Day 354: (Christmas) Meatball Sandwiches

It isn't often that I get to have lunch with my husband during the week so I have to relish those times that I do. And not only did we get to have lunch together but he brought lunch with him in the form of meatball sandwiches. These are not your average meatball sandwiches but something much much more. First of all, they are made with Christmas meatballs and beet salad and as if that weren't enough, they lovingly adorn a thick slice of vört bröd (bread) and let me just say that if you could put heaven in a sandwich, this would be it.

The meatballs are actually vegetarian but what makes them uniquely Christmas meatballs are the spices that go into them, specifically ground cloves and cumin. The cloves add a spicy richness that is just so delicious you can't really describe it, you just have to taste it. Finely diced apples, pickles, and pickled beets are mixed with cottage cheese, creme fraisch, salt and white pepper to create the beet salad. Then comes the best part, the bread, which is also something special and unique to Sweden. It is dark brown goodness, made with a molasses-type dark syrup and spices and sometimes raisins are added. So, to assemble take a slice of bread, spread a bit of butter on first, then spread the beet salad evenly over the entire surface of the bread (this step is very important), and finally take the meatballs, which we like to halve, and place cut side down over the salad.

I promise you that you cannot find a better sandwich around, except maybe a turkey and dressing sandwich with gravy and cranberry sauce, but that's another whole time of year. I suppose you have to enjoy things seasonally and that may be why this Christmas sandwich is so yummy to me. I'd never eat it, say, in June or even October. It is definite a holiday treat reserved for this time of year. I will admit that we made these exact meatballs during another time of year (not saying when!) but we did not eat them with the same accompaniments.

Take a look below and tell me they don't look divine...

The lovely lunch my husband made for us... I bought these sandwich bags at Paper Source and I think they are so cute. They are lined with a water resistant cloth for easy cleaning. That soda in the far distance is called julmust. It tastes like medicine to me but my husband loves it. 

Another Swedish holiday treat!

One is made in my husband's style and one in my style... can you guess which is which?

(Sorry for the blurry image... I didn't get another shot so this is it)