The traditional Swedish meal is simple yet sustaining, although meals may vary according to location. For example in the northern parts of the country how meals are prepared have their roots in the Sami people who ate game, while meals in the south are often prepared with many varieties of vegetables and fruits.
The famed smörgåsbord from the word smörgås which means ‘open sandwhich' and bord which means ‘table' is a type of buffet meal served in Swedish cuisine. It contains a variety of dishes, from herring, salmon, and eel to köttbullar or meatballs, which can be followed by fruits and salad for dessert. Because a typical smorgasbord often takes a lot of time to prepare, most restaurants prepare a plate of assietter or hors d'oeuvres instead. It is best to enjoy this early, when the food is still fresh. Schnapps is the typical beverage used to accompany smorgasbord.
Swedish meals often consist of cheese, ham, sausage, egg and bread for breakfast and a simple one course meal for lunch. Swedes usually reserve complete course meals in the evening, with appetizers, a main course, side dishes and dessert choices included. Fish dishes are prominent in most hotel restaurant menus since Swedish chefs tend to be far more experts with fish dishes than with meat courses.
Swedish cuisine is infused with a variety of foreign influences, from French to Japanese. It is not usual to find restaurants for every type of international cuisine in Sweden . On the fast food side, Swedes also love their pizza and McDonalds. Finding a McDonald's outlet in Sweden won't be hard to do, although some may offer better services than others.
When it comes to coffee, Sweden is second only to Finland as the country with the heaviest coffee consumption in the world. It is considered the universal drink in Sweden , although most Swedes also love their tea. Coca Cola is also another favorite.
Have a taste of Sweden 's culture, tradition, history, and its beautiful places and you'll definitely be asking for more!
