Oaxen Nr3

no 3 h u r r ay f o r h e r r i n g m e e t t h e l i v e ly c h e f s nyhléns hugosons farm life

the craftsmanship • the architecture • the people

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DETAILS

editorial

FIVE YEARS ON DJURGÅRDEN

i

t has already been 24 years since the beginning on the island of Oaxen in the southern archipelago of Stockholm, and five years since we moved to the city and Djurgården. Much has happened since then, but the philosophy is still the same. The love of creative work, the sustainable and ethically produced fresh produce and the curiosity to constantly explore nature’s own pantry are always part of what we do.

It is in this spirit that we have the

great pleasure to welcome the new crop year. After a long and cold winter the work at Oaxen Farm is in full swing, and it’s nice to finally get to dig into the ground and lay the foundation for the time ahead. Read more about our work on the Farm and the vegetables, herbs and root vegetables you will enjoy in our dishes later in this magazine.

In this issue you will also meet the people behind the architecture, both interior and exterior, of Oaxen Krog & Slip, Mats Fahlander and Agneta Pettersson. Read about their thoughts on drawings, materials selection and interior design and how to turn an old shipyard into two restaurants and a club room with a genuine feel.

Another craftsmanship, although on a somewhat smaller scale, is

Magnus’ woodwork that you will come upon in Oaxen Krog. As you probably have noticed, we put just as much love in the presentation as in the cooking, which results in the creative outputs that have emerged from our work. Always with a clear interaction between the creation and the dish.

for more inspiration

Our employees and suppliers form a central part of the genuine holistic experience we want to create. In this anniversary issue of Oaxenbladet you will meet the meat supplier Magnus at Nyhléns Hugosons, our housekeeper Duanpen, the two Head Chefs Rune and Ian along with the Slip’s Head Sommelier Emil and Assistant Restaurant Manager Almedina.

The gastronomic journey does

Enjoy!

not end with this magazine.

Visit our website oaxen.com or join our Instagram accounts @oaxenkrog and @oaxenslip for mouth-watering pictures and all the latest news.

Agneta Green & Magnus Ek with staff

P r o d u c e d b y: G l o r y D ay s • e d i t o r : p å l j o h a n s s o n • p r o j e c t m a n a g e r : h e l e n r o s b e r g • a r t d i r e c t o r : l o v e e n e r o t h • e d i t o r i a l p h o t o s : e r i k o l s s o n , L i n n e a l i n d b l a d , m a g n u s e k , m at t i a s n i l s s o n , t h i l d e d e h l s e n w e r s ä l l , v i k t o r w r a n g e , k a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l , j e s s i e s ä r n b l o m , P e r R a n u n g

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supplier

FROM THE FARM TO THE PLATE

T e x t: F r i d a h J ö n s s o n photo: nyhléns hugosons

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M

any of Oaxen Krog’s meat dishes are based on livestock from Norrland farmers. The fresh meat comes from Nyhléns Hugosons, who for several decades have produced meat for different restaurants in Norrland and the rest of Sweden. The family business that has been operating since 1975 is well-known among restauranteurs. Their philosophy is to work as close to their Norrland core as possible, which they try to achieve by keeping their entire business under one umbrella.

– We are one of the few entrepreneurs working from the farm to the restaurant plate, says Magnus Nilsson, CEO. We have our own slaughter and cutting operations as well as processing operations, where we produce everything from sausages to air-dried products and other delicacies.

A glimpse of Nyhléns Hugoson’s long track

record containing countless medals from Swedish butcher’s championship (Chark-SM) clearly shows that their crafts are appreciated, but Magnus emphasizes that their mission is to deliver a high-quality raw ingredient – it is the restaurant’s chefs that turn it into a unique taste experience.

– We strive to have a level of consistency and a quality, without compromise.

But if Oaxen Krog’s guests are satisfied with their meals, that is a result of the cooks using the raw ingredients properly. Our job is to ensure that those who use our products get a quality that facilitates and enhances their vast knowledge in the kitchen, which means that the guests who eat there feel that ‘wow, this was really, really good’! We want to deliver a stability and consistency of our Norrland products that makes that possible.

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A GASTRONOMIC TIMELINE

2013 The newly constructed period

building at the Nya Djurgårdsvarvet is ready for occupancy, now with the new addition of the Slip bistro. This year, Oaxen Krog & Slip receives both the Gulddraken (Dagens Nyheter) and the award Business Restaurant of the year (Dagens Industri).

2011 On October 1st, the last meal on

the island is served. In December, the grocery store Oaxen Skafferi opens on Mariatorget, with self-made cured meats and tenderized meat.

1990 Magnus Ek and Agneta

1994 The couple takes over

the summer restaurant Oaxen Skärgårdskrog on the island of Oaxen outside Mörkö in Stockholm’s southern archipelago.

Soon they began to experiment with the produce they found on the island.

2006 The good reputation

of the restaurant spreads beyond the borders of the country, and the restaurant makes it onto the top list ‘50 Best Restaurants in the World’ five years in a row.

Greens’s joint journey towards gastronomic heights and the top of the restaurant world starts in Skåne, where their paths cross for the first time.

2008 The riverboat Prince van Oran-

giën becomes part of Magnus and Agneta’s business, and the transformation from a home to a personal hotel begins. Later that same year, it is time for the first guests to enjoy the cabins.

2010-2011 After 17 years, the chapter on the

island comes to a conclusion, and the restauranteurs are heading for a more central location in Stockholm, which will enable year-round operations.

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2014 On March 12, Oaxen Krog is awarded

the first Guide Michelin star and also another Gulddrake. During the fall and winter, work on the own farmland Oaxen Farm on Djurgården begins.

2015 Oaxen Krog is awarded their

second Michelin star. During the year the first seeds were sown on the Farm, which in this premiere year yielded a small harvest and a taste of what was to come.

2016 In September, Oaxen Krog & Slip organizes a festival with food

and integration. Women from a number of countries presented their cuisine, and all surpluses from ticket sales went to the Stockholm City Mission’s integration work.

2017 Oaxen Krog receives the White Guide Årets Merroir Award,

which goes to restaurants that have renewed or intensified their approach towards marine raw materials. The magazine The World of Fine Wine awards Oaxen Krog two stars for one of the world’s best wine lists. In this year, Oaxen Krog AB also ends up on Visita’s top 10 list of Sweden’s most attractive employers in the hospitality industry.

2018 The anniversary year! It has now

been five years since Oaxen Krog & Slip opened their doors on Djurgården. Among other things, this is celebrated with an anniversary dinner in Slip and birthday cake after dinner in the Krog.

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about us

THIS IS OAXEN KROG & SLIP Foto: per ranung

Oaxen Slip Our bistro, Oaxen Slip, exudes a sense of boat industry history and a heritage from days gone by. In the restaurant you’ll be met by boats hanging from the ceiling, walls made of corrugated sheet metal and a magical natural light from the window facade. Here, we serve our own interpretation of Nordic bistro fare. Tasty and simple dishes that are conveniently shared with people you like. A popular meeting place for relaxing lunches, cozy brunches or pleasant evening dinners. Regular tables are complemented by community tables for one or more companies and seats at the bar for spontaneous guests.

With a genuine

sustainability philosophy, a personal dedication to the utmost detail and a sure instinct for both produce and interior design, Magnus Ek and Agneta Green have created two restaurants that have attracted attention from all over the world. Welcome to Oaxen Krog & Slip.

Oaxen Krog

Foto: erik olsson

In our heart, the cozy Oaxen Krog, we invite you to enjoy unforgettable taste experiences in a secluded setting. Here the origin and the philosophy from the time on the island are preserved. We explore and select unique produce from our nearest surroundings and our own cultivation to the outermost borders of the Nordic region. High demands are placed on quality, taste, sustainable agriculture and the humane keeping of animals. From the nature and the soul of the produce we create playful and beautiful compositions that together with the drinks and the environment make an unforgettable holistic experience.

The Club Room The tastefully decorated Club Room upstairs offers a magnificent view over Saltsjön and the heights of Söder on the horizon. A perfect place for those seeking privacy, such as business dinners, brunches, smaller wedding dinners or birthday celebrations. The Club Room, with seating for 16 people, is also equipped with all the technology and services you may need for your business meeting or conference. Contact us and let us customize an optimal arrangement according to your requirements.

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Foto: mattias nilsson

about us

HOTEL PRINCE VAN ORANGIËN

W

hen the weather is pleasant and spring approaches, we welcome guests aboard our charming hotel boat Prince van Orangiën. The vessel is moored on the other side of Beckholmssundet, just a stone’s throw from Oaxen Krog & Slip. ”The Prince”, originally a home and office to a shipowner traveling around Europe with his dredging fleet, was built in 1935 in the Dutch city of Vahali te Gendt. The beauty is 35 meters long and weighs 140 gross tons. She headed for Sweden and Västerås in 2008. As the fourth owners, we have carefully transformed the meticulously managed vessel from a home into a small and quite unique hotel that is unparalleled in Stockholm.

The vessel is equipped with six cabins, three smaller and three larger ones, and amenities that one would not necessarily expect on a ship. The cabins are individually deco-

rated and have period features. The decor consists of luxurious materials such as oak, ebony, rosewood, Belgian slate and five different kinds of marble. Guests enjoy a good night’s rest in the Carpe Diem beds featured in each cabin. Our most exclusive and spacious Ship-Owner’s Cabin No 1 located at the bow offers a private bathroom with a cast iron bath tub as well as an exit to a private outdoor deck.

The fixed interior on board is the original interior from the 1920’s. We have added handpicked details to brighten up the dark elements while preserving the authentic and genuine environment. Take, for example, the shell lamps in the Captain’s Cabin, made

by Supreme Lights in the 1920s, or the rattan chairs in Cabin No 2 and in the Captain’s Cabin, designed by the Dane Robert Wrengler in 1902.

Prince van Orangiën is open between April and October each year.

Hotel gems with a special flair The Hotel Collector’s Guide is the web-

site for those looking for those special gems off the beaten path. Hotels that are more of an experience rather than just a place for the night. The website presents carefully selected small and personal hotels all over Sweden, and our own Prince van Orangiën is one of them.

Read more at thehotelcollector.com.

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t e x t: F r i d a h j ö n s s o n photo: thilde dehlsen wersäll

architecture

INDUSTRIAL STYLE MEETS FINE DINING

architecture

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W

hen Djurgårdsvarvet, the shipyard in Stockholm, was restored in 2006, architect Mats Fahlander came into play quite early.

– Maintenance had been neglected, and several buildings in the area were about to collapse, but through the initiative to save the ship yard both the will and the money to renovate the place were released. For my part, it started with a call to make a construction plan for a staff locker room; the work grew bigger and I had the chance to stay in the project for a long time, says Mats.

There had been several suggestions on what to do with the old slip house shed by the water and Beckholmsbron, but after much twisting and turning Mats came up with the idea that the grinding shed itself could become a restaurant. Interior designer Agneta Pettersson joined the project and found that the building could not be saved because the frame was badly damaged through subsidence and the ground had to be reconstructed. For both Mats and Agneta, it became a major challenge to combine a genuine sense of old dockyard with the high standards of functionality required by Oaxen Krog & Slip’s high level restaurant operations in the new house. Oaxen Slip’s ten meters in ceiling height, sheet metal walls and the large open surface could lead you to assume that the room had a high decibel level, but Mats and Agneta kept the sound issue in mind already when choosing the building’s basic materials.

– The furniture and the house belong together, and it’s a great challenge to think about the acoustic environment, says Agneta.

After all, drafting a nice environment with glass, concrete and sheet metal is a taboo when it comes to acoustics. But the entire inner wall of the Slip, coated with stretch metal and leather, is made of absorbent material that is made to absorb sound, just like the leather on the tables. The house was built with soundproofing material right from the start, instead of incorporating it into the interior afterwards.

The fact that certain materials are considered a taboo has not stopped the duo from believing in their own visions. For Mats it was important not to forget about the geographical history.

– I wanted to draw attention to the location, to the fact that it has been and still is a shipyard, he says. A shipyard environment is indeed not created based on aesthetic ideals, but is built according to specific needs, as for example the grinding shed that is built to accommodate smaller ships.

It creates an atmosphere that I think many people can experience as exciting and worthy of preservation. It was not troublefree to build a glass facade facing towards the afternoon sun in the West; the guests were not supposed to sit in the draft from the high glass wall, and the butter should not melt in the sun. At the same time it is

the glass facade that reminds of the building’s previous function.

Agneta agrees and emphasizes that the holistic approach to the building became crucial for what kind of material they could use. When you eat at one of the leather covered tables or admire the wall panelling at Oaxen Slip, you can be sure that the restaurant’s values, food philosophy and surroundings have played a major role even in the smallest detail.

– The big question was: How do you get a raw industrial feel to go together with fine dining? Do they match? Our answer is that the leather on the table is an exclusive material, but it can also be associated with handicrafts, for example in protective clothing.

In the dining room of Oaxen Krog we have covered the walls and ceilings with oak panelling that resemble brick walls. We used Swedish wood and blasted it to make the texture visible; it is an exclusive material but reminiscent of something rustic and simple.

The Swedish genuine materials are not just there for visual reasons – we want the entire building and interior to be part of Oaxen Krog & Slips’s basic concept: Get raw materials as local as possible and don’t cross the stream to get water, start digging where you stand and do something amazing.

The furniture and the house belong together, and it’s a great challenge to think about the acoustic environment

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crafts

MAGNUS’ CARPENTRY

Text & photo: karolina Arenhäll food image: magnus ek

Y

ou eat with your eyes first – is more than just a figure of speech at Oaxen Krog. Here, just as much love is put in the presentation as in the cooking. And if there are no serving plates or bowls that match the vision for the dish, Magnus make them.

– There is not much to choose from that fits with the feeling we want to create. The options are often either very ugly, very expensive or very brittle.

If I create something myself, I can customize it according to what we want to achieve. And it does not feel as bad if it breaks.

He says that there is often a correlation between his creation and the dish.

– My creations don’t always work out exactly as I wanted them to. Sometimes I have to change the crafts, sometimes we adapt the dish.

He tells us that the interest in creating things with wood has always been there, but that it grew stronger as he tried it out, just like it was with his cooking.

– Of course I have been advised by carpenters and others, but mostly I taught myself. It’s like cooking, it’s based on the experience you’ve created yourself or learned from someone else. I had to go through 10,000 failures before getting something I was pleased with. But today it’s entertaining, something I do because it’s fun.

crafts

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the press Despite the size of the press, it is used to preserve something very small – the tasteful parts of the crayfish heads.

– The most tasteful and delicious part of all crustaceans is actually found in the head, but very few eat the shellfish heads. It’s basically only shrimp you can eat whole, otherwise it’s too hard, says Magnus.

The idea was to get the good juice anyway.

With the help of the press the crayfish heads are crushed. The tasty juice then flows to a tap so that it can easily be collected and used in sauces that are cooked in front of the guests.

the spoons The spoons at Oaxen Krog have evolved together with Magnus.

Everything began with the former Head Chef, Johan, making wooden spoons and wondering if maybe he should order some carving knives for Magnus.

– I started without really knowing what to do. I just tried things out. The first spoon was unusable, it broke almost immediately. The second one lasted a little longer. You could say that experience is based on previous failures and successes.

Back then the spoons were usually made from juniper wood; today many are made from elder wood instead.

– Elder tree is great to work with, but it has a colour that is slightly reminiscent of nicotine yellow, which is not that beautiful. That’s why I roast them in the oven, then they turn black instead.

the cups The swivel cups are designed to give a warm welcome to guests coming in from the cold.

– I made them for serving broth. When it’s cold and uncomfortable outside, it’s nice to be served something hot when you come inside and take a seat.

The box Magnus’ love for natural

shapes is clearly visible in the serving utensil he created by hollowing a tree branch.

– I like to see the structure of the wood, it is so beautiful in itself.

Like this, when you put them together, it looks like a whole log.

the plates The serving plates are at this moment used to serve pig with sweet briar. They were created in a collaboration between Magnus and the potter Sunna Jonsdotter.

– I think that ceramics and wood are so beautiful together. Because all of Sunna’s products are handmade, none of the plates are exactly the same, even if they look very similar. To get a perfect fit, the wooden material must be adapted to the ceramic plate. If the plate breaks, the whole thing has to be repeated.

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locally produced

FARM LIFE

t e x t: k a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l photo: magnus ek & erik olsson

Most of the crops are

harvested by Magnus.

– Often I have a pick list that might say, for example, 30 carrots, eight kohlrabi and two black radishes.

O

ver the past three years, a 80x100 meter plot has developed into Oaxen Krog & Slip’s green oasis. The cultivation plot is as much a producer of food crops as it is a place for employees to get closer to the origin of the produce.

– It just came natural that we should have a cultivation. We already had it on the island, although it was mostly about herbs and sprouts. The difference now is that I also want it to be a nursery for our employees. They should have the opportunity to see something grow from a seed all the way to the plate, says Magnus.

Even though Magnus has the main responsibility for Oaxen Farm, the staff are heavily involved during the year of cultivation. That means everything from sowing, planting, cleaning the beds, harvesting in late autumn and finally how the crops are to be handled and processed.

– Fresh produce goes through a lot

from the time of harvest until it ends up on your plate, so the shorter the way from harvest to consumption is, the better it becomes. This goes for taste and consistency both, especially when it is something you’ve cultivated yourself. Take carrots, for example. The shops only have straight carrots, as they are easy to handle. The others are sorted out. But we use both the straight and crooked ones. On the other hand, the crooked ones usually outdo the straight ones when it comes to taste. idea behind what is grown, and when. With the help of Niklas Karlsson, kitchen gardener at Rosendal’s Gardens, and Emil Grönlund, former Head Chef at Oaxen Slip and now Master Gardener, they have set up a plan for crop rotation in six different parts. All in order to provide the best possible soil and nutritional conditions for each crop. With seeds selected with care from organic suppliers.

There is a clear

locally produced

Even though the farm is actually big enough to make Oaxen Krog & Slip self-sufficient, Magnus says that’s not what it is about.

– We had such an idea in mind in the beginning, but now I feel we have reached a reasonable level. Having that as a goal would take away the space needed for us to try things out in our cultivation. We probably do a lot of things that an experienced master gardener knows are doomed to failure. I also don’t want to miss out on the diversity we get from working with other vegetable growers. This is a good balance, we produce – but we do not produce everything.

He himself loves to breed kale in all

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its forms; especially black and green kale play an important role on the Oaxen Krog & Slip menus. They grow slowly and are one of the last that are harvested. He acknowledges that the strong farming interest was not there from the beginning but has grown in line with the farm.

– On the island, I was never in the garden; it was completely taken care of by my mother-in-law. Pulling up weeds always felt deadly boring. But since we started growing crops on the farm it has grown on me. It’s just such a lovely occupation. Even the weeding. It’s a very rewarding job to see how something that you have cultivated yourself is growing.

Meet the bubbly Almedina When you step into Oaxen Slip, you

will be greeted by bubbly Almedina Ajdinovic from Småland, our Assistant Restaurant Manager. The fact that the warm hospitality is an important part of Oaxen Krog & Slip’s success becomes very clear when Almedina talks about how she became a part of the Oaxen family.

– It was my favourite restaurant, the food was delicious and the staff were so professional and nice. I immediately felt that ‘shit, this is what it’s supposed to be like at work’.

There and then , Almedina asked if

they were hiring, and since 2015 she works at Oaxen Slip. For her, the service is the most important part; that the guests feel looked after throughout the visit.

– It’s my responsibility to keep track of who is celebrating a birthday, who has been here before, what they liked about the food, and to make sure that they’re having a nice evening.

When she’s not working, she loves to

travel. The trips are planned around which restaurants she wants to visit.

– Food and drinks are my great interest and something I share with my partner. So that really shapes our entire life.

last year’s harvest list May

Sprouts from buckwheat and phacelia (until October) Crisp sprouts of purple beans Rhubarb (until September) Mustard sprouts Chervil Lovage (until October)

June

Onion sprouts Pineappleweed (until October) Purslane (until August) Lemon balm (until July) Radishes (until October) Black radishes (until October)

July

Purple beans (until August) Radishes (until October) Broad beans (until September) Jerusalem artichoke flowers (until August)

Red onion (until September) Yellow onion (until September) Asparagus salad (until September) Bronze fennel (until October) Flowers (until October)

August

Carrots (until October) Green kale (until December) Black kale (until December) Kohlrabi (until November)

September

Wax beans Green beans Runner beans Jerusalem artichoke (until October) Celeriac (until October)

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the people

MEET THE LIVELY CHEFS

t e x t: k a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l p o r t r a i t: t h i l d e d e h l s e n w e r s ä l l food images: magnus ek & Viktor Wrange

Blueberries with

Angelica ice cream.

the people

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E

ven though the pure, Scandinavian flavours are the trade mark of Oaxen Krog and Slip, our Head Chefs have their roots in completely different cuisines. Ian Doyle, Head Chef at Oaxen Krog, is originally from Ireland, and Slip’s Head Chef Rune Ballote grew up in Mexico. Despite the very different backgrounds, they share the same vision when it comes to food – the strength lies in the uncomplicated, the raw materials should play the leading role and make the dish special.

– What I like most about my job is the ingredients. We get some great products from all over Scandinavia.

And there are no compromises, if we’re not happy with the quality of an ingredient, we replace it with another one from the farm. Or we change the whole dish, says Ian. This is also the reason why the menus are frequently redesigned and replaced.

The menu reflects the season and the available fresh produce. Ian says that a dish usually appears on Oaxen Krog’s menu for at least three weeks, and six months at the most.

– Say we get a delivery on 200 mahogany clams. When they run out, it’s taken off the menu. We don’t work around it. the menu means that much time is spent on creating new dishes. Rune sees it as a chance to make sure his team is constantly moving forward.

– It keeps us from getting caught up in familiar routines. Everyone comes up with new ideas, and it’s my job to make sure that they are put into practice.

It’s fun that everyone gets a chance to cook ”their” dishes. I think that’s important to everyone’s development.

The new dishes are sampled by the whole Oaxen Slip’s team before they end up on the menu, Ian says, but adds that it’s usually after a week or two on the menu that they really know if the dish is a success or not.

The impermanence of

Say we get a delivery on 200 mahogany clams.

When they run out, it’s taken off the menu.

Norröna herring with potato and pickled sand leek.

responsible for two different kitchens, the exchange between the two of them is lively. It can be anything from helping out in case of staff shortage in one of the kitchens to giving feedback on new dishes.

Rune says that it is one of the things he appreciates the most with Ian, that he can count on the fact that he is always one hundred percent sincere.

And that they have a lot of fun together.

Ian agrees with him.

– I really feel like we have formed a brotherhood, me and Rune. And that goes for all of the house of Oaxen Krog & Slip, we are like a family. Everything works effortless now.

Although they are

Although there is a high amount of administrative work such as schedules, orders and contact with suppliers, both are very active in the kitchen.

– I like being in the kitchen, leading the team. I think it’s more inspiring for the other cooks – to have the boss at the front line, says Rune.

Top: Baked Jerusalem artichoke with sour cream, salted pork and parsley.

Below: Grilled

celariac baked in whey with bleak roe, bread crumble and chives.

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gastronomy

HURRAY FOR HERRING t e x t: k a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l p ho t o: M at t i as Nil s s on

A

t Oaxen Slip, herring has always been very popular, the seasonings can vary infinitely – just like the sides. A favourite that has survived since the island times is the Sea buckthorn herring (Havtornssill). Pickled herring is perfect with fresh potatoes tossed in butter, Västerbotten cheese and homemade caraway crisp bread. In addition to its good taste, sea buckthorn is a real super berry full of vitamin C and is still used as a herbal remedy for everything from infections to cough. So the sea buckthorn herring is a jackpot in many ways. By popular request, here comes the recipe.

Sea Buckthorn Herring (Havtornssill) Ingredients:

Salted herring Sea buckthorn Vinegar Sugar Water Herbs, carnation, bay leaf

Method Begin by macerating the herring by

letting it lay in water for a day.

Then create a 1-2-3 pickle by mixing one part vinegar with two parts sugar and three parts water. Boil the water, turn off the stove and stir in the sugar until it has dissolved. Finish by adding vinegar. Leave to cool. Add the herbs

and spices. Clean the herring before putting it down in the pickle.

Leave for three days. Take out the herring, cut it into small pieces and then put it in an unseasoned 1-2-3 pickle. Add plenty of sea buckthorn.

Leave at fridge temperature for at least two days before serving it.

spirits

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SNAPS ALL YEAR LONG t e x t: k a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l photo: thilde dehlsen wersäll

S

naps has gone from being served on holidays only, to a drink that more and more people appreciate all year round. One of them is Emil Gunneflo, Head Sommelier at Oaxen Slip.

He makes sure that there is always a rich assortment of snaps on the liquor shelf, and he also flavours Oaxen Slip’s own range of snaps. One of them is Kölhalarsnaps, a smoky one that goes perfectly with cold cuts, aged cheeses and smoked meat. Here aquavit is flavoured with roasted strips of oak before being smoked with hickory wood.

– I believe that the rising interest in drinking snaps all year long is partly owed to the fact that more and more people are beginning to realize how well food and snaps go together. The right flavouring can really do a lot for the meal, says Emil.

When it comes to choosing the right snaps, the rule of thumb is to take the spices and flavours in the food as a starting point.

Herring is accentuated by light, fresh liquors with a lot of herbs, such as Aalborg Jubilee. Smokey flavours on the other hand can be matched with rich flavours like Gammel Norrlands, which has aromas of cumin, fennel and sherry.

For those who want to try flavouring at home,

Emil’s advice is to keep it classic.

– Start with unflavoured vodka. Start with the classic aquavit flavours cumin and dill, then add something that goes with the food you are going to drink it with. But, of course, it’s about personal preferences; the best snaps is the one you like.

The smoky taste of the Kölhalarsnaps makes it perfect for cold cuts, aged cheeses and smoked meat.

Emil’s Favourites Djurgårdsstjärnan

– It is Oaxen Slip’s oldest snaps and has all the classic flavours – cumin, dill and parsley.

Gammel Norrlands

– It is topped with sherry, making it perfect for smoked meat and tasty, aged cheeses.

Qvänum Aquavit

– A clear aquavit from a small-scale producer, which in my opinion works very well for everything on the classic herring buffet (sillbord). I like the very pure and spicy flavour.

Meet Duanpen - The Globetrotter Duanpen Boontasutthi has been part of our housekeeping team since the opening on Djurgården in spring 2013. She is originally from Loei in the north-eastern part of Thailand, but has lived in Sweden since 2007 when she moved in with her partner in an apartment in Vasastan.

Duanpen is very happy in Sweden – she likes living in the city and getting to work so easily.

– I love that it is so clean and that everything is close by here. But the best thing is the Swedish climate, it is far too hot in Thailand. Here, the seasons change, and it feels fresh and pleasant.

In her time off she likes to

travel, and her favourite destination is, of course, Thailand. Among the European destinations that she loves are Paris, which she likes to explore on her own, and Berlin, where she and her partner often go together. The last trip was to Amsterdam, and the next journey to Thailand is already booked.

no. 3 ~ p. 18

miscellaneous

IN SHORT Oaxen SLIP’s Culture Club Just as the name suggests, Oaxen Slip’s Culture

Oaxen Bakgård Sometimes you need to think outside the box. At Oaxen Krog & Slip, we do that in the Oaxen Bakgård.

Then the chefs temporarily leave the Nordic kitchen and create something freely according to a theme instead. So far, they have conjured up everything from a HOG Fest to a Fried Chicken Party and the most recent, the Taco Fiesta with Tres Nuevos Amigos. Go to oaxen.com for the next happening.

Oaxen Krog & Slip

Diversity

Oaxen KROG & SLIP’s cuisine may

be Nordic, but the Oaxen Krog & Slip family is global. Our 62 employees derives from 22 different countries.

Club seeks to combine the best of two worlds: food and culture. In addition to a two-course menu, guests are invited to talks by various cultural personalities. So far, the focus of the evenings has been on literature. In collaboration with Brombergs Bokförlag, writers like Majgull Axelsson, Anna Hedenmo and Marianne Lindberg DeGeer have talked about their latest works. Check out oaxen. com for future events.

loyal patron

no. 3 ~ p. 19

THE GUEST OFSOOTHING HONOUR CONTRASTS

S

implicity. Sometimes it contains the details for success. When the foundation of simplicity has been put in place already with the first stone. A solid foundation that carries all the decorations: whether it is a building or a restaurant menu. According to William Wenkel, one of Oaxen Slip’s most frequent regulars, even the simplest dishes come with a special touch when served at Oaxen Slip.

– All of their produce are good, which makes even a simple beef stew the best you’ve ever tasted. If a place has good focus on fresh produce, a less is more approach is enough. That’s when you know that the whole menu is worth ordering, says William. his office lies only twenty-two meters from Oaxen Slip’s premises. So he grabs 5-10 lunches a month, despite many travel days at work. With a job in the event industry, including sailing boats and ski trips,

He’s a lucky guy;

his everyday life is often hectic. It’s hard to avoid when all of Europe is your workplace. Then Oaxen Slip’s serenity becomes a real haven to return to and get comfortable in.

– Oaxen Slip is a true blessing, a great source of happiness in my everyday life. A nice contrast, William says.

t e x t: n i k l a s s i m o n s s o n P O R T R A I T: K a r o l i n a a r e n h ä l l

to choose a favourite on the menu, it would be the fish.

– It is much easier to find restaurants with good meat, but with fish it’s more difficult. I only eat fish if the fish is tasty. And if fish is on the menu at Oaxen Slip’s, I eat it. Because I know they always maintain high quality.

If he had

If you could choose between the Krog, the Bistro or the Club Room?

– Then I would probably go for the Club Room. Even though I haven’t actually eaten at the Krog. But the Club Room sounds nice; just bring some friends and relax in peace, William laughs.

Marinated mussels and bottarga .

no. 3 ~ p. 20

närproducerat

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