Opened can of surströmming in brine | Place of origin Sweden | Main ingredients Baltic herring | Cookbook: Surströmming Media: Surströmming |
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What is stinky fish challenge?
The upshot of this is the rise of the Surströmming Challenge, where
people unused to the delicacy or its characteristic smell are invited to try the food for the first time
.
Can of fermented fish challenge?
Surströmming is made from Baltic sea herring, which is fermented in a weak brine for at least six months
. It’s lightly salted in the can to prevent it from rotting. Those brave enough to try often eat small pieces in a flatbread wrap along with waxy potatoes, sour cream, red onion, chives and dill.
What is the surströmming challenge?
The surströmming challenge is
an invitation to try the fermented herring for the first time
. How you choose to do so is completely up to you! But we recommend that you do it outdoors. Some people just open the can, while others go so far as to actually eat it.
Can surströmming make you sick?
Can surströmming make you sick? Thanks to the association with rotted fish, many people wonder “is surströmming safe to eat?” or whether the food will make them sick. First of all,
surströmming is completely safe, as the fish is fermented, not rotten.
Why does surströmming exist?
For most Swedes who eat surströmming the reason is simple: it is
because they like a surströmmingsskiva (a fermented herring party)
. Swedes love an excuse for a party and opening a can of rotting fish can provide an excuse.
Is surströmming edible?
As Surströmming has a really potent smell and also taste I would never ever have it “plain”.
Only the combination of Swedish thin bread, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, sour cream and of course Surströmming makes it edible
.
Who actually eats surströmming?
Surströmming, a fermented herring considered to be a famous delicacy in Sweden, is also known as one of the most pungent foods in the world. And there’s one more must-have accompaniment: beer. Herring has been a key part of Swedish culture for centuries. Long ago,
Swedish workers
were even paid in herring.
How do you eat fish surströmming?
How to eat surströmming like a local:
As the tin is pressurised, open the surströmming in a basin of water.
Wash it, gut it, and wrap it in buttered tunnbröd, a type of sweetened flat bread, with slices of almond potatoes and diced onion. Accompany with beer, snaps and lots of friends.
What is the world’s smelliest food?
Surströmming
. Surströmming (say “soor-stroh-ming”) is tinned fish from Sweden that is fermented (put in a salty brine for two months) before the tins are sealed up and sold. The process of fermenting the fish creates a strong rotten egg smell.
What does surströmming taste like?
What does surströmming taste like? Well, the Swedes are right – it really doesn’t taste as bad as it smells. Unsurprisingly, it has
a fishy flavour, but with the sharp tang of a good blue cheese
. It’s certainly is an acquired taste, but most Swedes love it – and you may well come to enjoy it as well.
What is the stinkiest food on the planet?
1.
Surströmming
.
Swedish for “sour herring”
this fish is salted just enough not to rot, then left for 6 months. The most putrid smelling food in the world – it is said to resemble a rotting corpse.
Does surströmming need to be refrigerated?
Surströmming
should always be refrigerated even when unopened
– and must only be opened outdoors.
Can you bring surströmming on a plane?
A tin of surströmming undoubtedly makes for a novel souvenir, but before you start filling your suitcases with the stuff be warned;
several airlines, including BA, have banned it on the grounds that the pressurised tins could explode on board
.
What does strumming smell like?
The good thing is that this strong smell is only overwhelming for a short amount of time. The fish itself does not smell that strong at all. Surströmming has a
salty baseline of flavor, layered with tastes that are creamy, crunchy, sharp and herbal
.
Why is herring pickled?
Pickled herrings have been a staple in Northern Europe since medieval times, being
a way to store and transport fish, especially necessary in meatless periods like Lent
. The herrings would be prepared, then packed in barrels for storage or transportation.
How do you make surströmming?
Surströmming is prepared by
fermenting Baltic herring for at least three months in a brine
. The brine is salty, but not so salty as to inhibit the fermenting microorganisms. After the fish has fermented in barrels for a while, it’s canned, where it continues to ferment.