Valborgsafton (Walpurgis Night) 2026

30 April 2026

Just like last year, we went to Ulriksdal castle's park to see a bonfire. On this day, there are many locations around Sweden that set a bonfire to welcome spring. I like this location as it is a park and there is a large space for everyone. I saw some photos from Rålambshovsparken and it was so crowded. 

The Scouts were there to sell warm boiled sausages with bread, coffee, tea, packet drinks and sweet buns. We got the warm sausage 25kr. Same price as last year. Yay.

One receives a coupon after paying and we give the coupon to the responsible scout. 

This is a giant boiler to cook 1800 sausages! Of course, not all 1800 at once.

Even the mustard and ketchup bottles are huge! How clever it is to hang them upside down and we just squeeze the tubes. 

We found a spot to sit and waited for the scouts to come out with the fire torches. This year, they have pails of water placed a distance from the bonfire as the border between the people and the fire, as well as, I am sure, to put out the fire if necessary. Some adults were not very smart and walked out of the border and the scouts had to tell them to get back behind the pails. One elderly woman said that she could not feel the heat.. Gosh, how ridiculous she sounded. The scout told her to put on a jacket if she feels cold. You don't need to be a rocket scientist to get the idea that the pails are the border. 

At the 8.32pm, the bonfire was lit!

We went nearer the fire and the heat was intense. We stayed on until 9.30pm. The fire was still going strong but smaller. This year, it was warmer than last year. Last year, I had a beanie and a thick coat. This year, no beanie but two down jackets (under me is a sleeveless down jacket) because I know it will get cold once the sun sets. 

Tastebud : Minh Mat

21 April 2024

Today, we ate at a Michelin guide restaurant. It does not have any Michelin stars. It is a recommended restaurant in the Michelin guide. So, there is a sign on the restaurant that it is a Michelin though I think it is misleading as I thought it has a Michelin star. With a Michelin status, the price of the food is not cheap. In my opinion, the food is highly priced and it is not value for money. But the food is delicious so the heart was less painful in paying the food.

My friend and I shared two small dishes and two big dishes. It is recommended 1 big and 1 small or 1 medium and 2 small or 4 small. We shared fresh spring rolls with shrimps SEK170, pumpkin croquette with puffed green rice SEK165, pho noodle soup with water buffalo meat SEK320 and shrimp and chicken noodle (quang nam) soup SEK320. My opinion is that the dishes could be priced at SEK100 lesser. 

The small dishes came out first.

Pumpkin croquette with puffed green rice is new to me. The croquette is made from Hokaido pumpkin. I have never read before of green rice until right now. It is found in Vietnam. The sauce is a combination of tamarind, coconut milk, longan, chilli and shallots. Yummy sauce too. 

Short description of  Vietnamese Green Rice, known locally as “cốm,” is a special type of rice made from young glutinous rice grains. Unlike familiar white rice, Green Rice is characterized by its green color, which comes from soaking the rice with the juice of young rice plant leaves. Source from Keep Up Cooking.

Tastebud : Amida Kolgrill

18 April 2026

Grilled meat for dinner. This place was packed with diners. It sells kebab meat and grilled meat. I smelt of smoke when I stepped out from the place. There is a special corner to get your own tea. I am seeing this for the first time. 

Special tea corner. The four jugs on the top are filled with concentrated black tea, and then diluted with hot water from the taps at the bottom. The method of making the concentrated black tea is taking a few tablespoons of tea leaves in lesser amount of water, boil and then simmer for some times. Quite easy. I felt that the black tea tasted differently, although it is from Ceylon tea leaves. It does not taste like the chai masala that I make with Ceylon tea leaves. 

For my dinner, I had the chef's special - grilled meat pieces in aubergine mix (with yoghurt). Served with pieces of bread, tomato and cucumber. It was very filling. I could not finish up my food. Thankfully, I had help to finish up the food. Half of the portion would have suffice for me and I would have enjoyed it. 

Culture Night Stockholm 2026 - Stockholm Bränneri

This year, I was out on Culture Night! The last time I did it was in 2019. I went out on Culture Night twice in 2018 and 2019. During both times, I visited the opera and some museums. This year, I went to somewhere different. A place which did not come across my mind as cultural - Stockholm Bränneri (Distillery). I visited a distillery! Well, the locals do enjoy wines, beer and whisky to wind down after a long week. Maybe that is something cultural. Drinking culture? 

This distillery produces gin. To be categorised as gin, there need to be juniper berry. I love the smell of the juniper berry bushes. I smell that a lot when I pluck my blueberries. It is mild and fragrant. Not pungent and strong like perfume that can suffocate my nose. This distillery purchases alcohol from another supplier and it takes only 3 days to produce gin here. The produce is shipped worldwide. 

During the Culture Night, there was a 15 minute free guided tour and a short explanation of the distillation process. I thought it included free drink tasting but I was wrong. It is even unlawful to do that. I misread the information.

Prior to the guided tour, I had a non-alcoholic drink from the bar. Spicy Pink Paloma 250ml for SEK70. It has grapefruit, lime and chilli. I think they could have increased the chilli usage. I was expecting chilli heat but I felt nothing in the beginning. At the end of the drink, I could feel a cumulative heat at the back of my throat.

Alcohol (Etanol) purchased from another supplier are stored in the silver tanks.

Alcohol, water, juniper berries are added in the giant copper tank on the right. It is boiled at 60 degrees for 24 hours. Then, the temperature is increased to 80 degrees and at this point, the vapour from the boiled liquid passes through a condenser, cooling it back into a clear liquid. I just learnt today that alcohol vaporises at lower temperature than water. 

Tastebud : Repe & Pepe

16 April 2026

Italian food for dinner at a restaurant that is in the neighbourhood. It is almost close to being a fine dining restaurant but since it is in a housing neighbourhood, it does not fit that category though. The waitress don't have a uniform. Only one chef that prepares all the food. Despite that, we did not need to wait long for the food. It is a short menu. This restaurant is a new addition in the neighbourhood and it received many positive reviews when it was newly opened. We tried to walk-in when it was newly opened which was of course a bad idea because everyone wanted to try the place. So, we booked a table for today. And today, there were a number of walk-ins. I guess the novelty has worn off. 

I had appetiser bruscetta SEK55 and main dish - common Italian dish: Saltimbocca alla Romana (Italian name) described as thinly sliced ​​veal with Parma ham and sage served with white wine gravy, spinach and parmesan SEK249. I had a lemon San Pellogrino SEK38. I don't usually order drinks but I made it an exception this time. 

Tomatoes in the bruscetta were not sweet. Well, not surprising. It is not the season yet. Quite bland. The veal was not flavourful and so is the spinach. I did not find the meal exceptional. I think they could add a bit more salt to the dishes. We were served bread in the beginning. Very tiny slices.