So what really is filmjölk? It is simply fermented milk! But it is not fermented in the same way as other fermented dairy products, such as kefir or yogurt. Because it is the way of making filmjölk that makes it distinctly Swedish.
Different ways to make Filmjölk
Traditionally there were a few ways our beloved Swedish fermented milk was made. One method involved boiling milk that then sat in big vessels in a cool room like the basement, this way the milk curdled and got its sour taste.
Another distinctly Swedish method involved picking the herb Tätört - Pinguincula sp., and curing the milk together with the herb.
Filmjölk is available in all grocery stores
If you want to try this historic dairy product, it is available in all Swedish grocery stores. We usually eat filmjölk for breakfast, plain, or with cereal and something sweet such as banana, jam, raisins or a sprinkle of sugar. Filmjölk has a runnier texture than yoghurt, and it is quite sour, but as a Swede, filmjölk och flingor (filmjölk and cereal) was my favorite breakfast for many years.
