North Wild Kitchen

Tag: buskerud

  • Aquavit-Cured Venison with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)

    Aquavit-Cured Venison with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)

    Aquavit-Cured Deer with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær) Aquavit-Cured Deer with Pickled Bilberries (Gravet hjort med sylteblåbær)Norway has a long tradition of curing – graving – both fish and meat in order to conserve them. While cured salmon (gravlax / gravlaks) may be more well-known, the same technique can, and is, applied to meats. Curing the meat provides a distinct flavor and smooth texture, which today is seen as being quite exclusive. Yet, it’s simple to make at home. (more…)

  • Surost (Homemade Farm Cheese)

    Surost (Homemade Farm Cheese)

    Surost (Norwegian Farm Cheese made from Sour Milk)Following a magnificent seter feast filled with Sonja’s homemade products of cheese, cream, jams and cured meat, Sonja shared her recipe for surost.

    Surost is a farmhouse cheese made from fresh cow’s milk which has been left to sit overnight in a warm spot to allow for curdling. The milk takes on a slightly sour taste, hence the name ‘sur’ ost. When it is ready, Sonja takes some of the sour milk from the container into a large pot and places the pot into a water bath on the stove. Within a short time, the curds separate from the whey and are placed in a colander where the whey continues to strain out.

    This process is very simple and very effective. The cheese is similar to cottage cheese, yet with a tad more tanginess that comes from the milk being sour. I debated whether to provide an alternative recipe using pasteurised milk, but this simply would not be the same since pasteurised milk can not be left to sour. True surost must be made out of soured milk. You can, however, make a simple farm cheese with pasteurised milk by adding an acid to it, such as vinegar, while you heat it directly in a pot over the stove. A good recipe for this can be found from the Nourished Kitchen. (more…)

  • A Norwegian Seter {Mountain Farm Life}

    A Norwegian Seter {Mountain Farm Life}

    Norsk Seterliv & Sur-Ost (Mountain Farm Cottage Cheese)The winding road takes us through lush woodland to a mountain lake and up to an open landscape where the blue sky contrasts with the green vegetation and craggy mountains. The clanking of bells echo in the stillness as our first greeting comes from a flock of wooly sheep. They scamper toward us, friendly and energetic. Happy to receive our hands stroking their smooth faces. We climb over a fence and take a moment to let it all sink in. A small and idyllic cottage faces the morning sun and is surrounded by small, wooden buildings. Metal milk cans decorate the walls and summer blossoms add a pop of color against the green and brown backdrop.

    Norsk Seterliv & Sur-Ost (Mountain Farm Cottage Cheese)Norsk Seterliv & Sur-Ost (Mountain Farm Cottage Cheese)There’s no internet access. No distractions. Nothing to take you away from the majesty and quietness of the landscape expect for a small radio, a good book and a thoughtful conversation. This is a place which blends itself into the nature. Learns from it, protects it, nurtures it and hails it. It is here I find myself today. A seter. A Norwegian seter. Slettastølen Seter, to be exact. (more…)

  • Numedal Matfestival {Local Food, Local Producers}

    Numedal Matfestival {Local Food, Local Producers}

    Matfestival in Numedal, NorwayNumedal is a valley, nestled in the belly of Norway, on route between Oslo and Bergen, with an enormous variety of excellent ingredients and products. This is a valley where culture, history, tradition and food collide. A gem; hidden among the towering mountains, lush forests, and winding rivers. Summertime brings a handful of activities which highlight the area’s natural environment, creativity and people. One of these events brings together a variety of food producers and artisans from the valley to entice locals and visitors alike. Now on it’s fourth year, the Numedal Matfestival is an annual two-day event featuring a local food market, cafe and pub, concerts, food courses, competitions and a nightly creative restaurant headed by a group of young chefs.

    Here is the first part of the festival – the day’s activities – which I’d like to share with you. It’s the heart of the festival, where local food and local producers are showcased.

    Matfestival in Numedal, NorwayMatfestival in Numedal, NorwayMatfestival in Numedal, Norway (more…)

  • Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst’s Kling (Lefse)

    Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst’s Kling (Lefse)

    Norwegian Kling (Lefse) from Uvdalsleiven TradisjonsbakstNorwegian Kling (Lefse) from Uvdalsleiven TradisjonsbakstMy second visit to Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst is underway and as I draw nearer to the bakery, I pass the Nore og Uvdal Bygdetun with Uvdal’s  stave church towering above the hill; a reminder of the days past and the history of this place. The horses have come to graze nearby and I stop for a moment to take in the surroundings. There’s a peacefulness in Numedal, in the towns which lie throughout. Enriched by gentle people, the structures of their labor and their heritage amidst a landscape of pure, unadulterated nature. I’m reminded how food has shaped and been shaped by the culture, and how certain delicacies remain as pure as the landscape. One such iconic product, which is so commonplace and at the same time ensues such nostalgia and longing for, is kling.

    My second visit to Uvdasleieven is underway and as I draw nearer to the bakery, I pass the Uvdal Byggdetun & Stave church, a reminder of the days past and the history of this place. The horses have come to graze nearby and I stop for a moment to take in the surroundings. There’s a peacefulness in Numedal, in the towns which lay throughout. Enriched by gentle people, the structures of their labor and their heritage amidst a landscape of pure, unadulterated nature. I’m reminded how food has shaped and been shaped by the culture, and how certain delicacies remain as pure as the landscape. One such iconic product, which is so commonplace and at the same time ensues such nostalgia and longing for, is Kling. Hanne and Hanne K greet me with smiles as they carry on mixing, rolling and baking. Their day started at 5.30 this morning, and I’m only now joining them as they carry on working until the work is done. No clock to follow, only the work of their hands counting down the minutes. Today, they are making kling. You and I might call it lefse, but to anyone from these parts, it is kling. Whether with a smear of butter and sugar or served plain, this is kling from Uvdal. Hanne’s recipe has won over many fans, boasting a light and delicate kling, with my favorite being sugar and butter sandwiched between two kling and cut into large triangles. Rolling each kling by hand is a practice not suitable to the demands of production. These days, a machine aids in the rolling, but in no way is an indication of the process being easy. Each dough must go through the machine a total of 14 times, and each time through, the ladies must flour, turn, adjust and observe. There is an unspoken synchronization at work. It is second nature to them, but I can see it clearly. One makes the dough, the other rolls the prepared dough and when enough kling has been rolled out, one will make their way toward the takke. If cooking one at a time isn’t hard enough, they cook two simultaneously. Alternating and flipping. And this method carries on, with each task being traded off between the two of them so there is a balance. For both body and mind. The recipe is from her grandmother. And as each one begins to bubble and brown, they are placed on top of each other and wrapped in a blanket of plastic and fabric. Stored overnight, they will be prepared the following day. Some will be given a coating of butter and sugar, while the rest will be left plain. Hanne tells me that the plain kling goes well with warm beta soup, or topped with some butter and eaten with rakfisk. She reveals that her custom is to eat it with a bowl of risengrot (rice porridge), although this is not common practice. A habit she indulges in at home on the rare occasion. There’s a quietness today. Hanne is quick to explain that on kling days they generally keep conversation to a minimum. They work in auto-mode and move to the beat of the radio playing in the background until it’s time for a short break. Coffee, served black and taken on the front steps. We reminisce over the area and the history of the place. We discuss kling and markets. We agree that tradition is strong in these parts and that everyone is proud of their heritage, their recipes and the hard work that goes into every morsel. I’m not from here. I’m only a guest, but I feel closer to this valley and the people, because of these conversations and people like Hanne and Hanne Karine. Hanne is a great example of the labor and love that goes into maintaining tradition and running a business. Her products speak for themselves in quality and flavor. And in an area where everyone makes their own version of her products and swears by their family recipe, she certainly has to work even harder to standout. And she does so gracefully. She is a great advocate for Uvdal and the traditions of the community. She’s not the only one, but she is a voice and her products carry a certain weight of importance as they tell the stories of the area’s food culture to those passing through and they can also inspire others to see the value in local products. Norwegian Kling (Lefse) from Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst (more…)

  • Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst & Rømmebrød

    Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst & Rømmebrød

    Uvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst & RømmebrødUvdalsleiven Tradisjonsbakst & RømmebrødIt’s 9.00am when I pass through the open doors of the old barn, overlooking a valley carving its way through the mountainous terrain of Uvdal, Norway. The sun peaks through the grey clouds which have left morning dew on the yellow flowers popping around the well-worn farm. There is a cool breeze, which is welcome in the Uvdalsleiven kitchen, where the takke (griddle) reigns as it exerts its heat in every corner of the room. It’s temperamental. The colder it is inside, the higher its temperature must be. The hotter it is, the lower its temperature. And so it is with the takke, the surroundings effecting it in a way that only an experienced baker can instinctively master. Like a barista, the baker must constantly be in control and make adjusts to produce a quality product. And here at Uvdalsleiven, you can immediately see the symbiotic relationship which creates so much harmony in the kitchen. (more…)