Evidently, Sweden is Far Cooler than Lerk Claims

[scyhigh99]

New Swedish herring museum creates a stink, literally Fri Jun 3,11:25 AM ET

(from Yahoo! news...)

STOCKHOLM (AFP) - A new museum dedicated to the smelly Swedish delicacy of fermented Baltic herring opens its doors this weekend in northern Sweden, giving visitors a unique and, well, interesting, olfactory experience.

Fermented Baltic herring, or surstroemming as it is called in Swedish, is known for its pungent, some say dreadful, odour and is a specialty from the northern part of the Scandinavian country.

"This is the only place in the world where herring is eaten this way. We want to show off our culture," Sten Bylin, the project leader for the Surstroemming Museum, tells AFP as the finishing touches are put on the exhibit.

The museum opens on Saturday in Skeppsmaln, a small fishing village just north of the northern town of Oernskoeldsvik, and gives visitors a historical, cultural and culinary overview of the dish as well as an opportunity to taste it -- if they dare.

Traditionally eaten in August, even lovers of the dish recommend that the tins be opened outdoors...

But only a fraction of Swedes claim to actually enjoy it. So why dedicate an entire museum to the dish?

"Because this is part of our culture up here in the north. It's unique to eat herring this way. And there's a whole culture and history surrounding it," Bylin says.

Visitors to this small, cosy shrine to herring, built in the shape of a boat, will learn that the dish originated back in the 15th century, when fish was traditionally preserved in salt.

The story goes that a cook failed to use enough salt one day. The fish began to ferment, and a new tradition was born.

The museum describes the process by which surstroemming is made.

The herring is caught in late spring, then placed in a salt mixture in wooden barrels for several days. It is then moved into the sun, which shines almost around the clock this far north in summer, for a few months to ferment.

After that it is shipped to stores in small tins.

It's only sold in shops as of the third Thursday in August -- in order to allow for the proper fermentation period -- and is usually served with boiled new potatoes and sides of onions, sour cream and tomatoes, all washed down with aquavit or beer.

For sceptics, the museum offers a "sniffing box" where the lift of a cork gives you a whiff. For the brave, the museum restaurant will whip up your very own portion.

And if you're feeling a little uncertain about how to proceed once the waitress has brought you your food, a movie will tell you what to do.

Once that's settled, all you have to do is pick a drinking song from the jukebox to accompany your shot of aquavit, or "snaps" as Swedes would say, and you're ready to go.

While those who dislike the dish say it smells putrid and rank, fans of the stuff wax lyrical. In other words, you either love it or hate it.

"I think it's delicious! When the tin is opened you get almost hysterical! You just want to start eating it right away. Something strange and psychological happens," gushes Bylin.

The museum will tell you more than you ever wanted to know about herring. For example, at the entrance is a large black barrel into which visitors are encouraged to lower their heads to hear how the herring communicate with each other. (Answer? They fart.)

Bylin, who is also a parish vicar, said he was excited about giving tourists a reason to stop in the town, until now usually only known by Swedes for its spot on the radio's daily shipping news.

"We are hoping to have at least 10,000 visitors a year. And there has been some interest from abroad" for the museum which has been in the planning since 1982.

"There's been some interest from Germans, Russians, Finns and even some French people," he said.

[Mike]

...sounds cool

[Lhunagar]

looool .. a herring museum .. awesome idea :3-japsmile:

[FreshPrincess]

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :haha:

[Bracesup]

Damn, that's going to be highlighted in every history book. :rofl: :lolsign: :smart:

[sonic1988]

:hmm:

[Lerkot]

*wants to move*