Foraging and Meandering For Chanterelles In the Swedish Countryside

There is something spectacular about the rural countryside of Sweden. Autumn foliage is in a riot of color that makes the long drive on a narrow winding road all the more interesting. Certain Someone and I took it all in as we made our way to the house. At night you can stand outside and see the dazzling stars and galaxies light up the night sky. If you listen, it’s deadly silent, peaceful, still, and calm. Something this city girl is not at all used too. Nature in rural Sweden remains in its untouched state. Virginal, something that’s I had never really seen before. There is country and there is country. This was pretty rural. Certain Someone , another couple and I had decided to go mushroom hunting on my last day in Sweden. With all the talk of Chanterelles I was obsessed. Everyone said we should have some good ones around the house. But there was a fear of picking the wrong ones. If you were to walk around the forests near the house you would see endless varieties. I was spell bound in capturing them in photos. Fungi can be so beautiful, with the deadliest Toadstools leading the pack in nature’s beauty pageant.

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The group and I set out by car to drive more into towns direction. Parked cars by the side of the road indicated there were other foraging for  mushrooms in the forests. Some  dirt road paths lead to dead roundabout ends. So we continued. We finally found  a spot. A typical Swedish family with tow headed blond children, all in their Wellies , were seated and picking through the days harvest. Beautiful large baskets full of Chanterelles  were being  dusted  of by the ladies and sliced in half to check for snails, etc. They also had baskets of ruby red ligonberries. Like the Swedish Martha Stewart she was, she pointed off to the forests and the path and said we should find a lot. She made it seem so effortless. These were pros in mushroom picking game. It was like a scene from  the defunct Gourmet to see this family and their bounty from foraging in the Swedish countryside.Mushroom hunting is a favorite Swedish pastime and thankfully the  Swedish goverment has a Right to Public Access, so natures bounty is open to all.

We, armed with one paper Lidl shopping bag, and our men carrying big sticks, set forth. We saw lots of mushrooms along the way. Mostly inedible. It’s easy to see why some people could mistake some other varieties for the Chanterelle. Thankfully our friends had given us a field guide of mushrooms that had photos and warned which are the safest, the somewhat safe, and just plain deadly. Did you know some toxins don’t begin to take effect until several days later and then complete organ failure? It’s Russian Roulette in those woods!  The men played with their big sticks on the path like they were fencing, while the blush of red caught Britt- Helen’s and mine eyes. We may not have found the elusive Chanterelle, but there were ligonberries! Glorious ligonberries . Some so ripe they burst when you touched them. Since we only had one bag, I tried to pull branches of berries to keep them intact until I could sort at home. I figured I could throw the branches on the grounds and maybe Ligonberries would bloom around our rocks next year. I envied how prepared the Swedish family we saw earlier was with their baskets , Wellies and all. My feet were soaked through traipsing in the damp forests, with hidden streams. Finally at the point of about to give up ,walking back towards the car, we found a spot. Voila! Jackpot. In the dark damp woods the Funnel Chanterelles bloomed up from the ground. An untrained eye could mistake the tops for dead fallen autumn leaves. But their golden stems revealed they where what we came for! Chanterelles in abundance. Swedish Martha Stewart was right. We filled up out bags and went back to the house. On the way we stopped by the neighbor farmer to get some of his fresh eggs and Swedish honey. He told us  has four cocks and 500 hens and sells around 400-500 eggs a week. A chicken harem.

I wish I had photos of the dinner I made. Scan, a Swedish meat company had invited Anne, who invited me , to a Julboard event earlier  that week,and gave us a bag of meats which I brought to the house. Julboard is the big Christmas Swedish meal of hams traditionally. I will blog all about that later. I served  Roast Beef  and gravy from Scan, with Tagliatelle, cream, leeks, Funnel Chanterelles  and some Black trumpets , the others had brought from their in laws house, on our menu. In addition I made a pork roast with a ligonberry  rum glaze made from the scant half cup of berries I foraged. Not feeling 100 percent confident in a foreign simple kitchen, my guests and Certain Someone said it was fine. In the back of my mind I was praying we didn’t pick anything wrong, because these stories are rampant at this time of year. It’s weird for a glamorous city girl to really comprehend what’s its like to really pick the components for her own supper. It was and experience I will never forget. The next morning I left the house at dawn to drive  to the airport and have a last look at Swedish countryside through the  foggy mist. It was most beautiful sights you will ever see.

Here is a slide-show of what we saw. I really see beauty in mushrooms. Also here is a great online guide to identifying mushrooms in Scandinavia.

A Week of Stylish Swedish Dinners With Family and Friends

There is something about Stockholm. When we landed close to midnight last Sunday evening, I felt I was home. It’s been two years since my last visit to the Land Of The Midnight Sun. However its Autumn now and the days are getting colder and darkness falls earlier and earlier.

The colorful berries are still present but the beautiful assortment of Chanterelles and other mushrooms are in profusion. Dare I say it, I’m eating better here in Stockholm than in Rome. Fresh, clean simple flavors served in cutting edge Swedish design. While Swedes may long for more spice, I found the simplicity wholesome and fresh. 

Dagmar and her husband, of Cat In The Kitchen were gracious to invite Certain Someone and I to dinner in her gorgeous home in walking distance from the sea. Anne of Annes Food showed up with adorable Baby Titus and her husband. Can I say I’m love little Titus, and Dagmars house.  Titus is such a fun baby with a healthy refined appetitite. He stayed up with the big folks and then came to say goodnight in his Cinnamon bun pajamas. Look at Dagmar’s kitchen! Dagmars excellent Swedish Meal was outstanding and she claimed it was her first time serving such.You know we sometimes wonder  in the food blogger world if the person really has kitchen chops. Dagmar does. I hope to be able to come come back more frequenrtly to enjoy the girls company in the future. Here was Dagmars traditional Swedish menu. Did I also mention she effortslty pulled this off on a Monday night before jetting off for work in Coppenhagen? I’m grateful.

  •  SOS for starters (sill,ost,smör i.e. herring, västerbotten cheese, butter. Served with crisp bread and snaps).

  •  Chanterelle risotto

  •  Veal steak

  •  Dessert ofsmåländsk ostkaka(a Swedish cheese cake originally from Småland. Made with home made cheese. Served with different jams, berries and whipped cream).

Some of you may not know I have family in Sweden.My father’s closest brother lived here and had three sons. The brothers communicated throughout their lives sending photos and letters of their respective families and yet hadn’t seen each other for years. When my father died I felt a cosmic pull to seek them out and we meet some years ago. I hadn’t seen them since the last visit five years ago. My cousins are very busy and successful with their own families now and I was so happy everyone now lived in Stockholm proper. My Aunt is a whiz on the computer and has been following Coco Cooks and had kept up with me over the years. I was so surprised. She pulled out my late uncles extensive collection of photos from the brothers early days in Europe in the Sixties. The black and white photos of  Nigerian scions from a prominent family studying and playing in Europe were fantastic to see.All were to go into medicine or some branch in various countries around the world. I had never seen those photos and gained more insight into my illustrious family.Fortunately my Aunt  is a great host of information. I was happy to introduce Certain Someone to my fathers side at last. He and the cousins clicked immediately, spoke Swedish, and I could tell they would be good friends with similar interests. My cousins wife was there with thier beautiful daughter. Even though we are many hues and nationalities, the genetic resemblances were strong. Looking at everyone I felt  happy , centered, and content .  My aunt served another traditional Swedish Dinner for us:
  • A starter of salmon rolls, Chanterelle and Reindeer tarts, salad with shrimp
  • Jansson’s Temptation a  rich potato and anchovy dish
  • Meatballs and sausages
  • And an almond and berry cake with coffee.

*A note on the photos. Maybe I’m overwhelmed or finding it difficult to focus, but I’m not having a good relationship with the camera on this trip. I’m relying on Certain Someone to capture most moments. I hope these photos do the incredible meals some justice.

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

Strawberries are pretty cheap these days due  to the Nations Strawberry Glut. A late Florida Season caused by a cold winter is meeting up with California’s traditional spring crops and the US market is flooded.Seeing as how I could purchase  two containers of berries for the price of one,  I went ahead and then put the ice cream freezer bowl in the freezer. I love to make ice cream , yet don’t do it as often as I would  like .I always seem to forget how easy it is and how creative you can get.
While announcing my weekend intention on Twitter/ Face Book, renown  and highly respected pastry chef, Shuna Fish Lydon suggested I roast my strawberries with vanilla sugar to coax out more flavor. That’s what I love about social media. Great chefs with a wealth of experience ready to help or just talk and share with no pretense. I took Shuna’s suggestion and ran with it a little more by roasting the berries with both vanilla sugar and Balsamic Vinegar. Oh WOW! I also decided to use Sour Cream , in addition to Half and Half and Milk. Did I mention just a bit of Creme de Noyaux, an  pink almond  flavored liquor made from apricot kernels? In the end the Creme de Noyaux was very subtle, but I added it to keep the ice cream from freezing  hard and to enhance pink color, as homemade ice creams tend to do. My pastry instructor in the workshops at French Pastry School last summer declared Ice Creams will be next big thing in terms of trends in pastry . I do believe he is right.

Roasted Strawberry Balsamic Ice Cream

3 cups Strawberries  washed, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 cup Vanilla Sugar ( save used vanilla beans and add to containers of sugar)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar ( reserve 1/4 cup)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Paste ( extract can used as well)
2 tablespoons Creme de Noyaux
1 1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/4 cups Sour Cream
1 cup Half and Half

Prepare Freezer Bowl according to ice Cream makers instructions.
Line a baking sheet with lips with aluminum foil. Spread the halved strawberries. Combine Vanilla Sugar and  1 cup of granulated sugar . Sprinkle over the berries. Drizzle the Balsamic Vinegar over the berries and sugar. Roast at 400 F  until the sugar dissolves and the juices start to bubble and caramelize. This will take about 15 minutes or so. Remove from the oven and carefully pour into a bowl. Using a strainer separate the  the berries  from the juices, while mushing them slightly. Set aside the mashed berries in one small container and allow the hot strawberry sugar balsamic juice to cool in another container. Add vanilla paste or extract and the Creme de Noyaux. Set Aside.
In a bowl or stand mixer mix the whole milk and remaining 1/4 cup sugar for a few minutes on low speed. Add the Sour Cream and  half & half. Mix well. While mixing, add the Berry Juices, and mashed berries. Pour the mixture into the freezer bowl and churn for 25 minutes. It will be a soft consistency. Pour and spread into loaf pans and cover . Freeze for several more hours in the freezer until ready to serve.