Surströmming- the stinkiest fish can in the world / 聲名遠播的瑞典鯡魚罐頭
Surströmming is probably one of the most famous (and infamous) food in Sweden. It is so well known that many people know its existence even though they have never been to Sweden. People even give surströmming the name of ‘the stinkiest fish in the world’. To have a better understanding of surströmming, we will discover its invention, the way to enjoy, and my personal experience.
Surströmming is a salted and fermented raw fish which is preserved in a can. The invention of surströmming is likely because people want to preserve the fish they got during the spring, so they can enjoy the fish all year regardless of the season. People usually started to make surströmming at the end of spring, and the fish will be ready in August.
It is not common to eat the only surströmming without any other food. Instead, people usually enjoy surströmming with flatbread, boiled potatoes, red onion, and sour cream. Some people like its special taste and smell, while others throw up immediately once the fish can is opened. Also, it is highly recommended to open the fish can outside the house because the smell and the liquid can easily merge into the wall, furniture, and clothes. This special food is most common in northern Sweden. However, there are many people in the whole country fell in love with the fish because of its taste.
The experience of trying surströmming is a journey if torture. First, the smell is a mixture of durian and fish. And the smell is already unbearable when the can is being opened. At the time, most of my friends had already stayed 20 meters away from the can. Secondly, when you try to pick one piece of surströmming and put it in your mouth, the smell is 10 times worse because the fish is very fermented. Lastly, you will feel a durian bomb exploding, together with a fish texture and salty taste when you try to stall and chew the fish. It was extremely painful to swallow down the fish and I was about to throw up. But I eventually made it and I promise that I will never do it again.
Overall, surströmming is very classic and special food from Sweden. It is originated to preserve the fish in a longer period, then it became a very famous dish around the world for its taste and smell. Even though not everyone likes it, it is always good to give it a try when you visit Sweden.
瑞典除了肉丸很有名之外，鯡魚罐頭(Surströmming)也是出了名的瑞典特產，這是不過不是因為超級美味，而是因為有如地獄般的臭味而盛名遠播；人們因此還為它冠上「世界上最臭的罐頭」的名號。
鯡魚罐頭的發明是為了要方便保存捕獲的魚類。春天通常為瑞典捕魚的季節，人們為了可以讓吃不完的魚可以長期保存，所以將生魚用鹽加工並醃漬起來，通常在8月底的時候，醃漬完成鯡魚就可以拿來享用。
醃漬鯡魚通常不是用來單吃，而是會搭配麵包、酸奶油、紅洋蔥與馬鈴薯一起吃。有些人很喜歡醃漬鯡魚的味道與口感，有些則對他敬而遠之。雖然沒有明文規定，人們通常都會在戶外開鯡魚罐頭，因為氣味實在太濃，而且氣味很容易附著在牆面、家具、衣服上久久不能散去。鯡魚罐頭在瑞典北部最為盛行，但是全國各地都有其愛好者。
我自己和宿舍的朋友們一起有試過一次鯡魚罐頭，當罐頭一被打開之後，一股強烈的氣味馬上撲鼻而來，有一點像是榴槤+瓦斯的味道，非常不舒服，大部分的同學已經逃之夭夭，隔著20公尺看著我們這些「勇者」的壯烈犧牲。當我忍著臭味，捏著鼻子夾了一小塊放在嘴裡，味道跟噁心的感覺馬上×10；當嘗試咀嚼時，嘴裡彷彿有一顆榴槤炸彈被引爆，反胃指數直線上升。那種感覺真的難以言喻，就有一點像是「有榴槤＋瓦斯味道的生魚片」（對，他是生的，不像鮪魚罐頭是煮過的……）。雖然感到痛苦萬分，但是還是秉持著實驗的精神把鯡魚吞下去，你以為地獄結束了嗎？其實沒有。那天晚上有人的外套沾到罐頭裡面的汁，洗了很久才把他洗掉；而我則是刷了三次牙，但是味道仍然揮之不去。
鯡魚罐頭讓人又愛又恨，他既是傳統的瑞典食物，也是惡名昭彰的地獄美食；其味道與口感讓許多人不敢恭維，同時又有人對他愛不釋手。但是對我來說，我想鯡魚罐頭這種食物一生試過一次就行了。
Surströmming är en speciell svensk maträtt. Det är fisk som är saltad och sedan jäst. Det har väldigt stark doft och smak. Den uppfanns för flera hundra år sedan, eftersom man ville spara all fisk som man fiskade på våren. Då kunde man äta den resten av året också. Många som inte har smakat surströmming tidigare tycker att det luktar och smakar illa. Men det finns också många som älskar att äta surströmming.
Jag har provat surströmming en gång. Det var förra vinter provade jag surströmming med min kompis som bor i samma lägenhet. När vi öppnade conserver utomhus kände oss en jättestark doft. Många mådde illa och skulle spy. Det var svår att svälja surströmming eftersom den öckliga smaken exploderade i min mun. Jag trort att det är bättre att bara prova surströmming en gång i hela livet.
