Each country has a delicacy or a unique food dish that is either loved or hated with the first bite. Sweden offers Surstromming or sour herring that requires a high level of love for fishes due to its intense aroma and taste.
The herring are caught during spring from the Baltic Sea around Sweden before they can spawn. These fishes are then fermented by storing them in wooden barrels along with a strong brine solution. The solution is changed to a milder one during the fermentation process even as the fishes ferment to deliver an intense and acidic taste and pungent aroma.
The fishes are fermented until the month of July and then packed in cans where the process of fermentation continues. This results in a bulge on the top and bottom of the can. Such cans can be spotted in most supermarkets in northern and southern Sweden. However, this Swedish herring is slowly being discovered in other parts of the globe, especially in Japan where people are constantly on the lookout for rare flavors and aromas when it comes to fish.
A few online stores have thus begun offering Surstromming processed and canned in Sweden. You too can visit such websites and order for cans of this pungent fish if you wish to explore strong flavors and aromas. However, eating Surstromming is certainly an acquired taste and this small fish usually evokes big reactions when people open a can and bite into this intense fish.
One helpful tip is to open the can in an outdoor location to dissipate the pungent aroma that is released upon opening it. Another tip is to open the can under water in a water basin since the can will be pressurized with fermented gases. A helpful tip while eating is to add several other ingredients to lessen the acidic sting of this fish.
Most Swedish people like to eat Surstromming with thin crispy or soft bread. In addition, they also love to add sliced or boiled potatoes, sliced onions, and even chives to create a surstromming sandwich. You can also enjoy this intense fish with beer or a cold glass of milk. Eating this fish with other ingredients will provide the perfect balance between sweet and strong. However, this pungent fish is usually loved or despised with the very first bite.
Over time, you can include your own special ingredients to enjoy eating this fermented sour herring from Sweden. Much like the Swedish people, you too can bring out this fish during special occasions provided you offer this fish to true fish enthusiasts that are not averse to really strong aroma and flavor.
You can definitely expand the borders of your palate by trying out new varieties of fishes. One fish that can help experience intense flavors is Surstromming from Sweden. You can order for this pungent fish from the comfort of your home by merely visiting select online stores that sell this fermented fish.
A few clicks will help you to order your chosen Surstromming and welcome it at your front door. You can open this can after you call other fish enthusiasts at your home so that everyone can try out this intense fish.
