A taste of slow food from around the world with a local touch
Experiencing the unique flavours of Slow Food Sweden
The Mount Lavinia Hotel has embraced the slow food movement, with a monthly soiree celebrating good food, fine wine, and local produce.
Starting off with Slow Food Italia, followed by Slow Food Slovenia, and recently Slow Food Sweden, the events are about experiencing the unique flavours of each highlighted country through fresh, farm-to-table food combined with the culinary efforts of chefs from that country.
Mount Lavinia Hotel’s Chief Operating Officer Anura Dewapura said, “This is all about opening doors for small-scale local businesses and sustainable foods, allowing them to contribute through their produce that’s done with so much care.” Partnering the hotel were Forest Garden Organics – a family enterprise that cultivates using a forest garden approach, Baguette – Sri Lanka’s first French bakery and Ciao Cheese offering premium European cheese in Sri Lanka.
Said Chef Tatjana Butul from Slovenia, “When I first visited Sri Lanka as a tourist back in 2010 it was love at first sight. My goal is to show the people of Sri Lanka how rich this country is. How rich the simple things found in Sri Lanka are. We don’t have to spend money on a bottle of fizzy drink when we can have fresh mango juice or a healthy Kola Kanda from the harvest in our gardens.”
The Slow Food Slovenia night consisted of a sit-down family-style dinner cooked with much appreciation for Mother Earth. The appetizers were fresh and light, encouraging the guests to savour the flavours of each ingredient brought into each dish like the black cumin sprinkled on the burnt spring onions, the juniper seeds that accompanied the zucchini, and the authentic Butul olive oil. Following this was Gnocchi with Truffle Sauce, Polenta, and Slow cooked Lamb as mains, a definite highlight of the menu. The night’s menu was perfectly wrapped up with some great sweet combinations like fresh ricotta and mango, raw chocolate mousse and apple strudel.
Swedish Chef Mats Petersson, culinary director of the hotel brought together the taste of Sweden and the rich agricultural heritage of Sri Lanka into one beautiful dinner menu. The appetizers consisted of some gourmet meat combined with locally sourced vegetables like the leek and carrot on the pickled Morella in Swedish style with a dash of vinegar. The traditional Swedish Kroppkaka stuffed with salted pork, Swedish meatballs, and Kalops, traditional beef stew with pickled beetroot were among the main dishes. Desserts like the traditional Prinsestarta – a layer cake with raspberry and marzipan and Lingon Panna Cotta were bursting with flavour and richness.
The hotel also hosts a Vegan Market that coincides with the Poya vegan lunch buffet and vegan high tea.
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