Venison, berries, sea bird, dulse, and spices

September 6, 2015 9:13 AM

What were the food and cooking techniques of the Viking Age? you could ask The Viking Answer Lady or get pollen analysis, reconstruction tips, and recipes from The Viking Food Guy, or you could just ask Chef Jesper Lynge (Daily Mail) who is attempting to revive Viking Cusine from his cafe in an Danish Iron Age graveyard. ( Recipies and descriptions )
posted by The Whelk (41 comments total)

I want that venison with mead and mushrooms right now RIGHT NOW DO YOU HEAR ME
posted by poffin boffin at 9:29 AM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

I don't know if it's just a translation issue but some of the blog entries in that last link are WTF levels of inexplicable.
posted by jacquilynne at 9:35 AM on September 6, 2015 [5 favorites]

Mead always seems like a solution to the problem, "Say! This honey seems to stay good indefinitely without spoiling and tasting bad."
posted by Wolfdog at 9:36 AM on September 6, 2015 [7 favorites]

+ulfberht+ skewer with bear and potatoes.
posted by clavdivs at 9:44 AM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

Jesper Lynge's photo is absolutely delightful
posted by Hermione Granger at 9:50 AM on September 6, 2015

There's a major component to historically accurate meals that can be decidedly un-historical in its recreation of the past. Ref (the Viking Food Guy) and Jesper Lynge seem to take two very different approaches; Lynge's approach seems to be more concerned with place and setting. There's a real nationalistic bent to it - which isn't to say it's mistaken in approach, but that, as he says, he's concerned primarily with storytelling. The past becomes a destination, and we lose genuine historical context in favor of the story that gets to be told in its place.

John Jackson wrote an essay, The Necessity for Ruins, about how much of this kind of reproduction is perceived as the rebuilding of something that was lost; there's no sense of continuity with the past as it happened, but rather it is a return to a more "pure" form of cultural heritage. We may adapt modern Scandinavian cuisine to its Viking form, returning us to an imaginary origin point for these traditions. So we see it here with feasts that tell, in seven courses, the story of big guys with big weapons and the Norse gods who created the world.
posted by teponaztli at 9:52 AM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

And this excellent thread nudged me in the direction of this.

http://mnprairieroots.com/2011/06/15/lunch-at-the-viking-cafe/

Doesn't look very authentic, but I doubt your stomach would care. Sadly, I don't think I'll ever get to eat there, but perhaps someone reading this lives close enough to check it out.
posted by Beholder at 10:04 AM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

Some of this looks really tasty. I like the attention "heritage" or relic grains and foods have been getting; there is a lot that is good about modern agriculture and food systems, but there is a homogeneity also, which makes me appreciate when I have opportunities to try older varieties and dishes.
posted by Dip Flash at 10:28 AM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

As a third-generation Scandinavian-American, I feel compelled to ask: weren't Vikings kind of assholes?

(ad hominem, I know, but still...)

In terms of cuisine, it's mostly potatoes and blood, everywhere.
posted by allthinky at 10:28 AM on September 6, 2015

idk I think pretty much everyone alive during those times was a huge asshole. were they any worse because they were more mobile?
posted by poffin boffin at 10:32 AM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I knew someone and visited with her, who lived on an island off the west coast of Sweden. She travelled that archipelago and gathered, besides cod and eel, mushrooms, currants, rosehips (for rosehips soup in the winter.) I think what she gathered is what has consistently been available. I have to say her duck with chantarelles is everything one could wish for, in a dish.
posted by Oyéah at 10:35 AM on September 6, 2015

Mead always seems like a solution to the problem, "Say! This honey seems to stay good indefinitely without spoiling and tasting bad."

Mead is the solution to having a bunch of honey and being sober, just like beer is the solution to having a bunch of barley (which also stores pretty well) and being sober.
posted by ssg at 10:40 AM on September 6, 2015 [5 favorites]

Sleep is where I am the Viking Answer Lady
posted by thelonius at 10:43 AM on September 6, 2015 [5 favorites]

duck with chantarelles

IN MY FACE

PUT IT THERE
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:49 AM on September 6, 2015 [5 favorites]

An excellent recently published book of reconstructed and tested Viking-era recipes is An Early Meal. I highly recommend it.
posted by jedicus at 11:11 AM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

jacquilynne: I don't know if it's just a translation issue but some of the blog entries in that last link are WTF levels of inexplicable.

Yeah, it's weird, the non-categorized entries are all the sort of writing you find on fake blogs that are set up to get people clicking through and then clicking on an ad. I think that whoever was designing the website put it there as a test and then forgot to delete the test posts.
posted by Kattullus at 11:28 AM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

My favorite Viking dish has always been leg of pillaged English mutton washed down with a hornful of blood of the slain.
posted by briank at 11:30 AM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

Frankly I'm surprised they ever had more than that.
posted by rhizome at 11:46 AM on September 6, 2015

Plenty of those dishes look to be pretty bogstandard Danish dishes with a tiny "lol history" twist. The only one that gives me pause for thought is the sea buckthorn recipe. I grew up in Denmark with a Viking fortress just south of my hometown and plenty of archaeology. We'd go foraging and I don't know if that's anything to do with heritage or history - or if it was just because my great-grandmother had to feed 18 kids during WW2 and old habits die hard.
posted by kariebookish at 11:51 AM on September 6, 2015 [2 favorites]

As a longtime fan of New Scandinavian Cooking I welcome all of these flavors & recipes
posted by djseafood at 12:25 PM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

If you want sea buckthorn, go to Estonia. Sea buckthorn soufflé followed by venison in sea buckthorn sauce and sea buckthorn ice cream? Of course it is possible, sir. Would you maybe like a very lovely sea buckthorn wine to go with that? Our chef just bottled it. Of course, sir, immediately.
posted by Spanner Nic at 12:53 PM on September 6, 2015 [2 favorites]

Not authentic unless served with mead in drinking vessels made from the skulls of my enemies.
posted by Hairy Lobster at 12:55 PM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

bogstandard Danish

As opposed to a standard Danish bog, which produces Tollund Man.
posted by teponaztli at 1:01 PM on September 6, 2015 [11 favorites]

Just reading the word "dulse" makes my mouth water. I love that stuff and it's not always easy to get if you don't live in Maine, or Scandinavia.

The most recent season of Mind of a Chef is partly about a Swedish chef -Magnus Nilsson, and Jesper Lynge makes an appearance, as well as several episodes about traditional cuisine.
posted by gingerbeer at 1:21 PM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

As a third-generation Scandinavian-American, I feel compelled to ask: weren't Vikings kind of assholes?


Vikings were generally superlative.
posted by deathmaven at 2:08 PM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

The average viking was more of a gerund.
posted by Kattullus at 2:17 PM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

it was all "rape and pillage and run away; rape and pillage and run away" with them, tho.
posted by allthinky at 2:20 PM on September 6, 2015

We ate dulse (except called 'dillisk') growing up on the northwest coast of Ireland. Lots of minerals.
posted by GallonOfAlan at 2:22 PM on September 6, 2015

Dunno, Andreas Viestad could whip a gourmet meal with a rock, three sticks and an anchovy tin.
posted by clavdivs at 3:39 PM on September 6, 2015

Chantarelles are pretty much the ne plus ultra of forest foraging. People are attuned to their appearance and half a basketful once in a while is a fine haul. If you know it's just you and your dining companions out there, then a shout of "Chantarelle!" will get everyone onside very quickly. Otherwise, shut up and look faster.

And then, there's that one year where the buggers just won't stop growing. You can put them in stews, you can heap them on pizza (who said Swedish pizza was bizarre?), you can have sauce for the boar and sauce for the venison: you cannot, cannot eat them all.

But you can try. And then you try some more.

I don't know what the LD50 is for chantarelles, but it must be many kilos.

Yes, i remember that one year.
posted by Devonian at 4:07 PM on September 6, 2015 [3 favorites]

My cousin Ivar is a meadmaker & I just got back from a trip to visit his meadery in NC, armed to the teeth with honey from his hives (yesssss). I just bought dulse today. I now have PLANS.
posted by bitter-girl.com at 4:32 PM on September 6, 2015 [4 favorites]

Jesper says Vikings ate corn. While I'm sure modern Scandinavians love cornbread as much as I do (although that hardly seems possible), the Viking Age is generally thought to have ended in the 11th century, about 500 or so years before corn reached Europe, post-Columbus.

Unless Leif Ericsson loved him some corn on the cob? With lots and lots of butter? Mmmm.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 4:52 PM on September 6, 2015 [1 favorite]

I have seen discussions of considerable cross trade between Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland and peoples of the New World. Perhaps corn did come over around Lief Erickson time? Dried corn travels well.
posted by Oyéah at 5:03 PM on September 6, 2015

Corn seems to be a common European English (thanks to the British influence) word for grain. They refer to maize while we use corn to refer to the New World grain. Mmmm..., grains.
posted by Ignorantsavage at 5:25 PM on September 6, 2015 [5 favorites]

Okay, I am now officially All Hey Up to try dulse. Anyone want to share favorite recipes?
posted by palmcorder_yajna at 5:31 PM on September 6, 2015

esper says Vikings ate corn. . . . the Viking Age is generally thought to have ended in the 11th century, about 500 or so years before corn reached Europe, post-Columbus.

Corn seems to be a common European English (thanks to the British influence) word for grain. They refer to maize while we use corn to refer to the New World grain.

Yes.

Along similar lines . . .

+ulfberht+ skewer with bear and potatoes.

In terms of cuisine, it's mostly potatoes and blood, everywhere.

Where are you thinking these Vikings were getting their potatoes?

"The potato was first domesticated in [South America, sometime before] 5000 BC. . . . the Spanish introduced the potato to Europe in the second half of the 16th century." -- WP

Medieval Europe had wheat, rye, barley, oats, turnips, parsnips, carrots, pheasant and squab aplenty, but no maize, potatoes, tomatoes, or turkey.
 
posted by Herodios at 5:54 PM on September 6, 2015 [4 favorites]

Okay, I am now officially All Hey Up to try dulse. Anyone want to share favorite recipes?

This is a version of the Irish treat called Yellow Man that I learned to make a few years ago.

Briefly blanch the dulse, ideally in seawater but salted boiling water is fine. Shock in ice water, drain, dry thoroughly--best in a salad spinner. If necessary, tear or cut into pieces about the size of a quarter--a couple cm/1 inch across. Reserve.

I don't have the numbers offhand--look up a recipe for sponge toffee/honeycomb candy. As soon as you pour the sugar into the pan, fold in the reserved dulse. Allow to set as per sponge toffee recipe.
posted by feckless fecal fear mongering at 10:17 PM on September 6, 2015 [4 favorites]

Okay, I am now officially All Hey Up to try dulse. Anyone want to share favorite recipes?

champ dulse!

I don't use any particular recipe, just whatever is on hand. champ is basically mashed potatoes, except in a separate pan heat up milk and butter and chopped scallion/ramps and/or fresh or even dried chives and/or leeks if you have/want. gau choy / garlic chives are also good! then combine. salt and pepper to taste.

fry the seaweed in another pan until it starts to get a little crispy. add to champ.

if you add cooked cabbage or kale to champ, then you have colcannon instead. you're still allowed to add dulse.

or basically any potato dish - added to scalloped/layered potatoes before baking. to roasted potatoes just before serving. &c.

the only thing to remember is that you always need to cook the dulse somehow before using it in whatever dish. toast it in the oven or fry it on the stovetop. for these type recipes you don't want to soak or boil it first, just get it into very small pieces and cook.

you could substitute kombu or wakame or I guess even nori, but none of those taste anything like dulse. it is briny and iodine-y and makes you think of the Atlantic.


NB - you can get dulse on spamazon - it's obvs overpriced, but if you can't buy it locally...

the whole pieces are dense and wicked hard (both literally and figuratively) to break down, unless you use a food processor. you can manage it with a knife, if you want some serious exercise and don't mind ruining a knife. I haven't tried the flakes, which would be easier. but if they are all consistent sizes, I will stick with breaking down whole pieces - I like some variation in size.
posted by dorian at 9:56 AM on September 7, 2015 [1 favorite]

I always just ate dried dulse out of a plastic bag, usually while watching TV at my grandmother's house. Not really a recipe.
posted by gingerbeer at 9:31 AM on September 8, 2015 [1 favorite]

Deer god, man! Sweet mead or dry mead in that venison recipe?
Oh, Daily Fail, why do you torment me with half done recipes?

Having jacked some mead recently, I may make this recipe. We shall see how that goes.
posted by Seamus at 11:43 AM on September 8, 2015

Ignorantsavage: "Corn seems to be a common European English (thanks to the British influence) word for grain."

Yeah, when Keats wrote, "She stood in tears amid the alien corn," he wasn't thinking of Iowa.

Or the X-Files, for that matter.
posted by Chrysostom at 12:30 PM on September 16, 2015 [1 favorite]