Culinary Cold

Norwegian chef Geir Skeie won first place in the European round of the international Bocuse d’Or competition held in his homeland yesterday. Twenty-eight year-old Skeie was among 20 chefs from as many countries, who competed over five and a half hours to prepare dishes from a whole Norwegian salmon and a saddle and leg of lamb.

The winners were an all-Scandinavian team, with Jonas Lundgren of Sweden placing second and Jasper Agerbæk Kure of Denmark third. Twelve of the chefs who competed will go on to take part in the biennial international Bocuse d’Or competition to be held in January next year in Lyon, France.

Norway’s agriculture, seafood and tourism industries were all involved in organizing and hosting the Bocuse d’Or in the city of Stavanger, keen to promote the local produce and cuisine which has been gaining increasing attention in recent years.

The Nordic gastronomic renaissance is giving new life to traditional foods and developing a vibrant dining culture that has attracted the world’s attention, with Scandinavia now vying with Spain for the title of Europe’s hottest food region.

While the region has many climatic limitations, Scandinavian chefs have found ways to get around the harsh seasons, showing off their flair with game, seafood and wild berries in a new wave of cooking which has taken traditional techniques and ingredients and adapted them to make lighter dishes.

Difficult winter conditions and the short growing season mean that Scandinavians have long been adept in countless ways of preserving food. Salting, smoking, pickling and drying are traditional techniques still used in many restaurants in the region, intensifying the flavors of meat and fish as they extend their shelf life.

Source:
AFP
The National

Bess Mucke
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