Toast Skagen

Small shrimp are folded with mayonnaise, crème fraîche, dill and a little roe, then heaped onto a slice of butter-fried bread. It is an elegant Swedish starter for celebrations.

Toast Skagen is named after the Skagen region in northern Denmark, yet it is a beloved Swedish creation. The dish is widely credited to the influential Swedish restaurateur Tore Wretman, who is said to have introduced it in the 1950s or 1960s, though the exact details of its invention are occasionally disputed.

In Sweden, the dish is a classic starter for festive occasions such as Christmas and Midsummer, prized for its delicate balance of creamy shrimp and fresh dill. Regional variations exist, with some versions adding chopped onion or a squeeze of lemon, and the toast base may be swapped for other fried bread, but the essential combination of shrimp, mayonnaise, crème fraîche, and roe remains a hallmark of Swedish celebration food.