Picture this: you’re wandering through a beautiful beech tree forest in Sweden. The air is fresh and fragrant. The calls of birds, the rustle of leaves and your soft footsteps are all you hear. Soon, you arrive at a wooden table – the most perfect setting for a foraged feast imaginable.
This is ‘The Drinkable Country’: a new initiative by Visit Sweden based on the success of its ‘Edible Country’ series. While ‘The Edible Country’ focused on expert-created food recipes featuring seasonal ingredients, ‘The Drinkable Country’ is your chance to taste delicious drinks created by Sweden’s most influential beverage experts. Each is designed to reflect four geographic regions – and four seasons – of Sweden. There are 14 outdoor sipping experiences to choose from across the country; and each involves foraging for your own ingredients, learning from a local guide and eating dishes designed to pair with what you’re drinking.
So why the focus on foraging? Well, Sweden has always championed locally sourced produce. While foraging was once done out of necessity due to the country’s climate and short growing season, it’s now a celebrated part of Sweden’s culinary culture. Not only is it a more sustainable way to eat, but it also fosters creativity and innovation. And of course, closeness to nature has always been integral to the Swedish mindset: the country’s famous ‘right to roam’ is protected by law, allowing people to enjoy the country’s mountains, lakes, forest and meadows. The unique landscape provides a huge variety of unique ingredients that make Swedish cuisine a must-try.
But now for the big question: what could you be sipping as part of ‘The Drinkable Country’? Visit Sweden asked four of Sweden’s most influential beverage experts to create drinks that reflect the four seasons, and four geographical areas. For example, acclaimed sommelier Rebecka Lithander has taken charge of Southern Sweden; her autumn cocktail blends sloe berry juice and berries and sprigs of meadowsweet (älggräs) with wild apples, ice, and apple brandy. Skål!
You can taste these at some of the 14 tables across the country, or even make them yourself at home. Below, you’ll find four experiences – one from each region of Sweden.
