Exploring Scandinavian Cuisine: Tradition, Culture, and Culinary Practices

1. International MealScandinavia Zach Brindley, Casey Klein, Allison Hall

2. Location • Northern Europe • Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland • Largest peninsula in Europe • Arctic circle • North Atlantic & Baltic Sea

3. Geography & Weather • Temperate climate • Subarctic up north • Coastal areas influenced by warm gulf stream and Atlantic • Lakes, rivers, dense forests, high mountains, hills, tundra, flat fertile plains, volcanoes, glaciers

4. Native Crops • Rye, oats, barley. • Wheat, sugar beets, potatoes • Large quantities of fertilizer • Fish, wild game • Dairy farms

5. Spices & Herbs • Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cardamom • Mace, cloves, ginger, caraway seeds • Saffron & turmeric • Basil, cilantro, rosemary, sage

6. Religion and Customs • The prominent religion in the Scandinavian area is Christianity. • Evangelical Lutheran however has become very popular • Shamanistic religion is followed by the Sami people • People in Scandinavia rarely take hospitality for granted • Failing to say thank you is perceived as very negative • Excess, flashiness and boasting are abhorred • Work hard but not too hard, play without going to extremes • Competition isn’t encouraged. • Children raised to believe they aren’t any more special than any other child

7. Holidays • Scandinavia follows many of the same holidays that the rest of the world shares. • New Years Eve, Christmas Eve, All Saints Day • Mardi Gras is also very popular in the area • King’s Birthday is a big event • Feasts and entertainment are provided • Afternoon off work

8. Exports and Imports • Primary exports include: • Industrial machinery • Automobiles • Paper products • Iron and Steel products • Pulp and Wood • Primary Imports include: • Petroleum and petroleum products • Foodstuffs, Clothing • Motor Vehicles

9. Scandinavian Food Circle • Scandinavia’s food guide is known as the Food Circle • Fruits and Vegetables make up over a third of the circle • Root Vegetables vs Essential Vegetables • Food categories are much more balanced • Don’t believe in the low-fat diet dogma • Instead prefer a low-carb, high-fat diet

10. Cooking Methods • Western cuisine methods are used in Scandinavian cooking - frying, baking, sautéing, and poaching • Last 150 years more frying and roasting than boiling • available time, occasion, and kind of meat or fish chosen

11. Scandinavian Meals • House is main location for eating meals; most do not eat out regularly • Coffee breaks are very common throughout day, drink with a pastry or a snack and every meal

12. Breakfast • Some drink only coffee, milk, juice • Grains/bread most consumed – open sandwich or bread with jams, marmalades,cheese spreads • Liver paste- served with fried bacon and mushrooms or pickles or cucumber salad • Cured sausages or ham, salami • Fruit not common • Danish pastry, cold cereals with yogurt

13. Lunch • Swedes have hot larger and hot lunches and a beer or coffee • Norwegians and Danes have smaller and cold lunches • Open sandwich • Fast food popular among young

14. Dinner • The hot meal of the day, Swedes have two hot meals • Consists of a meat, vegetables, a staple, condiments, and bread • Normally eaten with family, still have family dinners

15. Animals for Food Supply • Game – reindeer, moose • Pork – used liver and blood • Beef and Chicken • Turkey (Christmas) • Wale (now unpopular) • Lamb • Fish – Atlantic Cod, eel (endangered), salmon, crab, perch,…