Eric, whose instability had so worried his father...was crowned at Uppsala in 1561 with a pomp never before seen in Sweden, and he continued to press suit for Elizabeth I, while at the same time trying his luck with Mary Queen of Scots and a number of German princesses.
The courtship of Elizabeth, fruitless though it was, brought Sweden one lasting advantage. One of Eric's envoys, while he was biding his time in England waiting to see the queen, was served a dish of freshwater crayfish. The Swedish emissary greatly relished these tiny lobsters and on his return to Sweden brought back several bucketfuls, alive. The English crayfish quickly settled down with the local variety in Swedish rivers and multiplied quickly. They are now Sweden's most cherished national dish; their consumption, during the month of August only, is elevated to the status of ritual. No visitor to Sweden in that month can (or should) escape a Kräftkalas, or crayfish party, at which each guest devours a dozen or more crayfish, each claw, in theory, washed down by a glass of Brännvin, or local schnapps. For this at least, though not much else, Sweden may be grateful to Eric XIV.
butler 104
The courtship of Elizabeth, fruitless though it was, brought Sweden one lasting advantage. One of Eric's envoys, while he was biding his time in England waiting to see the queen, was served a dish of freshwater crayfish. The Swedish emissary greatly relished these tiny lobsters and on his return to Sweden brought back several bucketfuls, alive. The English crayfish quickly settled down with the local variety in Swedish rivers and multiplied quickly. They are now Sweden's most cherished national dish; their consumption, during the month of August only, is elevated to the status of ritual. No visitor to Sweden in that month can (or should) escape a Kräftkalas, or crayfish party, at which each guest devours a dozen or more crayfish, each claw, in theory, washed down by a glass of Brännvin, or local schnapps. For this at least, though not much else, Sweden may be grateful to Eric XIV.
butler 104
No comments:
Post a Comment