Christina of Sweden at the table

At the court of Stockholm, the 17th-century royal meal did not follow the 'starter-main-dessert' sequence. The *taffel* was laid in the French manner: numerous dishes — soups, fish, game, breads, preserves, and sweets — were placed together on the table in several 'services' (*uppsättningar*), where savory and sweet mingled without strict order. It often began with the *brännvinsbord*, a small savory assortment accompanied by aquavit. Christina, frugal by temperament, shunned these displays: in Rome, she traded the Nordic taffel for the more sober table of the Italians.

The juniper berry, sharp and resinous, is the signature of the northern woods. It was used to season game, rubbed onto preserved meats, and added to beer and aquavit. It links Christina's forested Sweden to all her court cuisine, from the coronation banquet to travel provisions.