Julebord The Scandinavian Christmas buffet

Lutefisk is a speciality made from tørrfisk - dried cod. The dried fish is soaked in lye, rinsed with clean water and steamed and served with side dishes. This process gives it a jelly-like consistency. This dish is eaten throughout Norway, Sweden, parts of Finland and Scandinavian parts of the USA. The tradition goes back to the 16th century, although its origins are somewhat unclear. It is possible that a dried fish warehouse burned down, the fish remained in the (alkaline) ashes and got wet in the subsequent rain. Today it is usually served with bacon cubes, mashed peas, cracklings and potatoes.

Pork belly is the Norwegian Christmas meal par excellence - the crispy fried rind is the be-all and end-all! This dish is particularly popular in eastern Norway. And because most of the population lives here, it is the most commonly eaten dish on Christmas Eve. Some believe that this tradition can be traced back to an old Norse sacrificial festival. Pork belly is usually eaten with red cabbage and sweet piggled gabbage with caraway, medister sausages, potatoes and stirred lingonberries. It goes well with aquavit, Christmas beer or liquor.

Pinnekjøtt, literally translated as branch meat, is made from salted and dried ribs of lamb or sheep that are steamed over birch branches - Norwegian pinne. Salted and dried meat was an important part of the diet in Norwegian society, which was once dominated by agriculture. Pinnekjøtt has its origins in this tradition and was most common on the west coast and in northern Norway, where sheep farming was the main focus. Pinnekjøtt is often cited as the second most popular Christmas meal, after pork belly. It is usually eaten with swede puree, potatoes and sauce.

Rakfisk is fish that is fermented with the help of various enzymes and microorganisms. Rakfisk is usually made from trout, salmon or other freshwater fish. The gutted fish is salted and buried in a bucket that is weighted down with a lid for 1-3 months. The consistency of the fish can vary from firm to soft, and the fish is often served cut into slices. Like many other specialties, this one can be traced back to the Middle Ages. Rakfisk is traditionally eaten on flatbread or potato pancakes, with butter, sour cream and onions. It goes well with an aquavit or a dark beer.

Graved salmon is made from raw salmon. Our version, made on board, is marinated in sugar, salt, dill and cognac. In the Middle Ages, the fish was salted and buried in the sand to ferment. Nowadays, fermentation processes are rarely used in production, but the fish is marinated and left to rest for a few days so that all the ingredients can soak in. You can enjoy gravlax either as a starter - thin slices on a slice of bread - or as a main course - with potatoes and a mustard-dill sauce.

Geese were kept as livestock, especially in the Middle Ages, and today the serving of their meat is associated with St. Martin's Day and Christmas. However, goose is still a popular dish at Christmas, especially in Germany and Denmark. In Denmark, goose is served with red cabbage and sauce. Instead of the dumplings that are often used in Germany, however, people there eat “brunede kartofler” - caramelized potatoes.

Rice pudding cream and cloudberry cream are traditional Christmas desserts that are served in different variations in Norway. Rice pudding cream is more common on Christmas tables. It is made from cold rice pudding, whipped cream, sugar and vanilla sugar and is often served with a red sauce. Hidden inside is an almond that gives whoever finds it an “almond gift”. Cloudberry cream is popular in Trøndelag and northern Norway. It consists of cloudberries, whipped cream and sugar. The berry grows mainly in northern Norway up to the Arctic Circle. The cream is served in bowls or filled in so-called “krumkake”.

Drinking Christmas beer is a tradition in Scandinavia that is around 1500 years old. Like many other Christmas traditions, this one has its roots in ancient pagan festivals. During the winter solstice celebration, Jol, a beer brewed in winter, was drunk and sacrificed to the gods. Around the year 900, this custom was Christianized, and the beer was now a sacrifice to the new Christian god. For a while, it was even mandatory to brew Christmas beer. It was seasoned with locally available herbs, such as juniper berries or boletus.