THE SWEDISH STORE CUPBOARD
This is by no means exhaustive but it includes ingredients which are in frequent use in the Swedish kitchen, or whose inclusion in a meal will add a Swedish touch.
Dry goods
Flour
For cooking, plain white flour is used. For bread making, a wide choice of flour and crushed grain of wheat, rye, oats, and Barley is available. In recent years several mixed flours have come on the market. For cakes and biscuits, plain flour and baking powder is used.
Potato flour (potato starch)
is often used as a thickening agent, especially in sweet sauces, fruit soups, and creams (krämer). If potato flour is not available, corn flour or corn starch may be used, but in that case the sauce or kräm must be simmered a couple of minutes after the thickening has been added.
Dried breadcrumbs
are frequently used, e.g. as a coating, in minced meat, and in sweets. Mostly white breadcrumbs are used, and only seldom dark rye breadcrumbs.
Sugar
Unless otherwise specified, use granulated sugar.
Rice
was rarely used in Swedish traditional cooking. The round-grained type was used for porridge (especially Christmas porridge) and in stuffings and minced meat. In recent years, long-grained rice has come into use as an accompaniment to meat dishes, replacing potatoes.
Bottled and tinned goods
Anchovies
of the Swedish type are really spiced cured sprats. They are used in various combinations with eggs and in the famous potato gratin "Jansson's Temptation" (Janssons Frestelse). They are sold tinned (whole or filleted) and they are normally used without de-salting. If you can't find Swedish anchovies, use anchovies in oil or salt herring.
Swedish caviar
is mostly sold in tubes. It is made from cod's roe, which is salted, puréed, and often smoked. Oil is added and sometimes dill. Swedish caviar is used in many dishes and it is highly appreciated on open sandwiches. It is rather difficult to find a substitute, but on sandwiches imported caviar may be substituted.
Swedish mustard
is mild and rather sweet. A German-type mustard can be used as substitute.
Swedish soy sauce
is a mixture of caramel colouring, soy extract, and salt. It is used mainly as a colouring agent in sauces, soups, and stews. Use caramel colouring as a substitute with a few drops of Chinese soy sauce added.
Vinegar
Wine and cider vinegar are comparatively Little used in Sweden. Alcohol vinegar, sold in different concentrations, is used diluted for pickling. Mostly, a 12% essence of vinegar and red or white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are used. If you're in the USA, regular white wine vinegar may be used. In this case, use the proportions given for essence of vinegar.
Lingonberry jam (red whortleberry jam)
will supply the Swedish touch to many dishes. It is served with pancakes and many other desserts, but also as a sweet-and-sour accompaniment to meat, e.g. meatballs. Don't worry if you can't find it, cranberry sauce makes an excellent substitute.
Vegetables
Potatoes
Plain boiled potatoes are most often served with everyday meat and fish dishes. There are, however, many interesting ways to prepare potatoes.
Turnips (Swedes)
are used, especially in Winter, for mashed turnips and in stews and casserole dishes.
Soup vegetables
are normally carrots, parsnips, leek, and celeriac (celery root).
Mushrooms
The Swedes eat many kinds of mushrooms, and they like going into the fields and forests to gather them. The most appreciated species are, apart from the champignons, chanterelles, morels, and boletus.
Onions
White onions are used in most dishes. For pickled herring and in some salads, the large red variety (Copper King) is preferred.
Celeriac (celery root)
is used as an aromatic in soups and stews. Substitute celery, if you can't find any celeriac.
Horseradish
is highly appreciated in hot and cold sauces, with soured Cream, and in some salads. It is also used as a preservative when pickling cucumbers or beetroots.
Fresh herbs
Parsley, dill and chives
are used lavishly in Swedish cooking.
Thyme
is also appreciated, especially in the yellow pea soup.
Dried herbs
Thyme, marjoram and bay leaves
are the most popular ones.
Juniper berries
are used in many game dishes. There is also a soda with Juniper, which is DELICIOUS.
Spices
Black and white pepper
are often used interchangeably in recipes.
Allspice, cloves, cinnamon and ginger
are used both whole and powdered.
Vanilla
is mostly replaced by vanilla or vanilline sugar. Vanilla sugar was very unusual outside Sweden when I started out with recipes on the net about 100 years ago. I don't know how available it is now, but I always have vanilla sugar in my pantry as it's so common in baking here.
Dairy Products
Butter or margarine
is normally used for frying and baking. Almost all butter sold in Sweden is lightly salted, so lightly that it can be used in cakes. Only a very small quantity is sold unsalted or extra salted.
Cream
is an important ingredient in many recipes. It's used in sauces, soups, and as an accompaniment with many sweets. The Swedish whipping cream is equivalent to the English whipping cream (American heavy Cream) with a butterfat content of 40%. When cream is called for in a recipe, use single cream (12%). The Swedish soured cream, gräddfil, has a butterfat content of 12%, just as its English counterpart.
This is by no means exhaustive but it includes ingredients which are in frequent use in the Swedish kitchen, or whose inclusion in a meal will add a Swedish touch.
Dry goods
Flour
For cooking, plain white flour is used. For bread making, a wide choice of flour and crushed grain of wheat, rye, oats, and Barley is available. In recent years several mixed flours have come on the market. For cakes and biscuits, plain flour and baking powder is used.
Potato flour (potato starch)
is often used as a thickening agent, especially in sweet sauces, fruit soups, and creams (krämer). If potato flour is not available, corn flour or corn starch may be used, but in that case the sauce or kräm must be simmered a couple of minutes after the thickening has been added.
Dried breadcrumbs
are frequently used, e.g. as a coating, in minced meat, and in sweets. Mostly white breadcrumbs are used, and only seldom dark rye breadcrumbs.
Sugar
Unless otherwise specified, use granulated sugar.
Rice
was rarely used in Swedish traditional cooking. The round-grained type was used for porridge (especially Christmas porridge) and in stuffings and minced meat. In recent years, long-grained rice has come into use as an accompaniment to meat dishes, replacing potatoes.
Bottled and tinned goods
Anchovies
of the Swedish type are really spiced cured sprats. They are used in various combinations with eggs and in the famous potato gratin "Jansson's Temptation" (Janssons Frestelse). They are sold tinned (whole or filleted) and they are normally used without de-salting. If you can't find Swedish anchovies, use anchovies in oil or salt herring.
Swedish caviar
is mostly sold in tubes. It is made from cod's roe, which is salted, puréed, and often smoked. Oil is added and sometimes dill. Swedish caviar is used in many dishes and it is highly appreciated on open sandwiches. It is rather difficult to find a substitute, but on sandwiches imported caviar may be substituted.
Swedish mustard
is mild and rather sweet. A German-type mustard can be used as substitute.
Swedish soy sauce
is a mixture of caramel colouring, soy extract, and salt. It is used mainly as a colouring agent in sauces, soups, and stews. Use caramel colouring as a substitute with a few drops of Chinese soy sauce added.
Vinegar
Wine and cider vinegar are comparatively Little used in Sweden. Alcohol vinegar, sold in different concentrations, is used diluted for pickling. Mostly, a 12% essence of vinegar and red or white wine vinegar and apple cider vinegar are used. If you're in the USA, regular white wine vinegar may be used. In this case, use the proportions given for essence of vinegar.
Lingonberry jam (red whortleberry jam)
will supply the Swedish touch to many dishes. It is served with pancakes and many other desserts, but also as a sweet-and-sour accompaniment to meat, e.g. meatballs. Don't worry if you can't find it, cranberry sauce makes an excellent substitute.
Vegetables
Potatoes
Plain boiled potatoes are most often served with everyday meat and fish dishes. There are, however, many interesting ways to prepare potatoes.
Turnips (Swedes)
are used, especially in Winter, for mashed turnips and in stews and casserole dishes.
Soup vegetables
are normally carrots, parsnips, leek, and celeriac (celery root).
Mushrooms
The Swedes eat many kinds of mushrooms, and they like going into the fields and forests to gather them. The most appreciated species are, apart from the champignons, chanterelles, morels, and boletus.
Onions
White onions are used in most dishes. For pickled herring and in some salads, the large red variety (Copper King) is preferred.
Celeriac (celery root)
is used as an aromatic in soups and stews. Substitute celery, if you can't find any celeriac.
Horseradish
is highly appreciated in hot and cold sauces, with soured Cream, and in some salads. It is also used as a preservative when pickling cucumbers or beetroots.
Fresh herbs
Parsley, dill and chives
are used lavishly in Swedish cooking.
Thyme
is also appreciated, especially in the yellow pea soup.
Dried herbs
Thyme, marjoram and bay leaves
are the most popular ones.
Juniper berries
are used in many game dishes. There is also a soda with Juniper, which is DELICIOUS.
Spices
Black and white pepper
are often used interchangeably in recipes.
Allspice, cloves, cinnamon and ginger
are used both whole and powdered.
Vanilla
is mostly replaced by vanilla or vanilline sugar. Vanilla sugar was very unusual outside Sweden when I started out with recipes on the net about 100 years ago. I don't know how available it is now, but I always have vanilla sugar in my pantry as it's so common in baking here.
Dairy Products
Butter or margarine
is normally used for frying and baking. Almost all butter sold in Sweden is lightly salted, so lightly that it can be used in cakes. Only a very small quantity is sold unsalted or extra salted.
Cream
is an important ingredient in many recipes. It's used in sauces, soups, and as an accompaniment with many sweets. The Swedish whipping cream is equivalent to the English whipping cream (American heavy Cream) with a butterfat content of 40%. When cream is called for in a recipe, use single cream (12%). The Swedish soured cream, gräddfil, has a butterfat content of 12%, just as its English counterpart.
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