when we arrived and throughout our one-night stay, we strolled the grounds which were just awakening from its winter slumber - and winter is a long one up here, 6 months. we found the cellars where all his experiments are kept, the pickling, drying, curing, fermenting. the lake where the fish comes from. cozy spots to enjoy a drink and a teepee too. then, what i thought were horses were in fact reindeer, running wild in the forest. guys, wild reindeer! such a wonderful sight. and then, just before dinner we enjoyed a sauna.
run by chef magnus nilsson, the fäviken kitchen serves each guest a collection of 30 plates throughout the evening. each dish highlights local ingredients: they make the most of their natural surroundings, foraging for local ingredients in the nearby forest and lakes, working with their neighbours to procure butter (made the old fashioned way) and meats.
it was the most adventurous menu i have ever eaten. the evening starts with little plates downstairs and champagne is poured freely. then we are escorted upstairs to take our seats in a simple dim lit room with cured hams hanging from the ceiling. i loved the theater of it all... you knew your meal was arriving by the stomping footsteps heard on the stairs, the cooks and wait staff bringing up the food on huge platters, sometimes putting the finishing touches on it right there. as it is served, one of the staff softly claps his hands and he has our attention, we listen as he describes the food in front us. this goes on repeatedly with every course. it's beautifully orchestrated.
some favourites included the scallop cooked over burning juniper branches; king crab with almost burnt cream; an egg yolk preserved in sugar syrup served on a pile of crumbs made from pine tree bark accompanied by ice cream seasoned with spruce. the latter, absolutely amazing. there were a a couple of things i could have done without, like the wild trout roe served in a crust of dried pig's blood, not my favourite. oh, i must not forget to talk about the apples; magnus froze apples in september and pressed them the evening of the dinner for the most delicious apple 'juice' i have ever drank.
after dinner, we are back downstairs in our same seats enjoying more sweets and teas. we mingled with the other guests; 16 in total. many, like us, just in the area to dine at fäviken. we sat in the teepee by the fire sharing our favourite moments of the evening before retiring to a comfy bed.
and then breakfast. if you are lucky enough to book one of the five rooms available at fäviken, you wake up to an incredible breakfast spread... homemade breads, cured meats, spreads and jams, porridge of seeds, and of course, a boiled egg with roe spread; the latter a swedish breakfast staple. finishing off with a still warm cookie. the attention to detail is appreciated and lovely. the staff - the night before and the morning of - so friendly. it was difficult to leave.
it was definitely a splurge but so worth it.
getting to and from the fäviken, wasn't the most exciting considering the seasons were in transition; the winter season just closed the day before and the summer season still a ways away up here in the north. nevertheless, on the way in, we drove slowly along enjoying the views and we found gorgeous chocolate are chokladfabrik; and despite the crisp weather, we lounged by a lake enjoying the warmth of the sun before catching our flight home.
stefan is already saving his pennies, he has plans to visit again in the middle of winter when it's dark and snowy most of the day. i think i'll tag along :)
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