Fancy a face?
Norwegian Christmas dinner traditions are geographically determined. People living along the south-west coast are somewhat hardened culinarily after being exposed from an early age to the traditional smoked half of a sheep’s head. This must be devoured fully – that means also eating the tongue and the eyeball.
Personally I’ve been spared this tradition, hailing from the mid-Norway region of Trondelag. Many from there carry on an old viking tradition of preparing cod by soaking it in lye – also known as caustic soda – before boiling it until it takes on the consistency of jelly. My family is proud of this tradition. Which is why I have opted for the perhaps more easygoing roast bellypork on the bone.
All these dishes are to be downed with copious amounts of the traditional Norwegian spirit Aquavit, which, if you like it, is very good news. Its strength helps render the more fatty fares, and its alcohol content can ease the pain – if you happen not to be too keen on eating a sheep’s face.
There are other, more palpable Christmas food traditions in Norway, of course – too many to mention. Yet the main meal is subject to the most debate. Cross-region marriages have been known to lead to serious kitchen conflict, where the husband insists on his fish, while the wife wants her sheep’s head.
Luckily the Americans have provided us with a compromise festive solution to keep the Christmas peace: turkey.