he need to preserve short-lived delicacies has led over the years to such ubiquitous Swedish favorites as gravad lax (thin slices of cured salmon), pickled herring, filmjölk (fermented milk, a bit like buttermilk), lingonberry jam and various liqueurs. It has also created a national obsession with seasonal foods like cloudberries, chanterelle mushrooms and crayfish. Swedes have a stark appreciation for the fleetingness of seasons – they come and go quickly here, especially in the far north, and their bounty must be seized and enjoyed while it can. Of course, these days it’s possible to buy strawberries all winter, or boil crayfish any time you like – but this misses the point. Generally speaking, Swedish cuisine holds to a certain order.