From commenter Winnie*:
One of the best things about foreign supermarkets is seeing just what the greatest amount of shelf real estate is devoted to. In France, there are always two aisles of yogurt; in Italy so many kinds of pasta, of course; in Switzerland muesli, in England baked beans; and in the US, cereal. What's the deal in Sweden?
As I replied in the comments, the deal in Sweden is tube food. Lots and lots of food in tubes. My friend Chris told me to look out for baconost, or bacon cheese in a tube. But why stop at baconost when there is a whole refrigerator case filled with squeezable food?
Here's classic Kalles Kaviar, a tomato potato fish roe mixture that's supposedly good squeezed onto a boiled egg. I will try it before I go. I learned to love Marmite, so why not this? I bet it's total umami.
Here's some salami cheese and crab cheese (that sounds dirty) in a tube. I'm not sure what "ren" is. But it comes with cheese.
These are a bunch of different kinds of cheese tubes, including mozzarella and olive cheese in a tube. Very strange and exotic.
ren = reindeer
hmmm, somehow it sounds cruel in to eat when you say it in english but not in swedish
That is awesome. I looked up "ren" in google translate and it said "clean". Reindeer is so much better!
But how are all the tube foods consumed? Is this sort of an extension of smorrebrod culture, or do they, like, squeeze that shit onto their fingers and lick it off?
Also: the tube display is awesome.
I think they get squeezed onto a piece of bread. Kalles is squeezed onto hard-boiled eggs. Smørrebrød is a Danish thing; Smörgås is the Swedish word for sandwich, but apparently you only eat sandwiches for breakfast.
My friend brought back tubed reindeer meat from Sweden, but he won't let me try it. "It's expired," he says, "you could die." So? I'm still curious - isn't it the same as canned meat?
Can't wait for your review of these curious snacks!
Also, love the new site design.
Um, if reindeer comes in a tube, does toothpaste come in a can?
I will email you my favorite "I'm a stranger here" story from when I was in Paris and bought what I thought were cough drops but which turned out to be suppositories. Actually, that's the story, so never mind.
"ren" means both reindeer and clean, but not necessarily a clean reindeer... for some really awesome grub try out the "stekt strömming" with mashed potatoes, lingonberries and pickled cucumbers at the food wagon by slussen. serious amazing...
Try the Kalles spread on knackebrod... first butter the knackebrod and then spread (a thin!) layer of Kalles on it... very good/sweet/salty
It's so fun to see what you're writing about Sweden! I'm fascinated by the tube-food, too, but I think Kalles tastes like salty, fishy Cheez Whiz: Blech. I'm starting to freak out about leaving. Noooooooo!
It reminds me of an art supply store.
I love the re-design here (and all these new posts) too!
Moriah, thanks for liking the new design! I like it too. I'm obsessed with Picnik.com, which I used to make the new banner.
A-Lo, I will have to check out the Slussen cart and the stekt strömming. Keep the recommendations coming! I am saying yes to everything.
blip, I will try Kalles, but maybe not a whole tube...
Megan, hi! Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be back in Stockholm soon. I think the office needs more than one American.
Lisa, glad you like! Thanks for swinging by. I'm writing more now that I've got new stimuli. It also helps that I don't know many people here yet, and thusly turn to the internet for a little social affirmation.