Traditional cuisine of this or that region is an integral part of its cultural component. For example, in some countries borscht is considered a food for the poor, and okroshka causes bewilderment, while few Russians can boast of love for tuna eyeballs or rotten cheese. However, Norway in this regard, special surprises will not present - traditional food here, although it causes a kind of surprise, but almost always has to taste the tourists.
Interesting features of the national cuisine of Norway
The severity for which this country is so much appreciated, in terms of food, made it original and unpretentious. For a long time, the isolation of the continent was conducive to the fact that on the tables of local residents reigned quite monotonous peasant food. However, over time, a real revolution took place in the Norwegian cuisine - keeping traditions and at the same time diversifying them with some innovations, local chefs raised it to the absolute. Today one does not even need to ask what is eaten in Norway , since the answer will be unambiguous - exclusively fresh, healthy and tasty food. It's not for nothing that local chefs are famous for the best in Europe.
The basis of traditional cuisine in Norway is fish and seafood. Meat, cereals and dairy products are also of great importance here. The main feature of Norwegian food is the exceptional freshness of all products and ingredients.
Fish and seafood
Traditional dishes of Norway are difficult to imagine without the inhabitants of the sea, because fishing here is considered the main type of food, which is taught almost from the cradle. Fish Norwegians are prepared in a variety of ways - bake, boil, dry, smoke, dry, marinate. The most popular Norwegian fish dishes include:
- clipfiks - dried cod. It is believed that the method of preparing it allows you to save the greatest amount of all those useful elements that it possesses, and the main secret is that in water the fish again becomes soft and juicy;
- Lutefix - cod, but already smoked, previously soaked in alkali or birch ashes;
- sourcild - marinated herring with onion, taste distinctly different from the habit of herring;
- smoked salmon - today this dish has become an invisible symbol of traditional cuisine in Norway.
Meat and game
First of all, it is worth noting Norwegian mutton, which is considered to be the best in the world. As the local sheep graze in ecologically clean meadows, in the bosom of untouched nature, then their meat is distinguished by unimaginable juiciness and tenderness. Traditional lamb dishes in Norway are:
- fenalory - dried leg of lamb;
- pinneschet - lamb ribs, dried in sea salt or brine;
- smalahove - sheep's head, cooked in a special way.
A great delicacy in Norway is the meat of the whale. However, this honor deserved it not at the expense of a special taste, more similar to beef, but because of its inaccessibility and high cost in modern markets.
A considerable part in the diet of Norwegians is game. They buy it either directly from the hunters, or they get it themselves - the meat on the shelves in the supermarket is considered a mauveton here, which can not be said about the markets. Tourists certainly should try dishes from the meat of elk, deer or partridge.
Dairy products in the national cuisine of Norway
Norwegians firmly believe that the milk of local cows is almost the most delicious and nutritious in the world. Local people feed special love for cheeses. In particular, one of the representatives of traditional dishes of Norway is brunust. This is a special caramelized cheese made from sheep's milk, which in some ways resembles a boiled condensed milk or toffee. The local population is also popular with the gamalusta - literally the old cheese. Few of the tourists dare to try it.
Desserts and drinks
In Norway, most like pastries. However, previously available types of flour were from cereals, not suitable for yeast dough. But today local chefs happily make up for lost time, baking pies with apples, cinnamon rolls, waffles and cookies. Various mousses, soufflé and fruit cakes are also popular here as desserts.
Once the most popular traditional drink in Norway was the blonde - whey, diluted with water. However, today any average Norwegian does not imagine his life without coffee. From alcoholic beverages, locals love beer and aquavit, which is distilled from potatoes and insisted in wooden barrels.