Category Archives: Ingredients

Ingredients, Natural Nordic Nutrition

Natural Nordic ingredients

Leave a comment

The Nordic region has its own unique environment, and it’s own natural Nordic ingredients, the components are the telltale of the long, arduous struggle of the ever-changing ecosystems on the planet.

As ecosystems are defined by the network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment. The plants and berries that we enjoy today and that have been around for hundreds or thousands of years, it is to their glory as successful plants and species of the current time.

The Bilberry is part of several species of shrubs in the genus Vaccinium bearing edible berries.  In the Finnish language, they are called Mustikka, it refers to the color of the berry as being black (musta).  The berries were also called black-hearts in 19th century south-western England.

Bilberries as a natural Nordic ingredient, are an excellent nutrition source, they can be enjoyed as fresh berries, also made into berry juice or jam as a concentrate, also included as a filling for many baked products.  Bilberry flavored milkshakes, ice cream or thick shakes or a smoothie.  The berries are frozen and used as a garnish to decorate desserts or used as a condiment on breakfast cereal. Bilberries are a good source of flavonoids, which induce antioxidant activity.

Most people in Finland/Nordic countries gather Bilberries during the summer and store them in the freezer for the winter months, an ample supply of 20-30 liters can supply berries to the food table throughout the 6-month winter/spring time.

Music You Tube Video on the Importance of Balanced Nutrition.

Fishing, Ingredients, Survival

Natural Nordic Nutrition

Leave a comment

The Nordic region is distinct by the natural Nordic nutrition, and by the unique closeness of the Arctic proximity, and by the vigor of the biodiversity and life that it contains.

The close proximity of the north pole had influenced and shaped the surrounding environment since the early days when the northern cap froze over with snow and ice.  It was a tough place to shelter and survive through the raging seas of the Autumn and the long cold dark days of the winter months.  The vital links to survival were food, nutrition, good health, shelter, company, warmth, and transport.  The Nordic region had treasures of high-quality food and nutrition in the river systems, lakes, ponds, hillsides, valleys, and under the surface of the Barents Sea.

Fishing has thrived in the Nordic region for many centuries, it was the most common source of Natural Nordic Nutrition throughout the year.

Nordic Naturals.

Fresh fish and seafood in the summer, smoking, salting and curing fish in the autumn time for the long winter months ahead.  Fish products have been a great source of nutrition and health for people of all ages.

National Identity of Norway.

“National Identity. By the middle of the nineteenth century, schoolbooks reflected the theme of a distinct, rural Norwegian culture, as did a variety of popular journals. Writers conveyed the notion that everything of true value was found close to home, in everyday life of simple people…..popular enlightenment helped shape the consciousness of a common culture and history. In the national dialogues that followed, national identity was formed, contributing to the eventual dissolution of the union with Sweden”.

The Fishing industry is still active today, there is a big demand for fish products, and also the fishing tourism draws a great crowd, year by year to the Nordic region annually.

The Nordic region like many other regions of the world has come under a lot of pressure from over fishing and large manufacturing companies that have Ship-factories going out in a big way to catch large amounts of fish products.  Sustainability is a vital hot topic for the future generations, and for the excellent health of the waterways and the deep seas.  Teno river is one of the rare river systems that have the original gene pool of Salmon, it has not died out from over fishing like most river systems in Europe and the Nordic region.

Team Nordic Power Team.

Natural Nordic Nutrition

 Here is a link to more information on Natural Nordic Nutrition.

Autumn, Culture, Ingredients, Mushrooms

Lactarius deliciosus mushroom photos

Leave a comment

The mushroom season is at the end of the third quarter in the Nordic season,

Many different types of mushrooms have sprung up and bloomed in their turn, they come, and they go, followed by another species or another variety of mushroom.

One type of mushroom that i picked up recently is the Lactarius deliciosus, it is an excellent mushroom for cooking, it has a three-star rating.

It has a distinct bright orange color that resembles the color of a carrot, the bright dye of the mushroom is also used as a coloring dye.

Lactarius deliciosus mushroom is not the only orange color mushroom that grows during the autumn season, there is also the Lactarius deterrimus, it is also suitable for cooking, and it has a two-star rating as an edible mushroom.

There are many different types of mushrooms in the Nordic forest, some grow in pine tree forest, and others in the Birch tree forest, they are very particular about the soil that they grow in, other types of trees and forests that mushrooms grow in and favor are the alder and aspen trees.

Preparation of the Lactarius groups of mushroom varies into two broad groups: 1). Wash rinse, slice into strips and fry in a hot pan with butter or oil, very quick and convenient, these types of mushrooms are mostly very mild and of high quality.  2). The other type of preparation is more involved, wash, rinse, cut mushrooms into wedges, and place them into boiling water. Simmer 10 minutes, drain, rinse until cool. These types of mushrooms usually are stronger flavor and slightly bitter/toxic. The boiling process for 10 minutes is necessary for human consumption.

Lactarius deliciosus mushroom is great because it is quick to prepare, rinse in clean running water and sliced into strips and fried in a hot fry pan with butter or oil, great tasting mushroom and suitable with potatoes for breakfast or another mealtime.

Culture, Fruit, Ingredients, Natural Nordic Nutrition, SUmmer time, Uncategorized

The Nordic Berry Season

Leave a comment

The Nordic Berry Season

Summer without the Nordic berry season is not a real summer.

The berry season in the Nordic region is coming to the end of summer, the first two types of berries to appear on the markets are strawberry and raspberry, followed by bilberry and Lingonberry (Vaccinium Vitis-idea).  Currently, the bilberries are still excellent for picking, and not overripe.  Overripe bilberries break up easily and color your fingers bright red with bilberry juice.  The Lingonberries have a shiny red outer skin (reasonably robust), they grow in small clusters (2-6 berries), on the stems of a  short bright green shrub.  The red berries take some time to ripen, to test whether the berries are ripe, you merely squeeze one berry, and if the flesh is white, then the berry is not ripe when the flesh of the berry has become translucent pink in color, then the berry is ripe for picking.

Lingonberries are unique a source of nutrition in the Nordic berry season

Lingonberries are very robust berries, and they have preservatives in their own juice, they are sour/tart in flavor.  It is a unique fruit in the Nordic berry season, and it was also a significant source of vitamins and nutrition for the early pioneers that discovered the Nordic region.  When you think about it, the Nordic summer is short, 4-6 months, theyre are berries that appear at the middle part of summer (strawberry/raspberry), followed by the bilberry, red currants and other berries.  At the end of the Nordic berry season, there are the Lingonberries.

It was possible for the pioneers to gather the lingonberries and store them in a vessel (crushed) and the Lingonberry preserved itself without any extra additives or refrigeration needed.  How many berry types do you know that can do that?  After the Lingonberries are ripe in autumn, there is a considerable time before the winter arrives properly with constant sub-zero temperatures, during that time most common berries would not last the distance through to the winter, and that would be an essential vitamin source lost for the consumer.

No fruit, vegetables or grain foods available for picking during winter. During the winter months (6-9 mths), there is no fruit growing for picking and nutrition, the landscape is under snow and ice.  It would be late August to September when the berries were ripe for picking (some variation from year to year), that leaves about 3-4 months before the constant sub-zero temperature arrives in December (some change from year to year).  In theory, it would be possible to leave the Lingonberries on the shrub until the frosts came, but that allowed the birds and other animals to feast on them during the waiting time, also risky if there was a sudden snowfall that would cover the berry shrubs.

Storing the fruit from the Nordic berry season naturally.

In the early days when there was no electricity for deep freezers to preserve the summer fruit, which is a common practice these days, they could rely on the Lingonberries to last the distance through to the following spring season, now that is fantastic fruit from Nature.  The other berries would have been picked day by day and consumed fresh by the early pioneers.  Later on, the berries were crushed into fruit juice and made into jams with the help of extra sugar to preserve it.  Also with the introduction of wheat flour, sugar and ovens then came pastry making skills of making fruit-filled pies, e.g., bilberry pie.

The Nordic berry season provides an important nutritional boost for the consumer.

“The berries contain plentiful organic acids, vitamin C, provitamin A (as beta carotene), B vitamins (B1, B2, B3), and the elements potassium, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus. In addition to these nutrients, they also contain phytochemicals that are thought to counteract urinary-tract infections, and the seeds are rich in omega-3 fatty acids“.

The health benefits are real, and available from the Nature in the Nordic berry season.

Therefore it is a reasonable gesture/habit for people to exercise their will and choose a healthy diet that includes eating lots of natural berries at the Nordic berry season.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccinium_vitis-ida

Autumn, Culture, Grain crops, History, Ingredients, Tradition

Grain crops in Finland.

Leave a comment

Grain crops in Finland.

Grain crops are an essential part of the traditional Finnish cultural cuisine, it has been extensively grown/farmed in the region for several hundred years. Initially, grain crops were first planted and cultivated by the Battle Axe tribes people from the West, that moved along the Gulf of Finland over 2000 years ago.  The original Ingria-land people of the Gulf of Finland learned grain crops and farming skills from the visitors to their land.

Grain crops and bread consumption is prevalent, there are many types of bread influence from the west and the east. Wholesome heavy Rye bread and the quick flatbread called “Rieska.”

Grain crops were a vital food source for livestock also, e.g., in the days when horses were for transportation, especially during the long winter months.  Oats and dried grass/hay would keep the horse’s energy level up for hauling heavy loads and transporting people.

Picture of a grain crop field.

Barley is one of the oldest grain crops to been farmed, it was also the first to be farmed in Finland.  Of the grains listed, Barley has the fastest growing cycle to harvest.  One of the first bread to emerge in Finland was a Barley Rieska, it is quick to prepare flatbread.  Barley bread is very popular even today.

Rye (Ruis) is the most important grain crops in the Suomi-land (Finland), the word grain seed was also the synonym for rye.  The origin of the word is “rug is” it goes back over 2000 years to Germania.  The Rye is suitable for growing in relatively rugged soils and cold climates. Also, the harvesting of grain crop is also straight forward even with a basic harvesting technique.  Rye bread and sachet of salt has been used as a symbol of good luck and success, also an ideal symbolic gift for a house-warming party.  Dried rye grains were also used as a commodity in the previous centuries.  Many gift shops used to sell a gift pack (for show only) with small size rye bread disks and a small sachet of sea salt.  The traditional rye bread was about 30 cm diameter flat disks, with a hole in the center.  The hole in the center of the rye bread was there for a perfect practical reason.  The bread traditionally was prepared and baked in large volume (bulk) then they were hung on the wall of the kitchen to cool down, by a long pole that was hooked on the wall on brackets like a window curtain hanger.  There the rye bread could sit on the wall happily and naturally without getting moldy or danger of any rodents.  Some old black and white photos of kitchens show that type of bread storage in use.

Field Oats (Avena sativa) in the Suomi-land it is ”kaura,” also a word with origin from the Germania and in the Swedish the word is “havre.”  By appearance, the oat plants are very similar to that of long blades of grass.  The head of the grain has thick a thick husk, and the plant is self-pollinating.

Wheat is one of the oldest and the most essential farmed grain crops plants in the world.  It is the most cultivated grain crops in Europe and North America, it is also extensively cultivated in Australia, Argentina, Russia, and China.  In Suomi-land, wheat is the most demanding to grow, because it requires a long growing season and a particularly suitable soil.  Therefore the ever increasing history of grain in the Suomi-land is relatively short.

Grain crops in Finland.

The soil conditions and the growth temperatures of the grain crops do vary from the West to East and the South to the North of Finland.

Apparently due to the proximity to the north pole and the warm air currents that flow from the south-west of Finland.  The grain crops were harvested during the autumn time and re-planted during the same autumn season before the snow falls and the frost appears in October-November-December with some variation year to year.  By planting the grain crops before the winter, that gives the grains a head start for the next spring growing season.  Early of the spring season, the fields are covered with snow and ice when the snow/ice melts, and the fields are soft, wet and boggy which can make it difficult in many cases to plant the grain crop seeds into the soil.  So the grain crops seeds spend their first six months covered with snow and ice and they hibernate in the darkness of the soil, and maybe give some winter sustenance to the field mice and other critters.

Ingredients, Pori Tori, Spring time

Pori Tori.

Leave a comment

The Pori Tori is a market square in the city of Pori, on the west coast of Finland.

There are various types of stalls at the Pori tori, depending on the season and the time of the year.  It is open through the year, there are many flowers stalls, fresh fish, fruit & vegetables, handcrafts, second-hand items/books, baked goods, and a cafe.  It is open Mon-Saturday; morning 7:00 am until noon, pack up/closing time about 2:00 pm.

I visited the Pori Tori today, and it was good to see that the new products in this spring season are well on their way.

Already there were new season local fresh herbs and local tomatoes available for sale at the Pori tori, and as usual, the quality was excellent.  There was an excellent supply of fresh fish and also smoked fish products.  Potatoes and carrots also available from the previous season at the Pori tori, the quality of the vegetables looks excellent, I was told by one vendor that the potatoes are stored underground in a cellar, that is the traditional storage method of fruit and vegetables here in the Nordic region of Finland.  The beauty of an underground cellar is that no electrical motors are running 24/7 12 months of the year (e.g., cool rooms/fridges), so there is no energy consumption, other than lighting, e.g., when fetching supplies from the cellar.

Pori Tori, market square.

As the spring warms up and the summer arrives the fresh ingredients will continue to build up and increase at the Pori Tori.

The season usually peaks in the middle/end of summer as the berry and mushroom season peaks and tapers down in August-Sep.  The new potatoes season that comes onto the market at Pori tori is a Menu favorite for many; e.g., Boiled new potatoes (halved), boiled eggs (9 minutes), chives with tomato, cucumber (seeded), red onion salad and citrus chive olive oil vinaigrette. Served with pieces of smoked salmon or Baltic herrings, yum yum.

Recipe Idea:

New potatoes start in cold salted water, bring to simmer, turn off heat allow to soften with a lid on until just perfect al dente. Allow cooling a few minutes and portion the potatoes into1/4 pieces. Add some olive oil and toss lightly, let the potatoes absorb the olive oil for a few minutes. Crack some pepper as well if so desired.

Salad:  Dice cucumber 1cm x1 cm (remove seeds), tomato 1cm x 1cm, red onion 5mm x 5mm, chop chives into 1mm bits,  add some dressing to it when ready for service.

Eggs: Bring water to boil, prick the end of each egg with the point of a sharp knife (to let air out as they cook). Place the eggs into the boiling water, cook for 9 minutes sharp. Remove eggs and place into cold water, refresh.  Peel eggs after about 5-10 minute wait, then cut the peeled eggs into 1/2, lengthwise.  Use a little Turku mustard to add flavor to the eggs.

Smoked fish:  Salmon; break up the fillet along the grains into 2-3 cm pieces.  Smoked Baltic herrings; peel off the skin, remove the sides from the backbone, remove the stomach cavity.

Dressing: Place lemon juice, sugar, salt, and vinegar into a blender, run the mixer and add the olive to it slowly so that the emulsion becomes light.

Presentation:

Place potatoes onto a clean plate, add the salad (ready dressed) on top, followed by the egg halves, and the portions of the smoked fish.  Garnish with some chives and a lemon wedges.