Touch down in Skavsta airport, outside Stockholm and the first place we head is The Plant – Food That Works, for a couple of our favourite vegan burgers. When you’re vegan, your trips really are governed by what you eat, and when there are so many delicious choices, your trips begin to revolve around food (maybe with a couple of museums thrown in if you have time).
The Plant offers five burgers, we opted for the Hammer and Bernaise burgers and two portions of chips. At around £20, that’s really not bad (for Stockholm). The 100% organic, plant-based, sustainable food is a perfect combination of flavours and textures. The burgers are made up of kidney beans, rice and spices (I wish I knew which), and are served in a white bun topped with salad, vegan mayo and in the case of the Hammer Burger, BBQ mushroom sauce. Heaven. As usual, I was too greedy to remember to take pictures. But you can see them on their website: http://www.theplant.se.
After my first techno gig (and most likely not my last thanks to Paul Kalkbrenner), we spent a chilled hungover day walking around Stockholm, enjoying the snow and stopping for fika (coffee time). We eventually stopped for lunch at MAX, Sweden’s first hamburger chain and, since recently, it’s first sustainable fast food chain. They offer a range of burgers, including the Oumph! BBQ Vegan Burger which definitely gives The Plant a run for it’s money.
Winter in Sweden is something out of a fairy tale. Snow covers the city (and I mean actual snow, not the icing sugar dusting we get here that closes schools, roads and airports). The lakes are frozen over, with families skating over them. A strong contrast to my poor boyfriend who stood at the side, apprehensively tapping his foot on the ice to make sure it didn’t crack. Sicilians aren’t used to snow.
And the Swedes love Christmas – all the lights and decorations were still up, which would usually bother me in the UK (it doesn’t match the depression that is January), but when it’s snowing and you’re walking around with no plans, a coffee in hand and there’s a happy atmosphere in the air, it’s the best way to spend a weekend in January.
Tofu Travels 