Born in the vibrant city of Singapore with a unique Eurasian blend of Portuguese and Chinese heritage, my journey has taken me from the bustling streets of Singapore to the serene and open landscapes of Sweden. My educational pursuits in Singapore culminated at tertiary level with two separate Master degrees, after which I embarked on a new adventure in 2002, moving to Sweden. In Sweden, I pursued with deep interest, the knowledge field of applied linguistics, particularly corpus linguistics research methods, earning a doctoral degree from one of northern Europe’s largest universities, the University of Gothenburg. I currently work as Project Manager, focusing on EU and international projects, at RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, at the Division of Bioeconomy and Health, Department of Agriculture and Food. My office is located in Mölndal municipality. Mölndal, known also as the Valley of Mills, is located about ten minutes by bus ride from the city center of Gothenburg to the south. If you’re ever traveling south from Gothenburg to Malmö, whether by train or car, you will likely come by Mölndal municipality. In these pages at cmariec.com, you’ll find my lifestyle musings on culinary and travel adventures from Singapore to Sweden, and from when I lived and worked the Arctic City of Tromsø (2018 to mid-2022). SINGAPORE | SWEDEN | NORTHERN NORWAY Life in Singapore Pursued all academic interests in Singapore, of which the post-graduate years were founded in two separate disciplines. In 2000, graduated with two separate Masters Degrees: (i) Master of Science in Information Studies at the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) in Singapore (ii) Master of Arts in the English Language at the National University of Singapore (NUS). In 1999, represented the Republic of Singapore at the Miss Universe Pageant in Trinidad and Tobago. With this came a variety of film, educational TV, media, and ambassadorial work for the Singapore Tourism Board. Life in Sweden In 2002, moved from Singapore to Sweden in order to pursue a PhD in Gothenburg, where a number of international corporate head offices were located that all had a substantial business presence in Singapore and also Asia in general. In 2009, graduated with a PhD in applied critical linguistics from the faculty of humanities at the University of Gothenburg, with a cross-disciplinary thesis entitled, Swedish management in Singapore: a discourse analysis study, looking particularly into the concepts of assimilation, integration and hierarchy, at top management levels of Swedish-Asian corporations in Singapore. 2013, as research fellow at the Centre for International Business Studies (CIBS), School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, researching the future implications of increasing Asian-Swedish cooperation within the field of international business. The project is entitled Gothenburg in Asia, Asia in Gothenburg, funded by the Anna Ahrenberg Foundation. The project is aligned with the 400 years anniversary of the city of Gothenburg in 2021, and falls under the broad category of Kunskap Göteborg 2021 initiated by city representatives of Gothenburg, Göteborg & Co, University of Gothenburg and Chalmers University of Technology. 2015, was granted the Flexit post-doctoral scholarship by Bank of Sweden Tercentennary Foundation (Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, RJ) for a three year project together with the Swedish-Swiss multinational enterprise ABB. From 2015-17, the research will take place at ABB Corporate Research Sweden HQ in Västerås, and at CIBS during 2017-18. The research focus of the project is how new technologies are perceived and accepted by users and customers, using linguistic methods of data analysis. More information can be found at RJ’s website, at Riksbankens Jubileumsfond (RJ) Felxit 2015. Life in Northern Norway (2018-2022) 2018, late summer. I acquired new work as Market Scientist at Nofima. Having moved to the county of Troms in August, I’m currently enjoying myself, exploring the island city of Tromsø. From the 1900s, this city became known as Paris of the North due to how the people of Tromsø were exceptionally stylish and sophisticated in contrast to the fishing village preconception that many might have of a city located in the Arctic Circle. In my years in Sweden, I have known Sweden to be called the land of the midnight sun. During the long summer mights, it was beautiful to sit and watch the sun’s languid pendulation between east and west, touching the horizon out at sea before going up again. Northern Norway takes this languid pendulation of the sun to the extreme. It is not only known as the land of the midnight sun, but it is also the land of polar nights and the northern lights. This is my new adventure. And in these lifestyle blog pages, you’ll find my personal thoughts, insights and musings. Cheryl Marie Cordeiro | PhD MSc MA ACADEMIC REFLECTIONS | CV LIFESTYLE BLOG

Early Spring and a craving for ice-cream!

Early spring 2010, Swedish westcoast

Early spring 2010, Swedish westcoast.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

There is a hint of early Spring in the air along the Swedish westcoast that awakens the senses. No doubt, the weather is still crisp and chilly, but the sun is already there and getting warmer, the days are getting longer too, and all this has awakened a personal craving in me for – ice-cream!

Stracciatella, Pipersglace, Swedish ecological ice-cream

Pipersglace, Swedish produced ice-cream that rivals any good Italian gelato.

As part of our haul from the Passion för Mat, 2010 food fair, we failed to resist some tubs of Pipersglace that are Swedish organically produced ice-cream in a variety of creamy flavours and sorbets.
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Passion för Mat 2010: for food enthusiasts 26-28 Feb., Gothenburg, Sweden

Fredrik-Andersson-PFM-2010 Best Meat Chef 2009

Award winning Best Meat Chef of the Year 2009, Fredrik Andersson, at Råda Säteri, was one of today’s celebrity chefs at the public cooking school organized at the Passion for Food Fair. After the demonstration we were all invited to sample the results.
Photo © Jan-Erik Nilsson and Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson
for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro 2010

Today was spent alongside the harbour front at Eriksbergshallen in Gothenburg Sweden. This hall was a part of the old Eriksbergs shipyard that was located here from the late 19th century. It has been given a face lift and been turned into a modern medium sized exhibition hall for specialist events that will not kill your feet or take days to cover. This time the hall was filled to the brim with the best locally produced, first class gourmet food that Sweden could muster. The fair is aimed at professionals, gourmet chefs and restaurants, and basically anyone with a serious interest in first class food.

If you’re a food enthusiast with a sincere interest in the culinary field, you’ll not be disappointed. This is the third consecutive year that this fair is held in Gothenburg and with the best stalls thus far.

It wouldn’t be too far fetched a guess that this food fair will soon create a niche for itself as a ‘must do’ event on the Scandinavian culinary scene. So I’d suggest that you take a look in the calender for next year if you are heading this way and try to make it to this event if it fits with your other plans and general interests.
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Michael Kors for Fall 2010

Michael Kors Fall 2010, gold, long

Gold in long silhouette.
All photos are from Style.com

I’ve been following the New York Fashion Week for Fall 2010 and by far, my favourite designs for Fall this year have emerged from Michael Kors.

It isn’t the extravagance and the use of furs that catches my attention, but rather the confidence to use those furs and not being apologetic about it is what floors me! It is this daring that is carried through in his designs that I find makes the collection coherent and desirable.
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Louis Vuitton Murakami multicolore keepall 45 blanc

Louis Vuitton Murakami blanc white multicolore keepall 45, photography

The Murakami Keepall 45 in blanc. Product number: M92640.
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

Launched in 2003 with cooperative efforts between Marc Jacobs and Japanese pop artist Takashi Murakami, the Murakami canvas comes in a white or black background. The multicolore canvas took on several different forms amongst which was the classic Keepall 45.
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Ushering in the Year of the Tiger 2010 on Valentine’s Day!

Silk embroidered cheongsam qipao, Chinese New Year 2010, Cheryl Marie Cordeiro Nilsson

In a red silk embroidered cheongsam for the Chinese New Year and upcoming St. Valentine’s Day, 2010.
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

I’m definitely feeling the Lunar New Year vibes all the way from Singapore, where stores are already keeping open for longer hours during the days leading up to Chinese New Year’s Eve that is this Saturday!

The Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important of the traditional Chinese holidays lasting for 15 days that ends with the Lantern Festival and with a large Chinese population in Singapore, one could expect the festivities of this weekend in the city to be vivacious with more than just the Chinese enjoying the celebrations.
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Packet noodles with a twist

Egg noodles with shrimp and poached egg.

Egg noodles with shrimp and poached egg.
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

A small seasoned piece of instant noodles was given to me from its package and I was munching on these newfound chips for the first time, without even knowing what it was. This style of eating dried hardened noodles was introduced to me by a schoolmate, after running around the school playground together and I thought the dried noodles, rather a large biscuit to be broken into smaller bits and eaten like biscuit crumbs from the bag. The packet had a blue monster on the front much like Cookie Monster, but with a red nose, the brand, Mamee, and I was six years old. It was to be four years later when I realized that instant noodles were normally eaten in a bowl. Continue reading “Packet noodles with a twist”

A homebaked semla in hetvägg fashion

Semla i hettvä

A semla, eaten in hetvägg (in hot milk) fashion.
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

Eaten previously only on Shrove Tuesday, one of the last festive meals before the period of Lent leading up to Easter, it was not five days after the twelfth day of Christmas that in this time of mass consumerism that the shops in Sweden began selling some gorgeous looking semlor fully stuffed with whipped cream. As eyebrow raising as it was, I wasn’t one to complain finding ready made semlor in the shops because, I love these!

So decadent is the semla that it seemed to have contributed to the death of King Adolf Frederick of Sweden (1771) after topping off his already heavy meal with 14 of these buns!
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Louis Vuitton Monogram Vernis Sunset BLD Amarante

Louis Vuitton monogram vernis Sunset Boulevard BLD in Amarante

Louis Vuitton, Sunset Boulevard in Amarante.
Text & Photo © JE Nilsson, CM Cordeiro-Nilsson 2009

Despite its possible colour transfers, Louis Vuitton’s Monogram Vernis range continues to be one of my favourite for materials used in wallets and bags because of the rotating range of colours and soft embossed logos on patent leather. Patent leathers are also generally versatile, being able to take you from casual to formal with a switch in clothes.
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Weekend indulgence: roast turkey dinner with Sandeman Port gravy

Roast turkey with red currant jam and port gravy

Roast turkey served with red currant jam and dark gravy laced with port.
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson, Cheryl Cordeiro-Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

Growing up in the Eurasian tradition in Singapore, it was my family’s tradition to have a variety of meats especially during the festive seasons. Roast turkey was one for serving on New Year’s Eve. The smell of a roast turkey wafting from the kitchen is indescribably decadent and something I’ve always looked forward to come New Year’s.

Since being in Sweden, I have had little opportunities to bring over a lot of my food traditions, partly because I spend so much time exploring the new and traditional of Swedish cuisine. Come this weekend however, we decided to put turkey on the table!
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A little avocado luxury

Avocado with shrimp entrée, Cheryl Marie Cordeiro

Avocado with shrimps, an au naturel entrée
Photo Jan-Erik Nilsson for Cheryl Marie Cordeiro © 2009

Crisp and refreshing, this avocado entrée with shrimps provides a filled with natural goodness, creamy but not too heavy entrée to any dinner party. Most alluring about this dish is that all ingredients can be homemade without preservatives with little time and effort.

The avocado seed is removed with a twist of the knife.

Remove the avocado seed with a slight twist of the knife.

What you’ll need for this are equal parts of crème fraiche and mayonnaise, a dash of black and white pepper, pinch of salt, some fresh dill that is chopped finely, and a squeeze of lemon juice. If you don’t wish for the slight sour tint of flavour that comes from the crème fraiche, you can substitute that with whipped cream instead. Mix all the ingredients till the flavours are well incorporated, then add the shrimp, stirring again. This can be prepared the night before, which I find a real time saver for dinner parties.

Mayonnaise, crème fraiche and dill before the shrimp go in

Mixing the ingredients.

I’ve really only come across eating avocados with shrimp when in Sweden a few years ago. Because of its simple luxury – quick and easy to prepare, something that looks decadent without the extravagant prices, plus it’s as eco-friendly as cooking can get with all natural ingredients – it’s been one my favourite things to eat when living in Sweden since.

Enjoy!