The culinary traditions of Norway, Sweden, Denmark and Finland have many similarities, and therefore they are united by a common name - Scandinavian cuisine. This is also sometimes referred to as Holland and Iceland. The ethnic preferences of the northerners in food are so peculiar that they have no analogues in other states of the Old World.
Treats given by Neptune
Proximity to the sea promises a lot of privileges. This is not only the possibility of sea wanderings, but also the unlimited right to use all kinds of gifts of the volatile elements, whose owner is Poseidon. The abundance of sea and river fish allowed to take this product as a basis for cold and hot dishes.
The Danes prefer salmon, eel, flounder, herring and mackerel. According to the Danish traditions, the fish is served freshly with spices or in a salted form.
In Norway, flounder, halibut and cod are more popular. Cod here eat( and catch, respectively) very much. It is fried, boiled, dried, dried and smoked. The most popular traditional dish from this fish is the clipfix, that is, the decapitated fish cut into the bed, dried on the rocks. This ancient method of cooking is widespread to this day, because the clipfix is stored for a long time, and it is convenient to take it with you on a trip. Another one for an unusual recipe, which has survived to our times, is preparing a rocker - a trout that has been kept under the ground for a year.
In Finland, the annual queen of fish fairs is considered to be the Baltic herring, especially smoked. In the east of the country, traditionally bake pies with fish filling - kalekko.
Herring lovers should definitely visit Sweden. It seems that the Swedes decided to collect a complete collection of recipes for pickled herrings, and a few dozen( rather, less than a hundred) are not the limit!
The Dutch are very fond of any fish, so long as it is stewed. They are the European record holders for the consumption of mussels.
On the taste of meat do not argue
Perhaps, here the Scandinavians have found much in common. Beef, veal, pork, young mutton, and in some places even horse meat, boil and stew in a sparing mode, in order to preserve the maximum useful. In Norway, among the leaders of the menu, steaming fries and schnitzels with vegetable garnishes.
In Swedish restaurants snacks can be served with boiled veal - chilled and practically without seasonings, but in general meat is preferred here in the form of sausages. Homemade sausages are prepared from different types of meat, as spices, fennel, cumin, pepper and onions are preferred. The zest of meat cooking in Sweden is a hot liver.
From meat dishes, Danes traditionally prefer well-roasted pork with red cabbage stew and salted chicken with pineapple, and on holidays, as a rule, serve a duck.
No Christmas in Finland is complete without the main meat masterpiece - a baked ham with a trout, carrots and potatoes.
National Dutch delicacy - hutspot - is easy to cook in any kitchen: boil or put out the beef, cut into slices and lay them on a pillow of vegetable puree: carrots, potatoes and onions.
Drink milk - will be Scandinavians!
Milk in these northern countries drink everything - from small to large. They drink a variety of dishes. But here there are special features: it is customary to add unexpected seasonings to the milk, salty cream is especially popular.
In stores and cafes there is always a wide choice of cheeses and cottage cheese. By the way, cheese can be tasted sweet - this is cooked in Norway from goat's milk, melted to a dark cream color.
Soup. .. for dessert
Sea and rivers give fish, and forests and copses are berries. Berry desserts are peculiar to the cuisine of all Scandinavian countries. From raspberries, blueberries, currants cook jam, fresh or dried fruits are added to cereals( for example, to the famous Norwegian flechegrette), stuff them with pies and make of the berries soups - strawberry-blackberry soup with cream is popular in Denmark.
Recipe for Runeberg cake should be used - this dessert is cooked surprisingly simply and quickly out of ordinary cookies, layered and soaked in sour cream and jam. By the way, sugar is not exclusively a dessert component, it can be added to sausages, vegetable and fish salads. In addition to taste preferences, Scandinavians are distinguished by unusual preferences in color. They know how to make black sweets, crusts, creams and even candies from a cough!
Simplicity - pledge of longevity
Scandinavian cuisine is perfect for those who care about their health. Lack of fatty, fried and spicy food helps maintain harmony until old age, and high content of omega-3( fish), vitamins( berries) and flavonoids( nuts) helps to reduce cholesterol and sugar in the blood. It is not necessary to go far - the dishes are extremely simple to prepare, all products are affordable and inexpensive.