Every June in picturesque Swedish capital Stockholm, the downtown park Kungsträdgården floods with 350, 000 food fanatics. Hosting food trucks, demos and workshops, the festival doesn't only focus on food from Sweden, but you'll taste culinary magic from all over the world. Particularly focusing on organic and locally grown produce, you'll also learn about sustainable living. If you're looking for an introduction to Swedish cuisine, you'll find it easy to discover the best gems of Swedish food culture at this award-winning festival.
Räksmörgås
You'll have heard of Swedish open sandwiches before, and Räksmörgås is one of the most beloved. This iconic dish piles freshly caught shrimp, sliced boiled eggs, lettuce, tomato and cucumber onto a thick slice of rye bread. The pièce de résistance is the dollop of romsås on top however - a blend of creme fraiche with freshly chopped dill sprigs and roe. You can be sure that at Taste of Stockholm all the veggie components will have been grown nearby and that you're munching on sustainably caught seafood. Don't miss any of the other classic open sandwiches on offer here either - with toppings ranging from caviar to meatballs - the festival celebrates the tradition of smörgås in style. In case you're wondering, this unique Scandinavian dish originates from the Middle Ages, where thick slices of bread were often used in lieu of plates and devoured afterwards.
Pickled herring
The centre of any Scandinavian buffet, or smörgåsbord, is the iconic Swedish fish dish - pickled herring. Known in Swedish as sill, the Scandi's have been making use of the abundance of herring in the North Sea and Baltic Seas for hundreds of years, and the tradition of pickling began to preserve the fish for storage and transportation. In the centuries that followed, this became a delicacy, and now comes in a variety of different flavours - from garlic to dill - and its preferred accompaniment now is a slice of crispbread, or knäckebröd. It's also perfect served with a variety of accompaniments; namely sour cream, boiled potatoes and sharp-flavoured, hard cheese. Don't miss trying a traditional version of this at Taste of Stockholm.
Pea soup and pancakes
If you attend the festival on a Thursday, don't miss the chance to partake in the tradition of eating ärtsoppa och pannkakor, or pea soup and pancakes, for a Thursday treat. The origins of this unique tradition are unclear - some say it's due to Catholics not eating meat on Fridays and therefore satisfying their appetite with filling pea soup on a Thursday - but even the Swedish armed forces have been eating this hearty dish on a weekly basis since World War II. The soup is steeped in flavour, after slow-cooking with pork, thyme and marjoram. Make sure you try your pancakes with a dollop of lingonberry jam to enjoy this sweet treat the Swedish way.
Surströmming
This one isn't for the faint of heart - Surströmming is fermented Baltic herring, known for its sour and formidable taste. Traditionally eaten outdoors in late summer (on account of the smell, described as somewhere between rotten eggs and sewage,) why not crack open a can and partake in this century's old tradition? Created using a painstaking process, where fresh herring is preserved in just enough salt to keep it from rotting, it's then typically enjoyed on a slice of tunnbröd, which has a texture similar to Middle Eastern flatbread. It's also often eaten with a selection of condiments - some like Västerbotten cheese and diced onion help to balance out the intense flavour. To wash it down, order a shot of local snaps as an accompaniment.
Cinnamon buns
The Swedish tradition of fika is something you'll want to enjoy while visiting Taste of Stockholm. It's a social occasion marked by sharing coffee, a chat and something sweet. Swedish bakeries are bursting with unique and delicious creations, and you'll find the finest at this festival. Don't leave without trying a cinnamon bun, the most iconic of Swedish treats, or a semla - a chewy, profiterole-style bun filled with a delectable combination of cream and marzipan. If you still have room, try våfflor, known worldwide as waffles, but which are cooked to be thinner and crispier here than in other countries. The perfect topping is fresh whipped cream and locally grown berries, like cloudberries and lingonberries.