Swedes may seem to be very cold, but when it comes to eating crayfish, they can be said to be very enthusiastic, and they even have a party for eating crayfish
Every year on Sweden's west coast, crayfish appear as the C seat at the party.
Not only that, but crayfish imported from other countries will also be "guest seated", and then the Swedish media will score the crayfish every year to taste the quality of national and local crayfish.
How the Swedes taste crayfish, follow Mu Xiaoxi to see it together
Lobster species are exquisite
Lobsters on the west coast of Sweden, which are cared for by seafood, are very exquisite - divided into two kinds of seawater and freshwater, the lighter color is the seawater crayfish, and the west coast people are the most loved by this.
Marine crayfish, also known as Langoustine, have a much longer fishing season than freshwater crayfish, with the best fishing seasons in spring and summer. So at the turn of spring and summer, you'll be able to taste delicious shrimp at major seafood restaurants.
The freshwater crayfish was once the favorite of the Swedish nobility, such as King Eric XIV of Sweden, who was the first sealed "crayfish control" in history, and he also wrote a letter to instruct the crayfish to be prepared at his sister's wedding banquet.
King Eric XIV of Sweden
"Once upon a time" crayfish
You may not know that the lobster eaten by King Eric XIV of Sweden at that time was not the crayfish species that people eat now.
In 1960, the European crayfish crayfish suffered extinction due to the lobster plague Aosta, and the Swedes imported the "Signalkräftor" (Signalkräftor), which is common today in Sweden.
Today, if you pass by the moat next to Kalmar Castle, you may not know that there are a very large number of crayfish under the moat, which is also the careful thinking of the Swedish king at that time.
It's not just a matter of eating
The Nordic love to celebrate the festival can be seen from the way they eat crayfish, for example, the Swedes have a "strong sense of ritual" eating crayfish - they do not like to be indoors, they prefer to go outdoors, set up a large long table and get together with their families.
Because, when it comes to nature, swedes love it so much.
Not only that, they also have a special line, eating crayfish also needs to wear a small pointed hat, wrap up a paper apron, sing and drink anytime and anywhere, quite a bit of self-indulgent style.
Atmosphere matters
To heat up the festive atmosphere of the Lobster Festival, of course, you need to dress up on the spot. Swedes would hang lobster-patterned paper cuts on the branches of the trees outdoors, and the tender boiled crayfish would fill the entire table.
It is important that before the official start, you must sing a "toast helan Går" and finish the glass before enjoying the privilege of drinking only "half a glass".
Of course, the side wine for eating crayfish is also exquisite, and in this festival, the wine must also be the special Nordic spirit Aquavit!
The cooking method is exquisite
Compared with the endless crayfish cooking methods in China, Swedes prefer to cook dill crayfish in traditional ways, which restores the fresh flavor and tastes good.
They also use crayfish meat in meatloaf and sausages, so in Sweden you may inadvertently eat crayfish.
And there are many lakes in Sweden, and Swedes sometimes tend to go to the lake to hunt lobsters, and then cook them in the field, which is also very original!
The Chinese way of eating fancy crayfish is certainly alive and fragrant. However, it is also a good experience to have a lobster festival in Sweden and eat Swedish-style crayfish once.
What flavor of crayfish do you like to eat?
Text | Mu Creek
Image | Muxi, Tourism Sweden and The Network