Author: Wendy Barrie

Jan Hedh with Annette Nilsson & myself As many of you know, I am married to a Swedish farmer and, although no longer farming, we keep a smallholding in Sweden, growing vegetables, making meadow hay, welcoming our family and maintaining our connections with Slow Food, in particular Slow Food Scania. Indeed Bosse and I first met when he attended Terra Madre in 2006 with the Slow Food Scania delegation as at that time he was farming in Skåne. Skåne is highly…

You would be forgiven for thinking that Scotland, Ireland and Germany are the major players when it comes to potatoes but Swedes too love these versatile tubers! Scotland is world-famous for growing fine blight-free potatoes, and whilst pasta and rice try a takeover bid we shall always love our tatties, and have a healthy export trade to Sweden and mainland Europe (at least we did pre-brexit but we won’t go there…we live in hope!). History tells us Ireland was victim of…

From time to time over the years I have been scouting the diverse range of loppis in Sweden for a vintage waffle iron. I particularly wanted one that would work on our vedspis - none of that electric nonsense as that would be cheating! Waffle cafés are popular throughout Sweden and a wonderful excuse for a drive in the country or a walk by a lake. Here we are sitting out in the summer sunshine in Urshult. Waffles at Café Sorores, Urshult I rooted around…

We love our fish’n’chips in Scotland but do we give other maritime morsels a sufficient chance? Undoubtedly not! Our velvet crabs and spoots (razor clams) speed off to Spain, and that Cataplana you enjoyed in Portugal was probably brimming with Scottish landed shellfish! There is little so satisfying as a dressed Fife crab in season straight from the quay and we have all heard of the Pittenweem prawn! I recall years ago there was an entertaining article in the press about…

It’s strange not seeing our family, friends and Småland torp for such a while in these unprecedented times. Thanks to phone and internet we can all keep in touch but needless to say we miss the hugs and shared meals, the small chat and family events. Farming friends are busy with lambing and calving, as they are here in Scotland, and although restaurants and cafés are open for business in Sweden unlike Scotland, such business is currently a shadow of its former self.…