Category: Scandi tips

This weekend, the Scandinavia Show takes place at Earl’s Court. I have actually never been, and won’t go this year either, but I am Swedish so I know pretty much about Scandinavia anyway. To me the show seem to be more aimed at people wanting to know more about the Scandinavian countries, who want to go there on holiday and find out more, or just love all the great books and television series streaming out of the region right now.

The food section will be represented by among others Scandinavian Kitchen and Madsen restaurant. Find out more about the Scandinavia Show here.

If you are interested in Britain’s love affair with Scandinavia, this article from the Telegraph is a good read.

But it is a reverse love affair as well, and a longer one at that. This weekend I once again have Swedish friends visiting their favourite city; London. And me.

Luckily they have been here before, so we don’t have to do the tourist attractions, instead we will explore different areas, eat good food and enjoy the fact that alcohol is cheaper here than in Sweden. And catch up of course!

Spring (and summer) my favourite part of the year, because of the weather of course. I grew up in the south of Sweden where we sometimes had snow during winter, but mostly it was just windy and freezing cold (because of the wind and the flat landscape). So you can see why we (I) looked forward to spring.

Apart from the nice weather spring comes with lots of new produce. Of course you can get similar things here but I’d thought to tell you about what we look forward to in Sweden anyway, this time of year.

Of course asparagus, both the white and green. You can use asparagus in so many different ways and you can find how here.

Broad beans are another favourite of mine that I mostly use in salads. You find recipes here and here.

As mentioned ealier this week, wild garlic is spring for me and I have a total crush on these garlicky leaves. You can use it in anything, just remember that you need quite a few leaves as a leaf on its own is very subtle in flavour.

Also radishes and cress are spring favourites too and I eat them in the simplest way possible. Butter a nice slice of sourdoug, top with a good hard cheese, add some cress and serve radishes with salt on the side. Lovely!

Spring is definitely the time of year when I’m craving salads the most. Summer works too, but by then I usually crave BBQs instead… Scandis like prawns in their salads (and sandwiches, jacket potatoes – anything…) and the type of prawn we go for is the one we can catch in our own waters, the smaller softer ones, that are usually labelled cold water prawns, Icelandic/Greenlandic or Maine prawns. Those paired with boiled eggs, lettuce and a dilly mayo is spring for me. Garlic bread optional.

 

Another month to go and then it is Easter. Apart from a lamb roast I don’t think England and Sweden have much in common when it comes to food for Easter.

Just like every other holiday we eat herring. Usually with boiled, oftened coloured eggs, dark rye bread, strong hard cheeses and some smoked or cured salmon. I usually make a matjes cheesecake, and Janssons temptation (potato and anchovies bake) is common too. This food is usually consumed on Easter Eve, the Saturday, and the roast lamb is more common on Easter Day (the SUnday).

A very popular Easter cake is the Oscar II cake, named after a Swedish king. The reason it is so popular during Easter is probably because of its yellow colour and nothing else.

Note: The image is from here.