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At the 1939 World’s Fair in New York City, American audiences at the Three Crowns restaurant, inside the Swedish pavilion, got their first taste of the pickled, eggy, dill-laden dishes of a smörgåsbord.
The spread is based on a tradition that dates back as far as the 12th century in the Nordic nation, but for the fair’s visitors, it was the birth of what we in the United States have come to know as the all-you-can-eat buffet.
But what exactly is a smörgåsbord? While the American version isn’t typically equated with gourmet fare (and we tend to use the word to refer to any large quantity of food), the Swedish feast is a much classier affair, reserved for holidays and special events.