"the sea giveth and giveth plenty" Greenland Adventures
In recent years the world has become aware of Greenland because of the Greenland ice sheet. If that melts the world's oceans will rise by 7 metres - meaning the world as we know it will come to an end probably. Just consider how many of the world's great cities are on the coast. That ice sheet covers three quarters of the entire country. There are just a few stretches of coast where there is actual land. Mostly you get around by boat, dog sleigh, or those motorised snowmobiles.
Indeed they now know that if there was no ice there would be a very, very large lake/sea in the centre of the island, formed by the weight of the ice pushing the land below sea level, with some saying it would then actually be three islands with narrow stretches of water between.
So just a few facts about the place before I get on to food, mostly because I knew virtually nothing about the place. Nobody does, do they? It must be one of the least known places on earth. Also possibly one of the least attractive places in the world to live.
The photograph at the top of the post is taken from space and shows the vast size of what is the world's biggest island, and also the world's largest constituent country whatever that means. It is also the place with solid land nearest to the north pole. Huge in size, small in population - a mere 56,583 (although I don't know when that was) and I think I read somewhere once, that you can only reach the various settlements by sea. There are no roads linking them. I would not swear to that however.
Not an attractive place to live, and yet people have been living there for thousands of years - around 4000 - initially by varying groups of indigenous Arctic peoples, including the Inuit. In 986 The Norsemen came and they settled. The story goes that it was Erik the Red, who was thrown out of Iceland and settled on Greenland - calling it Greenland, to make it sound more attractive than it actually was. However, it was not until 1261 that it became part of the Norwegian Crown, although in the late 15th century the Norwegian Norsemen left - nobody really knows why - and left it to the Inuit for centuries. In the early 17th century the now Danish/Norwegian power again took the place over and in 1814 it was ceded to Denmark, who still have ultimate control over the country, although it is largely self-governing. Three times the USA has tried to buy the place - the most recent in 2019 - well Trump considered it but did not actually follow through - because of resistance from Denmark and Greenland.
The population today is largely Inuit and the national foods reflect this, but is that what people actually eat? Well according to Greenland Travel the local population do indeed eat some fairly gruesome stuff.
"Not everyone will appreciate rotten birds that have been buried inside a stomach for half a year or so. Just like not everyone will gladly accept a piece of raw, warm liver, which has just been cut from a seal on the beach. Greenland definitely has certain specialities that do not melt on all tongues." Greenland Travel
The national dish is a stew called suaasat made from seal, which is a common source of meat. An acquired taste apparently. Whale meat too which is most often consumed as steak with lots of onions - a Danish influence. We, of course, recoil in horror at the eating of seal and whale, but Greenland is one of the few countries allowed to hunt whale which are numerous in the seas around the island. As well as the meat they also eat the skin with a layer of blubber attached (mattak) which is jokingly called Greenland chewing gum - because you chew it. And it's an expensive delicacy.
Marginally more attractive is the musk ox, whose wool is apparently incredibly soft and warm. Reindeer are there of course, and also, more surprisingly lamb - as in Iceland.
But really Greenland is all about fish. The waters are teeming with fish of many different species, and they are prepared in many different ways.
As well as the usual ways that we all know there is a tradition called Fish on a stone:
"Eating fish from a stone is a very special experience. It tastes just so much better. Every Greenlander has tried it. When you are out in nature and have caught some fish, you get your pot full of water from the fjord, which is naturally salty. Cut your fish into pieces and cook it over your bonfire. While the fish is boiling, go and find yourself a suitable stone that can be used as a table. At the same time, look after some sea shells that make some nice forks and knives. When the fish is done, deal it onto the stone. Some people would clean the stone with the boiling water and others would eat the broth as a soup with the sea shells. When the fish is lying on the stone, you sit down around the stone and get to it with the shells or your fingers." Greenland Travel
Then there is dried cod, which seems to be eaten just as it is when dried. I did not find any reference to it being reconstituted as with the dried salt cod of Europe. I also do not know whether cod is still fished here, because, as we all know, cod at one point became the victim of overfishing.
As well as fish there are also vast numbers of shellfish - Greenland is the largest supplier of shrimp and prawns to Europe, possibly the world. Mussels and crab are also famous Greenland delicacies. And there is lumpfish roe too - a kind of caviar..
And for dessert - berries - as in Iceland. There is one rather unique drink however - Greenland coffee. Well not that unique I suppose - similar to Irish coffee. Now I would call this a cocktail not a coffee and it looks pretty alchoholic if you watch this somewhat gormless, amateur short video of someone making it:
"Greenlandic coffee is a similar to Irish Coffee, just not as sweet. It consists of coffee, Grand Marnier, whisky, Kahlua, whipped cream and a proper flame. Warm up Grand Marnier and pour it into the other ingredients as a flame. This is a symbol for the dancing Northern lights in Greenland." Greenland Travel
The guy in the video did a bit more flaming than the last bit shown here, and I think he also used Cointreau rather than Grand Marnier - but then they are both orange. It must be an import of course. Certainly not anciently traditional.
It's curious in fact isn't it how nations create modern national dishes? Sort of on the plus side I don't think there is much fast food in Greenland. McDonald's are not there - not enough people, and I saw no mention of pizza, although they can probably buy the the frozen kind - or tacos come to that. I did see burgers mentioned however, but then maybe they are made with whale meat or musk ox.
You have to wonder why people settle and then stay in places such as Greenland, which seems so inhospitable. Tourism is now a thing there, and cruise ships visit. There are restaurants and supermarkets. It's those first settlers that I marvel at. I suppose once you have centuries of settlements, then people just stay - it's home afer all and all they know. But why did those first people stay? Why didn't they move on? One wonders in the modern world whether the population will decline. But then if America wants to buy it I guess that means there is mineral wealth under all the ice. Difficult to get at though. Close to Russia and China too - which also might be why the Americans want it. The Americans do have some kind of bases there.
Sort of depressing. But you have to admire the resilience of the Inuit.
POSTSCRIPT
Wix's AI assistant suggested I write a post called Cooking adventures with Betty today.
But what was I doing back then on the 13th August? - not a lot blogwise it seems
2023 - Small beer
2022 - Nothing
2021 - From Holland to Turkey
2020 - Stroganov
2019 - Nothing
2018 - Nothing
2017 - Marlborough sauvignon blanc
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