Smörgåsbord

What it is

The name joins smörgås, an open sandwich, and bord, a table. A full spread holds dozens of dishes: several kinds of pickled herring, cured and smoked salmon, eel, egg dishes, cold cuts, pâté, salads, cheeses, crispbread, then warm dishes such as meatballs, small sausages and a potato and anchovy gratin. Sweet things and coffee come last. Aquavit and beer are the usual drinks, and each round of aquavit may be opened with a short drinking song.

Where it comes from

The smörgåsbord grew out of an older habit called the brännvinsbord, a side table of bread, butter, cheese, herring and spirits offered to guests before they sat down to dinner. During the nineteenth century the side table grew and became the meal itself, served in hotels and railway restaurants. The word entered English in the twentieth century. Similar cold tables exist in Norway, Denmark and Finland under their own names.

How it works

The order matters because the flavours build from sharp to rich. First plate: herring, with boiled potatoes, sour cream, chives and crispbread. Second plate: other cold fish, such as cured salmon. Third: cold meats and salads. Fourth: the warm dishes. Fifth: cheese, dessert and coffee. You take a clean plate each time and small portions. Nobody minds how many trips you make. Mixing herring and meatballs on one plate is the common beginner mistake.

How to do it

1. Begin with herring, potatoes and crispbread only.
2. Take a fresh plate and go back for cured and smoked fish.
3. Third trip: cold cuts, pâté and salads.
4. Fourth trip: the warm dishes.
5. Finish with cheese, dessert and coffee.

Good manners

• Small portions, many trips. Do not build a tower.
• Never put fish and meat on the same plate.
• Join the toast. Meet eyes, say skål, sip, meet eyes again.

What is eaten

Pickled herringHerring preserved in salt and vinegar, eaten across Northern and Eastern EuropeGravlaxSalmon cured with salt, sugar and dill, sliced thin and served with mustard-dill sauceMeatballGround meat shaped into balls and cooked by frying, baking, or braising in sauceJansson's TemptationSwedish casserole of potatoes, onions, pickled sprats and creamCrispbreadA dry, flat rye bread that keeps for months and is eaten across the Nordic countriesChristmas hamCured ham served at Christmas, with local glazes and traditions

Also part of it, and being written: Prinskorv, Smoked salmon.

Sources and further reading

• Smorgasbord on Wikipedia
• Sweden.se: Swedish food
• Nordiska museet, Stockholm