 courses shown above, and another psychology course which I have yet to attend (tomorrow), hopefully I will have another thick textbook and many readings to complete =.=''.

"Why so hard-working when you are not transfering any credits to your home university?" you may ask. Haha, I don't know either, I guess its just that I want to learn things from the 3 courses even if I don't have to care about the grades, this makes a difference when you're doing courses which you NEED to care about the grades you get. :P

The second thing is, I was so worried about my lost parcels. My family shipped them to me via air mail and it should take only 8 days, but I got nothing and its been over a month! I put my favourite jackets and clothes in the box and so i'm dead worried. At the end I got parcel #2 but #1 is nowhere to be seen. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is returning to sender (my home) safely.... :X

Onto the weather bit, the snow and wind is unpredictable here in Copenhagen, yesterday (and days to come) I had a FACE SPA (LOL)with snow when I was walking back to my apartment in the mad wind and snow. The snow literally washed my hair thoroughly (wet) when I got to the apartment. LOL but at least when I fought with the snow and the wind, I got 3 scarves on sale from H&M!!! and a jacket from New Yorker...

Got this cropped pink champagne-colored satin jacket at H&M last Sunday, it was on sale, and I thought my favourite jackets in the parcel were lost (along with the parcel), so I bought this!

Have you tried a face spa in the snow and the wind? :P

Love package from the Netherlands!!

I won a giveaway at Helen's blog (birkinbagbeauty) last month. It's an Art Deco diary with Alice in Wonderland theme, isn't it adorable <3 ??

She has also sent me so much stuff more than I expected, I was like: WOW! when I opened the package, I feel so showered with love and generosity from someone I have never met!


Stickers that came along with the diary!

Insides of the diary! it has illustrations of the story :)

Cute pen ;)

She has also sent me these:

Eyeko Touch up and glow Highlighting pen

Rituals' lipstick

Illasmasqua's primer Full size! i've been looking forward to try this brand since I can't get it where I live!!!! :D

A luxe lip balm from Sara Happ - super hydrating and gives me the sheer glossy look which I love <3>

Isn't the golden box cute?

A hair styling gel from Japan:

Tony & Moly Happy Dream White Sleeping Pack!

Caudalie' Shower Gel (full size):

Nixie eyeshadow refill pan, love the pigmentation!

A baked eyeshadow in taupe color, i loveeee the pigmentation :) it surprises me.

Eyeko eyeshadow palette !

A blush/bronzer trio powder ^_^

Benefit Show-offs in Bambi (eyeshadow pigments):

Nail Art Sticker:

Thankyou so much to Helen!!!! I didn't expect so much more other than the cute diary <3>

In case many of you wonder why I haven't blogged for a long while, I've fallen sick for a few days :( i'm slowly recovering now though!

Good news:

I'm going to London from 23rd Feb - 3rd March :D I'm going to meet up with Eve!! Can't wait :)