History

The Nordic food culture has, historically, derived from a struggle for survival and the need to store food for winter.

Our ancestors had to find and preserve food in an often harsh and unforgiving climate and in places where very little could be cultivated or survive for long. Simple but filling and nutritious dishes were developed, often based on what nature could offer, of which several have survived through the centuries.

Porridge, for example, provides a hearty breakfast in many households in the Nordic countries today and Skyr, a protein rich dairy product from Iceland, which has been consumed on the island for over thousand years is now selling all over Europe. Wild mushrooms and berries are still foraged and preserved in the autumn for later consumption. Hunting for game is popular and it is still common practice to fill the freezer with meat for the winter. Moreover, on Greenland, the tradition of fishing and hunting from kayaks continues still.

Photo: Gunnar Magnusson