Coffee, Cinnamon Buns & Salmon: Eating in Sweden
When I arrived back home after my time in Sweden, many people asked me how the food was and what I ate. While foods like surströmming (fermented herring), smörgåskaviar (tubed and fishy caviar) and the fact that nearly all condiments are served from tubes initially had me a bit nervous about Swedish cuisine, there are many other amazing and delicious foods Sweden has to offer.
First of all, cinnamon rolls (kanelbullar) are the most amazing Swedish dessert. Pair it with a delicious cup of strong Swedish coffee and a friend and you've got yourself a fika! Fika is my favourite Swedish tradition. There are many definitions to this tradition, which range from something as confusing as "a date pretending not to be a date," as we were told by our orientation leaders, to a coffee break at work with co-workers. Regardless, I took full advantage of fika and had one with friends at every possible opportunity.
A typical breakfast for me in Sweden always consisted of at least two cups of coffee paired with a fried egg, some potatoes and yogurt with granola for a perfect brunch spread. The yogurt comes out of what looks like a milk carton, which was strange at first. Then again, we Canadians put our milk in bags, so I guess I can't be too surprised.
On Thanksgiving day in Canada, I decided to make myself a big brunch in Sweden to celebrate the holiday abroad. So, I incorporated some Swedish goodies and my breakfast favourites from home to make this yummy smörgåsbord of food.
Also, my "friend family" in Sweden fed me the most incredible Swedish food when I visited them. One time for brunch they had prepared fresh salmon with potatoes and a delicious hollandaise-type of sauce, as well as coffee and treats. During another visit, I was treated to homemade fish soup, bread and cake. I was definitely spoiled during those visits!
Snacking was so easy to do in Sweden. I kept a stock of knäckebröd, cream cheese and lox for a quick and easy snack. If you have a sweet tooth, you are definitely in luck. Since I love sweets, my grocery trips always ended with a bag of treats from the huge candy aisle.
To balance out all of my cinnamon bun and candy indulging, I liked to bike to the local farmer's market in the city square to pick up some fresh fruit and veggies.
Another healthy treat I enjoyed were Froosh smoothies that were conveniently sold in single-serve bottles at the local grocery stores. There were an assortment of flavours for every taste, but I preferred the berry and pina colada ones. They even had quirky sayings on the labels of the bottles.
Foods like salmon and potatoes are staples for me at home, so I was happy that those were popular in Sweden. Of course, I often incorporated Swedish meatballs into my meals as well.
I also gained a new favourite treat: cinnamon buns! The types of cinnamon buns we enjoy in Canada typically make me feel pretty sick, but the ones in Sweden have less stickiness to the dough, making them much easier for me to eat.
Writing all of this has me craving some authentic Swedish cinnamon buns, so maybe I will have to try and make a batch of them soon. I just have to work on my baking skills first...
Until next time,
Kaitlyn xo