One sniff of cardamom is all that it takes to bring me back to my
Swedish grandmother’s kitchen. Swedish cooking — full of subtly flavored
breads, delicate fish, hearty meatballs and exotic berries — is a cuisine
that borrows plenty from other European styles of cooking, but has an
unmistakable style of its own.
The trouble is that many people have never had the chance to dine
Swedish style. The word “smorgasbord,” which once meant a lavish array of
specific Scandinavian dishes, has now come to mean any old buffet. (Once I
saw a sign on Lincoln Avenue for a Chinese “smorg.”‘) Restaurants serving
authentic Swedish cuisine aren’t easy to find in the Chicago area.
But saunter on over to Andersonville and the North Park College area
and you can find a few eateries that still specialize in such delights as
fruit soup, herring salad, limpa bread and cardamom coffeecake.
The neighborhoods
Andersonville, which got its name from 19th Century Swedish immigrants,
stretches along North Clark Street between Foster and Bryn Mawr Avenues (although
most of the shops and restaurants are concentrated near Foster). North Park
College, founded in 1894 by the Swedish Evangelical Mission Covenant of America, is at 3225 W. Foster Ave.
Andersonville has been undergoing a renaissance of sorts in recent years.
Once a gathering spot for Chicago Scandinavians, Andersonville started
losing its Nordic residents in the 1970s. Most moved out to the suburbs. Then rehabbers discovered the wonderful stone two-flat buildings that abound in this North Side neighborhood and young
professionals moved in. New shops and the Swedish-American Museum
opened on Clark Street and Andersonville regained some of its original identity.
The menus
The food you can find at such restaurants as Ann Sather’s (5207 N.
Clark St.; 773-271-6677), Svea I (5236 N. Clark St.; 773-275-7738) or Tre Kronor
(3258 W. Foster Ave.; 773-267-9888) is often a mix of Scandinavian and American
cuisine. These restaurants tend to offer the types of Swedish, Norwegian or
Danish cuisine that melds most comfortably with American meat and potatoes.
That means you’ll find plenty of meatballs and beefsteak.
The Scandinavian countries, however, are most noted for their seafood.
Surrounded by the North and Baltic Seas, the Nordic lands benefit from a
bounty of fresh salmon, herring, kipper and other sea fish. Hence, any true
smorgasbord will contain several types of fine herring, a giant poached
salmon and plenty of foods garnished with anchovies and the like.
Swedes also love the open-face sandwich, which isn’t just a BLT with
its top taken off. Open-face sandwiches are often miniature works of art,
featuring slices of eggs, cold cuts, herring tidbits and cucumber. Although
some Swedes have been known to pick up the sandwiches and nibble gingerly,
most people feel more comfortable eating these concoctions with a knife and
fork. (Old habits die hard. I once saw a Swede take a look at a Big Mac,
take off the top bun and proceed to eat the burger open face.)
Swedish meatballs are a classic. You’ll find them everywhere. Ann
Sather’s does a great job with them, incorporating the subtle blend of
allspice, cloves and cinnamon that makes Swedish meatballs so distinctive.
Beefsteak is also a favorite, usually served with fried onions.
Don’t miss the Swedish breads and cakes, which are aromatically spiced
and often light as a breeze. Limpa bread is the all-time favorite. It gets
its unique flavor from orange peels, brown sugar and anise. Cardamom
coffeecake gets its savory aroma from cardamom, an Indian herb that the
Swedes took to with a vengeance.
Swedes are some of the most dedicated coffee drinkers in the world, and have
devised “egg coffee,” a brew that uses egg whites to clear coffee
grounds. The result is clear, smooth and less acidic than the typical cuppa
Joe.
Beyond cinnamon rolls
Ready to dig in? Start out at Ann Sather’s, which serves some
traditional items on its mostly American menu. (There also is an Ann
Sather’s restaurant at 929 W. Belmont Ave. in Lake View and an Ann Sather’s Caf9 at 3416 N. Southport Ave in Wrigleyville – non-Swedish neighborhoods.)
Everyone knows Ann Sather’s for the breakfast cinnamon rolls, but
consider having lunch or an early dinner there. Specials change regularly,
and the appetizers include such Swedish specialties as bruna bonor (brown
beans in a tangy, sweet vinegar sauce), red cabbage (also tangy) and
herring. Limpa bread is in large supply.
Check out the traditional Swedish paintings, which
illustrate a Swedish fairy tale. The d9cor is authentically Swedish, with
hand-painted sayings on the wall.
The Andersonville Ann Sather’s isn’t open past 5 p.m., so plan accordingly. Manager
Debbie Tunney says she needs time to get home and be with her kids.
However, if you ever need catering services, Ann Sather’s will serve up
traditional Swedish food from potato sausage to gravlax (smoked salmon) for
weddings, parties and meetings.
Up the street at Svea I, the d9cor is far more spartan. Svea is just a
little diner serving breakfast and lunch with a Swedish accent.
The menu describes the great Swedish migration to the United States,
the bulk of which took place in the early 20th Century. This informative
document, however, offers precious few traditional dishes. The Swedish
open-face sandwiches are basic, not artistic. Diners also can sample
beefsteak with onions, meatballs, herring and that bizarrely named but
delicious dessert, fruit soup.
Take a walk up Clark to the Swedish Bakery (5348 N. Clark,
773-561-8919) for a heavenly sampling of cakes, cookies and breads. Here’s
where you can purchase a huge loaf of cardamom coffeecake ($4.40 with
raisins), marzipan cake ($17.10), Danish kringler ($5.25) or egg twist
bread ($1.90).
Across the street, have a cup of coffee at Wikstrom’s Gourmet Foods
and Catering (5247 N. Clark St.; 773-878-0601). Wikstrom’s sells package foods
and deli cuts to take home. It’s absolutely mobbed at Christmastime (when
Swedes celebrate more heartily than most). It’s not a restaurant, but you
can sit and sip coffee and eat a few cookies while deciding what type of
herring you’d like to take home.
Walking off the meal
Before leaving Andersonville, make sure you visit a few Swedish shops.
The Landmark of Andersonville (5301 N. Clark St.; 773-728-5301) is a
conglomerate of interconnected boutiques that sell everything from scented
candles to dolls in authentic Nordic dress.
The Swedish-American Museum Center (5211 N. Clark St.; 773-728-8111) is the spiritual home of
Andersonville. Check out the displays of what life was like for early
Swedish settlers. You also can study the Swedish language at the museum or
see folk-dance presentations. The shop sells items such as glassware and
handicrafts.
North Park places
Finally, head west to the North Park neighborhood to try a meal at
Tre Kronor. The name means “three crowns” and refers to the official crest
of Sweden. Once again, the menu is mostly American, with an awful lot of
quiches represented. However, the meatball sandwich is served open-faced
and is quite traditional. Other open-faced sandwiches are available, as is
herring. Daily specials mean that some authentic dish will be served.
The d9cor is riktig Svensk ROM (really Swedish) with little wooden
figurines, stencils and paintings.
Down the street is the Sweden Shop (3304 W. Foster Ave.; 773-478-0327), a
giftware store that specializes in fine Swedish crystal and steel
tableware. You also can buy an authentic pair of clogs there.
Eat enough herring and you just might become tall and blond. I don’t
know if it works. I’m still trying.
