Tuesday, June 08, 2010

The Girl with the Open-Face Sandwich

I admit, I've been devouring Stieg Larsson's damn trilogy about the tough little girl-grownup, Lisbeth. Fast-paced mystery, intrigue, plotting. Great characters. The writing? OK, so-so, but it carries you through the fast-paced mystery, intrigue, plotting and great characters.
Oh. And for some strange reason, Larsson keeps writing about what the characters eat.
Let me tell you, this is not a food book.
Sandwiches and coffee, that's about it. It's Sweden, right?
Yes, it turned me on.
I don't drink coffee, and I wasn't going to start. But suddenly I needed bread, herring, cheese, pickles. Caviar? Probably not. But those are the basics. Had to have 'em. (And really, would you ever, in your life, crave a fish, cheese and pickle sandwich? Didn't think so.)
I couldn't find pickled herring. Settled for local smoked sturgeon (OMG, OMG). A brick of Swedish fontina cheese. A jar of American hamburger pickle slices from New Hampshire (really nice).
I hope my friend Ilva is not reading today, but I assembled a tasty snack. It will be culturally skewed, I know that, but it was my little fan-club approximation. Had to have it.
Verdict? So good. Fish and pickles! Wow!
Now I feel like going out and KICKING somebody.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

omgomgOMG! You've take on my junk read too! My mom had been bothering me for MONTHS to read the first 2 and then guilted me out totally by actually buying me the first book. I had to clear the calendar of other books from interlibrary loan because I *knew* this was gonna take up some of my precious time.

So I second the sandwiches, sister. Hope the bread feels okay too. And: you can't diss a pickle.

kudzu said...

And what is the bread?

Ms Brown Mouse said...

My latest junk read, the spy who came in from the cold, does not talk about food at all, not even sarnies - I'd happily eat one of those, only I'd pick the cheese off, but you knew that, right? :)

cookiecrumb said...

Fast: I'm always trailing you by a few weeks... I finished the second book this morning, and my husband just laid the third (still in hardcover) beside my bed.
Bread's OK: GF.
Pickles! My specialty.

Kudzu: It's frozen GF bread, a bit stale. Gonna pitch it and get a fresh loaf, 'cause I'm on a new "kick."

Mouse: You know, I've never read that one. It came out when I was in junior high, so it was too mature for me then, and I just never caught up with it.
Yes, for you, no cheese. :) Pickles and fish!

Kalyn Denny said...

I've read them all, loved them! The Swedish movie of the first book is also great.

Nancy Ewart said...

Did anybody here go to or know about Oscar Davidson's in Copenhagen? That was the first place I ever ran across the cheese, fish and pickles combo. They billed themselves as the home of the open-faced sandwich and when I visited Denmark, I ate there every day. Oh, so many sandwiches! So little time! I wonder if it's still open because a certain type of delicious sandwich seems to be a Scandinavian specialty.
The next time you make that sandwich, you've got to try some rye bread (unless you can't eat rye?).

Greg said...

That sando looks so good! Simple and tasty... I must go to the kitchen now.

cookiecrumb said...

Kalyn: The movie is playing at our local art house; might see it Friday. I heard it was good. You're cool.

Nancy: I've never been to Scandinavia. I'm just so glad I triangulated this silly sandwich, because it's guuuud!
I have no idea if I can eat rye (pure rye); it has gluten, but at this point I don't know what's setting me off!

Greg: With my GF bread, I am now a sandwich hound.

butterface said...

I actually do crave tuna melts with pickles a lot. Is there something wrong with me?

Preserved fish of any kind with pickled anything pretty much hits my g-spot. Pickled herring+pickled onions being my favorite combo. Just make me listerine before I come near you.

cookiecrumb said...

Butterface: I totally agree! We were eating it, and I said this is a European tuna melt! Hah.
Listerine is in the cabinet straight down the hall; your place at the table is set.

Pickled onions. nghhnmm. Gonna start a batch.

Melanie said...

I absolutely have loved the books, I've been listening to them in audio book form.
Also. Pickles on sandwiches? awesome.

cookiecrumb said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cookiecrumb said...

Melanie: I finished the third book this morning. I am verklempt. (Not Swedish.)
Need sandwich.