Norwegian food is still based on historical traditions and influenced by its natural resources, although during the latter part of the 21st century – it has been heavily influenced by international trends, particularly in urban areas, where Mediterranean and Chinese cooking as well as American fast-food has become the trend.
Culinary specialities
Norway is renown for its excellent raw products, particularly fish. You can find smoked salmon, gravlaks (cured salmon) and trout in most restaurants, but you can also enjoy freshly caught white fish such as cod, monkfish and halibut. Herring and shellfish are also very popular – try a bag of shrimps fresh from the fisherman’s boat and enjoy it with an ice-cold beer on the quayside! If you like meat dishes, you should not leave Norway without trying reindeer, moose, red deer or grouse. Enjoy it with a creamy sauce – and if you treat yourself to a glass of good red wine it should make for a very fine meal indeed.
Historically, Norwegian had to keep to very basic food – potentially caused by the severe climate and limited resources. Simple dishes as porridge and ‘flatbrød’ (thin crisp bread) became the stable diet. You should try the refined and very popular versions like rømmegrøt (sour cream porridge) and lefse. Nobody should leave Norway without trying it!
There are a number of other Norwegian specialities. What about brunost? This brown, sweet cheese made from goats milk, is not widely known outside of Norway, but is loved by Norwegians of all ages, particularly for breakfast as a spread. Cured or dried meat (spekemat) from lamb, game and in the form of ham and dried sausages is popular summer food in Norway. Spekemat is usually served with flatbrød, sour cream and scrambled eggs, and always goes down well with a good Norwegian beer and a shot or two of aquavit, the lethal Norwegian dram.
In recent years, a number of Norwegian chefs have won top international awards in highly prestigious culinary competitions. They have helped to raise the standard of Norwegian cooking and develop a modern cuisine based on traditional Norwegian produce.
If Norwegian food seems simply prepared, great importance is attached to its presentation. It is nicely presented, attractively arranged and garnished. Even everyday meals are often served on tables carefully laid with tablecloth, flowers and candles.
