I love fermented things on the whole, seriously (including e.g. pickled herring) but despite being outside and having the can opened underwater at a progressive dinner party, the smell was god-awful and the little bits that got on our clothes and skin were following us all through the other places we went. Just couldn't seem to get it off. As a lover of strong cheeses as well I have simply never had anything remotely comparable. We ate with cream and crackers and dill and washed down with aquavit which was necessary to attempt to get the taste out of the mouth.

I wholeheartedly agree with this wikipedia quote: >German food critic and author Wolfgang Fassbender wrote that "the biggest challenge when eating surströmming is to vomit only after the first bite, as opposed to before".

For the record I did have a friend who thought it tasted pleasanter than it smelled, so clearly as with everything people have experience.

But the joke we were told was "In Sweden this is how you let your neighbors know you are having a party before telephones" -- because the smell will travel through the whole neighborhood.

The hosts of this party had also left the can in the basement for a year+ as intended. Perhaps that heightens the effect.