West Sweden Tourist Board launches dedicated and scrumptious food magazine

Delve into culinary West Sweden with the tourist board’s new food publication, showcasing the wealth and quality of its natural produce, the region’s talented local producers and chefs, Sweden’s festive food traditions, and delicious tours of the region.

Building upon its flourishing reputation as one of Europe’s top foodie hotspots, the West Sweden Tourist Board is delighted to unveil the first issue of its new culinary magazine, SKAFFERI - which means, quite simply, Pantry.

Highlights include a spotlight on Gothenburg’s five Michelin-starred restaurants and fascinating interviews with local food producers, such as the owners of the family-run Sivan’s Cheese Shop, just outside of Vara in West Sweden, as well as renowned chefs, including New York-based Marcus Samuelsson on why Sweden’s Bohuslän west coast region holds a special place in his heart.

Readers can learn all about some of the destination’s most renowned local cuisine, including Bohuslän’s long herring-based history – it’s known as the ‘sushi of West Sweden’ – and traditional hand-churned butter from Vallmobacken, served in top restaurants such as Noma in Copenhagen.

Find out more about the region’s Taste of West Sweden-accredited restaurants, too – a network of 35 gastronomic eateries that make the most of local cuisine. Set in an array of naturally-beautiful settings, including islands, deep forest and rich farmland, delicious food hotspots in the network include Villa Sjötorp in Lyckorna, which offers delicious seasonal menus, as well as The Koster Gardens on the South Koster Island.

Executive Editor of SKAFFERI, Sofia Lennström, says: “It’s about time we had a magazine solely dedicated to West Sweden’s culinary scene, which is truly one of the best in the world. The region believes in ‘the good life for all,’ founded on the belief that the food we consume is not only a necessity for our growth, strength and health, helping us keep fit for school, work and a good life in old age – but also that our food ingredients should always be of the highest quality, full of seasonal freshness, travel as little as possible and contain all of the nourishment we need.”

West Sweden food makes the most of the environment’s natural, organic produce. The inland forests, rivers and lakes provide a variety of game, berries and freshwater fish, whilst the countryside delivers fine cheeses, beer and schnapps. Fertile agricultural land makes the region ideal for growing grain and raising animals in the best of organic traditions, and the west coast’s shellfish is among the best in the world thanks to its cold, mineral-rich and unpolluted seawater.

There are many culinary experiences on offer to visitors to the region, including seafood safaris that are available throughout the year as part of the region’s ‘Shellfish Journey’. Visitors can learn how to catch and cook the local seafood delicacies on a unique safari - whether mussel, oyster or crayfish fishing in spring, prawn fishing in spring and autumn, or lobster safaris during autumn.

There are also a variety of seasonal food traditions and events, from tucking into a cardamom-spiced, cream-filled semla bun on Shrove Tuesday and witnessing the Nordic Oyster Opening Championships in spring to celebrating The Day of the Herring in June, enjoying a crazy crayfish Midsummer party or feasting from a ‘Julbord’ Christmas buffet.

For more information about visiting West Sweden and Gothenburg’s food scene, go to vastsverige.com/en/Food-culture-and-experiences-in-West-Sweden/, westsweden.com/shellfishjourney; westsweden.com and gothenburg.com.

Holidays to West Sweden are available through numerous specialist tour operators, including Best Served Scandinavia, Black Tomato, Discover the World, Inntravel, Nature Travels, Off The Map Travel, Original Travel, Seasoned Travel, Simply Sweden, Solos Holidays, Sunvil Discovery and Taber Holidays.

West Sweden can be reached by a short two-hour direct flight to Gothenburg with British Airways (Heathrow), Ryanair (Stansted and Edinburgh), SAS (Heathrow), Norwegian (Gatwick), British Airways/Sun-Air of Scandinavia (Manchester) and bmi regional (Birmingham).