We’re raising a glass with a Swedish 75 to toast Chef Nik Forsberg and his team as they pursue their restaurant dreams, and YOU can help them reach their goal!

If you want to cut to the chase:

Support Fet-Fisk’s Crowdfunding Campaign

Going Deeper:

Four years ago, a Pittsburgh pop-up restaurant started making waves on Instagram, and my friend Nina invited me to go see what all the hype was about. The pop-up was Fet-Fisk (Swedish for “greasy fish”), and I recognized the very Nordic chef at the helm, Nik Forsberg, from the farmer’s market.

Nik is part Swede, part farmer, part chef, wholly passionate and professional with a twist of wry humor – seriously, his newsletters are a worthwhile read! The quality of the food and the friendliness of the team quickly secured Fet-Fisk as one of my favorite dining experiences.

For years now, Fet-Fisk has been my top recommendation when people ask me where they should eat or what’s exciting me. I’ve had the chance to collaborate with Nik for TABLE Magazine, where I have served as a Regional Editor, and those experiences made me appreciate him all the more.

(All the photos in this post are from a TABLE Magazine story, photographed by Matt Dayak, and produced/styled by me, Quelcy T. Kogel.)

A few weeks ago, I received an invite for a special Fet-Fisk happy hour to tease a big announcement: a Fet-Fisk restaurant/bar is in the works! Kate Romane, the chef-owner behind Black Radish Kitchen, kicked off the announcements. Very genuinely, she expressed why it’s important to support the restaurants we want to see in lieu of big chains and corporate restaurant groups.

The truth is, the gritty city we love has a narrowing window for business opportunities. She announced her financial and advising support of his restaurant, as well as a crowd-funding component that will enable Nik to remain in control creatively and hire and support the team he wants.

This “why” behind their pursuit is bigger than the plates of food. It speaks to how food is grown, sourced, and distributed. It speaks to why we gather, and with whom we share tables, which was the message echoed by the third partner in this venture, Greg Austin.

There’s something special about watching someone work incredibly hard in pursuit of a big dream, and I felt incredibly honored to witness the announcement and request. My partner and I will be making our donation, and even if you’re not a Pittsburgher, I hope you can contribute.

These dollars are votes for the people we want to see as prominent figures in our community, and this method can serve as an example for other dreamers too. And believe me, you’ll want to visit the magical place that Nik, Kate, and Greg are creating, so go ahead and put Pittsburgh in your 2024 travel plans.

Let’s Toast!

While we all eagerly await the Fet-Fisk restaurant launch (and maybe while you plan your trip to Pittsburgh), we can raise our glasses to the team and toast this Swedish 75 cocktail.

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Swedish 75

Of course, a cocktail can help boost your spirits as the days become shorter and darker, so in that vein, give the Swedish 75 a try.

Course: Drinks

Keyword: cocktails, gin

Yield: 4 cocktails

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 Tablespoons gin
• 2 Tablespoons lingonberry jam
• Ice cubes for shaking
• dry sparkling wine, chilled

Directions

• Combine the lemon juice, gin, and lingonberry jam in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice. Shake vigorously. Strain the mixture into a champagne flute, and top with sparkling wine. Serve.