All
Aboard! "It's Very
Swedish..." a
train on a cultural journey through Sweden, exploring the
differences big and small between American and Swedish culture.
***
There is such a thing as free lunch, no strings attached. They serve it everyday in cafeterias all across the Swedish school system. I'm not talking "qualify for free lunch" as here in the US, I'm talking a socialized country where hot lunch is included for everyone, everyday. I loved it.
Twice a week there was fish! Mondays and Wednesdays. It was a smallish fish, and neither The Swede not I remember what kind, but it was good. I don't recall there being printed menus like here in the US, but I have always been a Schedule Woman, and I memorized how often my favorite, and least favorite showed up. (Every three weeks.)
Favorite was no contest. Risgrynsgröt - rice grain porridge.
Some people liken it to rice pudding, but it's so much more than that. It's more like a risotto. I wrote about it in April 2012, so check out this post if you want to know more of this delicious anytime treat. For me, it was like getting dessert for lunch.
The least favorite was also no contest. Blodpudding. Yup, that does translate to blood pudding, or for my (many, dear) friends in the UK, black pudding. Gimme a second while I supress that gag reflex, and find out some more about this dish, which I just couldn't handle doing until an adult, or without a darn good reason. See what I will do for YOUR education?
Ok, if you really want to know the ingredients, and manufacturing...click here. Translate to your language of choice...It has several ingredients besides pig's blood, and is sold like this:
and served like this:
I'm just grateful that at the end of the buffet there was always knäckebröd - kracking bread - available. You might actually have eaten it, too. Like I said in another post, you can find it at Safeway.
~Tina, who isn't quite sure what to have for dinner tonight...maybe just a tortilla with some cheese...
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Photo credit: rice pudding
Photo credit: both blood pudding pics
