About

My grandfather came from the high coast of Husum Sweden in the province of Ångermanland. He arrived in the United States with his brothers in the 1920’s. He eventually bought a summer cottage in the 1940’s at a Swedish club in the thumb of Michigan. To this day it’s still our favorite vacation spot. It’s an excellent way for our family to keep the Swedish traditions alive and a way to remember where we came from.

I never met my grandfather. I’ve only heard stories of him from what my dad remembers – like he loved pickled herring and the smell of the fermented Baltic sea herring, surströmming, as he opened a can. There are pictures of him at our cottage along with items he brought over from Sweden. One of my favorite things my dad gave me was an old metal Ångermanland sign, with the three fishes on it, that my grandfather had. I even have some records he listened to! Whenever I go to the cottage, I always think of what it must have been like when he was there. But in a way, he still is, and even though I never met him, I feel like I have.

With the cottage and the Swedish club my family has been apart of, I’ve always loved Sweden. Many, many times I’ve tried to teach myself Swedish. Sadly, all I know is “jag förstår inte Svenska.” Since I love history, I’ve had no problems about reading the rich history of Sweden. But I’ve always wanted to read more into the culture.

With my other blog, Red Beans And Eric, I cook mainly the Creole and Cajun foods of New Orleans. Through the food, I was able to find a deep connection with the culture. If you compare some of the food of NOLA and that of Sweden, there are some similarities. Like, in New Orleans they eat red beans and rice every Monday, in Sweden, it’s pea soup and pancakes every Thursday. Both are big on seafood. And maybe the biggest similarity, both cultures are unique and often misunderstood outside of their respective areas. Since I love to cook, this is a great way for me to learn more about Sweden, its culture, and its people.

I hope to show you that there is more to Sweden than meatballs and pancakes. The Swedish and Scandinavian cuisine is earthy, basic, but full of a unique flavor. It’s comfort food at its best. I also hope to merge my two favorite cooking styles together, a mix of New Orleans Creole with Swedish comfort.

Join me as I learn more about my Swedish heritage through the food. Hopefully it makes my grandfather proud that his family is still carrying on his Swedish roots to the next generations.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or recipes I need to try, feel free to email me at ERICtheREDbean@gmail.com!

tack,

ERICtheRED