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Gotlandic food traditions
Gotlandic saffron pancake. Ugnstrull. Gloijdhoppe. Gotlandsdricku. Roijkt flundre. Even in Swedish, those names need interpretation for a non-Gotlander! The geographic benefits being an island has most likely preserved traditions and secret recipies. Also Gotland´s rich soil, with the right levels of calcium and sand has given unexpected crops. Many of the Gotlandic food traditions are a positive consequence of our history – trade and exchange from early medieval days. Both use of saffron and the exotic root of Galangal reached the island earlier than many of the countries around The Baltic Sea.
Truffles
Gotland is almost unique with its wild truffles, which also has developed test growth. It is the black Bourgogne that really has got on well in the mixed soil. Both French and Italian experts are impressed by its high quality. October tend to be a good month for truffle safaris and especially composed menus offered on several restaurants.
Wild leek
In the Baltic area the basic conditions for two very special wild leeks are advantageous, the Ramsons (Lat. Aillum Ursinum) and the Rocambole or Sand leek (Lat. Aillum Scorodoprasum). Today these wild leeks, seen almost all over the island in moist sand mixed soils, has proven a good economic turnover with export to the mainland and locally sold for around 50 – 70 € per kilo. The Ramsons have a nice fresh leek taste, with balanced acids, and the Rocambole offers a milder almost garlic-like blend.
Asparagus
Apart from being providers of asparagus by appointment to His Majesty The King of Sweden, Gotlandic farmers also provides just anyone with great asparagus; the white soft or the crispy green ones. Organically grown asparagus is increasing both on the local market and on the mainland. More common vegetables as carrots, beets, parsnip are establishing important positions as organically grown as quantity eventually lowers the price level.
And how about the Gotlandic ”dricka” – this is a local brew, produced on almost every farm on Gotland. Be aware though, it contains more alcohol than you might have thought. It cannot be sold due to Swedish law, so if you have an opportunity to try it, consider yourself lucky! The Gotlandic brew is made from malted grain, just as beer and Whisky are made, natural yeast and water. It has a balanced sweetness, small acid, a little spritzy yet round, and a presentiment of autumn leaves falling to the ground.
Medieval and Historical Food
Meat was smoked, dried or salted to remain eatable. Often cooked with turnip. Lamb or beef, cooked hen in vinegar, ham or goose with rice or oats gruel. Sausages were quite common, and prepared as today; cooked, smoked or grilled. Fish was dried, smoked, salted or dug down in the soil to ferment. Both oysters and mussels were consumed during the Middle Age, actually as early as Stone Age.
Milk (from cows) was used in cooking as a preserver for meat, intestines, fish or vegetables. (During The Iron Age there were obviously some who drank fermented horse milk, founds have been done that confirms quite an amount of alcohol.)
By blending a mix of sour milk and water, a very early ”long life” dairy product was invented. Butter was extracted from sour cream. Cheese was valuble both as food and as redemption, produced hard or spreadable. The expression “flowered milk” described a dish with eggs, milk and saffron.
Spices were more common than you might believe, at least amongst the rich. The Hanseatic trade routes faciliated the import. From a freight note in the year of 1328 you may read as follows;
…saffron, cumin, ginger, paradise seeds, cinnamon, pepper, anisette and galangal root… Mustard was also introduced during this period.
Cauliflower, onions, peas and beans. Carrots, parsnip, parsly, mangold, endives and horseraddish. Today´s famous Gotlandic cucumbers were agricultured first during the 16th century.
Apples, pears, plums, gooseberries and peaches – late 16th century – add strawberries into the early 17th century. Grapes were mainly consumed in their dried shape as raisins until the 17th century. Walnuts were assumed to cure headaches and plain almond to cure all common diseases.
Bread was consumed fresh, fermented or soured, flavored with honey and milk. Wheat or rye were most common. Ginger breads that still is one of Sweden´s most typical cookie traditions, was introduced during thye 14th century.
Mead (Miodher in ancient Nordic languages), is mainly water, honey and yeast. This is most likely one of the most geographically spread beverages, as you may find forms the word in all Indoeuropean languages. Alu, (as in English Ale) may have been a spiced variation of mead.
The 14th century wines are described by the Swedish priest Olaus Magnus as “the Spanish is sweet and lovely, the Frensh is sour and the wine from Rhen is a profitable merchandise”. Wine had to be blessed before consumed. Strong liquors were produces during the late 12th century, however the industrial spread appears much later when the knowledge of distilling from grain is discovered in the 17th century. There are no doubts about that the first alcohol was produced only for medicational purposes.
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