Taste the Faroe Islands

#faroesefood

New Nordic food

Taste the Faroe Islands

Experience the unforgettable taste of some of the world’s finest fresh produce.

The high quality of many Faroese ingredients is due, in large part, to the slow growing conditions that prevail so far north. A cold climate allows vegetation to draw every last nutrient from the soil before being consumed by the islands’ sheep. This helps to produce particularly flavoursome organic meat, some of which is air-dried to become the Faroese delicacy, skerpikjøt. Faroese cod, for example, is renowned across the world for its succulent texture. The islands also produce a large amount of cultivated salmon and a limited amount of shellfish and lobster for export; they’re considered by many Michelin-starred restaurants as being among the best in the world and are justifiably given pride of place on their menus.

Preserving Faroese food through the ages Centuries ago, the key to surviving the harsh winter in the Faroe Islands was, to put it simply, to have enough to eat. In order to make food last through the long, dark winter months, many meats were air-dried or salted. It was a common sight to see lamb or seabirds hung in a slatted, wooden shed to catch the best of the wind – a practice that is still common to this day. The meat was then eaten with boiled potatoes and turnips with the addition, now and then, of wild herbs and grasses to prevent diseases like scurvy caused by a lack of vitamin C. The most luxuriant and diverse range of plants grows in rock crevices, ditches and between houses, protected from the elements. Here you can find angelica (rich in vitamin C), the common nettle, with its high iron and mineral content, and the aptly-named scurvy grass, whose sour leaves can compensate for the lack of fresh vegetables. Potatoes and turnips (often as juicy as pears), are grown in allotments and village infields.

TASTE THE FAROESE NATURE

#skerpikjøt

Photo: Harriet Olafsdóttir av Gørðum

Enjoying a slice of bread with wind-dried sheap meat (skerpikjøt)

New Nordic food A number of Faroese restaurants are active participants in the successful initiative known as New Nordic Food – an innovative approach to traditional foods combined with a strong focus on health and ethical production methods. Top quality Faroese ingredients fit perfectly in this philosophy. Here, in the world’s smallest capital, you’ll find world class sushi, famous far and wide, for its taste and quality. There is traditional home cooking, too, given a modern spin, alongside top-notch gourmet cuisine of the very highest standards that delights both the eye and the palate. In short, think a symphony of tastes, sounds, smells and colours – all, of course, inspired by Faroese nature and traditions.

Faroe Islands’ first Michelin stars In 2017, Koks received the very first Michelin star ever awarded to a restaurant in the Faroe Islands. The prestigious award was in recognition of the contribution that Koks had made in developing the islands’ unique food culture. In 2019, the restaurant was awarded a second Michelin star as its success continued. Koks focuses on food created from local produce, such as lamb, fish and seafood. Visit www. koks.fo to make a reservation.

Faroese beer is world class – Cheers! The word is out! The world has finally woken up to the impressive selection of quality Faroese beers. Award-winning Føroya Bjór, one of Scandinavia’s oldest breweries, and Okkara brewery are two Faroese breweries producing niche beers containing ingredients such as rhubarb, angelica and other herbs. The inventive and unusual modern twist of these beers has been celebrated by top chefs, beer enthusiasts and beer lovers the world over.