Mark’s 40th Birthday
This month Mark turned 40! It was a big birthday that definitely needed celebrating, but in a very difficult, strange and trying time. Living in another country in a very international environment, we wanted to celebrate by honouring our heritage, our roots and sharing South Africa with our friends here. (Also, what is a birthday without a braai somewhere during your birthday month to celebrate??). We also needed to at least TRY to attempt some social distancing by being outdoors as much as possible. In Sweden we haven’t seen much restrictions so we weren’t breaking any rules! So a braai it was!
Quite recently we have found some other South African ex-pats who have been making boerewors at home. We got very excited and ordered a few kg’s and had it at every campfire for about a month. While boerewors has never been my favourite braai meat back home, this stuff has never tasted so sweet! Must just be the taste of home! We put in another order for Mark’s birthday and dished it out as starters (like one would usually do with steak). We made some salads that would usually feature at South African braai (with some delegating skills). I also tried my hand at a milk tart and my dear friend Alyssa (Sweden/ Canada’s greatest baker) made a chocolate peanut butter tart AND a carrot cake roll.
Mark was so spoilt by friends and family who pitched in to get him an amazing coffee machine. It’s a bean to cup that he has been wanting for aaaages. On top of that, he received other thoughtful gifts too – chocolate, locally roasted coffee beans, a Moomin mug, and a hand painted watercolour of a trout. Time and time again we have been blown away with the kindness, thoughtfulness and connections we have with people we meet here. We are so grateful to have these people as our support and be able to share and celebrate milestones with them.
Enjoy some photos of the event!
