Stockholm has always been known for its unique charm. With its rich Nordic history, it stands out as a small world of fascinating and beautiful inventions, traditions, and customs. Exploring Sweden and its capital gastronomically means paying attention to markets and seasonality, trying gravlax, taking a boat ride through the archipelago for blueberries, mushrooms, or fresh fish, and later visiting a café for delicious coffee and pastries. In Swedish tradition, there’s the concept of “fika” — a coffee break with conversation — a “minimum plan” for enjoyment. From the recipes I brought back: pickled herring and magical cinnamon rolls. Let’s start with the herring.
When the sun in Stockholm begins not only to shine but also to warm, both residents and tourists intensify their efforts to enjoy outdoor activities and meals. It seems that everyone can find something to their taste here — flea markets, antique shops, vintage stores, and auctions. In Sweden, a country obsessed with interior design, there is plenty of this to explore, including clothing.
About Carlson. Who lives on the roof. In Stockholm. Unlike how he is perceived in other countries, for calm and proper Swedes, Karlsson is a mischievous little troublemaker who sets a bad example for children. His “apartment” draws entire excursions, and people view the roof from the street. Interestingly, in Stockholm, you’ll rarely see curtains or drapes. There’s nothing to hide, and safety comes first.
A day in nature without leaving the city is easy in Stockholm. At least 4–5 main islands boast large, beautifully maintained parks perfect for leisurely walks—or runs, too. One rainy morning, a half-marathon through Stockholm happened naturally. Not every city allows you to run 21 kilometers along the water, through landscape parks, fairy-tale-like lakes, and aristocratic old harbors. And all this without venturing into the touristy Old Town, Gamla Stan.
Stockholm is one of the most expensive cities in Europe, making it hard to economize. But when it comes to food, trying something very Swedish is a must. Traditional Swedish cuisine is simple: stewed beef, meatballs, potato casseroles with anchovies, and creamy cod soups. You’ll also find spiced buns and delicious bread — especially rye bread with unique additions. They pickle and marinate everything from herring to salmon, and root vegetables are prepared in countless ways. They’re also masters at cooking game meat such as boar and venison.
There’s already been a lot said about buns, so a separate post about baking, including a recipe for Swedish cinnamon (or berry) buns, will come later.
Apart from the obvious advice to visit a highly-rated restaurant (for steak or venison stew, for example, or something fish-based, as Stockholm's modern gastronomic culture is truly outstanding), you can also find simple, delicious food at the markets. The cheapest options are in eateries run by Turks. Interestingly, they always include a few Swedish dishes on their menus, so it’s worth looking there for meatballs with lingonberry sauce. And don’t miss the chance to try herring. The simplest and most popular preparation method is pickled herring, marinated in a sweet, spicy brine and often served with mustard sauce. This herring is traditionally accompanied by potatoes or rye bread and is eaten for breakfast with eggs or as an appetizer at dinner.
Pickled herring
- 6 salted herring
- 300 ml white wine or apple cider
- 300 ml water
- 175 g sugar (or ½ cup honey)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 10 allspice berries
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 5 cherry pepper cloves
- 4-5 pcs. juniper berries
- 1 bay leaf
- a few sprigs of fresh dill
- 2 shallots or 1 small head of white sweet onion
Soak the salted herring for at least 2 hours. In a small saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar, salt, and all the spices. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
Preheat the oven to 100°C. Rinse the jars (this recipe makes enough for 2 jars of 750 ml-1 liter, though smaller jars of 225-250 ml can be used by evenly distributing the ingredients). Place the jars and their screw-on metal lids in the oven to dry and sterilize. Remove them and place half the dill sprigs and sliced shallots at the bottom.
Rinse the herring and pat it dry with kitchen towels. Remove the skin and bones (or use pre-cleaned fillets), then cut the fish into 2 cm pieces. Layer half of the herring into a jar over the dill and shallot. Pour the spiced brine over the fish until it is fully submerged. If desired, strain the liquid to remove the spices. Repeat the process with the second jar and the remaining herring and brine. Seal the jars and refrigerate for at least 5 days.
The longer the herring marinates, the more tender the fish becomes and the richer the sweet-and-sour brine flavor develops. Store in the refrigerator for several months.
SENAPSSÅS sauce
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. plain or Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. mustard grains
- 1⁄4 tsp. sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups oil (in the original recipe — grape seed oil, but you can use any other vegetable with a neutral flavor)
- add salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
Pickled herring
- 6 salted herring
- 300 ml white wine or apple cider
- 300 ml water
- 175 g sugar (or ½ cup honey)
- 1 tsp. salt
- 10 allspice berries
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 1 tsp. coriander seeds
- 5 cherry pepper cloves
- 4-5 pcs. juniper berries
- 1 bay leaf
- a few sprigs of fresh dill
- 2 shallots or 1 small head of white sweet onion
Soak the salted herring for at least 2 hours. In a small saucepan, combine the wine, water, sugar, salt, and all the spices. Stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, then reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
Preheat the oven to 100°C. Rinse the jars (this recipe makes enough for 2 jars of 750 ml-1 liter, though smaller jars of 225-250 ml can be used by evenly distributing the ingredients). Place the jars and their screw-on metal lids in the oven to dry and sterilize. Remove them and place half the dill sprigs and sliced shallots at the bottom.
Rinse the herring and pat it dry with kitchen towels. Remove the skin and bones (or use pre-cleaned fillets), then cut the fish into 2 cm pieces. Layer half of the herring into a jar over the dill and shallot. Pour the spiced brine over the fish until it is fully submerged. If desired, strain the liquid to remove the spices. Repeat the process with the second jar and the remaining herring and brine. Seal the jars and refrigerate for at least 5 days.
The longer the herring marinates, the more tender the fish becomes and the richer the sweet-and-sour brine flavor develops. Store in the refrigerator for several months.
SENAPSSÅS sauce
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. plain or Dijon mustard
- 2 tbsp. mustard grains
- 1⁄4 tsp. sugar
- 4 egg yolks
- 2 cups oil (in the original recipe — grape seed oil, but you can use any other vegetable with a neutral flavor)
- add salt and pepper
Blend all ingredients until smooth.
