On any given day at the Oyster Bar at Grand Central, some 30 varieties of oysters — hailing from Long Island, Canada, Cape Cod, and as far away as New Zealand — are shucked and served on a bed of ice.
But one kind you’ll never see on their raw bar menu? The Swedish oyster. That’s not only because the US doesn’t import European oysters. It’s also because pretty much the only place you can get a Swedish oyster is in Sweden. With a yearly harvest of only around 15 tons — compare that to the UK, which produces 650 tons of oysters annually — Sweden has a hard time even keeping up with its domestic supply.
So, the most reliable way to taste the bivalve, which grows and is harvested in the wild, is at the source — in the waters around Grebbestad, on Sweden’s west coast, where 90 percent of the country’s oysters hail from. Here, the native Ostrea edulis, or European flat oyster, thrives in the icy, salty sea, making its bed along the thousands of rocky islands that make up the western archipelago.
As the name suggests, this oyster is curiously flat and thin — so much so that it’s hard to believe it could contain anything worth eating. But it’s said that the oysters that come from Swedish waters are without question the best in the world.
Well, it’s said by a Swede, Per Karlsson, who, with his brother, Lars, owns Everts Sjöbod, a small outfit that runs seafood safaris — taking folks out to fish for oysters, lobsters, saltwater crayfish (langoustines) and crabs, depending on the season, in Grebbestad’s shellfish-rich sea.
Per Karlsson, tall, blue-eyed, slightly weathered — just as you’d expect a Scandinavian fisherman to look — welcomes us to Everts Sjöbod headquarters, a restored 19th-century boathouse in the fishing village of Grönemad, about 115 miles north of Sweden’s second-largest city, Gothenburg. He’s our captain for an oyster safari, aboard a lovely old wooden fishing boat, where we’ll explore a bit of the western archipelago, learn to open oysters and — the best part — eat them.
Weather can be fickle here, even in late summer, so we brace ourselves for a brisk sail with some strong Swedish coffee (Swedes always find an excuse to fika, i.e., take a coffee break). From beneath the pier, Per hauls up oysters and spills them out in a heap of seaweed and broken shells. He plucks the indigenous ones from the pile — he also grows the Japanese variety kumamoto — and loads them onto the boat. Out on the open water is where we’ll have our tasting.
Bundled up (in August!) we wend our way through this magical landscape of smooth rocky islands — some no more than outcroppings, others just big enough for a few fishing shacks — and occasionally stop to hoist up cages filled with langoustines and angry crabs. Finally, Per cuts the motor and starts setting up our oyster bounty. Expertly wedging his knife in the narrow crevice, he pops open one after another, nestling them atop a tangle of seaweed with slices of lemon — no bed of ice or mignonette needed.
We dig in. The oysters are meaty, briny, with a sharp, refreshing, uniquely mineral taste. They are, most probably, the freshest oysters I’ve ever eaten. And I’m slurping them down nearly as fast as Per can shuck them.
Suitably gorged, it’s time to head back for a proper meal. On the second floor of the boathouse, among ropes, buoys, barrels and other nautical knick-knacks, we sit down to a lunch of boiled langoustines, seaweed bread (way, way better than it sounds), cheese, more oysters and a dark porter beer to wash it all down. The day has warmed up and the huge window overlooking the quaint harbor is open wide, letting in the sea breeze. It feels like I’ve stumbled on to the set of some idealized Swedish photo shoot — but it’s the real deal.
GO The Oyster Safari costs 690 Swedish krona, or about $103 dollars per person, and includes lunch; details at evertssjobod.se.
4 MORE GREAT ADVENTURES:
NORDIC WATERCOLOR MUSEUM The ideal spot for a museum focusing on watercolors would be on the water, yes? Hence, its setting –along the rocky shores of the island of Tjorn, overlooking the sea. This summer saw the opening of a new gallery, better to show off the museum’s growing collection of Nordic artists. But the exhibits – approximately six yearly — are not limited to watercolors, or to works by Scandinavians: On view through Sept. 9 is “Vatten (Water),” a series of video works by New Yorker Bill Viola (akvarellmuseet.org).
PILANE SCULPTURE PARK It’s surely one of the odder combinations: Ancient burial ground meets contemporary sculpture park meets sheep farm – all situated in a pastoral landscape with views of the archipelago beyond. The site-specific works, nestled among the hilly 20-acre terrain and clusters of grazing sheep, change annually — this year features bronzes by UK artist Tony Cragg, a monumental temple by Zhang Huan of China and the 100-ton, 36-foot-high granite installation “Wall Street” by Swede Claes Hake. And those seemingly random smatterings of stones across the fields are anything but — they indicate graves and “judgment circles” dating back to the Iron Age. The park is open seasonally, mid-May through mid-September (pilane.org).
SEA KAYAKING The west coast of Sweden is made up of some 8,000 islands, and the best way to explore them is by boat – specifically by kayak. Protected from strong ocean currents by the archipelago, kayakers can easily maneuver among islands, stopping off for a secluded hike or a swim. You’ll likely spot a seal or two on your voyage, along with lots of seabirds and some rather amazing scenery. Guided kayak tours are available year-round, ranging from day trips to overnight stays. Many depart from the quaint seaside village (once Ingrid Bergman’s home) of Fjällbacka (nautopp.se).
MARSTRAND If you’re wondering where Sweden’s royal family summers, it’s in Marstrand, an island famous for its historic 17th-century fort and elite sailing and international regattas. The former summer residence of King Oscar II is now the Grand Hotel Marstrand; it still retains many of its charming 19th-century details, including a deep verandah overlooking the harbor. Steep cobblestone streets lead up to the Carlsten Fortress, offering a fascinating (and often stomach-turning) look at the lives of soldiers and their prisoners. Once you tire of hearing about various forms of torture through the centuries, head to the roof of the tower, where panoramic views of the red-roofed village spread out below.
For more information about travel to the region, visit westsweden.com.