It’s been awhile since I’ve felt the cool chill of ocean spray splash across my face, drenching me with saltwater. Arms raised and splayed out sideways, facing the wind, Smögen in the distance… My introduction to fishing in West Sweden
If I could characterize my recent trip around West Sweden sampling its famous shellfish from mussels to langoustines, and meeting the passionate fishermen, brewers, and artisans behind the region’s organic local tastes, I would say it was all about reconnecting with and appreciating the richness in simplicity.
Simple nonfussy foods yet so flavorful and richly layered that you questioned yourself why you didn’t eat them everyday. Having called Sweden home now for roughly five years, this culinary trip was just what I needed to appreciate Swedish food anew… cured salmon (gravad lax), freshwater crayfish boiled and infused with dill, crisp bread (knäckebröd) you could devour every single day with only butter seasoned with sea salt, sautéed chanterelle mushrooms…
Now comes the task of parsing through hundreds and hundreds of photos, agonizing over which ones to keep and which ones to delete – well, archive – as they were all so memorable and vibrant. Definitely watch this space for stories, photo essays, and postcard snippets from my time exploring and fishing in West Sweden.
