Sweden is an economic powerhouse in Northern Europe and the largest country in Northern Europe.
Sweden was and still is the leader of Scandinavia, and its food is as rich as its history.
To understand Swedish cuisine, you have to start with history.
Before the Agrarian Revolution, Sweden relied mainly on indigenous food. Thus, the geographical location determines which meats, vegetables and grains the Swedes eat.
As a result, reindeer and moose became a source of protein for the Sámi people in the Arctic, while the Vikings in the south relied more on small animals such as grouse and wild boar.
In general, fish and root vegetables (such as radishes and turnips) and hard bread made with barley or rye are central components of the Swedish diet.
Like the rest of Scandinavia, Swedish food is produced and preserved during the short summer months, so pickled, fermented or dried food is traditionally an important processing technique for Swedish food.
In the middle of the 19th century, with the development of agricultural industrialization, this situation began to change. The ability to mechanize, store and transport crops allowed the Swedes to break away from their old traditions.
Rural farms are being compressed, rural populations are moving to cities, local and imported products are blended, and even a lot of food comes from abroad.
It was around this time that potatoes became a staple food of the Swedes (and still does), and bread declined.
At the same time, new grinding techniques led to softer breads and pastries, and baking styles from other regions became more and more influential until they became mainstream.
The wood stove further changed the way Swedes eat. Before, almost all food was stewed.
And now, the average household can grill, fry or stew food as they please.
In fact, much of the Swedish cuisine we know now was formed in the late 20th and early 0th centuries.
Over the past few decades, with the birth of the New Nordic Manifesto, mainstream Swedish cuisine has undergone another transformation.
The "New Nordic Kitchen" movement has swept all Nordic countries, giving a new lease of life to many of the traditional eating habits of the past.
Smoked salmon
Smoked salmon (Gravad lax) is salt, dill and sugar marinated in salmon.
Traditionally, Nordic fishermen bury salmon in the ground to ferment, and the "gräva" in the name of the dish means "dig".
In Sweden, pickled salmon is thinly sliced and served with mustard sauce.
Pickled mackerel
No buffet in Sweden would be complete without pickled herring.
The first time in Scandinavia was the Middle Ages that the pickling technique became popular, it was an important method of food preservation.
Due to the abundance of herring in the Baltic and North Sea regions, herring became a staple food in the region and still remains so, especially in Sweden.
Canned herring
Canned herring (Surströmming) is so famous that it can be said to be really "stinky". Canned herring is made of Baltic herring, which has been fermented to the point of almost decay.
Many people can be seen on the Internet opening canned herring and eating it, but in reality Swedes do not eat it directly from the can, but instead slice the herring, wrap it in buttered flatbread and serve it with almonds, potatoes, onions and whipped cream.
Swedish meatballs with lingonberries
Köttbullar is a mixture of minced beef, eggs, milk and bread into small balls, fried in brown oil and topped with brown gravy.
In addition to lingonbär, boiled potatoes are added to the full menu.
Lingonberry sauce
Lingonberry jam goes well with a variety of Swedish dishes, including meatballs, black pudding, pancakes, and porridge. Bilberry tastes similar to cranberries but is sweeter than cranberries and has acidity and acidity.
Xiaolong-hsien
Yes, you read that right, it is indeed crayfish.
Every year in August and September is the Swedish Crayfish Party (kräftskiva). At the party you can taste delicious crayfish, as well as plenty of aquavit.
Many Swedes also buy their own crayfish for cooking.
Smogaystata
Smogistata (Smogistata is a cold "cake" made up of layers of seafood, cold dishes, eggs, bread and mayonnaise.
You won't see this cake in a Swedish restaurant, it's only served on special occasions.
Pea soup
Pea soup (Ärtsoppa) is made from dried peas, root vegetables, ham and spices.
It has been around since the 13th century, and Swedes used to eat it on Thursdays with pancakes, jam and cream. It is said that this custom dates back to the Middle Ages, when Swedes followed the Christian tradition of abstaining from eating meat on Fridays.
Hash browns
Raggmunk (potato pancakes) are a favorite among Swedes and are usually topped with salted pork and lingonberries.
Fried potato cakes
Rårakor is similar to potato loaf, but smaller and more delicate. It is usually served with toppings such as fish sauce, fresh cream, onions, and fine spices.
Crispy bread
Crispbread (Knäckebröd) is a cereal staple that has been a must-have food for Swedes for centuries.
It is a type of fermented hard bread that comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, as well as a variety of toppings.
Leskaf
Renskav used to be a dish unique to the Sámi people, and now it is a winter dish all over Sweden.
The Sami people make this dish from frozen reindeer meat buried deep in the ground, which is thinly sliced and fried with mushrooms.
The modified Renskaf still uses thinly sliced reindeer meat, but it is cooked with cream, onions, potatoes and lingonberries.
Calles caviar
Calais caviar is a type of cod roe that is placed in a tube, and it is loved by the locals.
cinnamon roll
If you haven't tasted cinnamon rolls in Sweden, no trip is complete.
Cinnamon rolls were born at the beginning of the 50th century, but most Swedes could not afford to eat them due to war rationing. It wasn't until the 0s of the 0th century, when the price of sugar fell and home baked goods rose, that cinnamon rolls made their way onto the tables of Swedish nationals.
Now, every year on 40 eh, it is called Cinnamon Roll Day (Kanelbullens Dag).
Cardamom rolls
Cardamom rolls (kardemummabullar) are similar to cinnamon rolls, except that they are smaller and have a lot of aromatic spices added to them when baked.
Punch rolls
Like most Scandinavians, Swedes love marzipan, the most popular being Punschrulle.
Punch rolls are cylindrical pastries covered with green marzipan and coated in chocolate at the ends, giving them a very firm texture.
Spetkaka
Spettekaka is a meringue cake that originated in the southernmost province of Sweden and dates back to the 17th century.
It is made by layering the egg and potato starch mixture on a conical mold and then placing it in an open oven to rotate and bake. The whole production process takes 8 to 0 hours.
Chocolate cake
Kladdkaka is a chocolate cake covered with powdered sugar, berries and whipped cream.
It's somewhere between a brownie and a lava cake.
cheesecake
Cheesecake in Sweden is served at room temperature with jam and cream.
The princess masturbated
The princess tart (Prinsesstårta) is a layered cake wrapped in green marzipan. Jam and cream are usually sandwiched between the cake layers.
Princess tarts are only used for birthdays and other celebrations.
Punch
In 1733, Swedish merchants brought back Arry from Southeast Asia, and punch has since become a part of Swedish drinking culture. This liqueur is made from a blend of sugar, spices, and Batavia Yali, an Indonesian spirit made from sugar cane and red rice.
Koshichibana
Bilberry soup (Blåbärssoppa) is a mixture of sugar, potato starch and lingonberries. It can be served as a cold dessert in the summer and as a hot soup in the winter.
Troca
Troca is a caffeinated soft drink. It is an orange apple soda that is very popular in Sweden, especially in the northern regions.
Asyvith
Aquavit/Snaps is a popular drink in Scandinavia. It is a spirit that is distilled from potatoes or grains.
coffee
Scandinavians love coffee, including the Swedes. Sweden is one of the countries with the highest coffee consumption after Finland, Norway, Iceland, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Apple wine
Swedish cider is low in alcohol or non-alcoholic. It also comes in a variety of flavors, including local berries such as strawberry and lingonberry.
Ringon Dritchka
Lingondricka is made from lingonberry juice with sugar and water.
Add a little vodka and you have another Swedish drink, "Vargtass".
That's all for Swedish food, is there anything you'd like to taste?