Once upon a time, Norway was considered a provincial country, and to some extent, it was envious of other countries that could afford a variety of culinary experiments. Norwegian cuisine is quite distinctive and unique, as it was formed in the context of the country’s inaccessibility and harsh climate conditions. Let’s explore the fascinating aspects of Norwegian cuisine and discover the dishes that are worth trying and bringing back from your trip.
Features of national Norwegian dishes
It can be said that Norway has made a culinary revolution, thanks to which today the locals are proud of their national culinary traditions. Of course, the main diet of Norwegians is fish and seafood dishes. However, be prepared for the fact that the taste of herring in Norway is unusually sweet.
The attitude towards food in the country is simple – it is a way to get energy. However, special attention is paid to the quality and composition of products, often without paying attention to culinary delights. Norway is one of the few countries, or perhaps the only one, where oatmeal with sour cream is served as a delicacy on a festive table.
The culinary revolution was primarily due to Norway’s rapid economic growth and the well-being of its citizens. The use of organic food became an absolute advantage.
The essence of Norwegian national cuisine lies in the specifics of agriculture. All pastures for grazing goats and sheep are located far from cities and in environmentally friendly areas. The climate and relatively low temperatures allow for the cultivation of products without the use of pesticides. Farms operate under strict regulations governing livestock farming. Additionally, the Norwegian people take pride in their coastline, which is rich in fish and seafood.
The country regularly hosts culinary festivals where you can experience the full range of flavors from different regions of Norway. The most popular festivals include:
- Glamat;
- Relish;
- Trendeshq.
It’s good to know! Most of the products in the stores are locally produced, especially cheese, dairy products, baked goods, and meat. Beer is produced in local breweries.
Meat dishes
What do they eat in Norway? First of all, it is lamb, as this type of meat is recognized as one of the best in the world. The meat is tender, and dishes made from it are juicy. Animals eat a mixture of wild herbs and drink only clean water, thanks to this, the meat is exceptionally high quality.
This is important! The main principle of environmentally friendly animal husbandry is to use the entire carcass in cooking without waste.
Popular Norwegian meat dishes:
- Fenalor is a dried leg of lamb;
- Pinneshchet is a festive dish traditionally served at Christmas, which consists of lamb ribs cooked in brine.
- Smaláchove is a sheep’s head.
Norwegian game
If you visit Norway, be sure to try the local game.
- Elk. In a Scandinavian country, elk meat is absolutely amazing.
- Reindeer. There are 250,000 of these animals. Reindeer meat is considered a dietary and incredibly tasty meat.
- Deer. The number of deer in the local forests exceeds the number of local residents, so it’s no surprise that deer meat is prepared in a variety of ways.
- Partridge. Hunters try to catch these birds, as the breast is very tender, and other parts have a characteristic game flavor.
Sognefjord is the second longest fjord in the world
Fish and seafood dishes
It is impossible to imagine Norwegian cuisine without fish dishes.
Norwegian merchants were already trading fish and seafood in the 12th century. Today, Norway is considered the second-largest exporter of fish products in the world. The water in Norway is particularly clean and fresh, which gives the fish a unique flavor.
Note! If you want to try national dishes made from the best fish, it is better to visit a fish market or restaurant in a coastal city of the country. In many cities, you can catch fish yourself.
Norwegian national fish dishes:
- Rakfisk is fermented trout. This dish can only be enjoyed by brave tourists who are not put off by the strong, peculiar smell of the fish, which has been stored in barrels for 3 to 6 months. In fact, rakfisk is a Norwegian dish made from rotten fish, but if you say that the fish is fermented, it will be easier to try.
- Tørffisk is a dried codfish, and it is best enjoyed in the northern regions of the country, such as the Lofoten Islands.
- Meulier is a national dish of boiled cod, caviar, and liver;
- Crab and mussels are delicious in the southern regions of Norway.
Norwegian cheeses
It is likely that some types of cheese will soon become popular all over the world. There are many cheese factories in Norway that produce a product that can satisfy the tastes of the most discerning gourmets. The secret to the quality of Norwegian cheese is the high-quality milk and the unique nature of Norway.
The most popular and exotic cheese of Norwegian cuisine is brunost. It has a pleasant brownish-yellow hue. This is a caramelized cheese that is made from whey. It tastes like slightly salty boiled condensed milk. It is often served for dessert.
Norwegian producers make all the popular types of cheese in the world. Some producers experiment with recipes and offer new, original types of cheese.
Norwegian desserts
Traditionally, when asked what to try in Norway, people recommend baked goods. There are various types of muffins, casseroles, and pies filled with berries and fruits. Cinnamon, honey, and vanilla are also commonly used.
The most common Norwegian dessert is svele, a pancake with various fillings, and waffle tubes filled with vanilla cream.
A traditional holiday sweet dish is rice cream, which is loved by both adults and children. Every household has its own secret recipe for making it. According to the traditional recipe, rice is boiled, mixed with almonds, and served with cream, sugar, and berries.
Another holiday dessert is a nut cake. It doesn’t contain any flour, but its calorie content is comparable to that of a full meal. The dessert is made with nuts, crushed cookies, sugar, eggs, and cream.
Interesting fact! You can find a selection of the 10 most beautiful waterfalls in Norway in this article.
Traditional drinks
The favorite drink is coffee, but Norwegians also love herbal infusions and milk drinks. They also make apple drinks with honey.
As for alcoholic beverages, the most popular are beer, whiskey, gin, and liqueurs. If we talk about an alcoholic beverage that is unique to Norway, it is Lignje Aquavit. The name translates to “living water.” It is a type of moonshine made from potatoes with the addition of spices. The main feature is that the moonshine is placed in oak barrels and transported from the southern hemisphere to the northern hemisphere, and then back to the southern hemisphere. During this process, the moonshine absorbs the oak aroma, develops a unique flavor, and takes on a yellowish hue. The label for the bottle must include information about the ship that transported the drink. It is consumed slightly warm.
What products to bring from Norway
- Brunost cheese is a national product made from goat’s milk with a very interesting sweet and salty taste. Real gourmets enjoy it with cookies and jam. Jam can be replaced with caviar or honey. At first, the taste of the cheese may seem very exotic and strange, but it will soon become a favorite part of your diet.
- Fish. In Norway, it is a must to buy fresh fish – cod, salmon or trout, you can choose smoked and necessarily sauces.
- Fish soup. An original product of Norwegian cuisine, which, when properly prepared, is no less delicious than a luxurious restaurant dish. This is a regular soup in a packet, which is diluted with milk or cream, and can be seasoned with peas and leeks.
- Caviar in tubes. Of course, you can buy regular caviar, but you’ll agree that eating it from a tube is much more interesting. It looks like a pink-colored paste, and it has a fishy, slightly salty taste. It’s delicious to spread the caviar on bread and top it with a slice of regular, hard cheese.
The Lofoten Islands in Norway are a wilderness of wildlife, northern lights, and whales
Five dishes to try
A feature of Norwegian cuisine is its seasonality – some dishes are prepared in spring, and some are intended for the cold season. For example, the main New Year’s dish is frozen pizza, for the inhabitants of Norway, this dish is like for us Olivier salad.Norway’s most interesting dishes
- Foricol means “sheep in cabbage” in translation. It is a layered dish with layers of cabbage and meat, seasoned with ground black pepper. Foricol is served with potatoes. The dish develops a rich flavor on the second day after preparation.
- Lyutefisk is literally translated as “fish in lye.” First, the cod is soaked in lye, then in clean water, and then baked. After this treatment, the fish resembles jelly, and it is served with potatoes, peas, and bacon as a side dish. Traditionally, it is accompanied by potato vodka.
- Whale meat. It is worth trying in different variations – dried, fried. But for this you need to visit Stavanger or Bergen.
- Pinnechote. These are salted and dried lamb ribs. They are served with sausages and boiled potatoes. This is another Christmas dish.
- Ribbe. This is pork with sauerkraut, potatoes, meatballs, and sauce. It is traditionally served for Christmas.
Norwegian cuisine is distinctive and original, and it certainly deserves close culinary attention, as it is based on healthy and high-quality ingredients.
