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Now that I live in London I share an apartment with two flatmates – one is German and the other one is Swedish. The nice thing about living with people that come from different cultures is that I get to experience some of the traditional foods they like to eat. My German flatmate stocks the fridge with sausages and special ketchups, while my Swedish flatmate fills it with his mum’s homemade cloudberry jam and a very strong tasting liqueur called Mintu.
Here are 5 ways you can experience authentic Sweden:
1. Taste Traditional Swedish Cuisine
Every country has its own special dish and in Sweden this dish is Sill & Potatis (herring and potatoes). Once classes as a poor man’s food, it is now a popular dish that has been elevated to new heights by famous chefs revisiting Sweden’s pantry for authentic tastes and flavours. Herring is caught in the clean waters off the west coast, before being pickled in vinegar and flavoured with spices and vegetables. Meanwhile the potatoes, which are harvested on Swedish farms, just need a little bit of salt and dill for flavouring. Swedes have been enjoying herring and potatoes for hundreds of years and many families have their own secret recipes to ensure the best possible flavour.
If you’re staying in Malmö and fancy cooking your own fish dish, Fiskehoddorna is Malmö’s biggest fish and seafood market and is a great place to pick up some herring.
For some other great Swedish food experiences, try visiting Far i Hatten in Malmö, or Salt & Sill – an island inn with an international cuisine, which opened in 1999.
2. Bake your own crisp bread
Crispbread is another traditional Swedish staple. A crispy, cracker-like bread made from rye flour, the crispbread is served with things like butter, cheese, ham and herring. The vast majority of all crispbread comes out of a few large industrial bakeries, but there are still crispbread enthusiasts who have started their own bakeries.
In Stora Skedvi in the southern part of Dalarna province, Joel Lindblad bakes his crispbread in wood-fired ovens, stoked with pieces of bone-dry fir and pinewood. Skedvi is the only crispbread on the market that is baked in wood-fired ovens and the whole baking process takes between 60 and 90 seconds, depending on oven temperature. Standing in his trademark Birkenstocks, Joel performs a perfectly orchestrated dance in front of the ovens, swinging his peel with deliberate movements to create the perfectly baked crispbreads.
If you want to try your hand at baking your own, you might pay a visit to Ängavallen, an eco restaurant and farm shop in Skåne. Also in Skåne you have the unique chance to enjoy dinner with a local family with A Slice of Swedish Hospitality.
3. Explore the capital of ‘fika’
Another way to experience authentic Sweden is by experiencing ‘Fika’ – the tradition of taking a break for coffee and cake. The best place to do this is in Alingsås in West Sweden, where you can take a tour that shows you around the town’s 30 or so cafes. Coffee shops have existed here since the 18th century and many remain there to this day, which is why Alingsås is known as the capital of fika.
4. Pick up some local crafts
In a former school building in the province of Södermanland, glassblower Ebba von Wachenfeldt has been making beautiful glass creations for the last 12 years. Donning a pair of lilac sunglasses to block out the heat, she picks up a blob of molten glass and begins spinning her blowpipe. She says, “In the cities you cannot afford space like this. It gives me freedom. Everything is possible in the countryside. I may not make millions, like my friends in the city, but I’m never stuck in traffic.”
If you want to pick up some handblown glass yourself, you can visit the Kingdom of Crystal (Glasriket) in the region of Småland, where they have been making handblown glass has been made since 1742. There’s also Wallåkra Stenkärlsfabrik – a stoneware factory that lives on as a reminder of the unique industrial heritage and craftsmanship of Northwest Skåne. Everything is thrown by hand and fired in a large, coal-fired round kiln and glazed with one component, salt.
5. Experience Swedish Midsummer
Every year on a Friday between 19 and 25 June, the Swedes celebrate Midsummer Eve, when the sun only sets for an hour or two. On this day everyone takes to the outdoors with parties, maypole dancing, schnapps, herring and potatoes. If you happen to travel to Sweden during mid-June, you’ll get to take part in the festivities and experience this very important part of the Swedish holiday calendar.
The post 5 Authentic Travel Experiences in Sweden appeared first on Pommie Travels.
Source: pommietravels.com