I am of course talking about the food. I'm going to tell you a sob story first, and then you get to make me jealous.
Swedish Christmas food is tradition bound. Very much so, variations are frowned upon by almost everyone. I suppose that doesn't sound too bad, but bear in mind that in Scandinavia, food is not produced during winter. So that has the consequence of (in spite of living in a nation sized freezer) the food is mainly things that uses various preservatives:
1. Pickling (drowning things in acetic acid makes it last longer - the side effect is that it doesn't really taste anything other than that same acid)
2. Smoking (well, this need not be so bad - in small amounts)
3. Salting (or nitrites? Whatever). In itself, salt is not a bad thing. But take it to excessive amounts, and it will make almost anything taste vile.
4. Failing all of the above - or including it when the mood suits, the addition of Allspice to anything, in hopes that it will mask the taste if it is rotten.
It sure does sound like I am happy about it, right? Tradition also dictates that rather than frying meat, which is the logical thing to do, one has to go all English over it and boil it for hours. Preferably most of the fat of the pig (well, yes, I don't remember ever seeing any other meat on a Swedish Christmas table) will be included in the boiling to give it that nice gelatinous consistency... and taste.
Honestly, I am not all that upset I got norovirus this Christmas - the pain wasn't all that nice, but it got me out of the eating.
Now, with this kind of attitude towards my local Christmas food, can you please describe yours in a way that I might be tempted to try it sometime?
Swedish Christmas food is tradition bound. Very much so, variations are frowned upon by almost everyone. I suppose that doesn't sound too bad, but bear in mind that in Scandinavia, food is not produced during winter. So that has the consequence of (in spite of living in a nation sized freezer) the food is mainly things that uses various preservatives:
1. Pickling (drowning things in acetic acid makes it last longer - the side effect is that it doesn't really taste anything other than that same acid)
2. Smoking (well, this need not be so bad - in small amounts)
3. Salting (or nitrites? Whatever). In itself, salt is not a bad thing. But take it to excessive amounts, and it will make almost anything taste vile.
4. Failing all of the above - or including it when the mood suits, the addition of Allspice to anything, in hopes that it will mask the taste if it is rotten.
It sure does sound like I am happy about it, right? Tradition also dictates that rather than frying meat, which is the logical thing to do, one has to go all English over it and boil it for hours. Preferably most of the fat of the pig (well, yes, I don't remember ever seeing any other meat on a Swedish Christmas table) will be included in the boiling to give it that nice gelatinous consistency... and taste.
Honestly, I am not all that upset I got norovirus this Christmas - the pain wasn't all that nice, but it got me out of the eating.
Now, with this kind of attitude towards my local Christmas food, can you please describe yours in a way that I might be tempted to try it sometime?
"People think it must be fun to be a super genius, but they don't realize how hard it is to put up with all the idiots in the world" - Calvin.
So, what did you get for christmas?
- 26/12/2010 05:53:54 PM
586 Views
I had Thai food on Christmas Eve. Nice change. Ham and sweet potatoes for Christmas day. *NM*
- 26/12/2010 07:05:47 PM
202 Views
Squash soup with dried cranberries, carrots, minced onion, nutmeg & Ginger...
- 26/12/2010 09:55:04 PM
412 Views
I didn't get nuthin', I had to pay fifty dollars and pick up all the garbage. 
- 27/12/2010 04:06:08 PM
633 Views
- 27/12/2010 04:06:08 PM
633 Views