Norway Food and Drink
Food
Due to its coastline, fish is naturally a staple of Norwegian cuisine. Many dishes are made up of ingredients traditionally found in Norway and as such, there is a large focus on the game (including reindeer, elk and moose), potatoes and other root vegetables. Seafood is readily available and so dishes along the coast tend to be made with fresh produce and fish is often lightly spiced with herbs, salt, and pepper.
Popular dishes include:
Fenalår: a cured and seasoned leg of lamb.
Pinnekjøtt: These are lamb ribs that have been salted, dried and sometimes steamed. The ribs are traditionally served with sausages, mashed potatoes and mashed rutabaga. Pinnekjøtt is particularly popular at Christmas.
Lutefisk: This is stockfish that has been softened in water and lye then grilled and served with bacon, potatoes, mushy peas, and mustard.
Brunost: This is a brown cheese that is both sweet and sharp. It is sliced into wafer-thin pieces and served on bread or toast.
Multekrem: This is a popular summer dessert that is made up of cloudberries and whipped cream.
Drink
Alcohol can be somewhat limited and expensive in Norway. Beers are usually lagers, the most common being Pils. However, microbreweries are starting to pop out in parts of Norway. Wines and spirits tend to be imported. Aquavit is the national drink and it is a potato-based spirit that is flavoured with herbs (caraway seeds, anise, dill, fennel, and coriander). Solo, an orange-flavoured soft drink is also popular.
Things to know:
Tipping is not expected in Norway, however, for good service, rounding up the bill, or leaving 5% is appreciated.
Drinking age:
18 for beer, wine, and drinks up to 22% ABV, 20 for drinks over 22% ABV.
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