Ode to a Swedish Frukost (Breakfast)…

Oh, Swedish breakfasts, how do I miss thee?  Well, actually I don't.  Some of the fare is actually quite icky.  When I say icky, I mean like "OH MY GOD DID YOU JUST PUT FISH-FLAVORED TOOTHPASTE ON THAT CARDBOARD?" kind of icky.  Um, yeah.

OK, so most Swedish breakfast would be a smorgas, an open-faced sandwich.  You can achieve this with some regular bread, and some smog (butter), and then add a slice of cheese.  Yep, I said A slice of cheese.  The Swedish idea of a sandwich is a bit more modest than what we are used to here in the US of A.

Similarly, you could add A slice of skinka, or smoked ham, to that sandwich.  Many of you are thinking "OK, now you are talking…".  But this wouldn't be terribly authentic.

Get yourself some Wasa crispbread, and spread on it some RakOst.  This is a tube of pasteurized cheese product (similar to Velveeta) that has tiny little shrimp in it.  It is sold in the local Coop everywhere in Sweden.  And as I'm sure we all prefer, this dairy-and-shellfish product requires no refrigeration until opened.  Hmmmm.

Even better, make yourself a soft-boiled egg.  When you crack off the top, squirt a nice hefty dollop of Kalles Kaviar (fish paste) into the runny egg yolk.  Yummmmm (???)!

Or just skip the bread or Wasa entirely, and open up a can (or jar) of some slimy Abba (like the band?) product.  All seemingly made from raw fish.  Then just pick away at it without the benefit of utensils, since that would deny you of the full effect of the slippery texture greeting your hands before your mouth.

Generally speaking, you do NOT have pancakes for breakfast in Sweden.  Pancakes are served for lunch, or potato pancakes for dinner.  Which are actually quite tasty, but don't top them with syrup or jam!

No, Lingonberry jam is pretty much saved for -- get this -- putting on your meatballs.  Traditionally, Swedish meatballs don't come with a lovely gravy and some sort of noodle, as IKEA would have you believe.  They are usually served dry and with Mos (pronounced mooos), or mashed potatoes.  Then you heap some Lingonberry jam on the side, and swirl it into your Mos, and eat both atop a meatball.  Sounds worse than it actually is, since Lingonberries are a bit tart like a cranberry.

If you want another traditional Swedish supper, try some Flygande Jakob, a supper made from (who thinks these things up???) chicken, bacon, bananas and peanuts.  Again, it sounds worse than it is, and if you avoid the bananas, it's really just about OK.  Who Jakob is or was, I have no idea.  But after having tried this dish, I have some idea why he was flying…  

If you are REALLY adventurous you can try some Surstromming, a fermented (n English also known as ROTTEN) fish.  Careful when you open the can…  It's probably pressurized from the inside, and you can easily wind up WEARING Surstromming, which is highly NOT recommended.  In fact, I would only recommend EATING it less.  Although from the photo, it's hard to tell they are rotten -- in person I'm pretty sure you would figure it out!

Some other things to consider:  Tunnebrodsrulle is a Swedish version of a hot dog.  Some sort of sausagey thing is wrapped up in this soft flat bread, a Swedish version of pita or tortilla (and quite yummy!), and surround it with mashed potatoes, lettuce, and a heavy shrimp salad that is about 85% mayonnaise.  Or a Kottbullar (meatball) sandwich on a soft hoagie-shaped roll, with -- no, not tomato sauce and mozzarella! -- some cold red beet salad and lettuce thrown in for good measure.

   

     

And who could resist Nyponsoppa, which has nothing to do with Japan, and everything to do with the proliferation of Rosehips that are found all over Sverige.  This cold, sweet soup is something most Americans would be puzzled by -- although technically is is NOT disgusting.

Some things sure to please our spoiled, American palates?  How about some Lax (salmon, often served with dilled new potatoes), Kanelbulle (a really nice cinnamon roll), or Vasterbotten cheese, possibly one of the best cheeses in the World.

   

  

In general, when traveling to Sweden, it's Caveat Emptor when it comes to food.  But trust me when I say, it's OK to ask if that fish is spoiled, or if you can just have a smorgas instead  ;-)