Scandinavian cuisine: preserving Viking traditions

Scandinavian cuisine is a more elevated and modernized version of Viking cuisine. The rules that existed many centuries ago have largely been preserved to this day. Products used by the legendary ancestors of the Danes, Swedes and Norwegians still appear on tables, but increasingly in modernized versions.

For many years, the cuisine of the peoples of northern Europe stayed away from European trends in culinary art and was wary of foreign influence. Now this situation is changing: the inhabitants of Scandinavia, despite their attachment to local natural products, draw ideas from the national cuisines of other countries of the world, resulting in an interesting fusion of ancient traditions and modern culinary trends. An example of modern cooking using traditional Scandinavian flavors is Denmark, which has produced many chefs open to culinary influences from around the world. The chef of one of the best restaurants in Copenhagen, Noma, invited the best chefs in the world to prepare new dishes from Scandinavian products and bring a “fresh touch” to Danish cuisine.

WITH Scandinavian cuisine is a unifying concept for the main cuisines of northern Europe - Swedish, Danish and Norwegian. The dishes characteristic of each of these cuisines are very similar. Often they differ only in names or methods of preparation. A common feature is the ability to use natural products to create dishes that are available in these countries and characteristic only of their climate.

P First of all, these are various types of fish - herring, salmon, cod, trout, mackerel, which are prepared here in many ways. Adjusted for climate, they are also canned, dried or smoked here. Here, the menu includes seafood from the cold seas: shrimp and scallops. Scandinavians are also big fans of game and domestic animal meat - most often pork, less often beef. Indispensable during meals is whole grain bread or the especially popular rye pumpernickel bread here. Wild berries – blueberries and blackberries – are often added to desserts, baked goods, and sauces. This is an element that distinguishes the cuisines of northern countries from other nations. The basis of many Scandinavian dishes is potatoes, without which no one in the North can imagine life, and canned vegetables such as cabbage and cucumbers, often pickled in a sweet form.

N What is most important is the atmosphere that prevails during the meal. Scandinavians are true lovers of feasting. This is noticeable both at home and in catering establishments. During holidays or family dinners, people spend hours trying a variety of dishes, but it is not so much the taste that matters, but the joy of sharing food and meeting with loved ones.

Danish cuisine: fresh taste

Modern Danish cuisine features many fusion dishes, combining the flavors of traditional Scandinavian cuisine with the dishes and flavors of southern Europe, America and Asia. The Danes are not afraid of culinary discoveries and new tastes, partly because their native products have a high reputation. Here, the meal is accompanied by the idea of ​​hygge, which can be translated as “nice warm atmosphere.” What matters is who you have lunch or dinner with and a good mood.

T Traditional Danish dishes are not very complicated, and besides, the Danes, being thrifty people, use many ingredients to prepare them so that nothing goes bad. In the foreground are fish dishes, in particular mackerel and herring, which reign throughout Scandinavian cuisine.

X Leb in Danish cuisine is the basis of many dishes, and, of course, the basis for a variety of sandwiches - the so-called smorrebrod. Sandwiches with pickled pork, Danish bacon, sweet pickled cabbage, and liver pate are popular. These sandwich compositions are one of the most common cold appetizers in Denmark, others include the already mentioned herring - most often marinated in a sweet sauce, or served with sour cream and dill. Herring is also served on sandwiches with the addition of onions, eggs and tomatoes. In addition, it is offered as an appetizer before the main main course.

TO The most popular traditional Danish dishes include meatballs - frikadeller. However, these meat balls can be enjoyed throughout Scandinavia, with only slight variations in preparation. In Denmark, the predominant dish is pork or beef meatballs, cooked in a broth with lots of vegetables. As for the fish dishes that Scandinavia is so famous for, there are fewer of them in Denmark, although fresh fish or seafood is highly valued here. Just like in Sweden and Norway, in Denmark you can try salmon graavilohi or dried cod. Smoked fish, especially mackerel, is also popular. Vegetables in Scandinavian cuisine are not the highlight of the program, but there are several important ones that are most often served with fish and meat dishes. Potatoes take first place, before carrots, cabbage and cucumbers. The famous Danish potato dish (and not very labor intensive) is biksemad (potatoes fried with onions and meat). Potatoes are baked, made into potato pancakes, and also used in salads. Typical Danish dishes are little known around the world, but there are foods that are associated with Denmark, such as sugar-dusted Danish cookies.

IN Danish cuisine, like all Scandinavian cuisine, uses few spices. The most popular include salt, pepper, garlic, nutmeg, as well as herbs - parsley, dill, green onions. The Danes believe that the natural taste of fresh food should not be “interrupted” with too many spices.

Norwegian cuisine: seafood

The king of the Baltic and North Atlantic – salmon – is inextricably linked with the local cuisine. It is served raw, cooked, pickled, accompanied by mustard or dill. A traditional dish is graavilohi, or salmon marinated in salt, sugar and dill. This delicious fish is Norway's contribution to modern international cuisine.

Another popular Norwegian fish is trout, which is most often used to prepare a very controversial dish - rakfish (fermented trout). This dish repels with its smell, but attracts with its unique taste. You can't ignore dried cod. In general, famous Norwegian dishes are prepared from this fish: torsk - cod with potatoes, and lutefisk - a dish of dried cod. Seafood (shrimp, scallops, crabs) are also frequent guests of the Norwegian table. Norwegians most often buy them directly from fishermen. Most seafood, especially fish, is smoked, salted, pickled, dried or served raw.

N Despite the rich fish menu, in Norway, especially in the north of the country, they also eat meat, especially game. However, when applied to Norway, the word “game” is not the same as it is understood in other European countries. These are elk and deer, the meat of which, due to its rather spicy and characteristic taste, is served with sauces, including wild berries. In addition to game, mutton and lamb are also used, which serve as the basis for many types of sausages. The Norwegians also have their own meat balls, which are called kjottkaker and are served with dark sauce, potatoes, cabbage and carrots.

Swedish cuisine: sugar instead of salt

As already mentioned, herring is valued throughout Scandinavia, but Sweden is more in love with this fish than others. Just as the Norwegians love their fermented trout, the Swedes have a similar dish - surstr?mming (canned pickled herring tastes good, but the smell...). Similar to Norway, in the north of Sweden they eat venison, and in the south and on the coasts they eat fish.

P Compared to other Scandinavian cuisines, Swedish is sweeter, and in many dishes that taste salty elsewhere, you will taste sugar in Sweden. The Swedish menu features many regional dishes, made from ingredients found only in that region and made according to tradition at home. The Swedes, like their neighbors, also love salmon and meat cutlets, which are called kuttbullar here. Swedes also love potatoes, from which they bake pancakes and pies. The twice-mentioned salmon graavilohi is also an indispensable dish at any holiday table in Sweden.

Swedish cuisine is increasingly opening up to foreign influences, but is still distinguished by its attachment to traditions and recipes that have been used for hundreds of years.

Dmitry Volsky,
July 2015

More about world cuisine

The new Scandinavian cuisine, well known throughout the world, took place thanks to the unification of chefs from northern European countries into one team.

The best representatives of the profession, who honor the traditions of their ancestors and know how to appreciate and use what nature provides, laid the foundations of a new culinary ideology more than 10 years ago.

Revival of traditions

Although each country in the European north has its own national cuisine, the culinary traditions of these countries are largely similar.

Fish, rye bread, root vegetables, wild berries - this is what has always been at hand for many centuries.

The twentieth century brought significant changes to the northern menu, generously diluting it with fast food, pasta, sushi and other foreign dishes.

This, of course, expanded the culinary horizons of the Scandinavians, but at the same time gradually relegated national dishes to the background. And in addition, it led to an increase in diseases of the cardiovascular and endocrine systems. Many people have problems with excess weight.

Large volumes of food imports have caused negative consequences for the environment. After all, the delivery of each batch of rice, for example, from China to Scandinavia leads to the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, that is, it has a “carbon footprint”, which conscious Scandinavians try to reduce in every possible way.

All this together, and most importantly - the desire to revive culinary traditions - led to the emergence of the New Scandinavian cuisine.

The idea originated in Denmark. The best chefs from Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and other regions of the European north met in Copenhagen in 2005 and, after many hours of negotiations, adopted a manifesto in which they proclaimed the main provisions and principles of the new cuisine of Scandinavia.

This event firmly established the position of northern cuisine on the gastronomic map of the world. Here are the main ideas that formed its basis (the full version of the manifesto can be found on the website of chef Klaus Mayer).

Benefit for health

According to the ideologists of the project, nutrition should be balanced and include all the necessary elements. This approach allows not only to reduce the risk of disease at the physiological level, but also to improve well-being, mental activity, and increase morale.

To prove this in practice, a number of studies were organized. Test participants were asked to eat New Nordic cuisine for a period of time (usually several months), and then return to their usual food.

During the “experiment,” the participants’ weight, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels were measured several times. The children's concentration, reading, and mathematical abilities were additionally assessed. Research has shown that in adults, dietary changes actually have a positive effect on many physiological indicators and overall well-being.

Gastronomic potential

This term refers to the taste of dishes, their variety and attractiveness to consumers.

The dishes of the New Scandinavian cuisine include wild berries and nuts, cabbage and root vegetables, legumes, potatoes, wild and domestic herbs, whole grains - barley, oats, rye.
Fish, shellfish, and seaweed are used. If it’s meat, then it’s of the highest quality, preferably certified “organic” and in smaller quantities than everything else.

At first glance, the range of products is very limited. But with the help of local herbs, vinegars, and various cooking methods, a variety of flavors is achieved. The ingredients are selected so that they can complement and highlight each other’s taste characteristics.

Seasonality plays an important role. Autumn, winter and spring dishes differ from each other, both in the composition of ingredients and in calorie content. In northern summer conditions - long daylight hours and low air temperatures, vegetables and fruits take a long time to ripen, and their taste becomes more intense. In addition to the traditional methods of preparation for the region - pickling, salting, drying - new ones are constantly being invented.

Regionality

Products, their manufacturers, methods of preparation - everything should be associated with the region, be a kind of brand.

This gave impetus to the revival of small local farms. Now they receive government support and increased demand for their products - they supply high-quality, fresh products to stores and restaurants - because they do not need to be transported over long distances, and in most cases organic products.

Even carrots grown in different regions have different flavors. This leaves an imprint on the dish in which it is used, becoming a kind of culinary brand.

Environmental friendliness

The cuisine would not be Scandinavian if so much attention was not paid to environmental issues. In addition to using locally sourced products, which reduces the region's carbon footprint, there are other considerations.

If possible, all products should be grown according to the rules of organic farming - without the use of pesticides and other chemical fertilizers. The gifts of nature are actively used: wild herbs, berries, seafood.

I would like to say something separately about meat. Although New Nordic cuisine allows its consumption, it recommends using predominantly game meat or free-range animals. And the less, the better. Ideally, generally give preference to seafood and plant foods.

Tradition and modernity

At first glance, it may seem that after the adoption of the manifesto, the Scandinavians simply returned to their roots, to what their ancestors ate. Indeed, in both cases the main emphasis is on using local products. But there are also significant differences.

New Scandinavian cuisine is the best of the region's culinary traditions, supported by the most modern knowledge in the field of medicine and proper nutrition.

For example, less salt and less animal fats are now used. In addition, there is virtually no dairy products: the authors believe that proteins should mostly come from plant foods - nuts and legumes.

This is healthier for both humans and the environment. New Nordic cuisine involves eating much more fruits and vegetables than traditional Nordic cuisine.

Today, in every Scandinavian country there are restaurants that operate under the auspices of the manifesto, offering their visitors national dishes made from local products.

Many of these establishments are awarded Michelin stars and occupy top positions in authoritative rankings of the best restaurants in the world.

As for Denmark, where, in fact, the revival of culinary traditions began, New Scandinavian cuisine has become the basis of gastronomic tourism developing in the country.

Her ideas are actively supported and promoted, including at the state level, so it is not surprising that interest in her is growing. Several dozen restaurants in Denmark offer residents of the country and numerous tourists dishes of this new culinary trend.

Are you going on a tourist trip to Scandinavian countries? Don't miss the opportunity to get acquainted with the dishes of Scandinavian cuisine, which may not be as refined as French or Italian, but is very filling and tasty. What is worth trying in the Scandinavian countries, and what characteristics do the cuisines of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark have?

Perhaps the main difference between Scandinavian cuisine and traditional European cuisine is the widespread use of fish and seafood. On tables in Sweden, Denmark or Finland you can see fried, boiled, dried and smoked fish. A variety of salads are also prepared from fish. Moreover, each of the Scandinavian countries has its own preferences in fish. For example, cod, herring and flounder are popular in Norway. And in Denmark, in turn, in addition to herring, they prefer salmon, mackerel and eel. All Scandinavian countries share a fairly cold climate, so local cuisine dictates cooking food that warms up quickly and can retain heat well. We are talking, in particular, about hot soups and baked foods.

Sweden

In Sweden, like in no other Scandinavian country, they like to combine sweet and salty. For example, heavily salted meat and fish dishes can be seasoned with various sweet sauces prepared using sugar or natural honey. Indeed, adding sugar in one form or another to various dishes is a feature of Swedish cuisine. Here the sweet taste can be felt not only in bread or pastries, but also in salads, side dishes and fish dishes. In Sweden, you should definitely try various dishes made from fresh Baltic herring, as well as dried yellow pea soup, whose history dates back to Viking times. Salted and pickled herring is always present on the buffet table.

pay attention to shchetbullyar- meatballs prepared in a variety of variations. In general, meatballs made from meat and fish are very popular in Sweden, which can be served in mushroom sauce, seasoned with fresh parsley or dill. The highlight of Swedish cuisine is chicken or carp baked in clay. This dish is prepared according to an old recipe. In Swedish restaurants and cafes, it is recommended to try sweet buns, which are filled with fresh wild berries (blueberries, lingonberries, cloudberries or raspberries).

Denmark

Sandwiches are a characteristic dish for all Scandinavian cuisine. But it is in Denmark that there is a real cult of sandwiches; here you can try several hundred variations of this seemingly simple, uncomplicated dish. Danish sandwich ( smørrebrød) may include, in addition to bread, butter, bacon, tomatoes, liver pate and pieces of radish. This is a whole “multi-story” sandwich, separated by layers. This sandwich is very tasty and filling. In Denmark, the variety of sandwiches with a variety of fillings can impress even the most sophisticated gourmet.

Of course, fish dishes are also popular in this country. In particular, in Denmark you can try whale stew, eel, flounder or salmon dishes, seasoned with fresh herbs. You should definitely try the Danish national dish called Röd-gröd-me-flöde. This is a kind of puree soup with the addition of berries and cream.

Finland

The basis of Finnish cuisine, in addition to fish and seafood, are natural vegetables and berries, as well as fresh dairy products. Perhaps the most famous traditional Finnish dish is fish pie ( Kalekukko). In general, in Finland, fish is consumed fresh, smoked and pickled, and delicious pates and pie fillings are made from it. Also on the Finnish table you can see herring with boiled potatoes, the usual pancakes with sour cream, chicken or meat broth with pies, dumplings and crumbly porridge with butter.

In Finnish restaurants you can order salted salmon or rainbow trout in its own juice. For lunch, it is best to enjoy salmon fish chowder with cream ( lohikeitto). Unusual for Russians may be appetizers made from red fish caviar, pike or whitefish, generously stuffed with onions and sour cream. Also worth trying as something unusual is the slightly bland but tasty Lapland cheese and raw smoked venison, which is not only prepared in national restaurants, but also sold in local stores. Finns, like Russians, love mushroom dishes, especially chanterelles, from which they prepare a variety of sauces and fillings for pies.

Norway

In Norway, fish has always been a staple food. In local restaurants you can try dried cod, which is soaked in a special solution (lutefisk), pickled herring, salads made from salmon and eel, smoked fish with vegetables and boiled eggs.

An interesting dish in Norwegian cuisine is forikol. This dish is made from lamb, pieces of cabbage and pepper, and a small amount of wheat flour. Gourmets should try the local sour cream porridge (römmegröt), seasoned with cinnamon and sugar. Be sure to pay attention to Norwegian cheeses, which are quite diverse and exotic. This is because they are prepared completely differently, with the addition of cow and goat milk. Cheeses can be hot, with a pleasant caramel taste. Sweets in Norway are also interesting. For example, crispy wafer cookies, which are made from flour, a lot of eggs, milk, sugar and cream.

Scandinavian cuisine (Denmark, Norway, Finland, Sweden)

The national cuisines of Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Sweden differ so little from each other that they are usually united under the general name “Scandinavian cuisine.”

Scandinavia is a land of lakes and the sea, and, of course, fish plays a major role in its cuisine and therefore it is not surprising that fish and other seafood products are one of the staple foods of the people of these countries. Fresh and canned fish are widely represented both in the menus of restaurants and cafes, and on the home table.

The most popular types of fish in Denmark are herring, cod, mackerel, eel, flounder, salmon, scallop, and pike perch. They are eaten boiled and salted. Less common are smoked and dried fish. Some Copenhagen restaurants specialize in mainly fish dishes. Danish oysters are highly prized.

Norwegians commonly eat cod, salted herring with potato garnish, fried cod, flounder and halibut. The favorite national dish is “klipfiks” – cod dried on rocks and decapitated. In Norway, they also consume fish in smoked and dried form; they readily eat stewed fish with melted butter, fish balls, cod in egg sauce with whipped whites, as well as flounder, navaga, and salmon. Herring is widely popular in the country, both fresh and salted.

In the Far North, a common dish is made from cod tongues. This is the ultimate delicacy for local gourmets. Meatballs made from minced fresh fish, milk, salt and a pinch of starch are popular. The dish is seasoned with shrimp sauce and is usually prepared on holidays.

In Sweden, the range of fish dishes is very diverse: fried salmon with mushrooms, eel baked with white sauce, young pickled herring with fresh potatoes, fish soufflé (minced fish mixed with a whipped mass of sour cream, egg yolks and separately beaten whites, baked in the oven ) with green salad dressed with mayonnaise.

It is believed that no one in the world can cook herring like the Swedes. They literally do wonders with their sauces and marinades. Swedish chefs are great specialists in preparing eels and smoked salmon.

Among Finnish fish dishes, the first place undoubtedly belongs to salmon, which Finns eat as a smoked or salted appetizer, as well as as a second course, fried or stewed. Herring is widely distributed and eaten salted, pickled or smoked, as well as fresh. It is also used as a component for preparing vegetable salads with vegetable oil or mayonnaise. Fried pink salmon is served with a side dish of fried potatoes or mashed potatoes.

Finns are very fond of young cod salad, which includes eggs, onions, boiled beets, lettuce, seasoned with mayonnaise, yogurt and mustard.

Meat also occupies a prominent place in the diet of the peoples of the Scandinavian countries - beef, veal, pork. Thus, the “king” of the Finnish Christmas table has been ham for several centuries.

The main methods of cooking meat for main courses are boiling and stewing. In Sweden, cold cooked meat, mainly veal, is served as an appetizer. In Denmark and Norway, roasts and schnitzels are popular.

The most common meat dishes are beef chops, fried veal, lamb stew with crab and asparagus, roast beef and pork with a vegetable side dish. Sauces for main courses usually contain flour.

In Norway, the most popular meat is sailor style (sliced ​​beef, layered with onions and potatoes and baked in the oven). Norwegian sausages are also baked in the oven on peeled and cored apples, cut into slices. The range of meat dishes is complemented by poultry and game, and wild animal meat.

In Sweden, among the second courses, the following dishes are most common: “catbuller” - meat balls with green beans, “Svensk panna” - pork, cut into portions, stewed in the oven in beer and meat broth, with the addition of veal kidneys, potatoes and onions, "pit and panno" - assorted beef, veal and ham, served with boiled potatoes, onions and fried eggs, "bift minstrel" - beef steak with a side dish of beets and fried potatoes. National dishes of Swedish cuisine are also "far and kal" - diced lamb stewed with white cabbage and potatoes, "oxbringa" - beef brisket with potatoes with bechamel sauce, "stect flesk" - slices of smoked meat stewed with brown beans. Large catering establishments prepare dishes of well-known international cuisine - schnitzel, rump steak, sirloin fillet, langet, etc., but Swedish chefs almost always give them a specific sweetish taste.

Among the meat dishes of Finnish national cuisine, we should first of all mention venison, which is consumed both fresh and smoked. In cafes and restaurants you can often find dishes made from salmon meat with mushrooms, as well as lamb in dill sauce, beef balls with raisins, steak with onions, served with pickled lingonberries. Vegetables are served as a side dish for meat dishes.

Danish cuisine, which has long been influenced by French cooking, is considered more refined. It attracts unusual taste contrasts and appearance of dishes. Salads prepared from salmon, eel, herring, and shrimp are distinguished by their high calorie content, wonderful taste and presentation. Many salads are based on vegetables. Salads are usually dressed with horseradish whipped with mayonnaise. Salads, both fish and vegetable, are in most cases sweetened.

Catering specialists who are closely acquainted with Scandinavian cuisine in action say that usually on the Scandinavian table there are several dozen appetizers on dishes, trays, and plates at the same time: this is a salad of rice with crabs in a sweet sauce, and a salad of young corn and potatoes with mayonnaise, and fish salads with apple and plum sauces, and smoked, pickled herring, and sprat, and salmon, and caviar, and shrimp, and eel, and herring, and lobster, and lobster.

Scandinavians eat hot food once a day - during lunch, usually late. The basis of the daily diet is sandwiches and cold snacks - this explains their abundance.

In Scandinavian countries they love fish, vegetable and meat soups, often seasoned with flour, with fillet meatballs, boiled meat, poultry with vegetable sauces, boiled cod or herring with potatoes and butter, pates, game with pickled lingonberries (wild berries are generally very popular, they are added to various dishes), with jam or cranberry and cloudberry preserves, whipped cream, fruit jellies. Cod or sole fillet, fried in breadcrumbs, with mayonnaise mixed with finely chopped gherkins, capers and dill, as well as boiled salmon, pink salmon with white sauce and cucumber salad are in demand. Cutlets and meatballs with fried onions are prepared from various varieties of fish. Hot pates made from a mixture of pork and deer liver, mushrooms and eggs are very tasty and nutritious. Potatoes, carrots and other vegetables are usually served boiled, sprinkled generously with parsley. People here love such simple food as jacket potatoes, dumplings, pancakes with sour cream and butter, crumbly buckwheat porridge with butter and oat milk porridge.

Scandinavian cooks also widely use various cereals. Traditional Danish dishes are porridges: wheat, oatmeal, pearl barley, semolina and rice. The most ancient Danish delicacy, known since the early Middle Ages, is wheat porridge with cream and raspberries, called fledegred. By the way, Norwegians also consider it their national dish. A unique type of sausage stuffed with rice porridge and raisins is popular. The Swedes use barley, semolina, and rice cereals to prepare a variety of soups.

A wide range of potato dishes. It is used both as an independent dish and as a side dish. Potatoes occupy a particularly prominent place in the diet of Norwegians and Swedes. In Sweden, for example, they often prepare mashed potatoes with milk, stewed potatoes seasoned with flour, sugar, eggs and butter, fried potatoes, potato dumplings with lard and other dishes. “Multi-story” sandwiches made from various seafood products, lettuce, asparagus shoots, eggs, and sauces are popular in Scandinavia.

The selection of sandwiches is amazingly diverse. In Denmark, for example, there are up to 700 types of them, ranging from a slice of bread spread with butter to a multi-story sandwich called “Hans Christian Andersen's Favorite Sandwich.” It consists of several layers of bacon, tomatoes, liver pate, jelly and white radishes, separated by slices of bread. It is eaten by removing layer by layer. This fact shows how popular sandwiches are in Denmark. Many cities across the country have specialized stores selling sandwiches. One of the most famous restaurants in Copenhagen, Oscar Davidsen, specializes only in sandwiches and even receives orders for them from abroad.

To prepare Swedish sandwiches, several types of bread are used: white, black with a sweetish taste, juniper with cumin and other spices, flatbread, bagels, crackers, crackers.

In Norway, “smerbreds” - sandwiches with butter and various side dishes - are sold everywhere and at any time of the day. Even in large restaurants, sometimes lunch consists exclusively of a selection of smerbreds.

Special mention should be made about dairy foods. Milk is the most popular drink. Everyone drinks it - both children and adults. In schools, institutions, and on the streets there are vending machines selling milk in containers made of plastic film or laminated paper. They also like kefir here, but they are very reluctant to eat cottage cheese. Fresh milk is drunk several times a day. In Sweden, porridges and soups are prepared from milk, and they drink it with potatoes and flatbreads. From milk they prepare curd mass, seasoned with spices, feta cheese, yogurt, cream salted and seasoned with caraway seeds. Finns drink milk, coffee with milk, and kefir in the morning. Pies, pies, rolls and cakes with berries, jam, apples are very popular as desserts; fruit salads with whipped cream are often served for dessert.

The Danish breakfast is very plentiful and is similar in nature to the English one. They drink coffee with cream. For breakfast they prefer oatmeal with milk and sugar, fried eggs in lard, cold fish or a hot fish dish, cakes, white buns or wholemeal rye flatbreads.

Norwegians also eat a fairly large breakfast, although less abundant than the Danes and Swedes. At catering establishments in Norway, during breakfast, a snack table is set up in the sales area with a wide selection of cold fish and meat dishes and snacks, sausages and ham products, salads, eggs, cheese, sandwiches and bread, of various varieties. Visitors serve themselves. Waiters take orders and bring guests tea, coffee, cocoa, and milk. A second breakfast or lunch, which occurs around noon, is also organized.

Swedes and Finns also eat a hearty breakfast. Many Finns prefer wheat porridge cooked with milk for breakfast. Scandinavians usually have lunch in the afternoon. It ends with a cup of strong black coffee with cheese. The famous Scandinavian cheeses, made from cow's and goat's milk, are eaten with butter, celery, radishes, green onions and crispbread.

Even despite the cold climate, Finnish cuisine surprises guests with its diversity. In this country, for a long time there has been a kitchen calendar that helps the housewife decide what dish to serve at this or that time of the year.

January is the month of burbot. A delicious soup is prepared from this fish, it is fried and stewed. And salted burbot caviar is served with sour cream or whipped cream, finely chopped onion and boiled liver, seasoned with allspice. February's signature dish is Runeberg cake. You can easily prepare it if you have regular cookies, sour cream and jam.

At Easter, Finns traditionally eat Easter cakes, colored eggs and mämmi, a thick black porridge. It is prepared from malt, rye flour, water and salt, cream and sugar are added. In May, many dishes are prepared from perch, bream, pike and herring. On Ivan Kupala Day (June 23), boiled sausage, fried over a fire or grill, is served on the table, accompanied by kvass and beer.

July is the most productive month in Finland. Housewives compete to see who can make the tastiest blueberry pie. The collection of boletus, chanterelles and other mushrooms begins in the forests. And on July 21, the crayfish fishing season opens. In August they cook roast ducks and wild pigeons, and in September they cook roasts of hare and venison. In October there are huge fish fairs where herring is in great demand. At the same time, a harvest festival is held, with abundant feasts and carnivals.

In November, Finns warm themselves with mulled wine and eat Martin's goose, named after St. Martin. On Christmas, along with ham or turkey, a traditional vinaigrette is placed on the table, as well as rutabaga, carrot and potato casseroles, boiled peas and prunes. Herring and salmon are served with various sauces.

So you are sailing from Finland to Sweden. You have the opportunity to try ham and veal fillet cooked in cognac sauce, as well as tender venison with lingonberry jam, charcoal-grilled trout with oysters, bleak caviar with sour cream and onions, salmon, berry desserts and many other Scandinavian delicacies.

The favorite drink of the Scandinavian peoples is coffee. In these countries they drink it not only after breakfast, lunch or dinner, but at any time of the day.

Popular intoxicating drinks include beer, whiskey, vodka, gin, and various liqueurs.

from cold appetizers: grainy caviar, chum salmon with lemon and butter; salmon, balyk, salmon, tesha, pink salmon with lemon; sprats, sardines; crab or shrimp salad; vegetable salads; sturgeon with mayonnaise, sturgeon aspic; marinated pike perch; pickled herring, herring with boiled potatoes and butter; ham with side dish, boiled tongue with side dish; assorted meat and fish; fried chicken; eggs with mayonnaise;

from the first courses: fish soup with meatballs, fisherman's, Rostov; broths with pies, kulebyaka, dumplings, meatballs, vegetable or cereal side dish; cabbage soup; Ukrainian borscht; Solyanka meat mix and fish mix; pickle; homemade noodle soup with chicken;

from the second courses: boiled pike perch with Polish sauce, fried pike perch, pike perch in dough; sturgeon fries; carp in sour cream, fish baked in milk sauce; fillet, beefsteak, entrecote, rump steak, languette, beef stroganoff, escalope, pork chop; the Kiev's cutlets; chicken cutlets, zrazy Kiev; various dishes from game, eggs; vegetable stew; cauliflower with breadcrumb sauce.

Various boiled and fried vegetables should be served as a side dish:

for dessert: fresh fruits and berries, melons, grapes; compotes from canned fruits: Guryev porridge; whipped cream: jelly, mousses, apples in syrup, apples baked in puff pastry: cakes, ice cream, pastries. After lunch, black coffee with cheese is a must.

True gourmets and simple food lovers know that there are many cuisines around the world. A mystery to many is the unusual and very interesting Scandinavian cuisine. What features makes it different?

Historical traditions

It is worth noting that Scandinavian cuisine began to take shape a very long time ago. And its main features are determined by the climate of the Scandinavian countries, as well as, in some way, by the mentality of the people. Since these places are very cold, the choice of products is limited, and therefore most of the dishes can be called quite simple, that is, they do not require the use of many different ingredients.

In addition, all the food of the Scandinavians was always very filling and quite fatty, because these people were forced to spend a lot of time in the cold and had to withstand low temperatures. And since preparing dishes in conditions typical of Scandinavian countries was quite difficult and inconvenient, housewives always cooked for future use. And at the same time, dishes could be stored for quite a long time and not spoil. This was achieved thanks to various marinades, spices and a significant amount of salt.

Modern Scandinavian cuisine differs from what existed several centuries ago, but still the main features have been preserved.

What does it represent?

Scandinavian cuisine includes the national cuisines of Finland, Denmark, Norway and Sweden. The most beloved and frequently used products among the peoples of the Scandinavian Peninsula are the following:

• Fish. And this is not surprising, because it is very accessible. Particularly popular are species such as herring, salmon, flounder, mackerel, salmon and some others.
• . It is not only enjoyed with pleasure several times a day, but also added to various dishes, side dishes and sauces. Porridge is also cooked with milk.
• Eggs. Most often they are hard-boiled and added to sandwiches.
• Meat. Scandinavians especially love pork, veal and beef. Both hot dishes and cold snacks are prepared from meat.
• Bakery products are popular. There are several unusual varieties of bread alone: ​​with cumin, juniper, black sweet, white and others. Various spices are often added to bread.
• Cereals. Delicious porridges are cooked from them, as well.
• Potatoes are also popular, from which a variety of side dishes are prepared.
• Beans are also often used in cooking.
• Many recipes involve adding berries (especially northern ones, such as). Moreover, they are added not only to baked goods.
• The favorite and most frequently consumed drink is.

But every country has its own unique culinary characteristics, so it’s worth talking about each in more detail.

Swedish cuisine

Swedes skillfully prepare various homemade sausages with spices (most often with pepper and cumin). The favorite fish in this country is herring, which is most often salted or pickled. There are several dozen types of pickled herring. Swedes also often cook liver.

It is cut into pieces and boiled, flavored with spices, and then poured with a strong and rich meat broth. In addition, a lot of berries grow in Sweden, so jams, berry sauces, and baked goods with berries are popular. One of the most popular Swedish dishes is meat balls served with boiled potatoes and lingonberry jam.

Norwegian cuisine

The features of Norwegian cuisine are similar to the culinary traditions of other Scandinavian countries. In this country, fish of any kind is respected, revered and eaten with pleasure. It is salted, dried, pickled and even kept underground.

Meat is also popular. A traditional Norwegian dish is sheep's head, served with mashed potatoes and rutabaga. Norwegians make very delicate and soft cheese from goat's milk. And in this country, porridge is respected and often eaten. Wheat with cream and raspberries is especially popular.

Danish cuisine

Denmark also loves fish very much. Another feature is considered to be a passion for sandwiches. Moreover, these are not only simple and satisfying sandwiches, but also complex, “multi-story” ones with many layers (often seemingly incompatible ingredients are found in one sandwich). There are restaurants in this country that only serve sandwiches. It is also worth noting that the Danes love berries. Dessert soups are made from them, pies, jellies and other desserts are prepared.

Finnish cuisine

Finns are more sophisticated in the field of cooking, so in this country you can taste many unusual and very tasty dishes. They deserve special attention, which are prepared from different types of fish and rye dough. Karelian pies filled with rice or potatoes are delicious.

For Easter, almost everyone prepares “mammi” - a thick porridge of hops, malt and rye flour with the addition of water and salt, seasoned with cream and sugar. Finns often make casseroles from potatoes, carrots or rutabaga. Mushrooms are widely used. Berry pies and other desserts are popular.

Several recipes

What to cook unusual and tasty from Scandinavian cuisine? We offer several recipes.

Kalekukko

To prepare the famous fish pie you will need the following ingredients:

• 200 grams of wheat flour;
• 200 grams of rye flour;
• 1 glass of water;
• 60 grams of butter;
• 800 grams of sea fish fillet;
• 200 grams of bacon;
• 2 onions;
• 2-3 tablespoons of cream;
• salt and pepper to taste;
• 1 egg

Cooking method:

1. Knead the dough. To do this, sift the flour and gradually add water to it, mixing everything with your hands. Then add softened butter and a little salt. Roll out the dough into a layer, fold it in half and put it in the cold for about half an hour.
2. Start preparing the filling. Cut the bacon into small pieces, peel the onion and cut it in any way. Pass fried bacon and onions, as well as fish fillets, through a meat grinder. Add pepper, salt and cream to the minced meat and mix well.
3. Roll out the dough into a rectangular, not very thin layer. Place the filling on one side and cover it with the other side. Protect the edges. Brush the dough with egg.
4. Place the pie on a greased baking sheet (or oiled parchment) and bake for about 3 hours on low heat.

Fried herring

To prepare this unusual dish you will need:

• 1 kg herring fillet;
• 5 tablespoons of breadcrumbs or regular crushed crackers;
• 5 tablespoons flour;
• 100 grams of bacon;
• mustard;
• vinegar;
• salt to taste.

Cooking method:

1. Cut the fillet into medium-sized pieces. Salt each one, sprinkle with vinegar, and coat with mustard on all sides.
2. Now dip each piece first in flour and then in breadcrumbs.
3. Cut the bacon into small pieces, put it in a frying pan and wait until the fat begins to render.
4. Fry the herring fillets until aromatic and crispy.

Like many other dishes, fried herring is most often served with potatoes.

Danish Christmas oat cake

To prepare this dessert you will need:

• 500 grams of oatmeal;
• 400 ml milk;
• 1 large or two small chicken eggs;
• 4 tablespoons sugar (brown is best);
• 2 tablespoons flour;
• 4-5 tablespoons of seedless raisins;
• 25-30 grams of almonds;
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder (you can replace it with soda, quenched with boiling water);
• zest of 1 lemon;
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon;
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom;
• 3-5 clove buds;
• 30 grams of butter.

Cooking method:

1. Heat the milk a little, then add oatmeal into it (leave 2-3 tablespoons for sprinkling). Leave the mixture for half an hour to swell.
2. Soak the raisins in hot water for 20-30 minutes to soften them.
3. Beat the egg with sugar and add to the milk-oat mixture.
4. Mix flour with baking powder, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon, add to the dough.
5. Grate the lemon peel on a fine grater, add the zest to the dough along with the raisins.
6. Grind the almonds and add them to the dough, mix everything well.
7. Grease the mold with butter, sprinkle the bottom with cereal and lay out the dough. Sprinkle the cereal on top too.
8. Bake the pie at 170 degrees for about 40 minutes.

Bon appetit!