Strength skiva
Kräftskiva (German: cancer festival) is a traditional Swedish festival associated with the crab fishing season in late summer when many Swedish families eat cancer. The main course of a strength skiva consists of whole crayfish , which are boiled in salt water with plenty of dill and eaten cold.
The side dishes are usually baguettes , crispbread , cheese seasoned with caraway seeds and often traditional smörgåsbord dishes (Swedish buffet). Matching drinks are aquavit and beer for adults and sockerdricka (fruit lemonade) for children. Traditionally, funny hats, bibs or aprons with crab motifs are worn and the rooms or the terrace are decorated with candles and lanterns .
An important cultural component of a strength skiva is the common singing of traditional Swedish schnapps tunes. These are mostly short, funny songs, of which a verse is sung over and over again during the meal and ended with a schnapps. For example , a toast is: "A cancer, a schnapps, a song".
Since there are hardly any native crabs left in Sweden because of the crayfish plague, exposed signal crabs are mainly used. In addition, many animals are imported from China, Turkey and America, which can be bought ready-made and frozen in grocery stores. In 2007 Sweden imported about 2,500 tons of crayfish.
The crab trap opening
In order to secure the stock of Swedish crabs, there was a strict start date for catching Swedish crayfish, the so-called crab catcher opening . This took place on the day after the first Wednesday in August, according to another opinion on the second Wednesday in August. In 2008 it would have been either August 7th or August 13th. In 1994 this ordinance was repealed without replacement. However, local regulations, such as in Vättern , can still restrict the catch.
In late summer in Sweden, the Surstromming opening is another opening in connection with traditional food.
Picture gallery
The way of the crab from the crab trap to the table.
Web links
- The Art of Eating a Cancer Right (Swedish)
