North Wild Kitchen

Tag: mat

  • Gomme (Norwegian Sweet Cheese)

    Gomme (Norwegian Sweet Cheese)

    Gomme (Norwegian Sweet Cheese) Gomme (Norwegian Sweet Cheese)

    “Lefse uten gomme er som grøt uten salt”.

    (Lefse wthout gomme is like porridge without salt)

    Gomme goes by many names, including gumme, gubbost, and dravle. It’s created by cooking down fresh milk – curds and whey and all – to achieve a soft and spreadable sweet cheese. It’s been around for centuries, perhaps one of the older desserts known, and has had a central place among Norwegian milk dishes. Life on a self-sustainable farm meant a limited supply of cow’s milk during certain parts of the year. Therefore, since gomme was made of fresh milk, it is reasonable to assume it was a highly treasured dish that was reserved for special occasions and high holidays. (more…)

  • Potato Tarts with Spiced Stewed Apples (potet-terte)

    Potato Tarts with Spiced Stewed Apples (potet-terte)

    Potato Tarts with Spiced Stewed Apples (potet-terte)Orchards have this incredible presence and sense of wonderment that draws you in and envelops you as you gaze among its rows and rows of spectacular fruit-laden branches. An unkept orchard can become a magical arena for the imagnination and the senses to come alive.

    All across Norway, regions are brimming with apples from August to November, depending upon the apple variety and climate. The village we live in is just one example of how apples have overtaken many yards. A quick drive through and your eyesight will be drawn to craggy apple trees  dotted with bright reds, pinks, and subtle greens. Even the ground below is strewn with fallen fruit.  (more…)

  • Baked Salt Cod with Potatoes and Celeriac (Klippfisk med sellerirot- og potetmos)

    Baked Salt Cod with Potatoes and Celeriac (Klippfisk med sellerirot- og potetmos)

    Baked Salt Cod with Potatoes and CeleriacStacks of dried cod, butterflied and doused with salt, are one of the most iconic images you will find along Norway’s coastline and in traditional food markets across the region. Although their earthy tones may not immediately attract the eye, their very existence tells a deep history of Norwegian traditions and a commerce that has shaped Norway’s economy. (more…)

  • Sour Cherry Crisp with Almonds and Seeds (Smuldrepai med Kirsebær)

    Sour Cherry Crisp with Almonds and Seeds (Smuldrepai med Kirsebær)

    Sour Cherry Crisp (Smuldrepai med kirsebær)Sour Cherry Crisp with almonds and seeds (Smuldrepai med Kirsebær)The slender tree branches, laden with luscious, dark sour cherries, seemed in dire need of relieving their seasonal burden. As always, it’s on a first come first serve basis: us or the birds.

    As I walked through my friend’s delightful garden teeming full of berry bushes and fruit trees (each with a long history and proclamation to the land which their roots sink deep into), I couldn’t help but begin to recount all of the times my friends and I would use the garden as our own playground when we were little. We would pluck fruits from the trees in such earnest that our hands would be stained, the lower parts of our shirts became makeshift baskets, our conversations became limited as we kept our mouths full of our succulent findings, and our greediness was shown outright as we left with full bellies and more fruit than we could carry. (more…)

  • Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (Rabarbragrøt og Granskuddiskrem)

    Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (Rabarbragrøt og Granskuddiskrem)

    Norwegian Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (rabarbragrøt og granskuddiskrem)Norwegian Rhubarb Soup and Spruce Tip Ice Cream (rabarbragrøt og grandskudd iskrem)Rhubarb plants – with their ornate and statuesque figures – have long been sought after and used as garden staples for centuries. Rhubarb cultivation in Norway is mentioned to have first begun around the 1700s, with rhubarb prized for its medicinal benefits. The root was dried and taken for preventative measures as well as used as medicine for digestive problems.

    Rhubarb eventually found its way into the Norwegian kitchen in the 19th century. Its sour stalks appealing – and sugar being its greatest companion.

    (more…)

  • Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)

    Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)

    Outdoor Skillet-Bread with Lamb and Pea Pesto (Bålbrød med lam og erterpesto)Outdoor Skillet Pizza with Lamb and Pea PestoA crackling fire set amidst the backdrop of nature is one of the most pleasant and fulfilling ways to cook. There’s a connection between the ingredients, the process, and the finished meal that completely transcends the traditional kitchen.

    One thing you learn quickly when living in Norway is that your home extends beyond a structure’s walls. Your time is shared both under a roof and in the open expanse of the surrounding landscape. Not even bad weather can, nor should, contain an individual to an enclosed space. That’s why every opportunity to explore the outdoors is relished upon. (more…)