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Sweden, a country with a rich culinary heritage, will soon celebrate a variety of culinary highlights that delight visitors from all over the world. Three of these highlights are the late summer crayfish festival, "Europe's last wild oysters" in west Sweden, and the infamous "stinky fish" Surströmming, which evokes both admiration and disgust.
A crayfish, a schnapps, a song – the culinary end to summer
A truly authentic experience is the traditional crayfish festival called "Kräftskiva", where delicious crayfish, filling side dishes, cool drinks and cheerful songs all come together. In Sweden, the season for this festival extends from the beginning of August to September. In the past, catching crayfish was only allowed from August to October, and fishermen celebrated the start of the crayfish season with a Kräftskiva ("crab board") on the first Wednesday in August.
The main dish at a Kräftskiva is predominantly freshwater crayfish and signal crayfish, which are found in lakes and rivers throughout the country. On the west coast, Norway lobster from the ocean is also served. These crustaceans are originally dark brown and camouflage themselves perfectly on the seabed, but turn bright red when cooked. The crayfish are cooked in brine, sometimes with beer, but always with a lot of dill and spices. The boiled crayfish are served on plates and eaten cold.
However, the Kräftskiva is not only about the crayfish, but also the delicious side dishes such as chanterelle mushrooms on toast, Västerbotten cheese quiche and a creamy dip with roe. Beer, schnapps and aquavit are also served. It is said that the more you follow the motto "A crayfish, a shot, a song", the more sociable it becomes. The Swedes have a penchant for drinking songs and often sing the song "Helan går", which translates as "The whole glass goes down!" A Kräftskiva is not a time to be serious, it is all about fun. The soundscape of chatter and singing combined with the bright decoration of lanterns, paper hats and crayfish motifs on bibs prohibit any form of vanity.
Conveniently, restaurants and hotels in Sweden offer bookable packages for the Kräftskiva festival. In Småland you can even help bring the catch in. Even in the capital Stockholm , which fills with life again in August after the holiday season, there are culinary highlights to be experienced. And in West Sweden , there are numerous memorable experiences where you can often even help out a real fisherman with the catch.
For more information, please visit: https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/culture-history-and-art/swedish-traditions/more-traditions/crayfish-party/
Press images: https://imagebank.sweden.se/my-selections/2lxgt0lttj
Video footage: https://imagebank.sweden.se/my-selections/216ykl4j3i
Surströmming – flavour challenges from the third Thursday in August
It's fascinating how each culture has its very own culinary specialties which leave both locals and visitors alike with mixed feelings. A perfect example of this can be found in Sweden, especially in the northern part of the country, where a tradition full of foul smells is celebrated from late August to early September. It's the time when bloated cans of fermented, sour Baltic herring, the infamous surströmming, are opened and ´enjoyed´ – at least by some intrepid people. This "delicacy" has a long history and has been traded since the 16th century. The daring cans openings should take place outdoors because the smell is so penetrating and unpleasant that it is often compared to rotten eggs and raw sewage. It starts on the third Thursday in August when the spectacular Surströmming premiere starts. Although it is a matter of taste, Surströmming is enjoyed and celebrated by traditionalists, foodies, and adventurous tourists alike.
Due to its taste, surströmming is only offered to a limited extent in restaurants. A trip to the island of Ulvön on the High Coast, the Surströmming paradise, where you can taste the special fish in some restaurants, is highly recommended.
For more information, please visit: https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/food-drink/swedish-kitchen/fermented-herring/
Press images: https://imagebank.sweden.se/my-selections/186f2kbylx
Wild oysters in west Sweden – now with a protected designation of origin (PDO)
The Grebbestad oyster, the European oyster Ostrea edulis, has now been given the protected designation of origin status in the EU. These are only sold as Grebbestad oysters if the oyster was either hand-picked by divers or caught by fishermen with nets, underwater viewers/aqua scopes and waders. The conditions in the water of the Grebbestad North and South archipelagos with its low temperature and salinity favour the oysters. Today, the area for Grebbestad oysters represents a significant part of the remaining population of this wild European oyster. The Grebbestad oyster is 7-15 cm in diameter, has a gnarled gray-brown outer shell with iridescent mother-of-pearl and purple tones inside. It has the scent of the sea and tastes of seawater, minerals, seaweed and umami. There are already other Swedish products and foods with a protected geographical designation such as Hånnlamb (meat from Gotland sheep), Kalix Löjrom (caviar), Rökt Vättersik (smoked Vätter salmon), Upplandskubb (a type of potato dumplings), Vänerlöjrom (caviar), Wrångebäcksost (cheese) and more. If you want to book authentic oyster experiences in Grebbestad, Everts Sjöbod is the place to go.
For more information on oyster experiences in west Sweden, please visit: https://www.vastsverige.com/en/seafood-safaris/
Original press release in Swedish: www.mynewsdesk.com/se/jordbruksverket/pressreleases/grebbestadostron-faar-skyddad-ursprungsbeteckning-i-eu-3253917
Press images: https://imagebank.sweden.se/my-selections/2k7xc0bgfh
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