Polkagris

Candy, candy, candy....the Swedes are renowned for the sweet tooth.  They actually eat more candy than any other country!  (37 pounds/per person/year)  Here's some links to candy that you can make at home, or buy on-line that will remind you of the old country.

Polkagris (literally "peppermint pig)
In Grannä they make their mint polkagris and other "karameller" in this shop.  You can buy the delicious goodies at the shop or online in Sweden (didn't seem to work with my American credit):
http://www.polkagris.com/shop.  And for more information about this yummy confection check out Nordstjernan.  For those of you willing to get sticky, the peppermint recipe is below!*

Swedish Fish
I wrote about this once before (here) but check out these gorgeous all-natural Swedish fish and other beautiful candies at Sugar Fina! http://www.sugarfina.com.  They do ship in the US and internationally (although that's a little rich for my blood, sorry Mamma.)

Chocolates
Mmmmm... Marabou.  Growing up in Sweden who didn't hear this "reklam" (ad) being played at the movies and it always made my mouth water.  (Marabou has a cool ad playing on their website http://www.marabou.se/ about a Swede living in Kenya.  She misses her friends, family and Swedish chocolate.  Me too!)  Marabou still has a production facility in Upplands Väsby but they are now owned by the largest chocolatier, Mondalez International.  One of the many Swedish food websites that carry Marabou in America is http://www.swedensbest.com/chocolate1.html.

Lösgodis
Sockerbit in NYC let's you recreate the act of building your own candy bag with "penny candy" such as many children do every Saturday.  It's called "lördags godis" or "Saturday candy" and it's a treat. Check out more on them here, and some background https://www.sockerbit.com/inspiration.html
You can buy many Swedish candies on their site, including one of my favs "Marianne".

From IKEA's candy selection

* I think some day I may break out my candy thermometer but in the meantime, if you try this recipe, let me know how it goes! Tack

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PEPPERMINT PIG

4 cups granulated sugar

1/4 cup light corn syrup

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon marshmallow creme (store bought)

2-3 drops red food color

1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

1 square of aluminum foil, approximately 12- by 24-inches or larger

1-2 tablespoons margarine

Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup and water in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat. Insert candy thermometer in pan and bring to 300-degree boil. Remove from heat, add marshmallow, red food color and peppermint oil and stir vigorously as mixture froths up, cools and begins to thicken.

Place foil on counter and smear with margarine. Scraping bottom and sides of pan, pour candy on to foil to form a thin layer. While candy is cooling, press a buttered cookie cutter (pig or any holiday style) down into candy and leave it sitting there until candy sets up hard. Break the candy outside the cutter away, gently remove candy from cutter and serve — or simply break the candy into pieces, when it is hard.