Food

Reindeer, moose, grouse, salmon, arctic char and cod are just some of the well known ingredients traditionally used in Scandinavian cuisine. The modern Scandinavian diet is known for its health benefits with a focus on high quality, fresh produce sourced locally and seasonally.

The fields, forests, lakes, rivers and seas of northern Scandinavia, the North West Nordic Region and the Arctic provide a smorgasbord of ingredients used to create outstanding food throughout the region. Organic farming and local produce are highly valued by a new wave of Scandinavian chefs as they strive to create a Scandinavian haute cuisine.

Sámi cuisine from Njalla Restaurant in Idre

Chef Frantzén co-owner of Frantzén/Lindeberg in Stockholm gives a good overview of the roots of traditional and modern Swedish/north Scandinavian cuisine in ‘what is Swedish cuisine’ interview given on YouTube 

The wilderness style cuisine of Magnus Nilsson the chef at Fäviken  in Jämtland has recently been featured in a plethora of magazines including British Airways High Life  magazine, Newsweek, Diet Welt and the UK’s Conde Nast Traveler. His focus on locavorism ( a focus on eating locally produced food) ) often sourced through local foraging for items such as lichen and lingon berries has re-focused the world’s media on the ‘real food’ of Scandinavian cuisine.

Mathias Dahlgren has two Michelin starred restaurants in Stockholm and you may also be familiar with Chef Marcus Samuelsson who rise to fame was fueled by the success for Aquavit in New York. Stockholm’s Grastrologik restaurant has just been awarded a Michelin star with chefs Jocob Holmström and Anton Bjuhr focusing on “a new Nordic Kitchen” where supply and demand guide the selection of ingredients.

The Slow Food Sápmi ( web site only in Swedish ) movement in Sweden is thriving with a focus a cuisine that is derived from the harmony of man, animals and nature. After all the Sámi have been practicing many similar culinary techniques favoured by Magnus Nilsson for thousands of years.

The current darling of Sámi cuisine is Hävvi i Glen located in Åsarna about a 90 minute drive SW of Östersund. Featured in the White Guide high quality and authentic Sámi food is delivered in a traditional Sámi setting by a culinary trained hosts.

In mid-Norway Mathias Forselius has set up shop in the charming World Heritage town of Røros due to the exceptional quality of the local organic produce and their innovative cooperative Røros Mat. Mathias has recently open his own microbrewery located in the old bank vault on main street. To compliment the beers he’s developed a innovative tasting menu based on local ingredients and traditions.

Sakte based in Sognefjord, Norway focuses on slow living, slow food and slow adventures. Local produce made from locally sourced ingredients are at the heart of each travel experience – artisan cheeses, cured sausages and hams and handcrafted beers from local micro-breweries.

Sweden’s White Guide is the most comprehensive guide to Sweden’s best restaurants. It is printed in English and Swedish but the web site is unfortunately only available at present in Swedish. There are 7 restaurant reviews posted for the Lapland region, eleven for Norrbotten, eight for Västerbotten, twenty for Jämtland ( the excellent Sámi owned restaurant Thomassons Gård in Åre is omitted from their reviews but is well worth a visit), seven for Härjedalen (in Idre the Njalla restaurant is also missed off their list and serves excellent Sámi food), four for Ängermanland and eight for Medlepad making northern Sweden an attractive touring destination for foodies.

Regional food and beverage projects are thriving and being quality labelled throughout the Nordic / Scandinavian region. Cheese, meat, beer, aquavit, fruit juices, smoked and cured fish to name a few of the fantastic local products being certified.

Micro-breweries are thriving (thank goodness) and aquavit is becoming a preferred cocktail base in the trendy bars of New York and London.

It is however ‘wild food‘ that I will focus upon for blog entries. There are few finer feelings in life than sitting around an open fire with friends after a day walking, cycling, kayaking or fishing – eating local, freshly sourced ingredients washed down with a fine local beer or spirit.