Östersund - Creative City of Gastronomy
Since 2010 Östersund has been appointed a Creative City of Gastronomy by UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network (UCCN). Since then we have had many gastronomic exchanges, events and co-operation about food craftsmanship. Östersund is the only Swedish city in the gastronomy network, which today includes 36 cities from all over the world.
But what is it that makes Östersund such a Mecca for small-scale food craftsmanship and creative cooking art? We would say close proximity to pure nature, the hearty local raw ingredients, the rich cultural heritage and not least, so many food enthusiasts. Wherever you may be in the city, it’s easy to enjoy the local gastronomy. You can really feel how proud our restaurants are to use and prepare the fantastic ingredients that Jämtland has to offer.
Östersund is the place for everybody who loves exciting food experiences. It has both culinary art and locally-produced foods of the highest quality. And if you want to experience the Jämtland flavours of clean, fair and truly good food, this is exactly the place for you to visit. Welcome to Östersund and Region Jämtland Härjedalen, a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, Sweden’s most flavoursome region.
Watch film about Östersund Creative City of Gastronomy
Jämtland Härjedalen harvest festival, September
When the autumn colours are at their brightest, and the air at its crispest, more specifically in September, that’s when it’s time for Jämtland Härjedalen’s very own harvest festival. Many of Jämtland’s farms swing open their gates during the harvest festival, and the authentic countryside setting becomes a meeting place for consumers and producers.
As a visitor, this is your chance to learn more about the origins of the food and how it is produced, and buy local food, snacks and other products. You might just go home with a sheepskin rug, a jar of velvety honey, or the finest quality sausages.
Jämtland Härjedalen harvest festival is organised by Torsta AB and Hushållningssällskapet (Swedish Rural Economy and Agricultural Societies), along with the farms and food producers.
Find out more at skordefestjh.se.
REKO-ring Östersund
REKO-ring is an opportunity for you as a consumer to meet and buy directly from one of our many local food producers – no middle-man needed. By buying directly from the farmer, you know exactly where the food has come from and also contribute to the survival of the countryside.
This is how it works: REKO-ring Östersund organises the so-called pick-up times at different locations in the city. The date of the next pick-up time is announced on their Facebook page, and in the peak season these are often weekly. Ahead of the pick-up time, the local producers post their own notices about what they will be selling, and as a consumer you simply order by writing a comment in the post. You then fetch your goods and pay for them at the pick-up time. So, it is not possible to buy anything without ordering in advance.
Sound tricky? We promise that you will learn fast. Buy something small the first time, such as eggs, that you know you use and to test how it all works. Next time you are guaranteed to go home with more.
Contact: Search for REKO-ring Östersund on Facebook and join the group.