Kosta Hyttsill - welcome to a unique experience in the Hot shop!

Hot shop herring is an old tradition in the Glasriket, which goes back to the time when the cabin was the focal point of the village. Here, the visitor is offered genuine Småland food prepared in the cold ovens, drinks, entertainment and master-level glassblowing.

Hyttsillsbuffé med isterband, fläsk & strömming

Old Småland tradition

Hyttsill is an old social and food tradition that has its origins in the heyday of the glassworks. In fact, people have been eating herring for 175 years in the old hot shop. There was plenty of herring here in Småland thanks to the trade exchange with the sailors down in Karlskrona who needed wood for their boats.

It became Hyttsill when the day's work was over for the glassblowers and then the ovens were used for cooking and the warm surroundings around the oven became a natural meeting place. Salted herring and skinned potatoes were grilled in the pile of ashes in the cooling pipe where the glass had previously been to cool. You could also choose to wrap the herring in newspaper and put it next to the glass furnace, which was still about 1100-1200 degrees hot. When it started to smoke, almost burning in the paper, the herring was ready and it was really salty because you took the herring directly from the barrels. We don't do that today, but we water the salted herring before we cook it.

At the hot shop herring, the co-workers met after work with their families together with hunters from the forests and tramps who, in exchange for food and drink, told news and stories from the surrounding towns, but also what was done at the other glassworks with design and glass technology. So the tramps were more than welcome in the evenings. Here they discussed the problems of the time, told stories, played music and sang. At the hot shop, the co-workers met after work with their families, hunters from the surrounding forests and the tramps, of course. It was not uncommon for 15-20 tramps to gather on the wooden boxes in the warm cabin to tell stories and eat a bite to eat.

Hot shop herring food consists primarily of salted herring cooked with onions and cream. The dining table also includes lard strips, salt pork and baked potatoes with spiced butter, which are typical food for the area. Cheesecake, jam and cream are served with the coffee.