Taste Småland’s culinary heritage

Åsens By takes you on a journey to a time when everything provided by the land and animals had to be used. The art of farming and making use of the available raw materials was the only way to put food on the table. Nothing was allowed to go to waste, and anything you couldn’t grow yourself had to be bartered for.

Stony fields and hard work

Though the soil was poor and stony and the fields small, the people in Åsens By grew and produced nearly all their own food, and for many years the farms were almost self-sufficient. It was hard work and the whole family helped. The surplus was sold or exchanged for essential goods that could not be produced in the village, such as sugar, coffee and paraffin. 

The food at Åsen today

Today, we still grow potatoes, cereals and vegetables on a smaller scale from old types of crops. Our honey comes from the village hives, the eggs from our own flock of hens and the meat from our naturally grazing native breeds, and we pick fruit and berries from the gardens as much as possible. When the harvest is good, we produce our own apple juice that can be enjoyed in the restaurant or bought from our shop to take home – like much of our other produce.

Småland’s culinary heritage is characterised by health and simplicity with a focus on raw produce. The menu is guided by the seasons and availability just as in the past, long before terms like local produce and sustainability became buzzwords. Nothing is as satisfying as the taste of the place you’re standing in.