Ordering food over the internet?

This past week we tried "matsmart.se" to buy discount food.  Interesting idea, and here are the pros and cons. 

Pros:  

Food to your door at a good price

Kids think it is awesome to get a package and open everything

They actually sell some things that I haven't seen in local stores

 Cons: 

Some things were so "cheap" because they were actually the smaller size of what we normally buy at the store....like that mini-box of cereal and the almost empty bag of dried cherries. 

They call things a discount, but they are based on the high end stores' normal price, so a bit of sensibility is needed to realize if it is truly a discount. 

Some of the food is almost expired, thus the lower price.  Some things are not bothered by their expiration date, others go a bit weird...

I realize afterwards that I tended to buy things that looked tasty, compared to buying at a store based on a shopping list....like that chocolate, cookies, etc...

Will I do it again, absolutely! 

Three new "accomplishments" that are all still works in progress:

1. Sourdough bread....mmmm

 2.  Croissants, a lot of work!

 3.  Homemade mozzarella and queso fresco, also a lot of work, but fun!

What's so special about Swedish cuisine? 

Well, Blueberry soup, to start with.  How do you even drink this? Warm?  With whipped cream on top?  I dont know, but a cold glass of the stuff is quite all right with us.  The kids want to try making ice cream out of it, we'll see how that goes! 

Vem skulle gissa att blåbärs soppa är så gott? 

Matjesilltårta, or "pickled herring cheesecake"

I was trying to explain this Swedish phenomena to my mom a day or two ago.


Let's just set the scene:  It is midsommar, a big holiday in Sweden celebrating the middle of the summer.  Lots of odd things happen every year around this day, including a bunch of adults and children singing and mimicking frogs, a dance around a phallic symbol, and of course, the pickled herring cheesecake.   Lots of sweet things too, like woven flower crowns, good cheer, people singing folk songs together, and the longest day of the year!

A nice savory herring cake, that looks suspiciously like a cheesecake until you take your first bite.

Rye bread crumb crust,

cream cheese and onions, pickled herring bits, and horseradish filling.

Mmmmm.



This newspaper even translated the recipe for you, just in case you want to try it. (It's actually quite good!)

http://www.nordstjernan.com/news/food/4648/

4th of July, Swedish style...

 Hamburgers, Ribs, coleslaw, American flags...this was the best Independence day in Sweden so far!  The Swedes seemed to enjoy a 4th of July quiz, and were especially surprised to hear about our national anthem and "the bombs bursting in air"  (See the official text below):

 (plus some extra fun stuff...)

Did you Americans know that in Sweden you can buy "American Hamburger spread" in a tube?   

Daniel organized with his parents so we even got to take a little date out to the beach, 

played minigolf, had an ice cream, etc...

 Markus is ready for lunch!

 Lydia is also hungry, but not quite so camera happy. 

We also got the kids out to the lake for some fishing...their new hobby!

 

The Star Spangled Banner
Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Top ten really swedish meals

We all know that Swedes love their meatballs and potatoes, but what else do they make that I have come to love?

1. Kassler Grätang.  A ham and rice casserole. 


2. Lax o Potatis.  Haha, this is what happens when you serve this dish. Fresh salmon baked with some lemon  slices, boiled potatoes, and hollandaise sauce.


3.  Pyttipanna.  diced pork, potatoes, and onions fried up, topped with an egg and red beets. The "quick" dinner.



4. Risgrynsgröt.Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and sometimes other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Put some fruit salad next to it and it makes a nice evening meal.  

5. Flygande Jakob.  Flying Jacob is a Swedish casserole that consists of chicken, whipped cream, chili sauce, bananas, roasted peanuts and bacon....served with rice. Surprisingly good?


6.  Swedish pancakes.  Think crepes here, and yes, this is considered a meal.


7. Rotmos med fläsk.  Either you like it or you dont.  Mashed potatoes with carrots, onions, rutabega all mashed in, served with some kind of pork on the side.  You can even buy rotmos in a tube. Ha!


8. Smörgåstårta.  Sandwich cake.  Only for special occasions. I even made a blog about this one. http://andthentheywerethree.blogspot.se/2010/12/how-to-make-smorgastarta-savoury.html (but i need to improve my skills here).


9. räkmacka. Who doesnt love a dump of cold shrimp with salad on an open sandwich?


10. and ending with the most classic Swedish...värma smörgåsar med kantarell.  Warm open faced sandwiches including chanterelles.


Things i havent really learned to love:
Fiskbullar (fishballs that are kind of like sticky wet dumplings that come in a can with sauce.)
Ärtsoppa
Bruna bönor
Thursday is soup day?

On a sister blog...

A few more words from what is happening on a sister blog (An American's view of life in Sweden)

http://amerisvenska.blogspot.se/2013/07/swedish-uniformity.html
*hint* I bought my first ever pair of converse shoes...and boy do they fit in here...

http://amerisvenska.blogspot.se/2013/07/ramadan-hardships-in-sweden.html
Who can survive Ramadan when the sun never sets??



http://amerisvenska.blogspot.se/2013/07/fladerblomsaftelderflower-cordial.html
How to make elderflower cordial...Swedish style. 

Fladerblomsaft...Elderflower cordial!

Elderflower Cordial time (Dags för Flädersaft)

Who knew that these white flowers that look a lot like queens anne's lace would be the key to a delicious refreshing Swedish drink?  

Daniel's brother Jonas showed me a big Elderflower bush near their house and we got a good "crop"...

 

 Step two, throw in some lemons, sugar, citric acid, and top in water (different recipes call for cool or boiling water...).

Stir once a day for 3-5 days, sieve it out, and there you go! Come visit us and try some...

5 guys and lots of grease...

This was our first choice of fast food stop, a greasy good burger joint called 5 guys. 

I guess I have assimilated to Swedish culture, because we both felt a little green around the gills afterwards, can it be that I am not so used to American fast food anymore?

 But our kids didn't seem to mind all the greasy goodness...

After all that grease, I just wanted some fruit, or even some of this:
 (aka healthy bread!)

Swedish Gevalia beats Starbucks!

See the link below...apparently Gevalia beat Starbucks in an American taste test.

Sure, of course the Swedish made Gevalia brand is going to beat Starbucks....Sweden is consistently in the top ten for coffee consumption worldwide, and they like their coffee STRONG and good.

I will never forget when my in-laws came to the states for the first time ever (for our wedding), and compared American coffee to dirty water. Ha!



http://www.thelocal.se/47056/20130330/#.UViZNpPIak0

Markus birthday cake...

A few things to take note of here:

Lydia is sharing and helping Markus
Markus was very tired but still thoroughly enjoyed that cupcake
Swedish family was continuously talking about this "interesting American tradition."

Hannah-Markus joint birthday continued...

Well, here is part two of the birthday fun....take note, I got a sweet camera for my birthday so the quality of these pictures is much more sharp and clear! (despite my lack of experience using a decent camera). 

Markus is trying to smile for the camera...is that his way of mimicing us??

 Playing with birthday gifts....

 This gift was not for Markus....but he'll definitely enjoy the fruit of it's labors...

Oh that "special" smile....

 Lydia is apparently ready to go to the indoor swim adventure land! (do you see her suit?)

Here is our dinner pizzas...kebab flavor with garlic sauce and lettuce poured on top, 

 And a true gem, curry/banana/chicken pizza...don't forget the peanuts and pineapples!

And just because it's almost freezing outside, that does not stop Swedes from eating some ICE CREAM! 

(Thanks Linda for joining us at the adventure pool...you made the day so much more fun!) 

Gingerbread men and houses

Swedish people take their Christmas gingerbread very seriously.  

(I haven't found Molasses anywhere here, and their little g.men and women are usually thin and crispy, so there are some big differences from American gingerbread!)

 The family gets together (as much as is possible), heaps of dough are made and at the ready, and off we go.

Lydia is finally old enough to enjoy making shapes, seeing the process, and eating enormous amounts of gingerbread cookies...

 Markus, not quite ready to help.  He spent most of his time being dressed up in his sister's apron and hair cover, chewing on the plastic cookie cutters and rolling pins, and being cute.

 And then we discovered this beauty...Ikea makes and sells plenty of furniture that you have to assemble yourself, but did you know that they sell gingerbread kits with a great step by step assembly book!  I was NOT disappointed.

Here's a step by step glance of our house building...

1.  Make sure all the pieces are there!  *I wonder if Ikea would give us a free replacement door or roof if one piece was missing like they do with real furniture?*

2.  Get the "goods" and don't eat them yet!

 3.  BE VERY CAREFUL....I have never seen this in America but it works great!  Melted sugar is a much better cement than icing, and works almost immediately.  No more waiting three hours for the walls and roof to "dry" together.  But on the other hand, hot melted sugar burns can really hurt.

 Here is the assembled kit.  Hands are unburnt, house is stuck together better than crazy glue, and here we go!

 My sweet Mother in law Monica was also doing a house...and Lydia ran back and forth helping both of us.

Green?  Bold choice for a roof...is it gonna work out?

 Markus wants to help with the icing process...ha, no way!

 Lydia is delighted to get a piece of broken candy cane....

 And here's the final result! Lydia and Markus spelled out with black licorice...

And here is Farmor's sweet house...which looked much sweeter with a layer of fresh snow all around and some little people standing outside.

And we are still trying to eat up the last bits of gingerbread men.  I am confident Lydia is up for the job.