My girlfriend sent me a link to a shop in Stockholm that sells English Food. (http://www.englishshop.se/)
This actually got me thinking about food and what they do and don’t sell in Sweden. Food is unfortunately something that I cannot take with me back to Sweden (but I will be smuggling in some Reggae Reggae sauce!) so it got me thinking about what I will miss.
Firstly, unlike many Swedes, I hate fish. That maybe odd coming from someone who lives on an Island but I really do not like it, the thought of eating something that’s been flopping around in rivers and seas does not really appeal to me. I don’t hate all fish, I just like it covered in breadcrumbs. How British of me.
But back to the shop, firstly I was staggered by the prices of the food but then again I have to remember that these are imported products. Also looking through the wide range of products available I realised that I have not actually tasted, and in some cases seen, these products in years. They are all very “British”!. Ovaltine, Horlicks, Robinsons Jam, Quaker Porridge, the list goes on. It’s also probably the only shop in the world that still sells “Bounce” sheets for the tumble dryer.
I know that the food in Sweden is great (but eating meat for breakfast will take a while to get used to!) and it’s not that different to the UK but there are some things that I will miss. An example was the last time I was in Sweden I ran around Willys like a headless chicken frantically searching for pasta bake and could not believe when they did not sell it. Meat is also far more expensive in Scandinavia than it is in the UK.
I’m not going to sulk because I cannot go to my local chip shop nor have an English Breakfast. I will indulge in the lovely food that Sweden has to offer, I will learn to cook new meals and try new foods. Yet deep down a part of my taste buds will always be in England.
Tags: eating, food, smorgasboard
