It all started on a dreary cold November day in Stockholm, when Ulrika Larsson sat down in a kayak in the Stockholm archipelago for a day of sea kayaking . Although the odds were against her, the weather being cold and uninspiring, Ulrika absolutely fell for kayaking and wanted to do it again and again!
Ulrika Larsson. Photo: Matt Giblin
If you want to describe the flavour of wild garlic, a mild form of garlic is the closest you get. I have had wild garlic in a number of different ways. The last time my taste buds were tickled was not long ago. I had been invited to a Michelin-star restaurant in Stockholm. Behind an anonymous door, with an interior in light, soft colours, lots of wood and shiny copper lamps, is Gastrologik. This is a restaurant that surprises with the same sure neo-Nordic balance you find among top restaurants in Copenhagen. Jacob Holmström and Anton Bjuhr’s menu contained a very attractive dish; fillet of veal with cream of wild garlic, endives julienne and soured vegetables. In that harmonious Swedish way, with a careful balance between the sweet, fresh, sour, and mildly salty. The cream of wild garlic was superb and gave this dish a beautiful base, like a small piece of green meadow on a plate – if you know what I mean.
Wild Garlic. Photo: Jesper Anhede and www.lackokinnekulle.se
Evert’s Boathouse was built in the 19th century and has recently been refurbished with several unique objects and details. The boathouse is located in Gröndemad, close to Grebbestad in West Sweden, and is the starting point for all excursions they offer.
Per Karlsson at the Boathouse. Photo: Mikael Almse
What did you see and do on your trip?
On the Friday, I met my sister, who lives in Corsica, at Paris-Beauvais Airport and we took the flight to Gothenburg. Our first stop was the coastal town, Lysekil (an hour’s drive north of Gothenburg on the west coast). On the road we enjoyed the landscape. A few minutes before arriving, our GPS told us to take a “road” on the water. Indeed, at the end of the road we went onto a boat that took us to Lysekil. We put our suitcases at the lovely Strandflickornas Havshotell and took the ferry to the island of Fiskebäckskil, where a table was reserved for us at a restaurant. I’m not very familiar with seafood so it was a great introduction for me, and it was really delicious. At the end of the feast we returned to our lovely room. I really loved the houses on the island and felt like I was in a movie. It was magical.
Lysekil from the Sea. Photo: Jonas Ingman
How do you get a really popular festival? A festival that celebrates food and leaves visitors with a warm and genuine feeling. This is something that must have been up for discussion many times in Grebbestad, where the Nordic Oyster Opening Championships will soon be held. This year, the aim is clear! The competition will be a true celebration. Not a concept that feels forced or artificial. Instead, a festival that everyone can enjoy right in the middle of the picturesque fishing village of Grebbestad. More genuine than ever, and with focus on the best oysters in the world. I’m talking about the tastiest oysters you can imagine – freshly caught in Grebbestad. Just imagine!
Oysters. Photo: Jonas Ingman
Fresh Fish organizes an annual Fashion Fair & Competition in Gothenburg for promising designers. The idea for Fresh Fish was born in 2005 when the founder Ali Davoodi had the desire to create a platform geared toward promising designers, within different creative professions, to support them in their career. The first platform took shape as a fashion platform which then grew into Fresh Fish’s’ first fashion fair in 2007. Since then exhibitors from all over the country have come annually to show their clothes, accessories and jewelry. In 2009 the fair moved to Eriksbergshallen in Gothenburg and grew into a three-day-fair.
Exhibition at Fresh Fish. Photo: Angelique Johner
Gunnebo House and Gardens is one of Sweden’s primary establishments from the 18th century. It is charmingly situated between the two lakes “Stensjön” and “Rådasjön”, in the city of Mölndal, just 10 minutes south-east of Gothenburg. The landscaping and the house itself were designed by Carl Wilhelm Carlberg, a city architect from Gothenburg. The Gunnebo area has been a cultural heritage area since 2003, and the whole park is run organically and has been organically certified since 2006. Today, Gunnebo is a beautiful cultural environment with a coffeehouse, restaurant, shop and farm.
Gunnebo House. Photo: Lina Ikse
Did you know that cabbage is one of the best loved vegetables in Sweden? Think about it: cabbage bake, cabbage rolls, and cabbage soup. What would traditional Swedish cooking be without these great rustic dishes?
White cabbage is definitely the king of all ingredients in Swedish cuisine. It’s healthy, crispy, and cheap. And if white cabbage is the number one ingredient, it is closely followed by its relative, cauliflower – used throughout history and ‘Vegetable of the Year 2013,’ according to many top chefs and food writers!
Swedish Cabbage. Photo: Lisa Nestorson
Fans of Scandi-crime fiction won’t want to miss Fjällbacka during a visit to West Sweden. Neither will fans of beautiful scenery. The famous Swedish crime writer, Camilla Läckberg, sets her novels in this idyllic fishing village on the west coast, 1.5 hours drive north of Gothenburg.
Camilla Läckberg, Swedish crime writer from Fjällbacka. Photo: Bingo Rimer
Cranes at Hornborgarsjön. Photo: Jonas Ingman
Every year several flocks of cranes (in Swedish “tranor”) gather at Hornborgarsjön, an inland lake in the west of Sweden that is considered to be one of Sweden’s best bird lakes. The first flocks usually arrive in the middle of March, but their exact arrival depends on how far a long spring has come. It is then typical to see thousands of cranes gathering by the lake until the end of April, when it is time for them to fly further north to their nesting areas. Read the rest of this entry »
