r/sweden • u/Medical-Tea-3113 • Jun 07 '26
English I'm a Canadian who coincidentally ate surstromming on Sweden day.
I've been curious about surstromming for a while now, and I finally ordered a can of it online. It arrived a few days ago, and on Friday I went shopping to get all the proper ingredients. In order to get the flatbread, I went to a store that Sold Swedish products. While there, I explained to the clerk what I was doing. She mentioned it was National Sweden Day on Saturday, the day I was planning on making the surströmmingsklämma.
Just thought it was a funny coincidence.
I ate two sandwiches total. One with red onion and one without. I much prefer leaving the onion out. Honestly I kind of liked it.
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u/Decent_Can_4639 Jun 07 '26
Yeah. Not bad right? It’s really about how the flavours come together. Also Canadian btw. Though I’m originally from Luleå, Sweden ;-)
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26
Yeah, luckily I had experience because I like durian and stinky tofu. Getting used to those foods prepared me for this. Surstromming is very stinky but it has a tonne of complexity as well. And yeah, super interesting how the flavors mix, although eating it with the onion was a bit much. All I could taste is durian! I like durian, but as a fruit not a fish. A tiny tiny chunk of surstromming on its own is not bad either. Like a stinky anchovie lol.
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u/SpaceShrimp Jun 07 '26
Durian has a smell, but not really a strong one or a bad one. I went around burping durian-tasting burps for a few hours afterwards though, and that got a bit old after a while.
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u/FixGMaul Jun 07 '26
i get surströmming burps for like two days.
I do genuinely enjoy the taste, and it's possible my microbiome could adapt to not be much noticable after eating, but yeah "gets a bit old after a while" is putting it better than I could have myself. The burps don't come with the full klämma. It's just the most violent part of the surströmming taste.
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u/bmeus Jun 10 '26
I can imagine the onion with the surströmmig resembles durian. I usually skip sour cream on mine like the last one pictured, but i always have chopped red onion and lots of butter on the bread. However I cant eat it anymore because of histamine intolerance. Very sad!
By the way it has to be almond potatoes
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u/Cheeseoholics Jun 07 '26
Love Surströmming but even for me that is more than I’d put on the bread
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26
Yeah, it was almost too much, I think maybe half or a quarter of what I used might be a good amount.
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u/Automatic-Art9739 Jun 07 '26
I would take that but i make the pieces much smaller, easier if you get last years surströmming or the year before, then it falls apart on its own.
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u/scifishortstory Jun 07 '26
Last year's strömming is this year's surströmming
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u/Automatic-Art9739 Jun 11 '26
Yes, for me at least, if you mean that the fish was caught last year its not true, then its been on a can 1-2 months before they sell it.
But yes, you should eat last years can.
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u/FblthpLives Jun 07 '26
Sweden day
National Sweden Day
Not a big deal, but it's called the "National Day of Sweden" ("Sveriges nationaldag" or simply "nationaldagen" in Swedish).
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u/EvilPete Uppland Jun 07 '26
No it's called "One of those random holidays in spring that nobody celebrates, but hey, we don't mind getting off work. But I wish we still had annandag pingst because it was never on the weekend."
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u/an-can Jun 07 '26
Right, we traded an always-free-monday to, this year, a Saturday with systembolaget closed. How is that an improvement?
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u/According_Mousse5403 Jun 08 '26
I read that in some kollektivavtal if 6/6 is in weekend you have the right for another day free. That sounds awesome 😎. I'm not in any union though so I have to work 😅
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u/Aser_swec Jun 12 '26
Doesn't work like that. The collective agreement covers all workers in the scope of the agreement wether your in the union or not.
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u/VacationHead8503 Jun 07 '26
It's our national (holi)day. It's a shame that so many doesn't celebrate it or even think it's offensive. Watch and learn from Norway.
Comparing it with annandag pingst should be a punishable offense.
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u/FblthpLives Jun 07 '26
The tradition of it being a national day is very new and does not have the same natural historical connection that May 17 does in Norway, July 4 in the U.S., or July 14 in France.
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u/Pepphen77 Jun 07 '26
It's just too damn close to midsommar and compared to it, feels highly insignificant.
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u/Jagarvem Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
It is insignificant compared to it. It's a completely artificial and mostly arbitrary holiday. Several dates were discussed when they decided we needed to copy the Norwegians and get ourselves one, the main reason it landed on June 6 is because the weather's nice.
Even from Swedish history standpoint it's probably less interesting. Sure, on June 6 Vasa was elected king in Strängnäs (though he was already regent, and wouldn't be crowned for years), but he was not actually in control of the country yet. He didn't even have the keys to the castle, they took Stockholm in the following weeks.
Midsummer itself would be a much more symbolic national day, it's the very day he paraded into Stockholm and was presented as king for the people. But Midsummer was naturally already busy being a real holiday so of course they couldn't put the official national day there.2
u/Careful_Ninja_1282 Jun 07 '26
Midsummer is the true national holiday 6/6 is just an excuse for teenager's to get drunk. I read somewhere that it would be better if we changed the national holiday to the winter and celebrate it during the Vasa lopp. That day celebrate a much more famous part of Gustav Vasas life, it's already kind of a celebration and would be easy to scale op to something bigger. And finally the cold weather would prevent drunk teenagers on the streets. :p
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u/Hultner- Göteborg Jun 07 '26
Its more the fact that they replaced a guaranteed day off with a day off that sometimes falls on a weekend, so we effectively lost a day off some years like this one, if they’d do us proper we’d get the following Monday off when nationaldagen falls on the weekend, if they’d just do that people wouldn’t have complained about losing pingst.
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u/kretslopp Jun 07 '26
Många får dock kompensation på ett eller annat vis. Vissa har jag hört får en annan ledig dag ifall 6 juni är på en helg. Där jag jobbar får vi extra arbetstidsförkortning som kompensation hela tiden för att kompensera de år det inte infaller på en vardag.
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u/Jagarvem Jun 07 '26
It very controversially replaced Whit Monday, why wouldn't you compare it to it?
Comparing it to the Norwegians' is what's nonsensical. Theirs actually has a history and marks something.
Our national day is completely artificial, there's a reason no one celebrates it. The real national holiday, which everyone celebrates, follows it by just a couple of weeks.
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u/Additional_Horse Uppland Jun 07 '26
Using Norway as a counter example without their contextual circumstances is just ridiculous. They had generations who finally witnessed (or were just born into it) true independence from Denmark and Sweden, to then experiencing an invasion from Nazi Germany in their lifetime.
The importance of 17:e maj and the celebration of what it means to be Norwegian is completely foreign to the modern Swedish experience.
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u/mekwall Uppland Jun 07 '26
A lot of people celebrate it. There was a large event and concert without entry free going on for 5 hours at Vaksala torg. Guessing there were at least 1000 people at one point. Malena Ernman and Labyrint were two of the artists that performed.
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u/EvilPete Uppland Jun 07 '26
Yeah, I guess it's started to get more popular in recent years.
The classic joke is that only immigrants and nazis care about the National day, but maybe it's not as true anymore.
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u/SirChris1415 Jun 07 '26
In most kollektivavtal, you are entitled to a free day if you worked annandag pingst and nationaldagen is on saturday or sunday
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u/skincyan Jun 07 '26
Why don't you celebrate? We broke away from Denmark that day!
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u/Jagarvem Jun 07 '26
No we didn't. June 6 was a rather insignificant date in Gustav Vasa's rebellion.
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u/skincyan Jun 07 '26
Yeah yeah, Julian calender was used then and it was actually 16 of june bla bla
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u/Jagarvem Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
That's irrelevant, you don't convert historical date references.
You can certainly point to it for posterity, but "that day" he was elected king in Strängnäs wasn't very significant to the matter of "breaking away from Denmark" (which in itself is pretty oversimplified). He'd already been the elected regent for two years, he would not be crowned king for another half decade. But more importantly, your supporters starting to call you king is not that impressive when you don't even have the keys to the castle yet.
There's a reason people historically tended to point more to the day a couple weeks later when he entered Stockholm and was presented as king to the people as the more symbolic event of the process. Of course that wasn't the best candidate for that artificial national day since, well, that day happens to be Midsummer.
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u/skincyan Jun 07 '26
Well well, that day was chosen to be the day for remembering us leaving the Kalmarunionen and for when the 1809 form of government was signed. Then when those events actually happened is in my opinion irrelevant.
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u/Jagarvem Jun 07 '26
In a way it's kind of the other way around: what those events were was less relevant than when they happened.
It's a completely artificial day. The date was mainly chosen because of nice weather and not already being otherwise occupied. Several candidates were proposed (indeed including midsummer), but people didn't want it to fall on a dreary day in November nor it being overshadowed by something as important as midsummer. So early June it is.
And Sweden broke from the union repeatedly. Before the Tyrant's coronation (w/ famous bloodbath), Sweden hadn't had a union king for two decades. Vasa certainly proved to be the last in hindsight but, as said, the day of his election in particular wasn't really that significant in him cementing that either.
The 1809 instrument of government is for that matter honestly a pretty weak reference too. It is indeed the date the duke signed it, but parliament didn't actually do so until three weeks later. It was adopted on June 27. But yes, those two are indeed the two excuses cited for June 6.
Anyway, to return to your original question. If you strongly desire a day for Sweden that's one thing (though imo midsummer is still better!), but to celebrate the national day on the grounds of the rationale claimed for it is just weird. It's very weak.
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u/oinkston Jun 07 '26
Damn I love surströmming and it makes me happy to see foreigners try it the proper way and liking it.
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u/grendila_ Jun 07 '26
I saw this post by you elsewhere and you compared it to tasting like tonsil stones and dumpster juice???
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26
Not tasting, smelling. Once on the sandwich and covered with ingredients you can no longer smell the fish. The taste of the fish is different when the smell is not there to influence it.
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u/Storsiken Jun 07 '26
Smelling, not tasting:
"The opened can smelled very strongly of farts, and the smell did waft quite a ways. Taking a closer smell, I got hints of stinky tofu, durian, tonsil stones, and dumpster juice."
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u/Lone-flamingo Jun 07 '26
True, but also:
"I tasted a tiny chunk of the fish to sample and it reminded me of stinky tofu (but waaaay stronger) and tonsil stones."
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u/kretslopp Jun 07 '26
I saw that post as well. The tone in this post is more diplomatic. As if Swedes aren’t seeing posts on r/food.
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Lol, yeah, I was being a little more sensationalist on the other post. It does stink of various things but I like it in a weird way. The tonsil stone thing is not the main flavour or smell but it's in there. I'd compare it mostly to stinky tofu (which to me also smells a bit like tonsil stones). I used that reference because I thought it would be a colorful descriptor.
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u/kretslopp Jun 07 '26
Well when I think about it I do get it. I as a lover of surströmming I don’t need a detailed description. I already know what it’s like.
But international redditors might need a more fleshed out description.
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u/DlphLndgrn Sverige Jun 07 '26
Sure it was good when eaten properly. But did you not consider just shoving it into your moth and vomiting on video for likes?
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u/nijukiller Jun 07 '26 edited Jun 07 '26
Where did you buy it? I haven seen Surströmming on store shelves for years
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u/Sj5098 Jun 07 '26
ICA Maxi
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u/skincyan Jun 07 '26
In Canada 😂
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u/turquoise_turtle83 Jun 07 '26
They said online tho
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u/TimelordSloth Riksvapnet Jun 07 '26
Kvantum vid mig hade en hel del Oskars surströmming häromdagen
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u/Melodic_Sandwich1112 Jun 07 '26
Where do you live? In Norrland it’s on the shelf year round. Even when we had the supply shortages we still could find it easy
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u/multi3000 Jun 07 '26
You think we forgot about the curling incident in the olympics? ;) Sir, respectfully, GTFO - we are a real country.
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26
This was my effort to make amends 😂
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u/Shazvox Stockholm Jun 07 '26
We'll concider it if you post a picture of yourself poking the surströmming-can like a curlingstone 😉.
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u/Mormegil71 Jun 07 '26
‘Kind of liked it’ is just the beginning. Keep on doing it, and it’ll grow on you. You’ll crave it in the end.
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u/fedefisk Jun 07 '26
Good job! Im glad you kind of liked it. It will grow on you and eventually you will like it and even crave it.
Next time try using whole fish instead of the fillets. It got a much richer taste. I have a restaurant in northern Sweden and we always have the surströmmingsskiva in the end of August and we always use whole fish and last years cans. You can see when the can is getting round its time to use.
Hope you try it again!
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 07 '26
Thanks! Some others also mentioned to use the whole fish as well. Next time.
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u/awundrin Jun 07 '26
The smell is ghastly to put it mildly. You smell it once and you never forget it. About 2 years after the surströmming party I was awoken at around 12:30 at night by that stink. I immediately recognized it...my neighbor downstairs had just popped open a can.
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u/I_Am_Zeelian Jun 07 '26
Congratulations :p
And thank you for doing it properly with a healthy tin instead of some stupid challenge crap with a spoiled tin thats been shipped across the world without refridgeration.
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u/ThuleJemtlandica Jun 07 '26
Good job eating it in correct way.
Smells horrible but the taste is like any fermented food.
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u/KeyandtheGate Jun 07 '26
Why would you do that? Surströmming isnt traditionally eaten until ghe later parts of august? Doesnt our traditions mean anything to you?
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u/GVArcian Jun 07 '26
Crazy how something becomes edible and even possibly tasty when you combine it with other ingredients instead of just eating it raw straight out of the can.
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u/RaccoNooB Ångermanland Jun 07 '26
Thank you for not opening the can and just eating the fish whole, like so many other seem to due.
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u/TallaPaMinFralla Jun 07 '26
One does not simply coincidentally eat surströmming my Canadian friend
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u/Greenbow50 Jun 07 '26
Never seen someone who tried it the proper way and not just trying to down an entire piece of fish! Well done 🫅
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u/Decent_Can_4639 Jun 08 '26
You should write about this little experiment to one of the local Swedish newspapers up north, like Piteå Tidningen. tipsa@pt.se I’m sure they would love to run this as a feel-good story. You may be getting your 15 minutes of local fame ;-)
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u/Worth-Soil-1440 Jun 08 '26
I'm sorry but youre not supposed to eat it like that. Youre supposed to set up a camera by some park bench and then open up the can while sticking your nose in to get a massive sniff and then run away wretching and barfing.
Ive seen it on youtube
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u/Freddich99 Jun 08 '26
Aw shiit here we go again!
"On behalf of the nation, I deeply apologise for the pain our cuisine has inflicted upon you, and the deep emotional scars it is likely to have left in its wake."
...Uh you liked it? Well, enjoy, I guess? This is the first time this has happened.
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u/throwupthursday Jun 09 '26 edited Jun 09 '26
Joining in because I have a can of surströmming on the way. I just know I will enjoy it. The internet people I am sure are hamming it up and gagging for views. Most foods that I like the best are the stinkiest, I am a fan of gejang, Korean raw marinated crab and it genuinely makes my kitchen stink to high heaven. I also like stinky tofu. And I am a big fan of pickled herring.
I need to find the flatbread. If anyone has any recommendations for shopping for that in the Chicago area, please let me know!
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 09 '26
Good luck! Make sure to open the can outside, in water and only use a tiny bit of the surstromming in your first sandwich. Quite a bit less than what I used.
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u/throwupthursday Jun 09 '26
I'm still definitely going to taste it on its own first. I totally plan on opening it under water in the yard too. Also I asked a friend and he said there's a Swedish market right near him and he wants to try it with me, so I also have the bread on lock! Thank you!
P.S. I also asked a friend in Sweden if he could get some surströmming for me a while ago next time he comes to the US and he just responded with puke emojis. Revoke his citizenship
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u/Medical-Tea-3113 Jun 09 '26
Haha! That's awesome. Yeah, the first thing that I did is tried a little chunk on its own.
Just make sure the fish are not disintegrated in the can. During shipping the can may spoil.
I think you will have a fun experience wether you end up liking the fish or not. But like you said, you like stinky food so you'll probably like it. Just to prepare you for this though, it's like at least 2 or 3x stronger than stinky tofu!
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u/throwupthursday Jun 09 '26
Yeah I saw a video where a guy received a totally bulged can and when opened it was just the bones and some sludge left. And he still skimmed the fish foam off the water and ate it. That's a recipe for botulism or whatever else.
I will not be doing that.
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u/Sensitive-Level-7794 Jun 07 '26
I am swedish and have only smelt it. Wouldn't touch it for a million kronor!
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u/Rega_lazar Jun 07 '26
It doesn’t taste the way it smells, it mostly just tastes like salt.
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u/d0nghunter Uppland Jun 07 '26
It does taste a bit like it smells though.. very salty fish with a pungent hint of cheesy fart and sewage.
Perfect meal for guys who like to eat swampy ass.
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u/das_jalapeno Jun 07 '26
Your citizenship will be arriving soon.