When you are confident enough to try out fishes with a very pungent aroma and strong acidic taste then you can take a bite of Sweden’s strongest fermented fish- Surstromming. This sour herring has been a Swedish delicacy since several centuries although it will certainly provoke your palate with the very first sniff and bite.
Surstromming is fished during the spring months from the Baltic Sea before the herring have a chance to spawn. The heads of the caught fish are removed and the bodies are immersed in wooden barrels along with strong brine solution. The fermentation process lasts for around two months by which time strong acids and gases are formed.
The fermentation process is followed by canning. This does not stop fermentation and the fish continue to produce acids and gases in the cans resulting in the cans bulging outwards from the top and bottom. The cans are then ready to be sold in supermarkets all over Sweden. However, the canning process ensures longer shelf life for these fermented fish and countries all around the world are now showing a lot of interest in trying out this pungent fish from Sweden.
The Japanese people have known to be game to try out new varieties of fish and have shown a lot of interest in ordering Surstromming from online stores. A few trustworthy stores have begun catering to this demand and now offer this canned Swedish fish to consumers all around the world. You can also visit such sites and place an online order to receive your very own Surstromming. This fermented fish can be enjoyed with a variety of other natural elements.
You should be aware that this sour herring can prove to be quite a mouthful thanks to its pungent aroma and strong acidic flavor. Hence, this intense fish must be shared only with fish lovers with a strong will and stomach. In addition, you must open the can of Surstromming outdoors to enable the accumulated gases to escape without overwhelming those around. Using a basin of water and opening the can under water is a better option.
The Swedes enjoy eating Surstromming with their thin bread, which is made crispy or soft according to taste. You too can do the same and create a Surstromming sandwich by adding diced onions, sliced potatoes that have been boiled, and chives. Washing down this sandwich along with a glass of cold milk or beer will help you enjoy this pungent fish as well as take away some of the intense flavor at the same time.
Each country has a unique dish that is loved or hated with the very first sniff or bite. Sweden has Surstromming, an intensely strong fish that certainly evokes an emotional response that is either good or bad, right upon opening the can.
The best part is that you too can bite into Sweden’s delicacy by going online and ordering cans of Surstromming from a trusty online store. If you want to experience a unique flavor and aroma in the world of fish then you should definitely take a bite of Sweden’s strongest fermented fish – Surstromming.
