DINING wine - Fine DINING

june 2011
DINING
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
DIN
Fine Dining
I N T E R N A T I O N A L
Welcome to
Fine Dining
- the place where
the world cames
together
DIN
ine d
I N T

fine dining
contents
6 21 32 37 47
3 Editorial
4 Notices
6 How Do You Like Your Plank?
The middle of June will see, the revenge of the planksteak
or more importantly, the rebirth of the plank-steak.
10 Quality
is the most important foundation of our business.
14 The Pontus Family
Pontus Frihtiof has many strings to his bow.
18 Dining at the Royal Djurgården
Buy a picnic and quench your hunger.
21 Djurgården Summer Style
Djurgårdsbrunn´s Inn
26 ZEE – The Restaurant
They love to be in the kitchen cos that´s were its cookin´
29 Sea Food (dining on board)
How to enjoy Fine Dining and the Stockholm Skerries at
the same time.
32 The Kosta Boda Art Hotel
A special experience with many surprises.
37 Viken Tomatoes
The More The Merrier
41 Edsbacken Bistro in Strängnäs
Liver Anglais is the bestseller and beats just about
anything I´ve ever eaten
44 Premier for this
years Strawberries
It´s looking good, - Swedish strawberries for everyone at
Midsummer.
47 A Real Pearl
Real handicraft, in full view of the customers
Who are the ChAîne des Rôtisseurs
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is an international gastronomic society for both professionals and amateurs , with roots that
stretch back to the year 1248. The society is represented in about 70 countries and has more than 25000 members
worldwide. From its headquarters in Paris the organization is headed by President Yam Atallah In 1959 the Balliage de la
Suéde was founded by amongst others Tore Wretman. In Sweden there are 14 associations, so called Balliage (Bailliwicks)
which is individually responsible for its own program of activities. Coordination, administration and international contacts
are taken care by a national committee under the leadership of Bailli (Grand Bailiff) Délègue. One of the society’s strong
points is the international membership which allows them to make use of the fantastic network and offers possibilities
to take part in any event at all, wherever and whenever over the whole world.
2

EDITORIAL
fine dining
Welcome To Fine Dining
It is perfectly acceptable to forward
Fine Dining to friends and acquaintances
that are interested in
Fine Dining.
Welcome To This Summer
Edition of Fine Dining
Let us know about interesting
events, meetings and so on at
ove.canemyr@trendsetter.se
We cannot take responsibility for
unsolicited material. Feel free to
quote us but always reveal your
sources.
Editor in Chief
Ove Canemyr
ove.canemyr@trendsetter.se
Fine Dining/Trendsetter Box 24013,
104 50 Stockholm
Editorial
Anne-Marie Canemyr,
Carl Wachtmeister
Catarina Offe
Chaîne des Rôtisseurs
Art Director
Sophie L Slettengren
sophie@bydesign.se
English copy
Roger Brett
Broadart@tele2.se
After an unusually cold and long winter, summer has at last
taken over. This spring in Sweden was unusually short and
on top of that we’ve had the “German Infection” which created
massive problems for our Swedish raw vegetable producers. At
the time of writing the source of this outbreak is still not isolated. So
we are facing a summer where fruit and greens are going to be in short
supply. Let’s hope that they find the source soon so that everything
can go back to normal.
In this edition of Fine Dining we wish to mirror normal scenes from
the lives of some of our most well known star chefs, and as usual pay
visits across the whole country to different restaurants and producers.
We’ll venture onto the Åland Sea aboard the Viking Line and pay a
visit to the Kosta Boda Art Hotel.
We also have more notices and book reviews as usual.
Finally we’d like to take this opportunity to welcome visitors from all
over the world and hope that you have a wonderful and summer full
of experiences in our oblong country!
Would you like to be associated
in Fine Dining? Tell us about your
products or services.
Newly opened or new designs,
new foodstuffs and so on. Contact:
ove.canemyr@trendsetter.se
+46 70 794 09 87
Cover photo:
Anne-Marie Canermyr
Ove canemyr
Editor in Chief
Are you interested in taking part in Fine Dining? Tell us about your products or
your services. Newly opened or designed, new foodstuffs, services or products
etc. Contact us at ove.canemyr@trendsetter.se
3

NOTES
fine dining
The
Swedish Smorgasbord
In 2010, the classic Swedish smorgasbord made its re-entrance into
the Opera Cellar, after 15 years absence. The buffet which is served
under the crystal chandeliers and painted ceilings of the Opera Cellars listed
dining room attracted many guests. That’s why they decided to repeat the
concept and put it back on the menu this year as well. It’s quite contemporary
to rediscover Swedish culinary traditions. Who knows, perhaps the smörgås
board will become a permanent feature at the Opera Cellar again?
The legendary buffet always includes salmon dishes. Foreign guests always ask
if there is reindeer meat, either because they are curious about the taste or because
they want Father Christmas to walk on his rounds next year! The smörgås
board will appear for the first time this year on the 26th May and after that will
be served throughout the summer.
The Proof Is In The Taste
Sales of non-alcoholic wines increased by 42% during last summer. These are
quite amazing statistics and still increasing.
Lillemor Eriksson SystemBolaget´s Category Manager, told us during a tasting
session of nonalcoholic wines. “ - Who wouldn’t like to choose an alcohol free
wine or beer that that also goes well with food? Especially when you’re driving,
are out with friends, expecting, or a number of other
activities after work, where you don’t have to make
excuses or explain that you’re feeling tired, or that you
have to get up early in the morning to catch a plane.
In short, to be spared having to explain every time
you don’t want to drink a glass of wine. Particularly
if water isn’t the optimum alternative to go with the
food. After having had a good look around in Europe
for producers of non alcoholic wines SystemBolaget
(Sweden’s state owned off- license chain) has plumped
some really good dry white wines like for instance the
Torres Natureo Free Muscat as well a very good Rosé
ARC-EN-CIEL-Brut 2010 with bubbles. Art. No: 1932 for
just 5 euros.
This will probably be this Summer’s big hit on the nonalcohol
front. Except for all the other winners of course,
who’s social life is made that much easier because of
this. Well done, SystemBolaget. Let’s hope that there
will more products in this range as well as a new sales
record this summer. (Let us also hope that all of the
seaside taverns include this kind of product in their
assortments.
Particularly with the new laws pertaining the rules of the road at sea.)
Swedish Wagyumeat at
Mathias Dahlgren´s
Locally produced Wagyumeat is now
available in Sweden.
The first Wagyukött from Värmvik will
be served at Mathias Dahlgren´s Dining
Room and Food Bar in Stockholm.
The Wagyu cattle have specific genetic
characteristics which provide an exquisitely
tender, tasty and nourishing
meat. “It’s exciting to be the first in the
world to be serving Wagju meat from
Swedish bred animals. We’ll be serving
the meat on specific days and hope
that as many as possible will take the
chance to visit us and try this speciality,”
says Mathias.
The Stockholm
Liquorice Festival
For the third year running the expo
has established itself and both exhibitors
and visitors are steadily increasing.
Liquorice has gone from just being
candy to being a condiment for
both food dishes and baking. Its representatives
want it to be declared
the 7th base ingredient. We’ll see
how that turns out. One thing is certain
however, is that liquorice, just like
wine, chocolate and coffee is multi-faceted
and that its flavour varies according
to climate and soil. There is certain
evidence of this when you try it.
Liquorice is now available as a syrup,
granulated and as a root . You can
also get it dried and ground. “Sprinkle
a little powder in your béarnaise
next time,” says Olof Stamer from the
Chocolate House in Limhamn, who is
behind many of the new liquorice
products.
Fine Wines very own homepage
www.finewine.nu
Here you’ll find the last 4 editions of Fine Wine
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NOTES
fine dining
The Swedish National Cooks Team
This year will be a year for developing new techniques, and sharpening up the
old taste buds for the 2012 Olympics. Members of the team are out travelling
around and are inviting colleagues here to Sweden.
The international exchange is very rewarding, and gives other countries a
chance to admire the fine raw produce that is available in Sweden. “Sweden,
the new
Foodland” cannot wish for better international culinary ambassadors than the
National Cooking Team.
There are completely new rules for the Olympic cold table. No more artistic
decorations on the plate other than the food itself. Fish tables and lighting
are available to everyone. Mattias Showpjäs, the pastry chef, will be the focal
point. The team will develop a good Swedish theme. The main ingredients for
the warm dishes will be decided upon before the summer.
Magnus Ek is the Best Chef In Sweden
This is according to his colleagues who have elected him to be
the Chef of Chefs 2011. “Wow, that is a surprise, especially as it’s
our last season at Oaxen,” says Magnus Ek himself. He has been on the Chef
of Chefs list for many years, and every year his innovative cooking and his
“dig where you’re standing” ideology has garnered more and more respect
from his colleagues.
“I never believed that I would win this prize. I don’t hang around much with
other chefs. I keep myself to myself and own an Inn that is only open 5
months a year,” say Magnus. This year will be the last year that he and his
wife Agneta will keep the Oaxen open. Apart from the Chef of Chefs award ,
Magnus has also received many tributes from the Swedish Whites Guide. Why
are the accolades coming now? “I don’t know. I’m a bit of a lone wolf, but my
cooking is creative and this time it has obviously impressed. I’m very honoured
to receive an award that my colleagues have voted for.
Radio Host This Summer
in Sweden
Leif Mannerström, 71, Inn-keeper from
Gothenburg, is making his Radio Host
debut the summer.
He is one of Sweden’s most prominent
Chefs, a member of the Chaine des Rotisseurs
and one of the judges in the
television series Master Chef for Channel
4. He has held the Chef of Chefs
title three times and has had Michelin
stars for more than 10 years. He started
cooking at the age of 15 and became
Chef at the record young age of 23. He
has owned restaurants on the Canary
Islands and has delivered food to the
Spanish court. He ran the Sjömagasinet
Restaurant in Gothenburg until 2010
where some of his most well-known
guests included Bruce Springsteen,
and The Rolling Stones.
Leif has written nine books and originally
wanted to be a combat pilot!
Fortunately the lure of the kitchen
was stronger! “I intend to talk about a
wonderful profession. Yes, it will be a
declaration of love. I will also take the
opportunity to talk about my wonderful
family, my travels and the highs and
lows of my career.”
Would You like to have your own issue of
Fine Dining in your e-mail - free of charge?
Please give us an e-mail to anne-marie.canemyr@trendsetter.se
and add the address you want to have Fine Dining sent to. If you are an early bird you will recieve your
own issue for free one whole year. But you have to act before February 1st 2011.
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fine dining
Talking the Plank
by Catarina Offe photo: Wolfgang Kleinschmidt
Watch out for the Revenge of the Plank. Confused? Well, let me explain. We’re talking about plank steaks, a
Swedish phenomenon well-loved by visitors and Swedes alike. This ‘revenge’ or more to the point the ‘christening’
of the plank, will take place at the revered Villa Godthem at Djurgården in Stockholm.
But there the similarities end
between the old and tired,
not so good, not so hygienic plank
steak, and the new fresh debutante
plank steak. And after years
of dormancy. Since last year Villa
Godthem has undergone a renovation.
The project’s enthusiast is
Per Taube who bought the house.
On the 1st floor all of the Royal
Clubs will have a communal
chancellery while throughout the
rest of the house there will be life
and action. I asked the F12 group,
in particular the dynamic duo
Melker Andersson and Danyel
Couet if they’re going to run a restaurant
there. “Yes we want to. We
were almost there once before but
it didn’t work out,” says Danyel.
Almost all Stockholmers can remember
the plank steaks, which
were the parade number in the old
Villa Godthem. “It’s probably got
something to do with my French
ancestry,” he says. “Most of my
childhood memories are about
food. I remember that we came
here but the food wasn’t so good!”
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He is feeling humble in the face of
this assignment, but tells me that
this journey is not exactly a bed
of roses.
“Old wooden houses get tired and
everything has had to be replaced
from top to toe. The house is a
slightly lighter grey than we remember.”
They’ve managed to find the
original colour and have it replicated.
A whole extension has been
built to house the kind of kitchen
that is required nowadays to run a
restaurant. The veranda has been
restored to the pleasant place it
once was and the whole of the
garden will be a café. The inner
décor is going to be timeless with
a 2011 spirit. It is a classic style
that is here to stay, remain original
and welcome guests all year
round. The partners Melker and
Danyel are just as good at interior
design as they are at cooking.
Their success is down to the fact
that they think very much alike.
“If I say to the architect that I
Melker on Danyel:
“We think alike.”
Danyel on Melker:
“He has so much drive,
he even drives me!”
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On the restaurant menu it is the plank steak that has
the starring rôle. Modern, delicate and in different
guises, with fish or shellfish, different kinds of meat
and vegetarian.
want the chairs to be lime blossom
green, then Melker will say
the same thing without us ever
conferring over it,” says Danyel.
“It’s easier this way.”
There is absolutely no doubt that
they will make this work. Of
course, they meet every day.
Danyel on Melker: “He has so
much drive, he even drives me!”
Melker on Danyel: “We think
alike.”
Originally the house was built to
honour the opera singer Karl Uddman
, back in the 1900´s. This
was before the advent of the
gramophone, so most people have
no idea who he was. It is said that
he was a big personality in Stockholm.
He must have had amazing
fans for them to give him such a
wonderful gift. When he had eaten
something that he found agreeable,
he would say “Good!, says
Uddman!”
After an entertaining evening on
the town, he would come home to
his house and he would say “Uddman
has Gone Home”.And this
is how the Villa got its name - Villa
Godthem.
On the restaurant menu it is the
plank steak that has the starring
rôle. Modern, delicate and in different
guises, with fish or shellfish,
different kinds of meat and
vegetarian.
“Other dishes on the menu are
considered to be supplements and
not alternatives,“ says Melker.
There are a few starters and afters,
but that’s about it. People
along Strand Vägen are expecting
great things from the new Villa
Godthem. It is going to be folksy
and easily accessible, and with its
plank steak as the focal point. It
will taste excellent, that much we
know already.
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God News for
Connoisseurs
It is time for the next
Selected Wine and
Spirits Auctions.
Auctions
The Large auction takes place
on June 7:th, at 12 o’clock at
Stockholms Auktionsverk,
Nybrogatan 32, Stockholm.
The Small auction, single bottles,
takes place on May 31:st, at 3 pm at
Stockholms Auktionsverk, Magasin 5,
Frihamnen in Stockholm.
Preview
All objects are on view in
Frihamnen, Magasin 5, Stockholm on
May 30:th, between 3 and 7 pm.
For a private viewing please contact
Stockholms Auktionsverk,
telephone +46 8 453 67 15.
You will find all objects at
www.auktionsverket.se as well as
in the printed catalogue.
Read more about the auctions at
www.systembolaget.se och
www.auktionsverket.se
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Quality Is Important,
It’s The Basis Of Our Operation
As we approach Mistral in Enskede to visit Frederik Andersson , we are met with a sign that says Perambulator
Factory. This ancient sign is about 10 years older than the legendary neon STOMATOL sign in downtown Stockholm.
The actual name of the Inn is to be found next to the entrance. “The pram sign is listed and is otherwise
one of the most well known in the whole of southern Stockholm,” says Frederik with a smile. It helps our
customers find their way,” he says.
Tell us little about the thinking behind
Mistral?
Everything we do and present,
must come from the heart, it
should be fresh and attractive, but
it must have a lot of heart. Every
detail is important- details contribute
energy. It’s important for
me that we’re all singing from the
same song sheet.
When did your interest in food begin?
I’ve always had an intense interest
in food. It’s important in life
to feel inspired, and food is what
does it for me. To be able to drift
away in time and place.
How did you get going?
Björn and I met at “Gässlingen”.
I also worked for Karin Fransson
on Öland. It’s important to work
with inspirational personalities.
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Who delivers your raw produce?
Mällby Gård (farm) Martin och
Frida, and Skilleby Garden which
is a foundation and who are partners
in our concern. They all
maintain high quality and an ecological
perspective.
The abstract
is important for
us and is the
foundation that
we stand by.
The abstract is important for us
and is the foundation that we
stand by. Our supplier’s quality
offers us security. The balance between
these two factors is important.
Skilleby Holmen is a vegetable
supplier that is responsible for
20% of what we deliver each year.
Development in 5 years?
We focus all of our energy here,
always striving to be fresh and innovative.
How do you combine food and drink?
Our point of difference is a mutual
feeling in style between the winery
and our restaurant. A sustainable
operation from an ecological
standpoint is fundamental to
this. We like a winery that takes
responsibility from an ecologi-
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All details are important, they add energy. And
everybody sings off of the same song sheet!
cal perspective. It adds weight
to what we do. We strive to give
our guests a memorable culinary
experience when they come here.
We never work with fixed combinations
of food and wine. Sometimes
we might suggest tea to go
with a particular dish.
The Menus?
A vegetarian and a vegetable
based dish with meat/fish and 3-5
dishes to choose from.
At the time of booking we check
that there is nothing that the guest
doesn’t like.
If I come to Stockholm and I have
to choose an Inn to have dinner in,
why would I choose Mistral?
The best thing to experience when
you come to a new town is the local
cuisine. Everything we serve
here grows less than one hour’s
journey from the restaurant.
Our style of cooking is very personal.
“An expression of regional
food.” Everyone experiences a
new taste here at Mistral. To experience
a modern local kitchen
that creates modern food from the
region, that’s us. That’s Mistral.
Quality is important - it is the
cornerstone of our business. We
expend as much energy on the exterior
as we do on the contents, so
we can give our guests a wonderful
experience. We never compromise,
it is a basic rule.
All details are important, they add
energy. And everybody sings off
of the same song sheet!
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fine dining
The Pontus Family
text: Catarina Offe photo: the pontus family
Inn keeper Pontus Frithiof has many strings to his bow. Apart from his flagship restaurant ‘Pontus’ he also
owns ‘Pontus by the Sea’, ‘Catering from Pontus’ and the summer paradise ‘Fort Färosund by Pontus’.
This year’s Young Chef Andreas
Edlund is taking part
in almost everything. He usually
alternates his work between Pontus
By The Sea and Catering. He
recently left the big city to spend
the summer at the Hotel on the
island of Gotland. Of course he’ll
be working, but it makes a nice
change. At Pontus By The Sea
they eat shellfish preferably. For
the grill enthusiasts, the season
starts early, in March, in the shape
of Grill By The Sea. Large bowls
of grilled seafood and a variety
of meats are carried to the tables.
It’s nice to be able to sit down and
serve yourself. Due to its location,
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The mix is right up Andreas´s street. He hails from the
North and has both feet firmly planted on the ground.
He doesn’t get unnecessarily excited, he just carries on
industriously.
Pontus By The Sea’s biggest season
is in the summer,with its gigantic
veranda and a magnificent
view overlooking the three-mast
Barque, Af Chapman, which is
perhaps the finest youth hostel in
the world.
Added to all that you can see
the Royal Palace on its opposite
shore. It’s an obvious watering
hole and easy for tourists to find.
“At Pontus Catering we have an
enormous amount of work to do,”
says Andreas. Their motto for the
company is “Nothing is impossible,
nothing is too small or too
big.” A basic breakfast for 100
people, a banquet for 200 or a 7
course meal for 10 people. Everything
is undertaken with the same
generous spirit.
Weddings, student graduation
parties and confirmations succeed
each other in a steady stream
of events throughout the spring.
Pontus vans are to be seen all
over the place. The mix is right
up Andreas´s street. He hails from
the North and has both feet firmly
planted on the ground. He doesn’t
get unnecessarily excited, he just
carries on industriously.
He is also target-orientated, and
you need that kind of drive when
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fine dining
It’s a beautiful and
entirely unique hotel.
Pared back and
elegant, it is
decorated by G.A.D.
With Gotlandic
limestone and
sheepskin from
well-chosen farms
on the island
you are preparing for an international
competition of young chefs
from all over the world, that is
being held in Istanbul in September.
Fort Fårösund by Pontus is
a little pearl. It’s a beautiful and
entirely unique hotel. Pared back
and elegant, it is decorated by
G.A.D. With Gotlandic limestone
and sheepskin from well-chosen
farms on the island,the 16 rooms
are aesthetically uncomplicated
but decidedly elegant and welcoming.
Here you’ll find pools,
pleasant strolls by the sea, and
other ingredients that contribute
towards your general well-being.
Everything is at a slower tempohere
and offers the perfect environment
to wind down if you’re
feeling at all stressed.
Until recently the area was closed
to the general public. Even the
Gotlanders themselves are little
startled by their first view of the
bunker-like building surrounded
by a forest of rusty iron spikes, a
legacy from the fort’s military history.
The restaurant’s raw produce
obviously comes from the island
as far as is possible. Here you
can delight in Andreas´s awardwinning
starter, beef salad with
topside of veal, savoy cabbage,
marjoram, horse radish, Dijon
mustard and lingonberries .
Their motto for the company is “Nothing
is impossible, nothing is too small or
too big.”
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Food At The Royal Park
As early as April people start to drift towards Djurgården (Animal Farm) in Stockholm. This large, centrallysituated
park attracts everyone. A good tip is to arrive famished because there are two ways of satisfying your
hunger. Take a picnic and hire a bicycle.
Stop at the first hill and enjoy
the scenery and your picnic.
Or visit one of the numerous
little eateries that abound there.
Most of them offer excellent
food. The less energetic visitors
can stop at the bridge at Djurgården
- on both sides of the river
there are good restaurants with
a pleasant view of the river and
surrounding park.
A stone’s throw away you will
find Josefina with an enormous
south-facing sundeck. Another
100 metres further on is the reliable
Ulla Winbladh and the
long- awaited Villa Godthem
Take a picnic and hire a bicycle. Stop at the first hill and
enjoy the scenery and your picnic.
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which is reopening under new
management.
Blå Porten, looks the same as it
always does - it’s biggest attraction
is to enjoy your meal in its
lovely garden with Lillevalch´s
Art Hall for cultural nourishment.
The formerly tired Solliden
Restaurant has been revived
with Christer Svantesson´s food.
Under the auspices of an ambitious
new manager, Skansen’s
Gubby Hall has gone from being
a café to producing home
cooking of a high standard. At
Rosendahl´s the beautiful lawn
and surroundings mean it can at
times get a little crowded. Even
the museums and the boat clubs
offer good quality refreshments.
And it’s not only people who are
hungry here; man’s best friend
can quench their thirst with
cool, fresh water, and if you take
the right pathway they can even
enjoy something nice from the
special “doggy” menu. Everyone
is welcome at Djurgården - large
and small, young and old, Stockholmers
and their dogs, and visitors
from near and far alike.
Everyone is welcome at Djurgården - large and small, young
and old, Stockholmers and their dogs, and visitors from
near and far alike.
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“Det här är
Stockholms
motsvarighet till
Osteria Verona
på Piazza Erbe
fast listan på
Primewinebar är
bättre.”
www.amaroneguiden.se
Primewinebar
Östermalmstorg 5, Stockholm
wwww.primewinebar.se
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fine dining
Djurgården summer style
by Catarina Offe
Right at the foot of the bridge over the canal lies Djurgårdsbrunn´s Inn. The main building is rather modest, but
the surrounding garden with its old folly is unbelievably summery and enticing. This is as far as you can go out
into the countryside and still be in “downtown Stockholm”. It isn’t difficult to spend a whole day out here.
The fact that this mode of transport is so popular can be
seen by the queue at the bicycle park.
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Matthias’s philosophy is
grounded in Swedish home
cooking though he likes
to flirt a little with
Mediterranean cuisine.
You can start with a frugal
breakfast at home in view of
what awaits you. As for transport
to Djurgården, a bike is best. The
fact that this mode of transport
is so popular can be seen by the
queue at the bicycle park. Inside
Djurgårdsbrunn´s Inn one of the
city’s finest brunches is laid out. It
might take up to couple of hours
to work your way through this lot!
Then the afternoon can be spent
playing a leisurely game of Boule,
taking a stroll on the other side of
the canal, or just lazing on the Inn’s
own sundeck, either alone with a
good book or with friends.
You can even have your dog with
you. Life on the canal itself invites
you to a free spectator drama.
Small mini cruisers alternating
with ambitious oarsmen inhabit
the canal. Horses, dogs and people
populate the towpaths. There
is no law forbidding you to stare
and perhaps even utter a benign
remark. If the sun’s in your eyes
you can borrow a straw hat. While
dreaming of dinner, one can enjoy
a Rosé du jour, which means rosé
wine with Fanta or Sprite, and according
to the outside bartender
this is a popular summer drink!.
At five o’clock the Rotisserie
opens again. Only a few days ago
this new shiny rotisserie with the
rotating spit was delivered. Two
lamb steaks, grilled to perfection,
and served with lemon and herbs,
salad , a good sauce and new potatoes.
Lamb or suckling pig are
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thei main attractions, but there
are variations such as tuna or entrecote.
As the evening becomes
cooler, help yourself to the blankets
provided. Behind this day
of total indulgence is the quartet
comprising
Anne, Peder, Mathias and Tiel,
who also own Bockholmen and
Dalarö Skans. It is the Baltic
Sea that unites this little restaurant.
Mathias Pihlblad, a former
member of the Swedish National
Cooking team and Olympic Food
winner, is the creator of the culinary
experience. Mathias is a passionate
sailor so the sea figures
prominently both at work and in
his leisure time and it’s obviously a
great inspiration to him. Matthias’s
philosophy is grounded in Swedish
home cooking though he likes to
flirt a little with Mediterranean cuisine.
The best of both worlds.
Mathias is very proud of the shiny new
Rotisserie, and quite rightly so. It has been
given pride of place in the garden.
He serves up cabbage pudding,
black pudding, pickled tongue
of veal with dill. He’s very loyal
to the classic recipes with very
few changes. The average dinner
guest wouldn’t be able to put
their finger on the subtle changes.
Perhaps the dill sauce is a shade
lighter but whatever it is it tastes
amazingly good.
Mathias is very proud of the shiny
new Rotisserie, and quite rightly
so. It has been given pride of place
in the garden. On the spit a small
lamb is slowly roastingalongside
a suckling pig. The lambs come
from Gotland, Sörmland and Ireland
depending on the season.
Summer isn’t altogether the best
time for Swedish Lamb. They are
still playing out in the meadows.
Mathias wants Djurgårds Brunn
Inn to become famous for its Rotisserie.
The place where everyone
will go to eat grilled lamb. The
pigs come from Germany, France
and Spain. Sweden is not known
for its suckling pig cuisine. All
kinds of guests make the pilgrimage
to Djurgårdsbrunn Inn. It’s
popluar with the over-25s. On the
weekends the brunch is the main
attraction. “The elderly want gravade
salmon and the young people
buffalo wings, so that’s what
we serve up,” says Mathias. Even
the weekday lunchtime menu attracts
queues of people. It’s a
bit tricky to make your way to
Djurgården during lunch time,
but somehow they do. “We’re
well aware of this fact, so we are
very fast!” say Mathias. The Inn
is a summer place, so we always
need some luck with the weather.
Towards autumn , we close up the
shop. “Next year when we reopen,
it feels like starting a new inn
again,” he says, “with new staff,
and new ideas that have to get off
the ground.”
Mathias knows exactly what he’s
doing so I can return to the brunch
table and later on even the grill.
It’s a nice feeling to be in safe
hands.
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fine dining
The Chaîne des Rôtisseurs is an international gastronomic society for both professionals
and amateurs , with roots that stretch back to the year 1248. The society is represented in
about 70 countries and has more than 25000 members worldwide. From its headquarters
in Paris the organization is headed by President Yam Atallah In 1959 the Balliage de la
Suéde was founded by amongst others Tore Wretman. In Sweden there are 14 associations,
so called Balliage (Bailliwicks) which is individually responsible for its own program
of activities. Coordination, administration and international contacts are taken care by a
national committee under the leadership of Bailli (Grand Bailiff) Délègue. One of the society’s
strong points is the international membership which allows them to make use of the
fantastic network and offers possibilities to take part in any event at all, wherever and
whenever over the whole world.
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fine dining
Unique plastic glass which
Unique plastic glass which
preserves taste, sent,
preserves taste, sent,
and feel.
and feel.
Reusable
Recyclable
Reusable
Unique plastic glass which
Recyclable
Imported by www.rappeholding.se
preserves taste, sent,
Imported by www.rappeholding.se
25
and feel.

fine dining
Zee The Restaurant
by Catarina Offe
Andreas Nylén is the cook that never sits still. That’s the way it is now and that’s the way it was when he attended
Stockholm’s Hotel and Restaurant School. The teachers there recall, “It was Andreas and Leila Lindholm
- they would never sit still during theory lessons. They just wanted to be in the kitchen cooking food all the
time.” And so they became very good cooks, each in their own way.
Before this Andreas had
worked in both pizza and
kebab restaurants since he was 13
years old. After the school though,
he finished with pizzas and kebabs
and never looked back.
Andreas worked at some fine inns
and restaurants. He was elected
Sweden’s best meat chef in 2004.
He was one of the founders of
Skebo Manor. With an established
reputation for his cooking
skills, he’s been a TV chef and the
Swedish National cooking team’s
personal chef at competitions and
the Food Olympics. Now he’s
back in his own restaurant together
with his partner, head waiter
and sommelier Hannes Seeman.
But it’s the Zeeside´s Back Door
that you see when you’re walking
along the brand new Henriksdals
Quay. There’s a beautiful outdoor
service area spread out all over
the place, where you can sink into
a shocking pink armchair and sip
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a glass of Rosé. “The Back Door
is open all the year round and is
meant to be simple and inexpensive,”
says Andreas .
“The Back Door is open all the year round
and is meant to be simple and inexpensive”
The Lake people, as Andreas refers
to the people who live around
the shore, are extremely interested
in food. The fact that they’re closer
to the inn than the supermarket
makes them regular customers.
On the menu there are Tapas and
three kinds of hamburgers with
shellfish, freshly caught tuna and
Island beef. The main restaurant,
which is virtually invisible, lies
just across the alleyway and one
can marvel at the entrance- two
enormous lamps in the form of
Peacocks flank the threshold.
The décor of the dining-room is
unusual, a little bit ‘loud’, but at
the same time elegant. I couldn’t
resist the question “Who did the
decorating?” “That was me,” said
Andreas. “First I checked out the
internet, then I went to China to
buy. I didn’t want anything typically
Swedish, but rather to create
something a little ’over the top’.”
Well, he’s certainly achieved that!
The interior has received a lot of
attention. As adviser,
Andreas has had Jessica Hulthén
who has added her yay or nay. It
would appear mostly yay.
But a restaurant without good
food isn’t a restaurant. There are
always at least two fowl dishes on
the menu. Not very often chicken
but duck, quail and the so-called
forest fowl like pheasant and so
on. There are also a number of prepared
shellfish dishes - marinated,
steamed or deep fried. All of them
are quite innovative in Andréa’s
style of cooking. The kitchen is
small and open to the dining room,
and it’s there that I’m conducting
my interview. Andreas is just adding
a final touch to a dish that is
being served today. “Come and
taste it,” he calls to all the chefs.
“Check which wine will go with
it,” he says to the sommelier, “and
you too.” He includes myself and
the regulars who have come from
out of town. If the dish doesn’t
taste right then he can blame us!
The menu is changed every
month, so Andreas and his chefs
are always creating new dishes.
“We take raw produce from where
it is best,” he says. Andreas thinks
that Swedish duck is alright , but
it’s difficult to find Swedish forest
fowl. That has to come from
France. It is something that the
Swedish Hunters Association
should try to get to grips with, he
feels. “They want to get the Swedish
game out for general consumption,
instead of everything ending
up in the hunter’s freezer.”
When asked which days are the
best to come to the restaurant
he replied, “Every day. We’re
booked out all the time. First it
was just the Lake people , now
people come from far and wide
to eat here.” Which isn’t bad for
a restaurant that lies right in the
middle of a new residential area,
where there are mechanical diggers
working and the buses only
run 2 times an hour!
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fine dining
Sea Food?
by Catarina Offe
That both the atmosphere and the service add to the total eating experience is nothing particularly new.
That the setting can offer such a magnificent view isn’t much of a surprise either. Sitting in the cruise liner
Cinderella’s a´la carte restaurant and enjoying a meal while the Stockholm skerries’ green islands glide silently
by is a moment of total relaxation.
The dining room is situated
along one side of the ship so
that almost all the tables have access
to the panorama that unfolds
through the windows. You can enjoy
the voyage’s three mealtimes
- dinner, breakfast and lunch. No
queues, friendly service and a
kitchen with high ambitions.
Twenty cooks and cold buffet
managers per shift see to it that
everyone gets what they want. The
menu consists of a lot of fish, but
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even lamb and game are offered
alongside the classic beef dishes.
The seasons leave their imprint as
well, and right now it’s asparagus
and rhubarb. For those who wish
to experience something extra,
then it’s worth keeping an eye out
for Viking Line’s culinary guest
appearances which are a regular
occurrence.
Throughout the years they’ve
served a chocolate menu with
French chef Jan Hedh, from Cordon
Bleu in Paris, and of course
the Finnish/Swedish cooks’ own
guest appearances with special
focus on local fresh produce from
around the Baltic Sea. Apart from
that there are on/off special attractions,
from different countries far
and wide, often with Star Chefs
making guest appearances and
when available, a wine producer
to compliment the meal with the
appropriate wines.
As the regular menu lasts for
about half a year then seasons and
guest appearances become just as
exciting and diversifying for the
cooks and the service personnel
as for the dinner guests. That there
is a special atmosphere amongst
the personnel is mirrored in the
guests. Staff work for ten days
then they have ten days off. Most
of them thrive on this arrangement,
and stay on their boats for
a long time.
That the personnel’s well-being is
catered for is also clearly noticeable
on the plates as well. The juniper
pickled saddle of reindeer is
tasty and is followed by pan fried
lemon sole. Filleting your own
Harry Ahlskog is the Head Chef on board
the Cinderella. He’s a real boat cook.
He’s been into good food since he was
a kid when he grew up with his parents
in Liberia.
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fine dining
“On Viking Line,
the cooks are
allowed to work
with what they
think is fun”
fish adds to its enjoyment. The
meal is rounded off with an avocado
sorbet and chilli marinated
strawberries. Or perhaps it’s more
fitting with a bowl of seafood in
the Archipelago Inn next door.
The wine list is comprehensive
and contains some real rarities.
To say the boat has an impressive
wine cellar is an understatement.
As the meal progresses, the skerries
have been replaced by the
barren open Baltic and we wonder
about houses standing alone on
treeless islets. Due to the fact that
the restaurant prices are so reasonable
we strongly recommend
the three course dinner. If we are
to criticise anything then it would
be the that portions seem overly
generous. Particularly if the meal
is rounded off with a lot of little
tasty bits.
It isn’t too long before the next
meal. At lunch on the return journey
we look inquisitively at all the
houses peeking through the greenery
that are impossible to see from
any another direction. Harry Ahlskog
is the Head Chef on board the
Cinderella. He’s a real boat cook.
He’s been into good food since he
was a kid when he grew up with
his parents in Liberia. Lots of trips
and visits to restaurants were part
of his father’s everyday life and
Harry always tagged along. In his
teens he realised that he was going
to cook good food when he
grew up, not just eat it.
After several attempts to stay on
land , he’s now given up and stays
on his boat. Whenever there is a
festival or guest appearance being
planned, Harry is always in on it
from the beginning to be able to
enjoy the change and to learn new
things. He is keen that the menu
should be as exciting as possible
and he also sees these opportunities
as a chance to recharge his
own batteries. “On Viking Line,
the cooks are allowed to work
with what they think is fun,” says
Helena Knack, who is responsible
for information and deeply involved
in the shipping line’s restaurant
business.
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fine dining
The Kosta Boda Art Hotel
photo: Anne-Marie Canemyr
Savour it - the word that is. A classic, revered old Swedish glassworks juxtaposed with a modern hotel complex.
The result is a very special experience and a big surprise as we sit in the bar where Bengt Sjöström has
arranged to meet us. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves a little.
The indoor pool with
its exhibition stands
and glass art on the
bottom has been
designed and created
by Kjell Engman.
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fine dining
Here in Kosta Boda you’ll
find displayed the works of
some of the most internationally
renowned glass sculptors.
You will not see the artists themselves,
but rather the different
expressions of art that they have
created together in the new Art
Hotel that has emerged here. For
instance Ulrica and Bertil Vallien
- Bertil has created much of
the entrance hall, while Ulrica
has designed her own suite. Kjell
Engman has designed some of the
wash basins in clear glass so they
resemble waterfalls. One of Anna
Ehrner´s contributions in a large
atrium in the hotel is a chandelier
with a natural daylight filter in
the ceiling. Everyone passes this
magnificent light display on their
way to and from their rooms. Together
these great artists have designed
a large part of the hotel’s
interior and if that’s not enough,
Göran Wärf has designed the outside
swimming pool which maintains
a very pleasant 18 degree
temperature throughout the year.
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fine dining
Here in Kosta Boda you’ll find
displayed the works of some
of the most internationally
renowned glass sculptors.
Also outside, in the garden is a
“Ladder to Heaven”, which allows
toned plates to be played in
the evening sunlight.
The indoor pool with its exhibition
stands and glass art on the
bottom has been designed and
created by Kjell Engman.
You can even hire goggles to dive
down and inspect the masterpiece
more closely. Kjell has also designed
the Glass Bar. If you decide
afterwards to spend a few hours
in the spa facility then you’ll be
welcomed by Åsa Jungnelius´s
lipstick and nail varnish bottles
in the foyer before skilful hands
prepare the body beautiful for the
upcoming treat.
But back to our meeting with
Bengt in Kjell Engman´s glass
bar. The predominant colour is
a striking ocean blue. Bengt tells
us that Kjell used slide down the
hill in a stream that ran down the
same slope where the bar stands
today. The bar stools are made
from solid glass which spin easily
and are very comfortable. I
don’t know why, but my thoughts
stray to the ‘Hall of The Mountain
Kings’ from Ibsen´s Peer Gynt
Suite. Could it be the stalactites
hanging from the ceiling and all
the glass art mobiles? And all of
this before we’ve touched a drop
in the bar! Bengt takes us on a
tour of the hotel, and shows us the
glass blowers hut and a café with
potential for catering for special
events.
In the new great hall at Kosta
Boda, which contains amongst
other things brand-name clothing
at outlet prices, ice cream, hot
dogs and coffee is served to the
multitude of visitors who pass
through here every day. Here you
can find just about everything for
the serious shopper.
The predominant colour is a
striking ocean blue in Kjell
Engman´s glass bar.
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This grand tour gives us an impression
of a commercial cultural
centre, where everything is for
sale under the motto “Something
for Everybody”.
Later that evening we visit the
Kosta Boda Art Hotel’s restaurant.
Origins and culture combined
with classic and innovative
Swedish food.
The words are Björn Sjöström´s
when we asked him to describe
his dreamsfor this restaurant.
Björn , who was previously more
well known as a manager at Restaurant
Linnea in Gothenburg, has
created here at the Kosta Boda Art
Hotel’s restaurant, a food concept
which complements the hotel´s
ethos. It seats 200 which is sufficient
for most occasions. There’s
a lot of interest in this restaurant
so it would be wise to make a reservation.
Even in here we see Ulrica
Hydman-Vallien´s contribution
to the whole ambience with
her murals and stunning works of
art in glass.
Origins and culture combined with
classic and innovative Swedish food.
Tired after so many new impressions,
but thoroughly happy with
the locally produced and seasonally
based Fine Dining, we retire
to our room for a little shut- eye.
The Kosta Boda Art Hotel , the
Glass Hotel, is a total experience in
many ways , not least the culinary.
For those who are interested
you’ll find more information on
www.kostabodaarthotel.se
35

12 NOGA UTVALDA HOTELL
MED CHARM OCH KVALITET
fine dining
Foto: Johanna Battaroff
Historic Hotels of Sweden består av privatägda hotell, herrgårdar, slott och ett anrikt kanalrederi. Från norr
till söder erbjuds härliga weekendvistelser, bröllop och fester där de underbara miljöerna och den goda maten
står i centrum. Varje hotell har inte bara historik utan även sin unika charm och atmosfär.
Upptäck Historic Hotels of Sweden och välj bland kulinariska erbjudanden av olika slag.
www.hhos.se
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fine dining
Viken Tomatoes
The More The Merrier
by Carl Wachtmeister
Far from my childhood’s gardener , who used to be satisfied with cultivating just a few miscellaneous vegetables
and fruits, there is now a generation of growers that have taken this business to new heights. It’s not
enough now just to offer ones customers a tomato or a cucumber, some kind of lettuce or a carrot. Now it’s
all about diversity and freedom of choice. Everything depending upon taste and mood, you can now have your
chosen vegetable according to size, taste, colour and shape. There is a grower who has taken this to heart in
Viken to the north of Helsingborg.
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Viken tomatoes are grown with total consideration for the
environment. The cultivation method is directed to both save
resources and to be gentler on the environment.
Viken Tomatoes. In the beginning
tomatoes grew on common
land and in wooden green
houses. Nowadays everything is
grown in modern green houses. In
the middle of the 90´s Viken Tomatoes
created a niche for themselves
growing a bigger variety of
tomatoes, all in different sizes and
colours.
If we want amuse ourselves with
some numbers then here they
are:there are about 80 different
kinds of tomatoes being grown
at the present time in all kinds
of colours and tastes. The annual
yield is between 250 -300 tons.
The company is a family concern
and is run with great enthusiasm
by the second generation in the
shape of Mats and Susanne Oloffson.
Because their parents and
even the children are involved
there are three generations of the
family helping in the business.
Apart from the family there are
on average about eight employees
, which expands to 25 during the
high season.
Their Own Bees
Viken tomatoes are grown with
total consideration for the envi-
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Just to be sure we try to kill the notion the tomatoes
should just taste like tomatoes.
The plant’s journey from seed to
vine is followed conscientiously
and controls are carried out continuously
by independent comronment.
The cultivation method
is directed to both save resources
and to be gentler on the environment.
For example, they have an
enclosed irrigation system. This
means that they don’t release
nourishment into the soil. Superfluous
water is purified and fed
back into the system. About two
years ago the production process
was changed so that now the tomatoes
are grown in pots with
pumice stone instead of in tomato
beds. The stones are steamed after
every season and can be used
again for up to 7 seasons.
This saves a lot of work as well
as the environment. If any pests
should show up during the cultivation
then others are used to
eradicate them. In the green houses
there are bumble bees which
fly about freely and pollinate the
tomato plants. This leads to increased
harvest and improved
quality in the tomatoes. They become
richer and therefore more
tasty.
Tomatoes You Notice
Viken tomatoes are certified with
the Swedish Seal which is the
consumer’s guarantee of quality.
Plants are grown following a
comprehensive list of regulations
ensuring that cultivation practices
are of a very high standard, and
also that working conditions are
adequate for employees.
panies who also make it possible
to trace the tomatoes back to the
grower even when they are laid
out in the vegetable displays in
the stores.
To be on the safe side Viken have
recently introduced their own
brand marker, VikenTaster, to
help consumers choose the right
variety of tomato for the right occasion.
Tomatoes are judged according
to 3 criteria. Sweetness,
mild or strong, and consistency.
To this they have added a symbol
as a recommendation to which variety
goes best with what. Cooking,
grilling or just to eat as they
are. Just to be sure we try to kill
the notion the tomatoes should
just taste like tomatoes. Anyone
who has ever tasted different
kinds of tomatoes realises that
different varieties have different
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flavours and qualities.. It’s a good
idea then to follow the company’s
recommendations.
A sweet tomato is often best eaten
just the way it is, just pop it into
your mouth. Tomatoes with less
sugar content are better to cook
with. The actual tomato taste depends
on how much acidity it contains.
A mild tomato is best used
in salads and grilled dishes, while
the powerful tasting ones are excellent
in soups and chutneys.
Finally a tomato’s consistency is
decided partly by the crispiness of
the skin and the amount of water
in the tomato’s flesh. A drier tomato
with a hard consistency is
best if you wish to prepare sun
dried tomatoes.
Ox Hearts and Tigers.
Of course, every tomato has a
name otherwise how would we
know the difference? All of them
offer a different taste sensation,
size and image. Ox Heart, Aranca,
Tiger and Bolzano are just a few
of the exciting and exotic names.
Many of these species that are
grown are unusual and are not often
found growing commercially.
For the Viken Tomatoes it is just
the variety and the tomato’s versatility
that is fascinating. When
you’re considering fruit and veg, it
is perhaps apt to raise the tomato’s
place in the kitchen from a purely
nourishment standpoint. From the
colour alone one can guess that it
is packed full of Vitamin C .To
that you can add a whole range of
minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium
and selenium. If anything,
this alone should be enough to get
a tomato opponent to throw in the
towel. For those who continue
to resist obstinately or are on the
lookout for other products then
Last year the company received a diploma from
the Gastronomy Academy for “Exceptional
efforts towards Swedish food culture”.
Viken Tomater are at your service
even there. During the high season
they do their bit for the community
by filling the greenhouses
with local produce from the farms
in the vicinity. They actually become
like a mini food hall. The
range is huge - bread, cheeses ,
fish, meat ,fruit and vegetables,
mushrooms, spices and a whole
lot more. Certain seasonal variations
occur of course but that is
part of the attraction.
The Future
With growers like Viken Tomatoes
, who don’t only develop
their own produce but also help
other operators in the area, the future
looks bright.
Naturally for consumers as well,
who want to see a living countryside
and are pleased to suddenly
have a choice of 80 different tomatoes.
Last year the company received
a diploma from the Gastronomy
Academy for “Exceptional efforts
towards Swedish food culture”.
We can also do our bit towards
our own personal food culture by
paying a visit to Viken between
Höganäs and Helsingborg and
check out the world of tomatoes.
You’re in for a big surprise.
Personally, after trying to hunt
down the ultimate tomato I find
I’ve still a long way to go. I still
have to eat my way through 60
different varieties before I can
come to a decision! That is, of
course, as long as there aren’t any
new varieties popping up during
that time.
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Edsbacka - a Bistro in Strängnäs
by Catarina Offe
“I couldn´t get any other kind of job,” is Christer Lingström´s answer to my standard question, “Why did you
become a cook?” “By chance,” he adds. I prefer the latter, and I am eternally grateful to what ‘chance’ sometimes
gives us. In this case it is a divine cook. “When I was about 19 years old I started to read just about anything
there was to read about food. It was unbelievably exciting and I just couldn´t stop,” Christer continues.
This has resulted in a cookery
collection of some 3000
tomes and one of this country’s
most competent and innovative
cooks.
Christer began an apprenticeship
under the guidance of Tore Wretman
at the age of 19. Ever since
then Tore´s vision has followed
him on his journey through life.
Tore was the last half century’s
most prominent representative
of good food and taste in Sweden
and contributed greatly to the
gastronomic reputation we enjoy
today. Tore prayed that Sweden
at the age of 19.
Ever since then
Tore´s vision has
followed him on
his journey
through life.
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would become a member of the
esteemed French secret society,
the Cháine de Rótisseurs. At that
time Sweden wasn’t considered to
be a food destination at all; on the
contrary we were considered to
be very mediocre. Nowadays we
have the society’s most successful
inns and restaurants as members.
All 74 of them.
Christer embraced Tore’s vision
on raw produce and has taken
home cooking to an almost noble
art form. When Christer was
24 years old he opened Edsbacka
Inn. That was 27 years ago and
its location, Sollentuna wasn’t
exactly in the heart of the city. I
wondered how he dared to do it?
“Partly because it was Sweden’s
oldest Inn, and partly because we
couldn’t afford anything else,” explains
Christer Since then dinner
guests have made pilgrimages to
Edsbacka.
Christer’s career has been
crowned with successes - he was
voted Chef of the Year in 1985,
he was the first Swedish chef to
be awarded 2 Michelin stars, he
has cooked for 700 guests at Versailles,
and he was a partner in
the hugely successful restaurant
Scandinavia in Moscow.
The latter came about when
Christer was asked to cook for
400 guests there. Nothing seemed
to work, and in desperation he
sought help from local chefs.
The two Swedish owners of Scandinavia
came to his rescue, which
was very fortunate because the
guest list had suddenly swollen
to 1600. After a very successful
event there Christer was offered
a partnership in the Swedish restaurant.
Then came the turn around. “I became
tired of sitting on a pedestal
surrounded by frightened people,”
says Christer. “This is something
that often happens to successful
people through no fault of their
own. I was so tired of being called
the double Michelin-starred cook
and found the work monotonous
in spite of the star status.
The best seller, Liver
Anglais, beats all the
others I’ve ever eaten
and the Crème Brûlée
is exactly the way it
should be.
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Christer embraced
Tore’s vision on raw
produce and has
taken home cooking
to an almost noble
art form.
I wanted to be part of a team.”
Apart from that Christer sensed
changes happening amongst the
Stockholm Inns and restaurants.
“Instead of being colleagues, we
became competitors and started
poaching talented cooks off each
other,” Christer explained. When
he spoke out about this his comments
weren’t particularly well
received, but that was the way he
felt. This then, and the fact that
Christer had become a grandfather,
was the deciding factor that
saw Christer sell Edsbacka. This
was something he had been contemplating
for two years.
Christer moved to Strängnäs and
disappeared off the media radar.
But a chef is always a chef and
Christer dreamed about a bistro
where he could once again cook
good food.
The old premises down by the
harbour, built in 1875, took four
years to renovate. Many wondered
if it would ever become an
inn - both detractors and those of
us who longed to be able to enjoy
Christer´s cooking skills again.
Well, now it’s there, a very attractive
restaurant and the best Bistro
food you can imagine. The best
seller, Liver Anglais, beats all the
others I’ve ever eaten and the
Crème Brûlée is exactly the way
it should be.
Christer enjoys the smallscale operation.He
feels that the people of
Strängnäs are particularly friendly
and unpretentious and that they
are very interested in good food.
At the same time there are plenty
of pilgrims who motor down from
Stockholm and the excursion is
definitely worth the journey. “A
Tuesday evening in February is
not exactly a high point with regard
to dinner guests,” Christer
points out, but by and large he
is happy here. Instead of receiving
ovations in the dining room,
Christer gladly hides himself
away in the kitchen. So when our
party is shown to our places at the
table, Christer thanks us by saying,
“I’d better go and put the potatoes
on!”
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The Strawberry Premier
by Catarina Offe photo Linus Höök/Bärfrämjandet/Camilla Offe/Eva Säfwenberg
It’s looking good this year, according to the strawberry growers, who recently assembled in the Gubby Hall
at Skansen. Everyone will be able to enjoy Swedish strawberries for Midsummer. Previously we’ve discovered
foreign strawberries have been repacked into Swedish cartons and sold as Swedish.
It is of course disappointing, but
it goes to show how popular the
Swedish fruit is.. The imported
berries are attractive and sustainable,
but they lack the sweetness
and the fine aroma of the Swedish
ones. Of course, it depends on the
variety, and also the climate. Our
long ,light summer days make the
berry develop its fine aroma. The
further north you go the cooler
the nights and the less the sugar
is burned off within the plant, and
the sweeter the berry.
It all starts in Scania and Öland
and the almost world famous
Finneröjda, then they begin to
mature northwards throughout
the whole season. The very last
ones are enjoyed together with
the annual elk hunt. Elof Dahlén
in Duskebo, is said to have every
variety that exists in Sweden. Different
varieties ripen at different
times. Florin is the Swedish allpurpose
strawberry, with a good
size and flavour, while the Rumba
is the dark red, giant macho strawberry.
Honoeye, which takes its
name from an Indian princess, is
generous, sweet, and fresh-tasting
with a lot of berry flavour. Florence
fulfils all of our expectations
of how a strawberry should taste.
Up to now the variety hasn’t been
printed on the carton, but manyconsumers
would like to know,
just like any other raw produce.
We’ll have to see what next year
Our long ,light summer days make the berry
develop its fine aroma.
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From left Årets konditor 2010 Roy Fares, VD Svenskt Sigill, Linda Cederlund, Årets Kock 2011 Tomas Diederichsen
We Swedes have a special relationship
with our strawberries.
brings.
We Swedes have a special relationship
with our strawberries.
We like to eat them everyday with
the weekday favourite being simply
with creamy milk and a little
sugar. But at Midsummer it’s enjoyed
with ice cream and whipped
cream. I like to stop my car by the
side of the road and buy a carton
and polish them off as soon as I
get home! Associate professor,
Klas Sjöberg at the University of
Lund, is of the opinion that the
strawberry is a pure “health” pill
- good against cancer and cardiac
diseases. Apart then from their
health-giving properties, they offer
immense pleasure in eating
them. Their flavor is even more
enhanced if you combine them
with blueberries and raspberries.
This year’s strawberry dish has
been created by the Chef of the
Year Tomas Diedrichsen. It’s not
a desert, but rather a strawberry
salad with lavender-fried fillet of
pork, goat’s cheese and asparagus.
Strawberries go very well
with warm dishes. I once had
roast boar with strawberry sauce
- it was said to be a dish that was
once prepared for a King a long
time ago.
With the boneless grilled pork
that we serve up at Midsummer
we always have a salad with new
potatoes, sweet peas, baby spinach,
finely chopped red chilli and
strawberries dressed with citrus
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A Real Pearl
If you go down Karla Vägen in Central Stockholm towards Karla plan, then hang left into Artillerigatan and
stop outside number 56, here in a hole in the wall you’ll find Pärlan the Pearl.
The Pearl is a confectionary
shop which hasn’t been
open more than six months and
already it enjoys an excellent
reputation, mostly with all the
toffee lovers who frequent the
store once or even several times a
week. Everything offered in this
delightful shop is according to
taste, taste being the key word,
lots and lots of taste. How about
this then? Prime toffee of candied
ginger, Lemon and vanilla.
Salty liquorice. Vanilla and sea
salt. Almonds and vanilla. Chocolate
and shredded coconut, as
well as peppermint and polka.
Inside the store, the décor and
the girls who work here have
one thing in common, the
30´s. That is to say the young
ladies’ make-up and clothes,
not their ages, are a perfect fit
for the 1930s.. Apart from that
they also have another mutual
interest - PRIME TOFFEE-
DANCING. To shop in here is
like being in a movie, where you
Inside the store, the décor and the girls who work here
have one thing in common, the 30´s.
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yourself are part of the plot. As
the pictures show, the product
is made by hand in full view of
the customers, who not only can
enjoy a cup of coffee, and toffee
made from organic cream, but
they can also listen to the music
and watch the handwork all at
the same time.
Is this a concept store as they are
laughingly called? I like to think
that it’s a little bit of history in
real time. An opportunity to
relax with a cup of coffee and a
toffee, just the way it used to be.
If you’re in Stockholm, take a
step back in time and experience
this for yourself.
You can find out more on
www.parlanskonfektyr.se
the product is made by hand in
full view of the customers
Welcome back to the 30´s today
.
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