Cuisine of Sweden
Encyclopedia
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
's large north-south expanse there have always been regional differences in Swedish cuisine. Historically, in the far North, meats such as reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
, and other (semi-) game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
dishes were eaten, some of which have their roots in the Sami culture, while fresh vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s have played a larger role in the South. Many traditional dishes employ simple, contrasting flavours; such as the traditional dish of hearty meatballs and gravy
Gravy
Gravy is a sauce made often from the juices that run naturally from meat or vegetables during cooking. In North America the term can refer to a wider variety of sauces and gravy is often thicker than in Britain...
with tart, pungent lingonberry jam
Lingonberry jam
Lingonberry jam is a staple food in Scandinavian cuisine.Because lingonberries are plentiful in the forested areas of the inland, the jam is easy to prepare, and has good keeping qualities, it has always been very popular with traditional dishes such as kroppkakor, pitepalt, potato cake,...
(slightly similar in taste to cranberry sauce).
Swedes have traditionally been very open to foreign influences, ranging from French cuisine during the 17th and 18th century, to the sushi and cafe latte of today. On the fast food side, pizza and hot-dogs have been a ubiquitous part of Swedish culture since the 1960s. Twenty years later, the same could be said about the growing popularity of the kebab and falafel, as many small restaurants specialise in such dishes.
General features
Swedish cuisine could be described as centered around cultured dairy productDairy product
Dairy products are generally defined as foods produced from cow's or domestic buffalo's milk. They are usually high-energy-yielding food products. A production plant for such processing is called a dairy or a dairy factory. Raw milk for processing comes mainly from cows, and, to a lesser extent,...
s, crisp and soft (often sugared) bread
Bread
Bread is a staple food prepared by cooking a dough of flour and water and often additional ingredients. Doughs are usually baked, but in some cuisines breads are steamed , fried , or baked on an unoiled frying pan . It may be leavened or unleavened...
s, berries and stone fruits
Stone fruits
Stone fruits , in botany, refers to drupe, fruits in which an outer fleshy part surrounds a shell of hardened endocarp with a seed inside. These fruits develop from a single carpel, and mostly from flowers with superior ovaries...
, beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
, pork
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
, sweetened seafood
Seafood
Seafood is any form of marine life regarded as food by humans. Seafoods include fish, molluscs , crustaceans , echinoderms . Edible sea plants, such as some seaweeds and microalgae, are also seafood, and are widely eaten around the world, especially in Asia...
and fish
Fish (food)
Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...
. Potatoes are often served as a side dish, often boiled. Swedish cuisine has a huge variety of breads of different shapes and sizes, made of rye, wheat, oat, white, dark, sour-dough, whole grain; soft flatbreads and crispbreads. There are many sweetened bread types and some use spices. Many meat dishes and especially meatballs are served with lingonberry jam. Fruit soups with high viscosity, like rose hip soup
Rose hip soup
Rose hip soup is a soup made of rose hips and is a popular delicacy in Sweden. It is often served as a beverage or as a dessert with milk, cream or vanilla ice cream...
and blueberry soup (blåbärssoppa
Blåbärssoppa
Blåbärssoppa, is a Swedish drink made from bilberries, which can be served cold or hot. The drink is sweet and contains starch which gives it a fairly thick consistency.In the USA, blåbärssoppa is imported and sold under the trade name Blåbär...
) served hot or cold, are typical of Swedish cuisine. Butter
Butter
Butter is a dairy product made by churning fresh or fermented cream or milk. It is generally used as a spread and a condiment, as well as in cooking applications, such as baking, sauce making, and pan frying...
and margarine
Margarine
Margarine , as a generic term, can indicate any of a wide range of butter substitutes, typically composed of vegetable oils. In many parts of the world, the market share of margarine and spreads has overtaken that of butter...
are the primary fat sources, although olive oil
Olive oil
Olive oil is an oil obtained from the olive , a traditional tree crop of the Mediterranean Basin. It is commonly used in cooking, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and soaps and as a fuel for traditional oil lamps...
is becoming more popular. Sweden's pastry tradition features a variety of yeast buns, cookies, biscuits and cakes, many of them in a sugary style with a pastry (fika) are enormously popular in Sweden.
History
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
became a major trade item at the dawn of the Scandinavia
Scandinavia
Scandinavia is a cultural, historical and ethno-linguistic region in northern Europe that includes the three kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, characterized by their common ethno-cultural heritage and language. Modern Norway and Sweden proper are situated on the Scandinavian Peninsula,...
n middle ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
, which began circa 1000 AD. Cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
preserved as sauerkraut
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut , directly translated from German: "sour cabbage", is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria, including Leuconostoc, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus. It has a long shelf-life and a distinctive sour flavor, both of which result from the lactic acid...
and various kinds of preserved berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, etc. were used once as a source of vitamin C
Vitamin C
Vitamin C or L-ascorbic acid or L-ascorbate is an essential nutrient for humans and certain other animal species. In living organisms ascorbate acts as an antioxidant by protecting the body against oxidative stress...
during the winter (today sauerkraut is used very seldom in Swedish cuisine). Lingonberry jam
Lingonberry jam
Lingonberry jam is a staple food in Scandinavian cuisine.Because lingonberries are plentiful in the forested areas of the inland, the jam is easy to prepare, and has good keeping qualities, it has always been very popular with traditional dishes such as kroppkakor, pitepalt, potato cake,...
, still a favourite, may be the most traditional and typical Swedish way to add freshness to sometimes rather heavy food, such as steaks and stews.
Sweden's long winters explain the lack of fresh vegetable
Vegetable
The noun vegetable usually means an edible plant or part of a plant other than a sweet fruit or seed. This typically means the leaf, stem, or root of a plant....
s in many traditional recipes. In older times, plants that would sustain the population through the winters were cornerstones; various turnip
Turnip
The turnip or white turnip is a root vegetable commonly grown in temperate climates worldwide for its white, bulbous taproot. Small, tender varieties are grown for human consumption, while larger varieties are grown as feed for livestock...
s such as the kålrot (rutabaga
Rutabaga
The rutabaga, swede , turnip or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip; see Triangle of U...
) (aptly named "swede" in British English
British English
British English, or English , is the broad term used to distinguish the forms of the English language used in the United Kingdom from forms used elsewhere...
) were gradually supplanted or complemented by the potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
in the 18th century. A lack of distinct spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s made every-day food rather plain by today's standards, although a number of local herbs and plants have been used since ancient times. This tradition is still present in today’s Swedish dishes, which are still rather sparingly spiced.
Both before and after this period, some new Germanic
Germanic peoples
The Germanic peoples are an Indo-European ethno-linguistic group of Northern European origin, identified by their use of the Indo-European Germanic languages which diversified out of Proto-Germanic during the Pre-Roman Iron Age.Originating about 1800 BCE from the Corded Ware Culture on the North...
dishes were also brought in by immigrants, such as persons related to the Hanseatic League
Hanseatic League
The Hanseatic League was an economic alliance of trading cities and their merchant guilds that dominated trade along the coast of Northern Europe...
, settling in Stockholm, Visby
Visby
-See also:* Battle of Visby* Gotland University College* List of governors of Gotland County-External links:* - Visby*...
, and Kalmar
Kalmar
Kalmar is a city in Småland in the south-east of Sweden, situated by the Baltic Sea. It had 62,767 inhabitants in 2010 and is the seat of Kalmar Municipality. It is also the capital of Kalmar County, which comprises 12 municipalities with a total of 233,776 inhabitants .From the thirteenth to the...
. Swedish traders
Merchant
A merchant is a businessperson who trades in commodities that were produced by others, in order to earn a profit.Merchants can be one of two types:# A wholesale merchant operates in the chain between producer and retail merchant...
and aristocrats
Aristocracy
Aristocracy , is a form of government in which a few elite citizens rule. The term derives from the Greek aristokratia, meaning "rule of the best". In origin in Ancient Greece, it was conceived of as rule by the best qualified citizens, and contrasted with monarchy...
naturally also picked up some food traditions in foreign countries; cabbage rolls (kåldolmar) being one example. Cabbage rolls were introduced in Sweden by Karl XII
Charles XII of Sweden
Charles XII also Carl of Sweden, , Latinized to Carolus Rex, Turkish: Demirbaş Şarl, also known as Charles the Habitué was the King of the Swedish Empire from 1697 to 1718...
who came in contact with this dish at the time of the Battle of Poltava
Battle of Poltava
The Battle of Poltava on 27 June 1709 was the decisive victory of Peter I of Russia over the Swedish forces under Field Marshal Carl Gustav Rehnskiöld in one of the battles of the Great Northern War. It is widely believed to have been the beginning of Sweden's decline as a Great Power; the...
and during his camp in the Turkish Bender
Skirmish at Bender
The Skirmish at Bender was devised to remove Charles XII of Sweden from the Ottoman Empire after his military defeats in Russia. It took place on February 1, 1713 on Ottoman territory, in what is now the town of Bender, Moldova.-History:...
and later introduced by his Ottoman
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
creditors, which moved to Stockholm in 1716. Kåldolmar were already described in 1755, by Cajsa Warg
Cajsa Warg
Anna Christina Warg , better known as Cajsa or Kajsa Warg, was a Swedish cookbook author, who is today among the most well-known cooks in Swedish history....
, in her famous Hjelpreda i hushållningen för unga fruentimber.
Husmanskost
Swedish husmanskost denotes traditional Swedish dishes with local ingredients, the classical every-day Swedish cuisine. The word husmanskost stems from husman, meaning "house owner" (without associated land), and the term was originally used for most kinds of simple countryside food outside of towns. Genuine Swedish husmanskost used predominantly local ingredients such as porkPork
Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC....
in all forms, fish
Fish (food)
Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...
, cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
s, milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
, potato, root vegetable
Root vegetable
Root vegetables are plant roots used as vegetables. Here "root" means any underground part of a plant.Root vegetables are generally storage organs, enlarged to store energy in the form of carbohydrates. They differ in the concentration and the balance between sugars, starches, and other types of...
s, cabbage
Cabbage
Cabbage is a popular cultivar of the species Brassica oleracea Linne of the Family Brassicaceae and is a leafy green vegetable...
, onion
Onion
The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion...
s, apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
s, berries
Berry
The botanical definition of a berry is a fleshy fruit produced from a single ovary. Grapes are an example. The berry is the most common type of fleshy fruit in which the entire ovary wall ripens into an edible pericarp. They may have one or more carpels with a thin covering and fleshy interiors....
etc.; beef
Beef
Beef is the culinary name for meat from bovines, especially domestic cattle. Beef can be harvested from cows, bulls, heifers or steers. It is one of the principal meats used in the cuisine of the Middle East , Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Europe and the United States, and is also important in...
and lamb were used more sparingly. Beside berries, apples are the most used traditional fruit, eaten fresh or served as apple pie, apple sauce, or apple cake. Time consuming cooking methods such as redningar (roux
Roux
Roux is a cooked mixture of wheat flour and fat, traditionally butter. It is the thickening agent of three of the mother sauces of classical French cooking: sauce béchamel, sauce velouté and sauce espagnole. Clarified butter, vegetable oils, or lard are commonly used fats. It is used as a...
) and långkok (literally "long boil") are commonly employed and spice
Spice
A spice is a dried seed, fruit, root, bark, or vegetative substance used in nutritionally insignificant quantities as a food additive for flavor, color, or as a preservative that kills harmful bacteria or prevents their growth. It may be used to flavour a dish or to hide other flavours...
s are sparingly used. Examples of Swedish husmanskost are pea soup (ärtsoppa), boiled and mashed carrots, potato and rutabaga
Rutabaga
The rutabaga, swede , turnip or yellow turnip is a root vegetable that originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip; see Triangle of U...
served with pork (rotmos med fläsk), many varieties of salmon (such as gravlax, inkokt lax, fried, pickled), varieties of herring (most commonly pickled, but also fried, au gratin, etc.), fishballs (fiskbullar), meatballs (köttbullar), potato dumplings with meat or other ingredients (palt
Palt
Palt is a traditional Swedish meat-filled dumpling, of which there are many different variants. Palt is traditionally served with butter and lingonberry preserves, and a glass of cold milk on the side....
), potato pancake (raggmunk), varieties of porridge (gröt), a fried mix of pieces of potato, different kind of meats, sausages, bacon and onion (pytt i panna), meat stew with onion (kalops), and potato dumplings with a filling of onions and pork (kroppkakor
Kroppkakor
Kroppkaka is a traditional Swedish dish, namely potato-dumplings with a filling of onions and pork or bacon. Potatoes, wheat flour, onion, salt and minced meat/pork are common ingredients in kroppkakor...
).
Dishes akin to Swedish husmanskost and food traditions are found also in other Scandinavian countries; details may vary.
Sweden is part of the vodka belt and historically distilled beverages, such as brännvin
Brännvin
Brännvin is a Swedish word for liquor distilled from potatoes, grain, or wood cellulose; it may be flavored or unflavored. The term includes vodka and akvavit, but akvavit is always flavored....
and snaps
Snaps
Snaps is a Danish and Swedish word for a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal. A ritual that is associated with drinking snaps is a tradition in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Sweden, where it is very common to drink snaps at holidays such as...
, have been a traditional daily complement to food.
Consumption of wine in Sweden has increased during the last fifty years, partly at the expense of beer
Beer
Beer is the world's most widely consumed andprobably oldest alcoholic beverage; it is the third most popular drink overall, after water and tea. It is produced by the brewing and fermentation of sugars, mainly derived from malted cereal grains, most commonly malted barley and malted wheat...
and stronger alcoholic beverages.
In many countries locally produced wine
Wine
Wine is an alcoholic beverage, made of fermented fruit juice, usually from grapes. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, or other nutrients. Grape wine is produced by fermenting crushed grapes using various types of yeast. Yeast...
s are combined with local husmanskost.
Husmanskost has undergone a renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
during the last decades as well known (or famous) Swedish chef
Chef
A chef is a person who cooks professionally for other people. Although over time the term has come to describe any person who cooks for a living, traditionally it refers to a highly skilled professional who is proficient in all aspects of food preparation.-Etymology:The word "chef" is borrowed ...
s, such as Tore Wretman, have presented modernised variants of classical Swedish dishes. In this nouvel husman the amount of fat (which was needed to sustain hard manual labour in the old days) is reduced and some new ingredients are introduced. The cooking methods are tinkered with as well, in order to speed up the cooking process and/or enhance the nutritional value or flavor of the dishes.
Swedes have adopted some foreign influences, ranging from cabbage rolls and influences from French cuisine
French cuisine
French cuisine is a style of food preparation originating from France that has developed from centuries of social change. In the Middle Ages, Guillaume Tirel , a court chef, authored Le Viandier, one of the earliest recipe collections of Medieval France...
during the 17th and 18th centuries, to the pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
and cafe latte of today. Many Swedish restaurateurs mix traditional husmanskost with a modern, gourmet approach.
On the fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
side, hot dog sausage served in a bun or wrapped in flatbread is the classical Swedish fast food, but pizza
Pizza
Pizza is an oven-baked, flat, disc-shaped bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various toppings.Originating in Italy, from the Neapolitan cuisine, the dish has become popular in many parts of the world. An establishment that makes and sells pizzas is called a "pizzeria"...
has also been an integral part of Swedish fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
since the 1960s. Twenty years later, the same could be said about kebab
Kebab
Kebab is a wide variety of meat dishes originating in Middle East and later on adopted by the Middle East, and Asia Minor, and now found worldwide. In English, kebab with no qualification generally refers more specifically to shish kebab served on the skewer...
and falafel
Falafel
Falafel is a deep-fried ball or patty made from ground chickpeas and/or fava beans. Falafel is usually served in a pita, which acts as a pocket, or wrapped in a flatbread known as lafa. The falafel balls are topped with salads, pickled vegetables, hot sauce, and drizzled with tahini-based sauces...
, as many small restaurants specialise in such dishes.
Dishes
International
----International mostly means something that involves more than one country. The term international as a word means involvement of, interaction between or encompassing more than one nation, or generally beyond national boundaries...
dishes.
Internationally, the most renowned Swedish culinary tradition is the smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord
Smörgåsbord is a type of Scandinavian meal served buffet-style with multiple dishes of various foods on a table, originating in Sweden. In Norway it is called koldtbord, in Denmark it is called det kolde bord, in Finland seisova pöytä and in Estonia rootsi laud...
and, at Christmas, the julbord, including well known Swedish dishes such as gravlax
Gravlax
Gravlax or gravad lax , gravet laks , gravlaks , graavilohi , graavilõhe , graflax is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill...
and meatballs.
In Sweden, traditionally, Thursday has been soup day because the maids had half the day off and soup was easy to prepare in advance. One of the most traditional Swedish soups, still served in many restaurants and households every Thursday together with pancakes, is the yellow pea soup
Pea soup
Pea soup or split pea soup is soup made, typically, from dried peas. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas used; all are cultivars of Pisum sativum.Pea soup has been eaten since antiquity; it...
, or ärtsoppa. It dates back to the old tradition of peas being associated with Thor
Thor
In Norse mythology, Thor is a hammer-wielding god associated with thunder, lightning, storms, oak trees, strength, the protection of mankind, and also hallowing, healing, and fertility...
. This is a simple meal, a very thick soup, basically consisting of boiled yellow peas, a little onion, salt and small pieces of pork. It is often served with mustard and followed by thin pancake
Pancake
A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side...
s (see pannkakor). The Swedish Army also serve their conscripts pea soup and pancakes every Thursday.
Potatoes are eaten year-round as the main source of carbohydrates, and are a staple in many traditional dishes. Not until the last 50 years have pasta or rice become common on the dinner table.
There are several different kinds of potatoes: the most appreciated is the new potato, a potato which ripens in early summer, and is enjoyed at the traditional mid-summer feast called midsommar. New potatoes at midsommar are served with pickled herring, chives
Chives
Chives are the smallest species of the edible onions. A perennial plant, they are native to Europe, Asia and North America.. Allium schoenoprasum is the only species of Allium native to both the New and the Old World....
, sour cream, and the first strawberries of the year are traditionally served as dessert.
The most highly regarded mushroom
Mushroom
A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus; hence the word "mushroom" is most often applied to those fungi that...
in Sweden is the chanterelle
Chanterelle
Cantharellus cibarius, commonly known as the chanterelle, golden chanterelle or girolle, is a fungus. It is probably the best known species of the genus Cantharellus, if not the entire family of Cantharellaceae. It is orange or yellow, meaty and funnel-shaped...
, which is considered a delicacy. The chanterelle is usually served as a side dish together with steaks, or fried with onions and sauce served on an open sandwich
Open sandwich
An open sandwich, also known as an open face/faced sandwich, Ulrich Sandwich, bread baser, or tartine, consists of a single slice of bread with one or more food items on top.- In various countries :...
. Second to the chanterelle, and considered almost as delicious, is the porcini mushroom, or karljohansvamp named after Charles XIV John
Charles XIV John of Sweden
Charles XIV & III John, also Carl John, Swedish and Norwegian: Karl Johan was King of Sweden and King of Norway from 1818 until his death...
(Karl XIV Johan) who introduced its use as food.
In August, at the traditional feast known as crayfish party, kräftskiva, Swedes eat large amounts of boiled crayfish
Crayfish
Crayfish, crawfish, or crawdads – members of the superfamilies Astacoidea and Parastacoidea – are freshwater crustaceans resembling small lobsters, to which they are related...
boiled and then marinated in a broth with salt, a little bit of sugar, and a large amount of dill.
Some traditional Swedish dishes are:
Main courses
| Swedish | English | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Ärtsoppa | Pea soup Pea soup Pea soup or split pea soup is soup made, typically, from dried peas. It is, with variations, a part of the cuisine of many cultures. It is greyish-green or yellow in color depending on the regional variety of peas used; all are cultivars of Pisum sativum.Pea soup has been eaten since antiquity; it... |
|
| Blodpudding | Black pudding | The Swedish name literally means "blood pudding". Eaten with lingonberry jam, and sometimes bacon. |
| Blodkorv | Blood sausage Blood sausage Black pudding, blood pudding or blood sausage is a type of sausage made by cooking blood or dried blood with a filler until it is thick enough to congeal when cooled. The dish exists in various cultures from Asia to Europe... |
Other than pig vein juice, the ingredients include flour, pork, raisins and spices |
| Falukorv Falukorv Falukorv is a large traditional Swedish sausage made of a grated mixture of pork and beef or veal with potato starch flour and mild spices.-History:... |
Sausage, big and thick, originating from Falun Falun Falun is a city and the seat of Falun Municipality in Dalarna County, Sweden, with 36,447 inhabitants in 2005. It is also the capital of Dalarna County... . The lifts and pumps at the Kopparberg copper mine in Falun were, during the 16th and 17th centuries before the introduction of steam engines, powered by oxen. When these oxen died from strain or old age, the skin was turned into leather ropes used in the mine, and some of the meat was turned into Falukorv sausages. |
|
| Fiskbullar | Fishballs, made from minced white fish meat. | |
| Gravlax Gravlax Gravlax or gravad lax , gravet laks , gravlaks , graavilohi , graavilõhe , graflax is a Nordic dish consisting of raw salmon, cured in salt, sugar, and dill... |
Salmon cured with salt and sugar with special herbs. | |
| Inkokt lax | Boiled Salmon Salmon Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true... , together with onion and carrots, in a mixture of water, vinegar, salt, sugar and some other spices. Usually eaten cold, not uncommonly together with mayonnaise spiced with dill and lemon. |
|
| Isterband Isterband Isterband is a coarsely ground, lightly smoked sausage from Sweden. It is made of pork, barley groats and potato. There are many varieties of isterband, such as "småländska isterband" from the region of Småland, "syrliga isterband" with a slightly sour taste, and "lättisterband" with a low calorie... |
Sausage, from Småland, made of coarsely ground pork, barley and potatoes. It is prepared by first fermenting it and then lightly smoking it. This method of cooking creates a distinct, both acidic and slightly smoky flavor. It's traditionally eaten with dill-stewed potatoes and pickled rootbeets. | |
| Janssons frestelse Janssons frestelse Janssons frestelse is a traditional Swedish casserole made of potatoes, onion, pickled sprats, bread crumbs and cream. It is commonly included in a Swedish julbord, but can be eaten on other occasions as well.-Preparation:... |
Jansson's temptation | Potato casserole Casserole A casserole, from the French for "saucepan", is a large, deep dish used both in the oven and as a serving vessel. The word casserole is also used for the food cooked and served in such a vessel, with the cookware itself called a casserole dish or casserole pan... made of grated potatoes, onion, "anchovy" and cream; the fish used is usually the sprat Sprattus Sprattus is a genus of small oily fish of the family Clupeidae. One can find many varieties served from the Iberian peninsula to the Caucasus. They are commonly fried and eaten in British and Bulgarian cuisine. In northern and north-eastern Europe, European sprats are commonly smoked and preserved... , a different species, but similarly spiced. |
| Julskinka | Cured ham, boiled and breaded with mustard, bread crumbs and egg, translates as Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... ham. The Swedish equivalent to Christmas turkey. |
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| Kalops | Meat stewed with onion, vegetables and spices | |
| Kåldolmar | Cabbage roll Cabbage roll A cabbage roll is a dish consisting of cooked cabbage leaves wrapped around a variety of fillings. It is common to the ethnic cuisines of England, and has also found popularity in areas of North America settled by English Settlers.... s |
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| Odorflue | Dried and deboned whitefish Whitefish Whitefish or white fish may refer to:In fishing terminology:* Whitefish , a fisheries term referring to the flesh of many types of fishIn fish species:... wrapped in a soft, mild cheese. Also known as Detweilerfesh. |
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| Köttsoppa med klimp | Soup, made from beef and root vegetables, served with klimp, a distinct Swedish dumpling. | |
| Kroppkakor Kroppkakor Kroppkaka is a traditional Swedish dish, namely potato-dumplings with a filling of onions and pork or bacon. Potatoes, wheat flour, onion, salt and minced meat/pork are common ingredients in kroppkakor... |
Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s made of pre-boiled potatoes, filled with pork. |
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| Lutfisk | Lye fish made of stockfish Stockfish Stockfish is unsalted fish, especially cod, dried by cold air and wind on wooden racks on the foreshore, called "hjell". The drying of food is the world's oldest known preservation method, and dried fish has a storage life of several years... . |
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| Palt Palt Palt is a traditional Swedish meat-filled dumpling, of which there are many different variants. Palt is traditionally served with butter and lingonberry preserves, and a glass of cold milk on the side.... |
Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s made of unboiled potatoes, filled with pork. |
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| Pitepalt Pitepalt Pitepalt is a palt, a dish related to kroppkakor, and the specialty of the city of Piteå, though it is not eaten only in Piteå. This Swedish dish has almost as many variants as households in Piteå. Pitepalt are mostly made out of raw potatoes and barley flour, which is not the case with kroppkakor.... |
Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s from Piteå Piteå Piteå is a locality and the seat of Piteå Municipality in Norrbotten County, Sweden. The town has 22,650 inhabitants out of a municipal total of 41,000 in 2008.- Geography :... . |
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| Blodpalt Blodpalt Blodpalt is an old-fashioned Swedish dish still fairly common in northern Sweden and Finland . The dish's history goes back to a time when the households carefully made use of all parts of the animals to get enough food.Blodpalt is essentially pitepalt – similar to kroppkakor – a kind of potato... |
Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s with blood |
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| Paltbröd | A type of tunnbröd Tunnbröd Tunnbröd is the Swedish version of flatbread. Tunnbröd can be soft or crisp, and comes in many variants depending on choice of grain, leavening agent and rolling pin. The dough is made from any combination of wheat, barley and rye.Soft tunnbröd is commonly used as a wrap for other food, not... baked with blood. Traditionally served leached with white sauce and fried pork. |
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| Leverpalt | Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s with liver |
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| Blåbärspalt | Dumpling Dumpling Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. They are based on flour, potatoes or bread, and may include meat, fish, vegetables, or sweets. They may be cooked by boiling, steaming, simmering, frying, or baking. They may have a filling, or there may be other ingredients mixed into the dough. Dumplings may... s with blueberries |
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| Pannkakor | Pancake Pancake A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side... s - A "plätt" is a small pancake, usually made in a "plättlagg", a sort of frying pan with indentations to allow for several to be made at once. |
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| Plättar | ||
| Inlagd sill | Sweetened, pickled herring Herring Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies... |
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| Pölsa Pölsa Pölsa is a traditional Swedish dish, very similar in taste and consistency to Scottish haggis. The main ingredients are liver, heart, onion, pot barley, and often beef mince or minced pork, mixed with stock, black pepper, and marjoram... |
Similar to hash Hash (food) Hash is a dish consisting of meat, potatoes, and spices, that are mashed together into a smooth, creamy consistency, and then cooked either alone or with other ingredients such as onions.... |
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| Raggmunk | Potato pancakes | |
| Rotmos med fläsk | mashed potatoes, carrotts and swede served with pork | |
| Korv Stroganoff | Sausage pieces served in a creamy white sauce | |
| Biff Stroganoff | Beef Stroganoff Beef Stroganoff Beef Stroganoff or Beef Stroganov is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with smetana or sour cream... |
Beef pieces served in a sauce |
| Stekt fläsk Pork Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC.... och bruna bönor Bean Bean is a common name for large plant seeds of several genera of the family Fabaceae used for human food or animal feed.... |
Pork with stewed brown beans | |
| Stekt fläsk Pork Pork is the culinary name for meat from the domestic pig , which is eaten in many countries. It is one of the most commonly consumed meats worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BC.... med löksås och potatis Potato The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species... |
Pork with onion Onion The onion , also known as the bulb onion, common onion and garden onion, is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. The genus Allium also contains a number of other species variously referred to as onions and cultivated for food, such as the Japanese bunching onion The onion... sauce and potatoes |
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| Prinskorv Prinskorv Prinskorv is a small Swedish sausage, somewhat similar to the Vienna sausage . It is usually fried and served with mustard, and is especially popular at the julbord .... |
Sausages, small hot dog style | |
| Fläskkorv Fläskkorv Fläskkorv is a Swedish sausage made largely or entirely from pork. Traditionally it is sold raw , and is often served during the Christmas smörgåsbord .... |
Sausages, pork | |
| Pyttipanna Pyttipanna Pyttipanna, also pytt i panna, pyttipanne , pyttipannu , is a hodgepodge of food similar to bubble and squeak. The term is Swedish/Norwegian for "small pieces in pan"... |
Mix of chopped and fried meat, onions, pre-boiled potatoes. Other ingredients are often added as well, such as sausages, bacon or even salmon (instead of the meat). | |
| Smörgåstårta Smörgåstårta Smörgåstårta is a Scandinavian cuisine dish that is popular in Finland, Sweden and Estonia. This salty cake is compositionally similar to a sandwich, but it has such a large amount of filling that it more resembles a layered cream cake with garnished top.The smörgåstårta is normally made up of... |
Sandwich cake | Like a very big multi-layer sandwich. Comes with many different fillings and toppings. |
| Surströmming Surströmming Surströmming herring") is a northern Swedish dish consisting of fermented Baltic herring. Surströmming is sold in cans, which often bulge during shipping and storage, due to the continued fermentation. When opened, the contents release a strong and sometimes overwhelming odor, which explains why... |
Fermented Baltic herring | Being fermented, Surströmming has a strong odor and unique flavour and is considered an acquired taste. |
| Stekt strömming | Fried herring | Sweetened pickled fish, very different from surströmming. |
| Grisfötter | Pigs' trotters served with rödbetor | |
| Flygande Jacob Flying Jacob Flying Jacob is a Swedish casserole based on chicken with bananas, peanuts and bacon and cooked in the oven. The dish was invented by Ove Jacobsson who worked in the air freight industry, hence the name. The recipe was first published in Allt om mat in 1976.- External links :*... |
Casserole based on chicken with bananas, peanuts and bacon. "Invented" in the 60's. | |
Seafood
Herring
Herring is an oily fish of the genus Clupea, found in the shallow, temperate waters of the North Pacific and the North Atlantic oceans, including the Baltic Sea. Three species of Clupea are recognized. The main taxa, the Atlantic herring and the Pacific herring may each be divided into subspecies...
, inlagd sill, is the most traditional of Swedish appetizers. Shrimp
Shrimp
Shrimp are swimming, decapod crustaceans classified in the infraorder Caridea, found widely around the world in both fresh and salt water. Adult shrimp are filter feeding benthic animals living close to the bottom. They can live in schools and can swim rapidly backwards. Shrimp are an important...
and lobster are specialties of the Skagerrak
Skagerrak
The Skagerrak is a strait running between Norway and the southwest coast of Sweden and the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea area, which leads to the Baltic Sea.-Name:...
coast.
Desserts
| Swedish | English | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Ostkaka Ostkaka Ostkaka, "ost" meaning "cheese" and "kaka" meaning "cake" in Swedish , also known as Swedish cheesecake or Swedish curd cake, is a Swedish dessert that has its roots in two different parts of Sweden, Hälsingland and Småland... |
Swedish cheesecake (very different from American cheesecake). | |
| Gotländsk saffranspannkaka | Rice pudding dessert with saffron Saffron Saffron is a spice derived from the flower of Crocus sativus, commonly known as the saffron crocus. Crocus is a genus in the family Iridaceae. Each saffron crocus grows to and bears up to four flowers, each with three vivid crimson stigmas, which are each the distal end of a carpel... originating in Gotland Gotland Gotland is a county, province, municipality and diocese of Sweden; it is Sweden's largest island and the largest island in the Baltic Sea. At 3,140 square kilometers in area, the region makes up less than one percent of Sweden's total land area... , usually served with jam and/or whipped cream, or Dewberry Dewberry The dewberries are a group of species in the genus Rubus, section Rubus, closely related to the blackberries. They are small trailing brambles with berries reminiscent of the raspberry, but are usually purple to black instead of red.Dewberries are common throughout most of the Northern Hemisphere,... jam. |
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| Smulpaj Smulpaj Smulpaj is a Swedish dessert. It differs from traditional pies in that it has no pastry shell, instead, fillings are added directly to the pie dish after greasing. Butter is mixed with sugar, wheat flour and oatmeal to a crumbly dough that is strewn over the fillings... |
crumb pie | Various kinds of pies and cookies are typical desserts, mostly served with coffee. Typical pies are apple pie Apple pie An apple pie is a fruit pie in which the principal filling ingredient is apples. It is sometimes served with whipped cream or ice cream on top... , blueberry pie Blueberry pie Blueberry pie is a sweet pie filled with blueberries. Blueberry pie was first eaten by early American settlers and remains a popular dessert in the United States and around the world. Blueberry pie made with wild Maine blueberries is the official state dessert of the U.S. state of Maine.... and rhubarb pie Rhubarb pie Rhubarb pie is a pie which is particularly popular in those areas where the rhubarb plant is commonly cultivated, including Sweden, the United Kingdom, Ireland and the New England and Upper Midwestern regions of the United States. Besides diced rhubarb, it almost always contains a large amount of... . |
| Smördegspaj | butter dough based pie | |
| Pannkaka | Pancake Pancake A pancake is a thin, flat, round cake prepared from a batter, and cooked on a hot griddle or frying pan. Most pancakes are quick breads; some use a yeast-raised or fermented batter. Most pancakes are cooked one side on a griddle and flipped partway through to cook the other side... s are almost never served for breakfast ("American style") but either as dessert with sweet jam and/or whipped cream, or as a meal in itself, using fewer sweet toppings. (Pancakes for dinner can be thick oven Oven An oven is a thermally insulated chamber used for the heating, baking or drying of a substance. It is most commonly used for cooking. Kilns, and furnaces are special-purpose ovens... -baked pancakes with pork meat or apples inside.) |
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| Spettekaka Spettekaka Spettekaka or spettkaka ") is a local dessert of the southern parts of Sweden, chiefly in the province of Scania but also in Halland... |
A sweet dry hollow Swedish cake, shaped like a cylinder, and similar to Meringue Meringue Meringue is a type of dessert made from whipped egg whites and sugar, occasionally some recipes may call for adding an acid such as cream of tartar or a small amount of vinegar and a binding agent such as cornstarch found in icing sugar which may be added in addition to the corn starch which... , found only in the southern regions of Sweden, Skåne. |
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| Våfflor | Waffle Waffle A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used.... s |
Often served with jam and whipped cream or ice cream Ice cream Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners... . Waffles also have their own day on March 25. |
| Klappgröt | semolina pudding mixed with juice from either red currant Ribes Ribes is a genus of about 150 species of flowering plants native throughout the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is usually treated as the only genus in the family Grossulariaceae. Seven subgenera are recognized.... , lingonberries, raspberries Raspberries Raspberry may refer to:* Raspberry, various fruit-bearing plants in the genus Rubus, especially two commercially grown species, the red-fruited Rubus idaeus and the black-fruited Rubus occidentalis... , blackberries etc. and then stirred or blended until the texture is fluffier. Eaten cold. |
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Pastries and treats
In recent years American brownies, cookies and cup-cakes have become popular in cafés and restaurants.
Kaffebröd (coffee bread)
Bakelser and other types of kaffebröd (or more colloquially "fikabröd") are various forms of pastries, pieces of cake, cookies and buns that are usually consumed, except by children, with relatively strong coffee (see fika). Popular kinds of kaffebröd available in a traditional Swedish konditori (coffee shopCoffeehouse
A coffeehouse or coffee shop is an establishment which primarily serves prepared coffee or other hot beverages. It shares some of the characteristics of a bar, and some of the characteristics of a restaurant, but it is different from a cafeteria. As the name suggests, coffeehouses focus on...
/ patisserie
Pâtisserie
A pâtisserie is the type of French or Belgian bakery that specializes in pastries and sweets. In both countries it is a legally controlled title that may only be used by bakeries that employ a licensed maître pâtissier ....
) include:
| Swedish | English | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Kanelbulle | Cinnamon roll with cardamom dough | |
| Wienerbröd | A Danish pastry; comes in several varieties and shapes; very similar to a Danish pastry Danish pastry Danish pastry is a sweet pastry which has become a specialty of Denmark and neighbouring Scandinavian countries and is popular throughout the industrialized world, although the form it takes can differ significantly from country to country... in the US. |
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| Chokladboll Chokladboll Chokladboll is a popular Swedish pastry.The chokladboll is usually slightly smaller than a golfball. The chokladboll consists of oatmeal, sugar, coffee, cocoa, butter, and sometimes a pinch of vanilla sugar, which is mixed to a compact mass. Balls are formed and then rolled in nib sugar, shredded... /Negerboll |
Chocolate ball/Blackball or Negro ball | A round chocolate Chocolate Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC... -flavored butter ball with oatmeal-cocoa-sugar-, coated in coconut flakes or pearl sugar. Chokladboll is something of a misnomer as it contains no cocoa butter. Originally called negerboll, literally "negro ball", today a less accepted name in PC Political correctness Political correctness is a term which denotes language, ideas, policies, and behavior seen as seeking to minimize social and institutional offense in occupational, gender, racial, cultural, sexual orientation, certain other religions, beliefs or ideologies, disability, and age-related contexts,... circles, but still used by many, and generally not seen as derogatory towards black people). |
| Kringla | A small pretzel Pretzel A pretzel is a type of baked food made from dough in soft and hard varieties and savory or sweet flavors in a unique knot-like shape, originating in Europe... -shaped (sweet) cookie with pearl sugar on top. |
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| Punschrulle | Punsch-roll Punsch-roll right|thumb|Punsch-rollsPunsch-roll is a Swedish, small cylindrical pastry covered with green marzipan with the ends dipped in chocolate, and inside a mix of crushed cookies, butter, and cacao, flavoured with punsch liqueur.... |
A small cylindrical pastry covered with green marzipan with the ends dipped in chocolate Chocolate Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC... , and inside a mix of crushed cookie Cookie In the United States and Canada, a cookie is a small, flat, baked treat, usually containing fat, flour, eggs and sugar. In most English-speaking countries outside North America, the most common word for this is biscuit; in many regions both terms are used, while in others the two words have... s, butter, and cacao, flavoured with punsch Punsch Punsch is a traditional liqueur in Sweden and to a lesser extent some other Nordic countries produced from arrack, neutral spirits, sugar, water, and various flavorings... liqueur. This pastry is often called dammsugare ("vacuum cleaner"), referring not only to its appearance, but also to the practice of the pastry baker collecting crumbs from the day's cookies to make the filling. Other names are arraksrulle (as arrak is an ingredient in punsch Punsch Punsch is a traditional liqueur in Sweden and to a lesser extent some other Nordic countries produced from arrack, neutral spirits, sugar, water, and various flavorings... ) and "150-ohmer" (owing to the brown-green-brown coloring). |
| Biskvi | A small round pastry with a base made from almond Almond The almond , is a species of tree native to the Middle East and South Asia. Almond is also the name of the edible and widely cultivated seed of this tree... s and sugar, filled with butter cream Butter cream Buttercream is a type of icing or filling, used inside cakes, as a coating, and as decoration. In its simplest form, it is made by creaming butter with powdered sugar, although other fats can be used, such as margarine or lard. Colorings and flavorings are often added, such as cocoa powder or... and covered with a thin layer of chocolate. First made in France during the 19th century. |
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| Prinsesstårta Prinsesstårta A Prinsesstårta is a traditional Swedish cake consisting of alternating layers of airy sponge cake, whipped cream and thick pastry cream all topped with a 2-3 mm thick layer of marzipan. The marzipan overlay is normally green, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and often decorated with a pink marzipan... |
Princess cake | A large cake, made of sponge cake layered with whipped cream, and custard Custard Custard is a variety of culinary preparations based on a cooked mixture of milk or cream and egg yolk. Depending on how much egg or thickener is used, custard may vary in consistency from a thin pouring sauce , to a thick pastry cream used to fill éclairs. The most common custards are used as... under a green marzipan Marzipan Marzipan is a confection consisting primarily of sugar and almond meal. Persipan is a similar, yet less expensive product, in which the almonds are replaced by apricot or peach kernels... coating with powdered sugar Powdered sugar Powdered sugar, also known as confectioners' sugar or icing sugar, is very fine sugar. When intended for home use, it typically contains a small amount of anti-caking agent.... on the top; often decorated with a pink marzipan rose. |
| Budapestbakelse | Budapest pastry | Basically made from sugar, egg white Egg white Egg white is the common name for the clear liquid contained within an egg. In chickens it is formed from the layers of secretions of the anterior section of the hen's oviduct during the passage of the egg. It forms around either fertilized or unfertilized egg yolks... , hazelnut Hazelnut A hazelnut is the nut of the hazel and is also known as a cob nut or filbert nut according to species. A cob is roughly spherical to oval, about 15–25 mm long and 10–15 mm in diameter, with an outer fibrous husk surrounding a smooth shell. A filbert is more elongated, being about twice... s, whipped cream, and pieces of fruit like apricot Apricot The apricot, Prunus armeniaca, is a species of Prunus, classified with the plum in the subgenus Prunus. The native range is somewhat uncertain due to its extensive prehistoric cultivation.- Description :... or mandarine Mandarin orange The orange, also known as the ' or mandarine , is a small citrus tree with fruit resembling other oranges. Mandarin oranges are usually eaten plain or in fruit salads... , decorated with a little chocolate and powdered sugar. |
| Napoleonbakelse | Napolitain | Made of pastry dough, whipped cream, custard and jam, topped with icing and currant jelly. |
| Napoleon pastry | ||
| Kladdkaka Kladdkaka Kladdkaka is a type of Swedish cake. This dense sticky chocolate cake is similar to the American brownie but has a soft and viscous centre. It is sometimes eaten with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.-See also:*Treats in the Swedish cuisine* in Swedish... |
A chocolatey and sticky flat cake. | |
| Arraksboll | A ball flavored with arrak, similar in appearance to a chokladboll but very different taste. | |
Treats
Strawberry
Fragaria is a genus of flowering plants in the rose family, Rosaceae, commonly known as strawberries for their edible fruits. Although it is commonly thought that strawberries get their name from straw being used as a mulch in cultivating the plants, the etymology of the word is uncertain. There...
and cream cake are highly regarded. Strawberries are also often eaten on their own with sugar and milk or cream. In the late summer and autumn, apple cakes and pies are baked. The apple cake is often served with vanilla
Vanilla
Vanilla is a flavoring derived from orchids of the genus Vanilla, primarily from the Mexican species, Flat-leaved Vanilla . The word vanilla derives from the Spanish word "", little pod...
custard, but sometimes with ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
or whipped cream.
During the winter holidays, traditional candy and pastries include:
| Treat | Definition |
|---|---|
| Knäck Knäck Knäck is a traditional Swedish toffee prepared at Christmas. The name translates into "break" and refers to its hard consistency... |
Christmas Christmas Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days... toffee |
| Ischoklad Ischoklad Ischoklad is a candy originated in Germany and is popular in both Germany and Sweden today. Its main ingredients are chocolate and coconut oil . The melting point of the coconut oil lies between 20 and 23 Celsius degrees... |
Cold ice-chocolate "toffees" |
| Marmelad | "Marmalade Marmalade Marmalade is a fruit preserve made from the juice and peel of citrus fruits, boiled with sugar and water. The benchmark citrus fruit for marmalade production in Britain is the "Seville orange" from Spain, Citrus aurantium var... candy", rectangular fruit and pectin Pectin Pectin is a structural heteropolysaccharide contained in the primary cell walls of terrestrial plants. It was first isolated and described in 1825 by Henri Braconnot... based candy in various colours. |
| Lussekatt | Saffron bun Saffron bun A saffron bun, in Swedish lussebulle or lussekatt, is a rich yeast dough bun that is flavoured with saffron and cinnamon or nutmeg and contains currants. In Sweden, no cinnamon or nutmeg is used in the bun, and raisins are used instead of currants. The buns are baked into many traditional shapes,... , a Swedish saffron bun eaten on the Saint Lucia St. Lucia Day Saint Lucy's Day or the Feast of St. Lucy is the Church feast day dedicated to St. Lucy and is observed on December 13. Its modern day celebration is generally associated with Sweden and Norway but is also observed in Denmark, Italy, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Malta, Bosnia, Bavaria,... celebration (13 December). |
| Pepparkaka | Similar to a ginger snap Ginger Snap Ginger Snap may refer to:* Gingersnap, the hard gingerbread cookie* Ginger Snaps , its sequel Ginger Snaps 2: Unleashed, or its prequal Ginger Snaps Back, Canadian horror films... s (has been eaten since the 14th century and baked at the monastery Monastery Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only... of Vadstena Vadstena Vadstena is a locality and the seat of Vadstena Municipality, Östergötland County, Sweden, with 5,612 inhabitants in 2005. From 1974 to 1979 Vadstena was administered as part of Motala Municipality.... since 1444); associated with Christmas but consumed all year round. |
| Semla Semla A semla or fastlagsbulle , laskiaispulla or fastelavnsbolle is a traditional pastry made in various forms in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Norway associated with Lent and especially Shrove Monday or Shrove Tuesday.The name semla is a loan word from German Semmel,... |
With the new year, the fastlagsbulle (Lenten bun), or semla Semla A semla or fastlagsbulle , laskiaispulla or fastelavnsbolle is a traditional pastry made in various forms in Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Sweden and Norway associated with Lent and especially Shrove Monday or Shrove Tuesday.The name semla is a loan word from German Semmel,... , is baked. It is a wheat bun with a cream and almond paste filling, traditionally eaten on Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday Shrove Tuesday is a term used in English-speaking countries, especially in Ireland, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Philippines, Germany, and parts of the United States for the day preceding Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of fasting and prayer called Lent.The... . |
Candy
| Candy | Definition |
|---|---|
| Saltlakrits | Liquorice candy flavoured with ammonium chloride Ammonium chloride Ammonium chloride NH4Cl is an inorganic compound with the formula NH4Cl. It is a white crystalline salt that is highly soluble in water. Solutions of ammonium chloride are mildly acidic. Sal ammoniac is a name of natural, mineralogical form of ammonium chloride... . |
| Polkagris Polkagris Polkagris is a Swedish candy stick or straight candy cane that was invented in 1859 in the town of Gränna, Sweden, and remains a popular candy tradition in the town... |
Traditional peppermint stick candy Stick candy Stick candy is a long, cylindrical variety of hard candy, usually four to seven inches in length and 1/4 to 1/2 inch in diameter, but in some extraordinary cases up to 14 inches in length and two inches in diameter... from Gränna Gränna Gränna is a locality situated in Jönköping Municipality, Jönköping County, Sweden with 2,578 inhabitants in 2005. It is situated in Småland on the eastern shores of the lake Vättern, about 35 km north of Jönköping.... , also made in other flavours. |
| Winegums and gumdrop Gumdrop Gumdrops are a type of confectionery . They are usually brightly-colored gelatin- or pectin-based pieces, shaped like a truncated cone and coated in granulated sugar. This makes them very sweet.... s in all shapes, colours and sizes |
a typical Swedish candy for kids |
| Ahlgrens bilar Ahlgrens Ahlgrens is a former Swedish confectionery company. It was originally founded by Fredrik Ahlgren in the town of Gävle in 1885 as a store for paint and wallpaper, a business which was later extended to the production and sale of various types of chemicals, perfumes and other products... |
A marshmallow candy shaped like a car. Marketed as "Sweden's most sold car". |
| Sockerbitar | Similar to square, chewy marshmallow Marshmallow The marshmallow is a confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, vanilla flavourings, and sometimes colouring, whipped to a spongy consistency. Some marshmallow recipes call for egg whites... s |
| Geléhallon | An early form of gelatine-based candy |
| Daim | formerly called Dime in the UK |
Drinks
Sweden is one of the heaviest coffee drinking countries in the world, behind FinlandFinland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. Milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
consumption in Sweden is also very high, again only second to Finland. Milk is bought in milk cartons, and it is no coincidence that Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak is a multinational food processing and packaging company of Swedish origin. It was founded in 1951 in Lund, Sweden, by Ruben Rausing. It was Erik Wallenberg who invented the tetrahedral package, today known as Tetra Classic...
, the world's largest maker of milk cartons, was founded in Sweden. Milk is considered the standard drink to have with meals during weekdays in many families, for both children and adults.
Christmas beverages
| Drink | Definition |
|---|---|
| Mumma Mumma -People:*Gordon Mumma , American composer*Kar de Mumma, Swedish theatre producer*Lt. Commander Morton C. Mumma, commander of the USS Sailfish in 1940*Walter M. Mumma , US Congressman from Pennsylvania... |
A traditional Christmas beverage. Usually a mix of porter or another dark beer, some light beer (pilsner), port wine (or some other wine), and something sweet (sockerdricka or julmust); commonly spiced with cardamom Cardamom Cardamom refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds... . |
| Glögg | Mulled wine Mulled wine Mulled wine, variations of which are popular in Europe, is wine, usually red, combined with spices and typically served warm. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween.-Glühwein:... |
Sweet drinks
| Swedish | English | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Blåbärssoppa Blåbärssoppa Blåbärssoppa, is a Swedish drink made from bilberries, which can be served cold or hot. The drink is sweet and contains starch which gives it a fairly thick consistency.In the USA, blåbärssoppa is imported and sold under the trade name Blåbär... |
Sweet soup or drink made from blueberries Blueberry Blueberries are flowering plants of the genus Vaccinium with dark-blue berries and are perennial... , served either hot or cold. |
|
| Enbärsdricka | Traditional juniper berry Juniper berry A juniper berry is the female seed cone produced by the various species of junipers. It is not a true berry but a cone with unusually fleshy and merged scales, which give it a berry-like appearance. The cones from a handful of species, especially Juniperus communis, are used as a spice,... soft drink |
|
| Sockerdricka Sockerdricka Sockerdricka is a soft drink dating from the 19th century. Originally it was brewed and also contained ginger , but nowadays it consists of carbonated water, sugar, and citric acid. It is quite similar to Fruktsoda. It is still sold, despite strong competition from more modern inventions such as 7... |
"sugar-drink" | Traditional sweet-sour soft drink (carbonated) |
| Fruktsoda Fruktsoda Fruktsoda is a lemon-lime flavored soft drink from Sweden, similar to 7 Up and Sprite. Fruktsoda is made by various breweries in Sweden. It is also a popular ingredient in cocktails.... |
Traditional lemon-lime Lemon-lime Lemon-lime is a common carbonated soft drink flavor, consisting of lemon and lime flavoring. Sprite and 7 Up are the most popular examples.-Description:... soft drink (carbonated) |
|
| Champis Champis Champis is a soft drink created by Robert Roberts in 1918 . The recipe is secret and the extract is made by Roberts AB in Örebro. Along with Sockerdricka, Citronil, Pomril and Pommac, Champis is one in the first generation of Swedish soft drinks.... |
Soft drink alternative to sparkling wine (carbonated) | |
| Pommac Pommac Pommac is a carbonated soft drink made of fruits and berries and matured in oak barrels for 3 months. The name comes from "Pommery", referring to Champagne, and Cognac, as it is matured on oak barrels like wine... |
||
| Trocadero Trocadero (drink) Trocadero, is a caffeinated apple- and orange flavored soft drink from Sweden. It is popular in particular in the northern part of the country. It has been produced by Saturnus AB since 1953... |
Traditional soft drink with the taste of apple and oranges, with its roots in the north of Sweden. | |
| Julmust Julmust Julmust is a soft drink that is mainly consumed in Sweden around Christmas. During the rest of the year it is usually hard to find in stores, but sometimes it is sold at other times of the year under the name must. At Easter the name is påskmust ... |
Traditional sweet seasonal carbonated soft drink (jul means Christmas in Swedish). | |
| Lingondricka | Lingonberry drink | |
Fruit soups
Fruit soups, especially rose hipRose hip
The rose hip, or rose haw, is the fruit of the rose plant, that typically is red-to-orange, but ranges from dark purple to black in some species. Rose hips begin to form in spring, and ripen in late summer through autumn.-Usage:...
soup and bilberry
Bilberry
Bilberry is any of several species of low-growing shrubs in the genus Vaccinium , bearing edible berries. The species most often referred to is Vaccinium myrtillus L., but there are several other closely related species....
soup
Soup
Soup is a generally warm food that is made by combining ingredients such as meat and vegetables with stock, juice, water, or another liquid. Hot soups are additionally characterized by boiling solid ingredients in liquids in a pot until the flavors are extracted, forming a broth.Traditionally,...
, are eaten or drunk, usually hot during the winter.
Liquor
The most important of stronger beverages in the Swedish cuisine is BrännvinBrännvin
Brännvin is a Swedish word for liquor distilled from potatoes, grain, or wood cellulose; it may be flavored or unflavored. The term includes vodka and akvavit, but akvavit is always flavored....
which is a general term that includes mainly two kinds of beverages: The Akvavit
Akvavit
Akvavit or aquavit is a traditional flavoured spirit that is principally produced in Scandinavia, where it has been produced since the 15th century....
, also called Aqua vitae
Aqua vitae
Aqua vitae, or aqua vita, is an archaic name for a concentrated aqueous solution of ethanol. The term was in wide use during the Middle Ages, although its origin is undoubtedly much earlier having been used by Saint Patrick and his fellow monks to refer to both the alcohol and the waters of baptism...
, and the Vodka
Vodka
Vodka , is a distilled beverage. It is composed primarily of water and ethanol with traces of impurities and flavorings. Vodka is made by the distillation of fermented substances such as grains, potatoes, or sometimes fruits....
. When consumed traditionally it is often served as a Snaps
Snaps
Snaps is a Danish and Swedish word for a small shot of a strong alcoholic beverage taken during the course of a meal. A ritual that is associated with drinking snaps is a tradition in Scandinavia, especially in Denmark and Sweden, where it is very common to drink snaps at holidays such as...
, but Vodka is also populary consumed as a drink ingredient. Renat
Renat
Renat Brännvin is a Swedish vodka produced by Vin & Sprit and made from wheat grown in Västergötland in Sweden. First introduced in 1877 by the successful Swedish distiller L.O Smith, it was famous for being purified ten times...
is often considered to be the national vodka of Sweden, but other highly popular brands are Explorer Vodka
Explorer Vodka
Explorer Vodka is a Swedish vodka brand manufactured by the V&S Group, formerly owned by the Swedish government. It was developed in the 1950s, targeted for customers in the United States, but failed...
and Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka
Absolut Vodka is a brand of vodka, produced near Åhus, Skåne, in southern Sweden. Since July 2008 the company has been owned by the French firm Pernod Ricard who bought V&S Group from the Swedish government....
, the latter being one of the world's best known liquor brands. Most forms of Brännvin have around 40% alcohol.
The production of hard liquor has a tradition dating back to the 18th century and was at a high in the 1840s. Since the 1880s, the state-owned Systembolaget
Systembolaget
Systembolaget is a government owned chain of liquor stores in Sweden. It is the only retail store allowed to sell alcoholic beverages that contain more than 3.5% alcohol. Systembolaget also sells non-alcoholic beverages. To buy alcoholic beverages at Systembolaget one has to be 20 years of age or...
has a monopoly on selling spirits with more than 3.5% alcohol, limiting access. Hembränt (moonshine) used to be made in rural Sweden, but production has lessened in recent years due to more liberal rules for the import of alcohol as well as increased smuggling.
Beer
Beer is also widely consumed in Sweden and the typical Swedish beer is lager beer of a bright and malty kind. The brands Pripps Blå and Norrlands GuldNorrlands Guld
Norrlands Guld is a Swedish lager beer introduced in 1965 by Sollefteå Bryggeri. It is now brewed by Spendrups as of 1989.It is known for its long-running ad campaign which feature a stereotyped view of Norrland...
are common examples. In the last few decades, many small breweries (microbreweries
Microbrewery
A microbrewery or craft brewer is a brewery which produces a limited amount of beer, and is associated by consumers with innovation and uniqueness....
) have emerged all over Sweden offering a wide range of styles and brands. Nils Oscar Brewery
Nils Oscar Brewery
Nils Oscar Brewery is a Swedish microbrewery and spirits company based in Nyköping.The brewery was founded in Stockholm 1996 as Kungsholmens Kvartersbryggeri i Kungsholmen, Stockholm but changed name to Tärnö Bryggeri rather quickly...
, Dugges Ale och Porterbryggeri
Dugges Ale och Porterbryggeri
Dugges Ale- & Porterbryggeri is a microbrewery situated in Mölndal outside Gothenburg, Sweden. The brewery was started in 2005 by Mikael Dugge Engström and is focused on top-fermented beers, influenced by US micro breweries. The ales are brewed with lots of hops, such as Chinook, that gives them a...
and Närke Kulturbryggeri are examples of these young Swedish microbreweries. Many microbreweries in Sweden are inspired by the US craft beer movement, brewing American styles and/or styles commonly associated with American craft breweries, e.g. American Pale Ale and American IPA.
Food and society
Brödinstitutet (The Bread Institute) once campaigned with a quotation from the Swedish National Board of Health and WelfareSwedish National Board of Health and Welfare
The Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare is a Swedish government agency. The agency was the result of a merge between the Swedish Royal Medical Board and the Swedish Royal Board of Social Affairs in 1968....
, recommending eating 6 to 8 slices of bread daily. Drinking milk has also been recommended and campaigned for by the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare; it's often recommended to drink two to three glasses of milk per day. 52% of Swedes surveyed drink milk at least once a day, usually one glass with lunch and another glass or two in the evening or morning.
Health issues
Though overweight and metabolic syndromeMetabolic syndrome
Metabolic syndrome is a combination of medical disorders that, when occurring together, increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease and diabetes. It affects one in five people in the United States and prevalence increases with age...
has been rising in recent years with the increase in more highly processed food and fast food, the obesity rate is still low compared to many other industrial countries, well below that of the U.S., at least in part due to smaller portions and a more active lifestyle.
Low-fat products, wholemeal bread and other alternatives are common — grocery stores usually sell milk in four or five different fat levels, from 3% to 0.1%.
Swedish alcohol consumption has changed during the last few decades due to more "continental" habits, as Swedes combine their traditional weekend binge drinking
Binge drinking
Binge drinking or heavy episodic drinking is the modern epithet for drinking alcoholic beverages with the primary intention of becoming intoxicated by heavy consumption of alcohol over a short period of time. It is a kind of purposeful drinking style that is popular in several countries worldwide,...
with casual weekday drinking and relaxed import regulations (see alcoholic beverages in Sweden
Alcoholic beverages in Sweden
Alcoholic beverages in Sweden are as common as in most of the western world. Sweden is historically part of the vodka belt, with high consumption of distilled beverages and binge drinking, but during the later half of the 20th century, habits have been harmonized with western Europe, with...
). Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking
Tobacco smoking is the practice where tobacco is burned and the resulting smoke is inhaled. The practice may have begun as early as 5000–3000 BCE. Tobacco was introduced to Eurasia in the late 16th century where it followed common trade routes...
has decreased greatly during the last few decades, mostly because of many Swedes' transition to the national specialty snus
Snus
Snus , or Swedish snuff, is a moist powder tobacco product originated from a variant of dry snuff in the early 19th century in Sweden, consumed by placing it under the lip for extended periods of time. The precursor of snus, the dry form of snuff inhaled through the nose, was introduced in Europe...
and (more recently) due to smoking being prohibited in bars and public places. Recreational drugs other than alcohol and tobacco are less common in Sweden than in continental Europe.
Ethical issues
Swedish farmers actively advertise their products as free from genetic engineeringGenetic engineering
Genetic engineering, also called genetic modification, is the direct human manipulation of an organism's genome using modern DNA technology. It involves the introduction of foreign DNA or synthetic genes into the organism of interest...
, cruelty against animals, un-organic chemicals and excessive transportation. The national organic farming
Organic farming
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on a farm...
label, KRAV, is popular, and a fair trade
Fair trade
Fair trade is an organized social movement and market-based approach that aims to help producers in developing countries make better trading conditions and promote sustainability. The movement advocates the payment of a higher price to producers as well as higher social and environmental standards...
label was recently established.
See also
- Cuisine of FinlandCuisine of FinlandFinnish cuisine is notable for generally combining traditional country fare and haute cuisine with contemporary continental style cooking. Fish and meat play a prominent role in traditional Finnish dishes from the western part of the country, while the dishes from the eastern part have...
- Cuisine of Lapland
- Cuisine of NorwayCuisine of NorwayNorwegian cuisine in its traditional form is based largely on the raw materials readily available in Norway and its mountains, wilderness and coast...
- Culture of SwedenCulture of SwedenSwedish culture has been described as Lutheranism, trade unionism, and self-reliance, aspects that have been associated with Swedish mentality....
- Danish cuisine
- List of Christmas dishes
- Swedish festivitiesSwedish festivities-Life of Swedish people:Over 70% of Swedes belong to the Lutheran Church of Sweden, but seldom go to church. Attendance is a bit higher among members of free churches such as Pentecostalists and the Salvation Army. Christenings, weddings and funerals are usually made in church, although civil...
Further reading
- Schildt-Lundgren, Margareta (2000) Simply Swedish. ISBN 91-974561-7-9
- Widenfelt, Sam, ed. (1950) Swedish Food. Gothenburg: Esselte
External links
- VisitSweden — Sweden's official website for tourism and travel information - Gastronomy in Sweden
- Sweden.se — Swedish culinary classics — recipes with history and originality
- Gretchen's Cookbook - Swedish Recipes