I checked the link. Some of them are real, some are fake, some are mistranslated, I think. 10. says "surströmming" on the side of the can, and that is fermented herring. 17. "Fish balls", is like small meat balls, just made with ground fish-meat instead. Both are eaten in Sweden.
oh my god. my husband ordered a can of that fermented herring and it was...just...beyond foul. i told him he'd be served with divorce papers if he opened it anywhere near the house, and we ended up taking it over to a friend's house one night when went over for a bonfire.
the can was so pressurized (both ends were popping up!) by the time they opened it that it sprayed all over their faces, and neither of them actually could bear to eat it. i think they tried a little bit of the juice, but that was it.
I have never tried eating it, but it is very popular - particularly in the Northern part of Sweden, and for traditional lunches/dinners. It's apparently very salty (and yes, it smells vile). The bulging cans are supposedly the best ;)
Your supposed to eat it between two slices of crisp bread, with either potato-slices or onion and sour cream. Should be accompanied by schnaps or vodka - or sometimes milk!
Yes, to luke_russell's description of lutfisk. The lye is used to soften the hard, dried fish (cod), before it is washed and cooked.
As for the surströmming (herring), it is supposed to be the way shortsweetcynic described. While the can is not always bulging (often isn't), the people who really like surströmming prefer it when it is so fermented it's almost explosive :) It's due to the gases from the fermentation.
The fermentation is due to lactic acid enzyme in the fish, together with bacteria. Propionic acid, butyric acid, acetic acid, and hydrogen sulphide is produced in the fish, and causes the putrid smell.
The salt of the brine means bacteria responsible for rotting can't thrive, and thus prevents decomposition of fish proteins into oligopeptides and amino acids. Instead other bacteria (Haloanaerobium) can grow, and decompose the fish glycogen into organic acids, making it sour (acidic).
Fermented fish was eaten is most European countries - for example the ancient Greeks and Romans. Worcestershire Sauce also has a fermented fish ingredient.
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the can was so pressurized (both ends were popping up!) by the time they opened it that it sprayed all over their faces, and neither of them actually could bear to eat it. i think they tried a little bit of the juice, but that was it.
Reply
Your supposed to eat it between two slices of crisp bread, with either potato-slices or onion and sour cream.
Should be accompanied by schnaps or vodka - or sometimes milk!
Reply
It sounds like you had a botulism-tainted can, actually.
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As for the surströmming (herring), it is supposed to be the way shortsweetcynic described. While the can is not always bulging (often isn't), the people who really like surströmming prefer it when it is so fermented it's almost explosive :) It's due to the gases from the fermentation.
The fermentation is due to lactic acid enzyme in the fish, together with bacteria. Propionic acid, butyric acid, acetic acid, and hydrogen sulphide is produced in the fish, and causes the putrid smell.
The salt of the brine means bacteria responsible for rotting can't thrive, and thus prevents decomposition of fish proteins into oligopeptides and amino acids. Instead other bacteria (Haloanaerobium) can grow, and decompose the fish glycogen into organic acids, making it sour (acidic).
Fermented fish was eaten is most European countries - for example the ancient Greeks and Romans. Worcestershire Sauce also has a fermented fish ingredient.
Reply
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