Part 1: Sweden. Ja…

 

 Again, I’ll let the pictures do the talking.  First stop was Karlstad to catch up with some old friends over walks, good food and good wine. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sauce in this next picture was perfect with the smoked salmon steaks.  Simply mix a tablespoon or so of cloudberry jam (if you can’t find it, they sell it in Ikea!) into a pot of creme fraiche.  That’s it.  Yum.

 

 

 One night I was invited out to a friend’s family home in the Hammarö penninsula for a crayfish party.  A VERY Swedish affair.

 

 

 

The family had a new member: Ada the Schnauzer, A.K.A. The Black Devil!  She’s a wee terror!

 

 

 

 

 The moon was hung up.

 

 

 We were made to wear silly hats and bibs.

 

 

 An enormous amount of scarlet crayfish were brought out on a platter topped with flowering dill.

 

 

 These small but delicious morsels were, rather worryingly, washed down with large amounts of schnapps consumed after guests had belted out traditional Swedish drinking songs and toasted “Skål!” to all.  Great fun.

 

 

My visit to Stockholm the next day was short but sweet.  Coffee with a friend in my favourite Gamla Stan (old town) café.

 

We raked through vintage clothes shops on Södermalm and laughed at all the things we would never wear.

 

 

 

All too soon it was time to leave though. I got on the ferry to Finland and, despite the cold wind, stayed on deck until Stockholm had disapeared and the sun had gone down.

 

 

 

 

PS. Annemarie was asking for some recommendations for places to eat in Stockholm.  For traditional Swedish husmankost I really enjoyed Pelikan on Södermalm.  Beware though: it’s heavy!  Not traditional but worth a mention – Thai restaurant Koh Phangan has great food and is a really fun place to eat.

For lunch or coffee on Gamla Stan the adjacent cafes Kaffekoppen and Chokladkoppen serve great sandwiches and soups.  But with its vast greenhouses, beautiful gardens and outdoor seating, Rosendals on Djurgården is THE perfect place for a summer lunch.