The other day, I met Anne of Anne’s Food here in Stockholm. Anne and her husband very kindly invited me over to their home for a proper Swedish dinner. You can read Anne’s post detailing the delicious menu, here.
I have to say that Jansson’s Temptation was my favorite—a sort of potato casserole made of grated potatoes, cream, butter, and anchovies. The sweet cream, salty/umami anchovies, and earthy, dense potatoes make an tasty and unique dish, melding disparate flavors and textures. I’m still not sure how to describe cloudberries. There’s something vaguely familiar about their flavor, but I can’t pinpoint a specific taste memory that is even remotely similar. They were delicious as Anne prepared them, cooked briefly with a little sugar and spooned over Swedish vanilla ice cream.
I’ve been swooning over Swedish vanilla ice cream, and for good reason, it seems. According to Anne, most cows in Sweden are pastured, not fattened on soybeans and wading in cow cookies. Grass-fed-pastured-non-rbST-happy-healthy-Walt-Whitman-reading cows are the *norm* here, because there is no real agribusiness machine to rage against. The result is very fresh-tasting, full-flavored dairy products.
Thanks, Anne, for a great day and a lovely dinner!
