Swedish Specialities

Sweden is known as the home of many things especially modern technological things, as I mentioned earlier there is IKEA, Volvo, SAAB cars and their fancy defence computing things, Ericsson (now merged with Sony) and maybe even H&M, and Electrolux but, something that you you never think about is their food. With the exception of the food you get at IKEA, the Swedish chef on the Muppets, and the great word Smörgåsbord not many of us know about their cuisine and what it consists of. Having been to Sweden before, visiting friends and their families there, I kind of had a small knowledge of it, but I was young in those days and really not as "foody" as I am now. Of course I knew things like Gravlax, Pepparkaka (what we in Australia call Brandy snaps), the fantastic Salmiak, and my sister's favourite Ahlgrens bilar. So, I was very excited to find out what else was about in Sweden. From my previous visits I had tried lots and lots of berries, and even some moose, but in all honesty couldn't remember much about the food with the exception of when I was trying to read a meat name in Swedish when in Stockholm and the meat counter lady just said to me with a smile "It will be quicker if you ask in English". From memory it was some form of ham..... but, I digress!  

We were talking to John and Madelene, and to a lesser extent Loke, about food. They suggested that we go to a local organic farm. Off we got into the car and headed to the farm.

Our organic location

You can visit the shop of the gardens

Organic Basil

Organic but not free range eggs, as they would eat the vegetables.

Organic flour, some really great Spelt flour here only 59SEK!!!($AUD8.5, 26PLN, 5.65GBP, Euro6.48)

The shop had a great and simple lay out.

Some of the local cheeses, yes one of my other passions.

We purchased a 2kg bag of spelt flour. Delightful stuff!

Marty looking proud

And now a flour model to boot.

I can't remember what this flower was from! If anyone can tell me that would be great. But isn't it pretty?!

Glacé Cherries? No these are just normal slightly sour cherries, as the season in Sweden is a few weeks behind us here

Zucchini or Courgettes looking great in the glasshouse

The garden appears to be set out in a way for permaculture.

More nameless flowers... please help botanists!

The old scales still used to weigh the produce.

So after going to the farm shop we started to get a little peckish, so John and Madelene drove us down to the Göta Canal. Which runs across Sweden as a water highway if you will. We stopped off at a great place that could only be described as a little fish shack. It was here we dove head first into another Swedish delicacy, smørrebrød, the open prawn sandwich. It comes with plenty of Mayonnaise, hard boiled eggs, some dill and lettuce. For 95SEK (13.90AUD, 9GBP, 14.80USD , 41.80PLN, 10.40Euro) you would think "Hey that is a bit expensive" but the fact was it was a complete meal. You certainly couldn't eat two of them!

Pretty big, no?

There are plenty of prawns in this sandwich.

Marty struggled to finish hers but she couldn't let a prawn go to waste, she loves them that much!

Also the shop had some delightful looking smoked fish this here is Roding is Char in English.

Do you want some extra Sik with your fries? This is the common or European whitefish also called Lavaret in English

We also made a little salad later on for the kids with boiled new potatoes, prawns, a little spring onion and some garlic with a decent helping of mayo and black pepper.

Of course we could always go back for snake, if you have space.......

Soon the FUCCers will arrive..... let the games begin!