Norwegian fish soup

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Norwegian cuisine in its traditional form is based largely on the raw materials readily available in Norway and its mountains, wilderness, and coast. It differs in many respects from continental cuisine through the stronger focus on game and fish. Modern Norwegian cuisine, although still strongly influenced by its traditional background, has been influenced by globalization: pasta, pizza, tacos, and the like are as common as meatballs and cod as staple foods. The basic Norwegian breakfast consists of bread, brown cheese, and milk.

For most Norwegians, weekday packed lunch usually consists of very simple open-faced sandwiches known as matpakke, with each slice separated with smaller sheets of wax paper called mellomleggspapir. Cafeterias commonly feature salad bars, warm meals, and dairy products like yogurt, skyr and kvarg. This is the most important meal of the day and typically includes carbohydrate-rich foods such as potatoes and protein-rich foods such as meat or fish. Norwegians usually eat a very small meal later in the evening before bed.

This may consist of foods similar to what is prepared for breakfast. Particularly sought after delicacies include the fenalår, a slow-cured lamb’s leg, and morr, usually a smoked cured sausage, though the exact definition may vary regionally. Pinnekjøtt—steamed cured and sometimes smoked mutton ribs, traditionally on a bed of birch sticks, hence the name, meaning “stick meat” —is traditionally served as Christmas dinner in the western parts of Norway. Potatoes, stewed peas or cabbage and carrots are served on the side. Lingonberry jam is a common relish.

Meatballs: A rougher version of Swedish meatballs. Served with mashed potatoes and cream sauce or sauce espagnole depending on the locality. Pork chops: simply braised and served with potatoes and fried onions or whatever vegetables are available. All good cuts of meat are roasted, as in any cuisine.

Side dishes vary with season and what goes with the meat. Roast leg of lamb is an Easter classic, roast beef is not very common and game is often roasted for festive occasions. A stew consisting of cooked meat and various vegetables like potatoes, carrots, swede and onion. Lobscouse is often served with flatbrød. Potatoes are served on the side.

Syltelabb is usually eaten around and before Christmas time, made from boiled, salt-cured pig’s trotter. They are traditionally eaten using one’s fingers, and served as a snack and sometimes served with beetroot, mustard, and fresh bread or with lefse or flatbread. Pinnekjøtt is a main course dinner dish of lamb or mutton ribs, and this dish is largely associated with the celebration of Christmas in Western Norway and is rapidly gaining popularity in other regions as well. Norwegians say they eat pinnekjøtt for their family Christmas dinner. Smalahove is a traditional dish, but really more of a local oddity, usually eaten around Christmas time, made from a sheep’s head.