Culinary Kayaking Adventure in Sweden

Travel to the Saint Anna archipelago, one of Sweden’s natural treasures. Begin your journey on the inner islands and feel the sensation of slipping back in time. Take a break for lunch by a pretty sea meadow, one of Saint Anna's most unique habitats, where salt-resistant plants thrive along the shoreline and forage for edible greens, rose hip, hawthorn and barberries. Continue exploring this maze of islands and channels before arriving at camp where your culinary guide will be waiting for you, busy preparing a night of wild cooking. Tonight’s dinner will be slow-cooked venison stew with potatoes, lingonberries and pickled cucumber, followed by regional cheeses with rosehip marmalade and sourdough bread.

Begin the day with a refreshing dip in the water and then after a breakfast of cast-iron waffles and strawberry jam, continue paddling, this time through stunning bird sanctuaries and clusters of little islands filled with life. You’ll likely see Sea Eagles gliding high up in the sky and possibly even seals. As you reach the middle of the archipelago the islands become smaller and more plentiful, creating an array of natural habitats, so celebrate with a lunch of wild boar flatbreads with juniper mayo, leek and apple & buckthorn preserves. Step ashore near the pine trees and find yourself surrounded by deciduous forest and open glades – perfect for foraging mushrooms. Wild herbs also grow in the meadows, so be sure to pick some oregano and ground-ivy for dinner - this time Dutch-oven roasted lamb with mashed sun chokes and wild mushrooms, followed by cloudberries served with whipped fresh cheese and cardamom.

Start the day with a breakfast of grilled bread and muesli served with fresh blueberries & hazelnuts, then, if the weather allows, head to the outer archipelago - hundreds of tiny and barren islands with sparse wind-pined trees and a unique flora of salt-resistant plants. The horizon here is huge and the solitude amazing. After a lunch of root vegetable hash with lamb sausage, pork belly and pickled beets, paddle back to camp, where a local fisherman will drop by with a fresh catch to be used in a proper feast to mark your final night on the islands.

Tonight’s menu will be…

• Smoked salmon on butter-fried toast with horseradish and dill cream, pickled red onion, pickled cucumber and smoked seaweed
• Smoked whitefish in a flatbread roll with chive and mustard creme topped with roe
• Pan-fried perch fillets with mashed potatoes and wilted wild greens
• Dutch-oven apple pie and wild-made custard

Wake up one last time on a tranquil island wonderland and begin your day with a wild mushroom frittata served with fresh greens and goat’s cheese. Break camp and paddle back to the mainland, emerging from the wilderness maze onto a narrow canal and then into a bay of little cabins and old houses. Say goodbye to your team and head back to the airport in time for your flight home full of new recipes and cooking inspiration.