Fermented Baltic herring (surströmming) is unique to Swedish cuisine. Fermentation, drying, and salting are old methods for preserving food. Small-scale coastal fishing has a long tradition on the Hållnäs peninsula, where Lars-Ivan Hållstrand is the third generation of fishermen in his family. He runs a coastal and small-scale fishing business and always strives to keep his environmental impact as small as possible. During the spring weeks when the herring are spawning, Lars-Ivan heads out with his boat in the early hours of the day to empty his nets. The production of fermented Baltic herring includes filleting, salting and fermentation in barrels. Everything is done on a small scale and by Lars-Ivan himself. The final product, a high-quality fermented Baltic herring, is sold locally by Lars-Ivan. Lars-Ivan’s fermented Baltic herring has won many awards and is very popular with fermented Baltic herring lovers throughout Sweden. The best place to buy this Swedish delicacy is in Lars-Ivan’s own shop. Welcome!

Included: For many people, fermented Baltic herring, or “surströmming,” is associated with its characteristic aroma. Rinsing the fish under running water tones down the smell and gives the fish a mild and salty taste with a lot of umami. Enjoy it with potatoes, Västerbotten cheese, finely chopped red onion and sour cream, on a plate or wrapped in a traditional “clamp” of Swedish flatbread. August to September is the best season for enjoying this very Swedish classic delicacy. There are only fifteen fermented Baltic herring producers along the northern Baltic coast, producing nearly one million cans in total per year. Of these, only a few thousand cans are made by Lars-Ivan himself.