More about Swedish crayfish parties, courtesy of sweden.se:
The dark August nights provide the perfect setting for a Swedish crayfish feast. Once a preserve of the rich, the Swedish crayfish party is today an occasion for all. Over the years, certain aspects of it have become a tradition.
There are some ground rules:
- Crayfish are to be eaten outdoors.
- Gaily coloured paper lanterns should preferably be hung round the table. The most popular type of lantern shows a smiling full moon.
- Both the tablecloth and the colourful plates can also be of paper.
- People wear bibs round their necks and funny little paper hats on their heads.
- Songs are eagerly encouraged – the sillier the better.
Then the feast begins. You eat crayfish cold, with your fingers. Sucking noisily to extract the juices is perfectly acceptable behaviour. Bread and a strong cheese such as mature Västerbotten are eaten on the side. People mostly drink beer and some even a schnapps.
