A blend of far-flung spices and Nordic ingredients with traditional Swedish flavors, it could be a successful recipe for a successful banquet in the Blue Hall.
“Happy surprise”
This year's Nobel menu is signed by star chef duo Tommy Myllimäki and Pin Le from the Aira restaurant, and pastry chef Frida Bäcke. The menu has been a closely guarded secret until the guests take their seats at the laid tables in the City Hall.
I didn't think Tommy Myllimäki would work so much with spices, but it's a pleasant surprise and ginger for St. John's wort is a stroke of genius. I also hope for a renaissance for the classic Swedish herb lovage after this, says Lisa Förare Winbladh, calling lovage "the coriander of the North."
As for the starter, there is a St. John's wort mushroom soup with Almnäs brick cheese, something that may seem exotic to foreign guests.
"The odds weren't that high that it would be porcini mushrooms that were served, as that's Tommy's favorite. Everything sounds really delicious," says dessert chef Daniel Roos, who has made the dessert at the banquet six times before.
He thinks the choice of sloe berries as the base for this year's dessert is an exciting choice.
It's not super ordinary, but fun and daring. It probably goes perfectly with the baked cream cheese and raspberry consommé.
Lisa Förare Winbladh also thinks it's a cocky choice.
Swedish sloes have a rather tart taste, it's bold and I like that they use grandmother's spices like allspice and cloves. The buttermilk school is really interesting, I'm very curious to taste it. This is one of the most imaginative Nobel menus in a long time, she says.
No headlines
Last year, many people reacted to porridge being on the menu, which led to a debate about whether the Nobel food had become too “woke.” That is unlikely to happen this year, according to experts.
They're probably not looking for headlines, but rather cook very tasty and beautiful food, and that goes a long way, says Daniel Roos.
Lisa Förare Winbladh points out that the only controversial choice in the menu is the use of turbot as the main course.
It is difficult to find ethical fish and I know turbot in particular is difficult to catch in a gentle way. One could possibly question whether this creates demand. However, I still think that a vegetarian starter and fish for the main course indicate a greater awareness than before when a starter of lobster could be followed by a meat dish.
Ann Edliden/TT
Facts: Here is this year's Nobel menu
TT
Starter:
Soup of porcini mushrooms with Almnäs brick cheese, ginger oil and black winter truffle. Served with crispbread flavored with porcini mushrooms and truffle butter.
Main course:
Turbot stuffed with scallops and sugar seaweed, roasted celeriac glazed with lovage, butter-boiled potatoes and white onions seasoned with nutmeg. All served with savoy cabbage, leeks and mushrooms, accompanied by a butter sauce of fermented quince and Ingrid Marie apples.
Dessert:
Swedish sloe sorbet, flavored with orange, allspice and cloves. The ice cream is served with baked cream cheese with bourbon vanilla and a browned butter base, as well as buttermilk scoria and a crispy topping of buckwheat and oats. All on top of a wild raspberry consommé flavored with juniper shoots.
