• Stories

    The Story of the Swedish Cinnamon Bun

    The beginnings While the French obsess about their croissants, the Swedes take pride in their Cinnamon Bun. The making of a Croissant is of course far more complex and requires some skill and expertise. But deceptively, Cinnamon buns can be easily whipped and made in almost every household of Sweden.   As soon as I landed in Stockholm, I was in the land of Cinnamon buns, bakeries teeming with them everwhere! Cinnamon and Cardamom were the most popular. Cinnamon and cardamom!?Hmmm, interesting as they are spices that travelled from Asia, so how did the Swedes claim it as their national bun? Of course, the Pastry chef in me was consumed with…

  • Couchsurfing

    A Vegetarian in Stockholm

    My Gracious Host Swedes like their Nordic neighbours, rely heavily on mean and fish as their main course, while berries, breads and vegetables form the side. So when I went bag packing solo around Europe back in 2014, my couch surfing host, Harald was both amused and confused as I asked him to teach me a local vegetarian dish. He said they eat enough vegetables, but there was really no vegetarian main course that he could think of. I left to explore the city feeling a bit disappointed. Upon my return in the evening, I found Harald absorbed in grating a Kilo of Potatoes. He looked up and smirked, proudly…

  • Couchsurfing,  Stories

    Couchsurfing in Stockholm

    If you have read my previous post about Couchsurfing, will realize that it’s such a great way to integrate and immerse yourself in the local culture of a place. Couchsurfing is an online community of like-minded kindred souls based on kindness and trust. The locals open up their homes to travellers for free in exchange for cultural exchange. It’s a great budget-friendly option and an alternative way of travelling. To discover how I started Couchsurfing, read my article at http://nomadskitchenstories.com/couchsurfing/ My first Couchsurfing stop was in Stockholm, Sweden in August 2014. I booked my tickets from Delhi to Stockholm, once I got a positive response from my prospective host, Harald…