Exploring the New Nordic

The Ostermalms Saluhalls has been a part of the Stockholm food scene since the late 1800s. It first began as a way to control the sanitation levels of food carts that were once on the nearby streets of Stockholm. In recent years it has been rennovated to more closely resemble the original building design. While there, we got to see some of what the vendors are selling. While today many of the stands provide meals and more modern selections, there are still some stands that have been there since the opening. These stands sell a variety of fish, meats, fruits, and vegetables. While many of the offerings are a little bit out of my price range, I hope that Ostermalms Saluhall is able to remain open for many years to come. 

  Chocolate History Tasting I was not at all surprised that our chocolate tasting at Fjaderholmarna Choklad was one of my favorite things we have done on the entire trip. It was the perfect combination of my two favorite things, history, and really good chocolate. I initially thought that the tour would be just like any other tasting experience where we all sit in a room and try whatever is presented to us. But this tasting included a walk around the island of Fjaderholmarna, which had beautiful views, and information on the surprisingly interesting history of the land. Each chocolate was nothing like I had before, but the herbal schnapps truffle was especially different. At first, I was thrown off by the completely liquid and intense flavor, but the more I chewed it, the more I realized how delicious it was. Of course, once our tour was over I had to go inside the shop and buy some chocolates to bring home to my family.

  Rose Garden and House Our time at Rosendals Tradgard was not what I thought it would be. I was just expecting to walk around a typical garden for a little while and then get lunch afterward. What ended up happening was a very educational experience about the history of the area, organic farming, and how they implement composting into their farming. My favorite thing I learned was how they are able to attach a new branch to an existing tree in order to improve it. This allows for extremely old trees to continue to produce fruits long after they experience damage. My only complaint about my time at Rosendals Tradgard would be that the ducks and birds were a little too comfortable coming up to people. I would have preferred if they kept their distance.  Attaching a New Branch

Lake Views The company Green Trails provides outdoor excursions around Stockholm. We had the opportunity to go on one of these excursions, which was a hike with a fika break halfway through. During our hike we got to see amazing views of a lake along with learning about some local wildlife. For our fika we made cinnamon rolls and coffee over the fire. Though it did result in some possibly concerning levels of smoke inhalation, I still had a great time enjoying the view and refreshments. The second half of our hike included spending some isolated quiet time in the woods for reflection. To be honest I did spend most of that time throwing sticks but I still enjoyed it. After walking through what seemed like a swamp for a little bit, we all safely returned back to the cars.  Making Coffee on the Fire  

  Parliament Building As a self-proclaimed history lover, the walking history tour of Stockholm was right up my alley. Our guide, Znid, did an amazing job of making Sweden's long history easy to understand by breaking it into chunks based off of what is in front of us. I also really loved his sense of humor which made the tour even more fun. In American public high schools, Swedish history is not something that is taught so almost all of the information was brand new to me. One of my favorite facts was that in order to maintain the Swedish monarchy, the king had the amazing idea of adopting a 47-year-old French man. This decision led to what would be the biggest war on European soil until World War I. I was also surprised by the general lack of celebration for Sweden's independence. But it makes sense that since it happened so long ago there really is not much to celebrate at this point. The biggest takeaway from the history tour was the love that Sweden has for Gustav II . Lov...

Swedish Meatball Dinner at Kvarnen  I thought I knew what Swedish meatballs tasted like because I had tried them in the Ikea food court a few times. Our Saturday night meal completely changed everything I knew about the food. The meatballs and mashed potatoes were one of the most amazing meals I have had in a long time. When imagining meatballs and mashed potatoes, it is easy to think that they could not be anything special. What they make at Kvarnen is special, especially when you eat them with the lingonberries and cucumbers. I am entirely aware that this post is just me rambling on about one meal, but if everyone could have had it with me I think they would all feel the exact same way. While the food itself tasted like something you would have at a fancy restaurant, the vibe at Kvarnen is similar to a tavern, where the people are in casual clothing and loudly talking with all their friends. Overall, I would love to be able to return to Kvarnen sometime in the future. ...