Home to IKEA and the Angry Birds, Scandinavia in Northern Europe is made up of four countries – Denmark, Sweden, Norway and Finland. While its beauty and sights are very well known, check out The Must See Places in Scandinavia, the region’s food deserves some appreciation as well. Most Nordic dishes include seafood, fresh-water fish, berries, and the choicest of meats, and we can’t wait to try them out!
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Whether visiting Norway, Sweden, Denmark or Finland, here are some of the best Scandinavian food and drinks to gobble down.
1. Lohikeitto
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Traditional, hearty, and creamy! This classic soup comes from Finland and other Nordic countries. Simple yet satisfying, the classic Finnish salmon soup comes with a dash of melt-in-your-mouth chunks of salmon, chunky potatoes, carrots that are cooked-to-perfection, flavourful leek, and tons of fresh dill.
2. Swedish Princess Cake
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A Princess Cake (or Prinsesstårta) is one of the world's most famous cakes! This traditional Swedish layer cake is bright green with stuffing that is everything good and gooey - custard, jam, marzipan, and mounds of whipped cream. Top it up with some fondant roses and sprinklers, and the resulting cake is absolutely magnificent.
3. Mead (Mjød)
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Brewed in celebration of Scandinavia's oldest town Ribe, Mjod is one Scandinavian drink you must try out. This is an alcoholic beverage created by fermenting honey with water with notes of caramel apples, flowers, and citrus.
4. Smörgåstårta
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Smörgåstårta is a cake that but it is not really sweet; it is a sandwich but doesn’t really look like one! A Swedish staple, Smörgåstårta is perfect for brunches, and potluck parties. Layers, topping and decorations made of smoked fish chunks, tender meat pieces, freshly cut veggies, creamy binders, and soft bread all come together to create one of the best Scandinavian dishes.
5. Smørrebrød
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Denmark's contribution to the world of sandwiches is something we cannot stop drooling about! A traditional dish from Denmark, this is an open-faced sandwich made by stuffing and toppings placed on a slice of Danish-style buttered rye bread. Pålæg, the topping, is made of shrimp, boiled eggs, cheese, spreads, and herring (pickled or fermented).
6. Aquavit
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Aquavit, Scandinavia's traditional spirit, is often consumed during festive gatherings and weddings. One of the most well-known drinks in Norway, Aquavit is a mix of flavors of potatoes, grain, herbs, and spices. Aquavit can be integrated with other spirits to make many cocktails like Swedish Mule, Swedish Mint Julep, Scandinavian Bellini, White Cosmopolitan and more.
7. Gravlax
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This is the ultimate easy-to-make luxury food. Gravlax or gravlaks is a Nordic dish made Scandinavian-style cold-cured salmon, seasoned with salt, honey, sugar, and dill.
8. Kåldolmar
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King Carl XII of Sweden went to Turkey, some 300 years back. He came back with Kåldolmar, a stuffed cabbage dish. Kåldolmar is a popular Swedish dish made of good stuff wrapped in the good stuff. A classic kåldolmar is made of a mix of ground meat and allspice stuffed inside a white cabbage leaf and cooked (either steamed or fried) and topped with some lingonberry jam.
9. Ostkaka
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This Swedish cheesecake with strawberries is unlike any other cheesecake you’ve had. It’s less rich and sweeter compared to its American counterpart but is super-delicious. This summer favorite dessert is made with eggs, cottage cheese, and almonds, and topped with sweet macerated strawberries.
10. Blåbärssoppa
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Blåbärssoppa or blueberry soup is a classic Scandinavian soup dish that is made of bilberries (not blueberries). Served hot in winters and cold in summers, this sweet soup is especially children’s’ favorite.
Scandinavia has many cute little places that you can stop by – Check out the Must Visit Best Towns And Villages In Scandinavia.
