CRAYFISH PARTY: A True Nordic Feast @SofitelManila

Kräftskiva (the Crayfish Party) is a typical Swedish festivity that symbolizes the end of summer for Nordic countries, usually in August. Once reserved for royalty, the crayfish eventually became popular amongst the masses after Parisians took an interest, and the rest of Europe followed suit.

Now in its 6th year, NordCham Philippines in partnership with Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila transports guests to a feast for the senses set in a Viking Village for the themed celebration of the Crayfish Party 2018.  Save the date for the 8th of September 2018 from 6pm onwards and get ready to indulge in a festive party.

See what’s in store for this year’s Crayfish Party at Sofitel:

This year, guests are invited to come in their own Viking ensemble or don their favorite Nordic football jersey as they indulge in an authentic spread of crayfish and other Nordic specialties.

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Pickling is commonplace in the Nordic region, especially for the Vikings of years past, as months of nautical voyages require the need to store food for elongated periods of time.

Salmon gravadlax with honey dill mustard sauce

Gravadlax (or sometimes, gravlax) refers to the medieval practice of curing raw fish by salting it and then burying it in sand or with weights on top to force the salt into the fish.

Marinated cucumber with dill

Cucumber marinated in vinegar and fresh chopped dill, along with a bit of sugar, salt, and pepper.

Five kinds of herrings – herring prepared several ways, served on a wheat thin
Pickled herring with cucumber, pickled herring with peppers, pickled herring with crispy garlic and capers, pickled herring with honey dill mustard (my personal favorite) and 
pickled herring with pickled onions

Crayfish with lemon wedges and dill leaves
The star of the night: Crayfish is flown in exclusively for the party to ensure authenticity. The Crayfish is brined in saltwater and lots of dill and served cold.

I would describe crayfish as having the head of a lobster, and the body of a shrimp. I easily managed to finish off a dozen crayfish during the press con.

The common sides in a Crayfish Party include white bread or crispbread, butter, aged cheese, shrimp, and aioli.

I highly recommend pairing it with the vegetable quiche and ham and cheese quiche as well.

And apparently, roast pork is not just a staple in Filipino parties. Scandinavian holiday parties also feature whole pork roasts, so you can still get some pork in the middle of your seafood chow.

What’s a Nordic party without Swedish meatballs? A Swedish cuisine made with ground beef and pork, gently spiced, baked, and served with brown sour cream gravy.

A staple in the Norwegian diet, potatoes will be served in different ways at the Crayfish party.

Boiled and flavored with dill…

Sliced and served with herring…

And as a potato and fish gratin in the popular Swedish dish Janssons temptation.

And of course, no party should end without dessert! Toscakaka is a light vanilla sponge cake with a caramel almond layer. These may run out fast, so save yourself a couple of slices early on.

In a traditional Crayfish Party, people drink beer, Akvavit and other kinds of snaps. At Sofitel’s Crayfish Party, a wide array of alcoholic beverages from San Miguel, Martin Miller, Engkanto, and Absolut will be served.

The Crayfish Party is on September 8, 2018. For event tickets, visit crayfishparty.ph. Tickets are available at PHP3,900 or at PHP35,000 for a group of 10. The event’s proceeds will be donated to the Chosen Children Village (CCV) – a foundation dedicated to providing a home environment and a care facility for physically and mentally challenged children.

For more information, please call Georges Pattinson at +63 977 099 8952 or e-mail georges.pattinson@nordcham.com.ph. For inquiries and room reservations, kindly call Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila at +63 2 551 5555 or e-mail h6308@sofitel.com.

 

Live an Awesome Life,

Monique of Team Our Awesome Planet

 

Disclosure: We were guests at the press conference party of Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila. I wrote this article with my biases, opinions, and insights.

P.S. Did you know? The name Viking comes from a language called ‘Old Norse’ which means “a pirate raid” People who go off raiding ships were said to be ‘going Viking.’