7 Random Facts About Surströmming
- Surströmming is made by preserving the raw herring with just enough salt to prevent it from rotting, then left to ferment for at least 6 months. A Japanese study ranks it as one of the most putrid food smells on the planet.
- Surströmming day is the 3rd Thursday in August – in 2018 this falls on the 16th August.
- Surströmming translated to sour Baltic herring. Tempting, ey?
- How to eat it? A common way is to have it in a ‘klämma’ – a ‘squeeze’. Take two pieces of (crunchy) flatbread and spread with sliced or crushed boiled potato, add the surströmming, squeeze and enjoy. Alternatively, place on a soft flatbread with potato, sour cream and some raw onion. Eat as a wrap. Think of it as the Swedish burrito.
- Whatever you do – NEVER open the tin inside. To say the smell is strong is an understatement. And it lingers.
- Beer and aquavit are commonly served along with it – but milk, too, is a common drink.
- Surströmming is so smelly it is forbidden on most airlines.
Despite (or because of – we don’t know) the smell – surströmming is very popular in Sweden, and many await the season with anticipation, dreaming about the first taste of this speciality.
Our Jonas had a chat with a lovely chap from the Telegraph a few years ago – to find out what he thought have a look at the resulting video here, or click here to read about it.
Have you tried it? What did you think? Share in comments please – we’d love to hear your thoughts on this smelly subject.
