Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way
Abstract Background Fish has played an important role in the diet of the population of the mid-Atlantic Faroe Islands. Dried and fermented fish in particular have been an essential storable protein source in an economy where weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations affect the availability of foo...
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9/fulltext.html http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 |
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crspringernat:10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 2023-05-15T15:27:50+02:00 Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way Svanberg, Ingvar 2015 http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9/fulltext.html http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 en eng Springer Science and Business Media LLC https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 CC-BY Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine volume 11, issue 1 ISSN 1746-4269 Complementary and alternative medicine General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Cultural Studies Health(social science) journal-article 2015 crspringernat https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 2022-01-04T14:58:25Z Abstract Background Fish has played an important role in the diet of the population of the mid-Atlantic Faroe Islands. Dried and fermented fish in particular have been an essential storable protein source in an economy where weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations affect the availability of food. For generations the islanders have prepared ræstur fiskur , a home-made air-dried and fermented fish dish made of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua L.) or saithe ( Pollachius virens (L.)). Fermenting the fish is an efficient and valuable cultural strategy for preserving fish. Methods This ethnobiological study investigates the historical and present use of fermented fish in Faroese cuisine and examines its preservation as an everyday food that Faroese men pride themselves on making in high quality. This study is based on field notes collected through interviews and observations on the Faroe Islands since the mid-1990s. Results Processed fish could be stored for a long period of time; this was important in an economy where weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations affect food availability dramatically. For this reason, home-made air-dried fish has been central to the food security of the Faroese people. Usually consumed with tallow from sheep, the dish was once appreciated customarily on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, but has been largely replaced by Danish dishes. However, it has survived as everyday food until today. Conclusion The presence of small-scale fishing, changing economic conditions, socially acquired taste-preferences, and the importance of old-fashioned dishes as key symbols of cultural identity, all contribute to the survival of ræstur fiskur in Faroese food culture. Today, the dish is not only an essential food source, but its consumption is also an important act of identification and solidarity with the national identity of the islanders. Article in Journal/Newspaper atlantic cod Faroe Islands Gadus morhua Springer Nature (via Crossref) Faroe Islands Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine 11 1 |
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Open Polar |
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Springer Nature (via Crossref) |
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language |
English |
topic |
Complementary and alternative medicine General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Cultural Studies Health(social science) |
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Complementary and alternative medicine General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Cultural Studies Health(social science) Svanberg, Ingvar Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
topic_facet |
Complementary and alternative medicine General Agricultural and Biological Sciences Cultural Studies Health(social science) |
description |
Abstract Background Fish has played an important role in the diet of the population of the mid-Atlantic Faroe Islands. Dried and fermented fish in particular have been an essential storable protein source in an economy where weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations affect the availability of food. For generations the islanders have prepared ræstur fiskur , a home-made air-dried and fermented fish dish made of Atlantic cod ( Gadus morhua L.) or saithe ( Pollachius virens (L.)). Fermenting the fish is an efficient and valuable cultural strategy for preserving fish. Methods This ethnobiological study investigates the historical and present use of fermented fish in Faroese cuisine and examines its preservation as an everyday food that Faroese men pride themselves on making in high quality. This study is based on field notes collected through interviews and observations on the Faroe Islands since the mid-1990s. Results Processed fish could be stored for a long period of time; this was important in an economy where weather conditions and seasonal fluctuations affect food availability dramatically. For this reason, home-made air-dried fish has been central to the food security of the Faroese people. Usually consumed with tallow from sheep, the dish was once appreciated customarily on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve, but has been largely replaced by Danish dishes. However, it has survived as everyday food until today. Conclusion The presence of small-scale fishing, changing economic conditions, socially acquired taste-preferences, and the importance of old-fashioned dishes as key symbols of cultural identity, all contribute to the survival of ræstur fiskur in Faroese food culture. Today, the dish is not only an essential food source, but its consumption is also an important act of identification and solidarity with the national identity of the islanders. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Svanberg, Ingvar |
author_facet |
Svanberg, Ingvar |
author_sort |
Svanberg, Ingvar |
title |
Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
title_short |
Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
title_full |
Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
title_fullStr |
Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the Faroese way |
title_sort |
ræstur fiskur: air-dried fermented fish the faroese way |
publisher |
Springer Science and Business Media LLC |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9.pdf https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9/fulltext.html http://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 |
geographic |
Faroe Islands |
geographic_facet |
Faroe Islands |
genre |
atlantic cod Faroe Islands Gadus morhua |
genre_facet |
atlantic cod Faroe Islands Gadus morhua |
op_source |
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine volume 11, issue 1 ISSN 1746-4269 |
op_rights |
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
op_rightsnorm |
CC-BY |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s13002-015-0064-9 |
container_title |
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
1 |
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1766358238438096896 |