National cuisine in Norway

Norway is a fjord. Boundless, burning-cold narrow bays with a mirror surface. And standing on a steep cliff - the shore of the fjord in any corner of this talented rich country - in the polar town of Stolvere, in the oil capital of Stavanger or in the center of Oslo - you understand that there is simply no better fish than the local! The fact is that in the crystal clear depths of the fjords, where there is a mixture of sea water with fresh glacial, nature has created a completely unique environment for underwater fauna. And the inhabitants of the islands and coastal areas (and such in Norway all!), In turn, brought the art of fishing and processing of seafood to the absolute!

We say Norway , we mean - fish! Of course, Norwegian cuisine is not limited to fish products only. The heirs of the Vikings adore potatoes, do not give up meat and just idolize the bread! Moreover, the global feminization that swept 40 years ago the once conservative domostroyevskuyu country, led to the fact that Norwegians believe that bread is the basis of everyday nutrition.

Intricate compositions from bread with various products - cheese, chicken, fish, vegetables - authentic culinary masterpieces! And the bread in the shops, in addition to the finished ones, is also sold in semi-finished products, so that they can put it in the oven for a few minutes at home and serve it to the table with heat and heat. And no sandwich wars! Norwegians are difficult to call a harmonious nation, but this does not affect their cheerful perception of reality and appetite. And does not create problems for Norwegian women when choosing a wardrobe. Clothing stores are amazed by the abundance of assortments of all sizes, and not only with the notorious eskami and emki, so beloved by domestic suppliers. Moreover, young Norwegians have long opted for casual - jeans, loose sweaters and simple cut shirts, in their opinion, are appropriate for all cases of life. And yet, with or without bread, about 60 kg of fish per year are consumed on average by every inhabitant of this northern beautiful country. Favorite varieties - cod, salmon, saithe, mackerel and ... our old familiar herring!

Ode to herring. It was the Norwegian traders who, in the 11th century, introduced Europe to salted and smoked herring, which was one of the main food products for them. And she, affectionately called the "herring" Slavs, so fell to the court that we simply can not imagine a traditional feast without her! Delicious, nutritious, convenient in storage, it is also incredibly useful. By the way, thanks to the enterprising Norwegian fish-traders, the herring in our region has acquired the status of a national product. Now it is difficult to believe, but until the middle of the XIX century, salted herring was considered an exquisite delicacy and was inaccessible to a commoner! After that, aristocrats told their cooks to serve herring in a variety of exotic combinations - with onions, potato and beet cubes, under the egg layer, with a salted cucumber ... So the most democratic and beloved dish we have is "herring under the fur coat" of noble origin!

Herring is a powerful source of proteins , vitamins A, D, B12 and so necessary to us vitamin E, called cosmetic beauty carrier! In recent years, doctors around the world are actively talking about the miraculous effect on the body of polyunsaturated fatty acids Omega-3, which is found in large quantities in various types of fatty fish. The human body is not capable of synthesizing this useful fat, but it is urgently needed for maintaining both physical and psychological health. Eloquent is the fact that in countries where the population consumes a sufficient amount of seafood, the percentage of such massive diseases as osteoporosis and depression is much lower. And the recovery of patients after myocardial infarction, suffering from nervous disorders and even trivial colds occurs much faster!

Speed ​​= quality! To eat a Norwegian herring (still called Atlanto-Scandinavian herring) is not necessarily in far-off Norway. Moreover, for sure the best specimens of this fish, chosen by you in our supermarkets and in the markets, once plowed the waters of the fjords! Because Norway is a long-standing and traditional exporter of seafood.

Features of national cookery . Fish in Norway is eaten by everyone. If not every day, then every other day. Hence the diversity of culinary discoveries, unique recipes, unusual sauces and original combinations of products. In a restaurant, for example, as an appetizer to different varieties of aquavit (traditional potato vodka) you can serve the same herring, but under different sauces - and the taste, accordingly, will be different! But still - excellent. And along with salted and smoked locals are very respected ... fresh herring. Unlike us, it is very willing to cook (most often just fry) and gladly eat. And in general, the main secret of cooking a luxury fish dish, in their opinion, is EASILY!