SHARE
COPY LINK

SURSTRÖMMING

WATCH: Spaniards try Swedish fermented herring, with hilarious results

If there is one thing that never gets old it's watching foreigners tackle Sweden's fermented herring delicacy surströmming. Now it's Spain's turn, after one of the country's most popular TV programmes asked a few locals to test the smelly fish for the first time.

WATCH: Spaniards try Swedish fermented herring, with hilarious results
Surströmming served the traditional way. Photo: Susanne Lindholm/TT

“El Hormiguero” (The Anthill) has been a stalwart of Spanish screens since 2006, forging a reputation for its experimental and scientific segments. This week, things took a Scandinavian twist as a group of lucky contestants were given the chance to taste surströmming: herring plucked out of the Baltic Sea then subjected to an ancient preservation method where it's stored for months to stew in its own bacteria.

“To carry out the filming, the production staff wore masks to eliminate the smell,” the narrator advises rather dramatically at the start of the video, setting the tone.

“Do you like fish?” he asks. “Yes, yes! Always, more than meat,” a participant replies enthusiastically.

His enthusiasm soon wanes however: as the cans are opened and the liquid inside sprays out it is met with cries of “It smells so bad!”, “Uff… what is this?!” and “Awful. You're sure this isn't out of date? Absolutely certain?”

And when the juices spray the face of the woman sitting next to him, another participant says something we absolutely can't translate into English (in Spain they're a bit more liberal when it comes to swearing). Keep in mind the Spaniards haven't even tasted the stuff yet.

READ MORE: Ten delicious Spanish delicacies to try before you die

One contestant, Diego, puts a brave face on it, taking a bite as a woman watches on in horror then deliberates for several minutes over whether she will do the same.

“I can't, I'm really sorry…”

“Yes I can.”

“I can't get close to it, I'm sorry.”

“A tiny bit, I'm going to try… Come on then! Give it some balls!”

After waving the fish back and forth in front of her mouth pitifully, the woman then finally takes a bite, only for her body to reject it, to say the least. Cue montage.

“Of the eight contestants, six were sick,” a caption card explains. “Along with part of the production team,” it adds, noting that even the office dog turned the fish down.

READ ALSO: What you need to know before trying Swedish fermented herring

When El Hormiguero asked a Swede to do it, his reaction was quite different.

“Lucky! There's caviar in here!” the Swede beams in delight while putting the smelly fish in his mouth before chewing it and adding “brilliant”.

Ruben Madsen, the foremost expert on the food and self-proclaimed 'Surströmming king' was not impressed with Spanish TV's take on the local treasure.

“I watched the video and they're doing everything wrong: the cultural illiteracy is evident! Unfortunately,” Madsen told The Local.

“Surströmming should be served like the delicacy it is. The can should be cold and not stored in the heat, it should be opened correctly and with the right tools. It shouldn't be eaten whole, but filleted. It should be eaten with various accompaniments like potato, onion, crème fraîche, tomato, and also bread, cheese and dill,” he explained.

“I've served surströmming thousands of times in Sweden, Finland, Norway, England, Denmark, Japan, Russia, Greenland and Iceland, and it has always been praised or received positively,” Madsen concluded.

The surströmming proponent would likely be just as unimpressed with The Local Sweden team, who ate the fish straight from the can last summer, filming the experience for posterity.

READ ALSO: Swedish agencies hit with stinky fermented herring attack

For members

FOOD AND DRINK

Five budget-friendly bars for a night out in Malmö

For Eurovision visitors, students or anyone else looking to have a good evening without breaking the bank, Malmö has plenty of pubs – which is good news for beer drinkers, as alcohol is famously expensive in Sweden.

Five budget-friendly bars for a night out in Malmö

Most of these are around the Möllan neighbourhood, which is more or less the centre of the city’s nightlife.

A general tip if you’re buying a beer anywhere in Sweden and aren’t too bothered about the exact one you get is to order a stor stark, literally a “big strong one”. These are usually half a litre of beer at around 5.5 percent ABV, so bear that in mind if that’s more than what you’re used to.

Nobes

Technically known as Gamle Nobes Bodega, everyone in Malmö calls it Nobes. Originally opened in 1937, Nobes is the closest you’re going to get to a British-style pub or German Bierhalle, with its tiled floor and rustic dark wooden décor.

As far as food is concerned, Nobes has some of the best traditional Swedish food in Malmö, with its kålpudding cabbage casserole, served with gravy, potatoes, pickled cucumber and lingonberry jam a must (it’s better than it sounds, we promise).

They have a dart board and sometimes have live music, and you can choose from a range of draft or bottled beers, ciders and wines.

Expect to pay a minimum of 60 kronor for a beer and around 160 kronor for food.

Address: Kristianstadsgatan 36

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 2pm-midnight, Fri 2pm-1am, Sat noon-1am and Sun noon-midnight

Ölkaféet

This is one of the most popular pubs in the Möllan neighbourhood, and that’s not just because it’s the unofficial supporters bar of the local football team, Malmö FF.

They’re cheap and cheerful, with reasonably priced pub grub, a heated outdoor seating area with views over the Möllan square and football matches on the TV, if that’s your kind of thing.

They even have a small library, a gallery wall with works by local artists, and board games like backgammon, checkers and chess, which you can borrow.

If there are no seats (it can get busy on the weekend), Vegan Bar next door is a good alternative, even for non-vegans.

A standard 50cl beer (veckans öl or “beer of the week”, despite the fact it hasn’t changed in years) costs around 65 kronor, with a burger costing around 140 kronor.

Address: Södra Skolgatan 43 – or just walk to the Möllevångstorget square and look for the bright blue awnings.

Opening hours: All days 10am-1am

Rex Pizzeria

Rex, on Nobelvägen, is probably the best example of a classic Swedish pizzeria that you can find in Malmö.

A warning: leave any expectation of Italian-style pizzas at the door, as Rex is firmly in the Swedish-style fulpizza category.

Their pizzas, such as the Tropicana, with cheese, tomato, ham, banana and curry powder, almost make a Hawaiian pizza look tame – although you can get more normal pizza toppings too if banana and curry is a bit too wild for you. They also have vegetarian and vegan options, for groups with allergies or other dietary restrictions.

Pizzas aside, Rex is also a popular pub with cheap drinks, shuffleboard and pool tables, and a nice outdoor serving area in summer. They often host quizzes, standup or other entertainment in their event room in the basement.

Beers cost around 60 kronor and pizzas range from 70 to 140 kronor.

Address: Nobelvägen 107

Opening hours: Tues-Sat 11am-1am, Sun-Mon 11am-11pm

Azalee

If you’re looking for a cheap bar which also provides the evening’s entertainment, Azalee’s your best bet.

This bar is a bizarre mix of casino, karaoke bar and pub, and an evening of karaoke here is equally as entertaining whether you’re getting up on stage yourself or just listening to the other guests get progressively worse at singing as the night goes on.

They offer classic pub fare at around 150-200 kronor and reasonably priced drinks.

Address: Claesgatan 8

Opening hours: Weds-Tors 4pm-1am, Fre-Sat 4pm-3am

Karaoke: Weds and Thurs, 8pm-1am, Friday and Saturday 8pm-3am

Blackjack Weds-Sat 6pm-close

Entry fee: 50kr after 11pm on weekends

Lion Bar

The picturesque Lilla Torg area of Malmö is not known for being cheap, but Lion Bar (a national chain) is an exception, offering a 40cl beer for under 40kr.

Food wise, they offer standard pub grub – nachos, buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, burgers and so on – with deals on some food items.

Unsurprisingly, the prices rise if you stray from the special offers, particularly if ordering cocktails or wine.

Address: Landbygatan 4

Opening hours: Mon-Thurs 3pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 3pm-1am

SHOW COMMENTS