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Ræst  (1 von 1).jpg

Ræst: The thrilling extension of the flavor zone

Mazuhn February 28, 2016

It’s been dawning on me for quite some time that an invisible network is spreading across the globe. It connects Californian organic grocery stores to Japanese Michelin-starred restaurants, African cook-shops, Indic night markets, Berlin beef clubs and drying houses on Faroe Islands. The second I entered one of those air-permeable wooden shelters called hjallur for the first time, I knew something of particular importance was going on in there. Concerning the network that has come to my mind, the hjallur is one of the points of origin, talking about fermentation and ræst.

A creative way of storing food that dates back to the old days, a distinct flavor that can be accomplished through drying meat or fish outdoors: Ræst is unique to the Faroe Islands, it’s a special method of semi-drying, and it is characterized by its strong umami flavor, the fifth flavor besides sweet, sour, bitter and salty. The best way to describe ræst is pleasant, savory and tasty. Ræst is delicious, and it works with fish and meat – in theory. Sometimes, even doing the right thing is not enough. To succeed with ræst, you also need to have nature on your side. 

Let’s say that you want to serve ræstur fiskur: Hop on a boat, enjoy the fjord-scenery, catch cod, go home, clean your fish and hang it up to dry; under the rainwater gutter of a drying house or shed can be a good place. From now on, it gets serious. Make sure the gutter doesn’t leak, and protect your fish from rain. It must stay dry, otherwise you can say goodbye to ræst. Furthermore important: the outside temperature. If it gets too warm, your fish will be beset with flies. 

Skill comes with practice. The key factors for ræst: Location (some drying houses are better than others), length of time (several weeks up to several months), wind, humidity and temperature. Ræst lamb is called ræst kjøt. Same procedure in the drying house: The temperature rises too high? Invasion of flies. Bitter cold? It will ruin the hoped-for taste. Excessive breeze? Your meat dries too quickly, the flavor is not intense enough. What a pity! All those fabulous dishes you miss. 

One of my favored foods is skerpikjøt, fermented, dried leg of lamb. Another: Fermented cod, together with the local delicacy garnatálg, which is fermented fat, gained from lamb guts. As the Faroese are experts, there are many Faroese words describing different stages of the process. Like: Freshly caught. Air-dried. Minorly-air-dried and at the beginning of fermentation. Very shortly hung and fermented. Well-hung and fermented. Or: Hung up at length, with a strong taste. 

Up to the present day, ræst is extremely popular on Faroe Islands. Not so very long ago, a food conference took place, focusing on the local cuisine, fermented foods and fermentation in general. Since the Faroese cuisine has received international attention, even more aspects come into view: The details of the scientific part. Food labs. The links between probiotics, health and fermented foods. Also the issue of approved drying houses. You take an interest in the art of fermentation? Don’t only read the books of Sandor Katz. Taste the real thing. Ræst. On Faroe Islands. 


Scenery at Kirkjubøur. Restaurant KOKS will be based in the village
Scenery at Kirkjubøur. Restaurant KOKS will be based in the village
Elduvík
Elduvík
Ræst kjøt
Ræst kjøt
Tjørnuvík
Tjørnuvík
Returning from fishing
Returning from fishing
Viðareiði
Viðareiði
Home slaughtering
Home slaughtering
Our fjord
Our fjord
Scenery at Kirkjubøur. Restaurant KOKS will be based in the village Elduvík Ræst kjøt Tjørnuvík Returning from fishing Viðareiði Home slaughtering Our fjord

inova.fo: Research projects and further information on the food conference

koks.fo: Transforming ancient culinary tradition into modern delicacies. KOKS celebrates its fifth anniversary. Therefore, the restaurant relocates to Copenhagen (3 March - 30 April). On Faroe Islands, KOKS reopens on 17 May in Kirkjubøur

In Tradition, World of Sheep, Food & Cooking Tags Hjallur, Ræstur, Fish, KOKS
← At Leipzig book fair: „Jógvan und die Anderen“. My first bookThe sound of hundreds of knitting needles in Fuglafjørður →


Anja 1 © My Faroe Islands, Anja Mazuhn  (1 von 1).jpg

Anja Mazuhn, journalist, writer, Berliner. German philology, political science and theater studies (Magister Artium). Axel Springer School of Journalism. 

Having worked as a journalist for more than 20 years (i.a. DIE WELT), Anja wrote reports, travelogues and did interviews with the celebrities of Hollywood.

In 2013, she and her husband bought a summer house in the Faroe Islands – Anja's second home. 



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Anja's map of the Faroe Islands 

IMG_7563.jpg

Increase the size of the image and find out about the geographical situation and the names of the 18 islands.



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Wanted poster for a remote beauty  

Location: The Faroe Islands comprise 18 Islands in the North Atlantic. The Islands are separated by sounds and fjords.

On the map: 62º latitude North and 7º longitude West. Or one can say: North-west from Scotland, south-east of Iceland and west of Norway. 

Official language: Faroese. The second language is Danish. Almost everyone also speaks English.

Politics: A self-governing nation within the Kingdom of Denmark. Faroe Islands has its own parliament and its own flag. Capital: Tórshavn.

Population: Approximately 51,043. The Faroe Islands are also home to about 70,000 sheep.

Climate: The Gulf Stream rules. Average temperature in summer: 13°C. The average temperature in the wintertime is 3°C.



Ready, set, go: How to get here   

By air: Direct flights with Atlantic Airways from i.a. Denmark, Island, Norway and England. Also: SAS Scandinavian Airlines.

By sea: Smyril Line. There is a direct ferry connection to Denmark, Hirtshals. The ferry Norröna also sails to Iceland.

Paperwork in advance? Maybe, maybe not. Read about passport & visa rules before you book your trip.

Tourist information: Phone and internet services, accommodation and so on. Visit Faroe Islands.



Tórshavn+©+My+Faroe+Islands,+Anja+Mazuhn++(1+von+1).jpg

Once you arrive: Help and advice

Weather, driving conditions: www.landsverk.fo

Helicopter service: www.atlantic.fo

Ferries and busses: www.ssl.fo

Airport Vágar: www.floghavn.fo

Pharmacies: www.apotek.fo

In emergencies: dial 112. Hospitals in Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Tvøroyri.



KOKS 3 © My Faroe Islands, Anja Mazuhn

Michelin-starred dining: KOKS

The artistry of distilling the taste of the Faroe Islands. Tradition meets innovation. Poul Andrias Ziska and team. Restaurant KOKS.



Study+new+©+My+Faroe+Islands,+Anja+Mazuhn++(1+von+1).jpg

Studying in the Faroe Islands

University: www.setur.fo, including The International Office. Another useful page: Study in the Faroes.



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