culinary tourism

A night at the ostrich farm Sahlins Struts in Borlänge

| Eva

Say Dalarna and the mind pictures lush green forests, red wooden houses, lakes. Add the word animals and the horse, the famous Dala horse, might be the first to come to mind, followed by something wild like moose. Yet, among the tourist attractions that involve animals in Dalarna there is one that is a bit more unexpected. It’s a farm located just outside Borlänge that since 1994 has been herding ostriches: Sahlins Struts. Located on a property that has been owned by the same family for over a century, Sahlins Struts is more than just an ostrich farm. Continue reading →

Where to eat Polish food in Krakow

| Eva

So you find yourself in Krakow, the charming second largest city in Poland, and you wonder what it has to offer in terms of food. Krakow is very international and you can really find it all. From sushi to Mexican, from Italian to Ukrainian, Hungarian or even an American bakery, Krakow has it all. And it does not disappoint either when it comes to the local cuisine. You can find many options in town where you can sample authentic Polish food in Krakow, and in this post I am presenting an overview of some such eateries. These are all trusted places where I used to eat when I was an expat in Krakow, and love to recommend. Continue reading →

Dining on the Baltic Sea: the Viking Line Buffet

| Eva

Going on a cruise is synonym with many wonderful experiences, including some incredible food. Come sunset nothing beats the view of the sun sinking into the sea while indulging on some fine cruise foods and drinks. The cruises on the Baltic Sea are no exception and their restaurants offer a fantastic range of dining options while travelling on the Baltic Sea. I have recently been on a day cruise from Stockholm on Viking Cinderella and was awed at the new Viking Line Buffet. Onboard their ships, Viking Line serves a fantastic buffet that features carefully selected delicacies from the nordic cuisine in its most exquisite form: the smörgåsbord. Continue reading →

Exploring Trieste’s food and coffee culture

| Eva

The easternmost major city in northern Italy, Trieste lays on that thin stretch of Italian coastline squeezed between Slovenia and the Adriatic sea. Given its geographical position, Trieste’s food culture features layers of influences from the various worlds that converge there. The fishing tradition, the main element of the cuisine of a port city, is enriched with elements from the Slavic and Balkan as well as the Habsburg traditions. This makes Trieste’s culinary identity quite peculiar and unique in the rich panorama of the Italian cuisine. Continue reading →

A fondue dinner at Romme Alpin’s Toppstugan

Fondueafton at Romme Alpin Toppstugan, a meat fondue dinner in Dalarna Sweden
| Eva

Fondue dinners are a popular feature at ski resorts in Sweden. The alpine dish well suits the snowy atmosphere of Sweden in winter, especially when served in a skiing context. As you enjoy your fondue bourguignonne surrounded by the beautiful landscape of the Swedish winter you’d swear you’re in Switzerland. Very close to where I live in Dalarna there is the ski resort Romme Alpin. Their Toppstugan restaurant offers fondue nights (known as fondueafton) throughout the season, starting right after the restaurant stops serving Julbord, aka traditional Christmas dishes, a typical Advent menu. Continue reading →

Irish food bucket list: while in Ireland eat like the Irish

Irish food: an ode to some of the best meals I had in Ireland
| Eva

If you think that the only Irish food out there is potatoes, in this post I will try to change your mind. Please stay and read on. I spent a week travelling around Ireland and there hasn’t been one time that I wasn’t happy with what I ordered. And even if we have to narrow it down to the potatoes, they were delicious. But there is so much more. Ireland is a famed producer of beef and dairy, and while in Ireland I had really delicious meats and dairy products.

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Coffee culture in Sweden: Hedens Kaffe in Falun

Coffee culture in Sweden: Hedens Kaffe in Falun
| Eva

Ever since I moved to Sweden I have become an avid coffee drinker. Sweden’s coffee culture was one of the first features I embraced. Sweden tops world coffee consumption statistics, ranking second only to neighbouring Finland. Coffee plays a crucial role in everyday life in Sweden. I remember how important the role of coffee breaks was at university here. Every couple of hours or so we would get a coffee break. It was sacred, there was no way we would not stop for coffee. Continue reading →

Three meals in Northern Ireland

afternoon tea
| Eva

Northern Ireland revealed itself as a food paradise to me. There hasn’t been one meal that I did not deeply enjoy while there. I only spent three days in Northern Ireland and I tried to eat out every time we could. Even when we had a lot of driving ahead and not enough time to fit in a proper lunch. This is when we usually make our sandwiches and eat them on the go. Even then I loved the local food. That cheddar, that bread… what’s not to love there? Continue reading →

A distillery tour of Ireland – exploring the world of Irish whiskey

| Eva

There was a time in my life when whisky was just whisky. Actually, as the hibernophile that I am, I used to spell it whiskey, with an e. Even scotch or bourbon, it was all whiskey to me. In fact, I didn’t even know the difference between a scotch and a bourbon. Then I met my boyfriend and he happened to be a whisky person. A big whisky person (and notice the lack of the extra –e- I loved to use). One who will describe his favourite kind of whisky without even saying the word whisky (“Peated single malt”. Okaaaay.). Continue reading →

The art of fika, a reunion in Stockholm

The art of fika in a Stockholm café
| Eva

The first time I travelled to Stockholm with my boyfriend was during a long weekend in December some years ago. The city was packed with snow and Christmas lights and it was utterly romantic. It was also very cold, so cold that every now and then we felt the need to enter a café and order a hot drink to warm ourselves up from the inside out. What we did out of necessity, we discovered later to be also a very cultural thing in Sweden: the art of fika.
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