Innholdsfortegnelse for Autumn 2023 i National Geographic Traveller Food

Kerry Walker Some of the world’s best fish and seafood is hauled out of the chilly waters on Norway’s fjord-lined southern shores. Chefs are making this produce sing in menus that nod to nature, pepped up with foraged finds and imaginative flair. And the small producers making cheese, cider and smoked salmon offered a glimpse of the region’s soul. COVER STORY, P 40 Jessica Vincent Before visiting Nova Scotia I thought there was a limit to how much seafood chowder I could eat in a week. But my journey from Halifax to the Annapolis Valley, where chefs prepare silky smooth chowder with candied salmon, sherry cream and hand-pressed dill oil, had me hooked on Atlantic Canada’s favourite shipboard dish. NOVA SCOTIA, P 68 Katherine Gallardo As an Ecuadorian citizen, I’ve…

ORIGINS The origins of the wiener schnitzel are hazy. Considered by Austrians to be their national dish, it’s also a German favourite and, as it bears some resemblance to veal alla Milanese, is sometimes suggested to have originated in Italy. There are also claims it came to Central and Western Europe via the Turks. FRYING A large pan with a generous amount of lard or clarified butter is best. Use a thermometer to check the fat reaches 160–170C: too high and the schnitzel will burn, too low and it won’t crisp up. Continually swirl the pan for the best result, frying for 2-4 mins on each side. MEAT A traditional wiener schnitzel is made using a veal cutlet, pounded flat until it’s 4mm thick. Other versions of schnitzel use pork,…

When it comes to wine, finding a grape, region or style you really like can be a bit of a doubleedged sword. Sure, establishing a preference does take some of the risk out of buying wine. But on the other hand, it’s easy to fall into a bit of a rut. What’s more, tastes evolve — and sometimes it’s just nice to go on an adventure without departing too radically from the style we enjoy. For a lot of people, that preference is the ever-reliable sauvignon blanc. Of course, there are different kinds of sauvignon, but the one most people associate with the grape is the exuberantly fruity style from New Zealand’s Marlborough region, which is packed with passion fruit and other tropical fruit flavours. It’s a great wine to…

My earliest memory of food is my dad going to the chippy every Friday. Growing up, we never had any other takeout than the chippy near our house [in Oldham] — it was called Tony’s. My mum would cook the rest of the time, so my dad saw it as his job to do the ritualistic, Friday-night chippy pilgrimage. I actually don’t like battered fish, so I’d have a chip muffin [bread roll] with gravy and mushy peas. Even after all the restaurants I’ve been to, it’s still one of my favourite meals. When I was eight, I remember being in a restaurant and asking for snails. My mum and dad had taken me to York for the day and asked if I really wanted them, and I said, “I…

SERVES: 6 TAKES: 2 HRS 5 MINS INGREDIENTS leftovers of a roast chicken 1 onion, cut into large slices (optional) around 1.25kg leeks, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated, bottoms reserved 4 sprigs thyme 2 sprigs rosemary 1 bay leaf 1-2 tbsp rapeseed oil (optional) 175g prunes, pitted, halved or quartered 15g chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tsp chopped thyme METHOD 1 Use your fingers to separate the chicken from the carcass, reserving the skin and bones. Chop the meat into large bite-size pieces, then tip into a large bowl, cover with cling film and put in the fridge. 2 Put the skin and bones in a stockpot, cover generously with around 3 litres water and bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, add the onion (if using), the…

Most people know Jutland, if they know it at all, for Billund, the birthplace of Lego. The town at the centre of the peninsula may have built Denmark a worldwide reputation, but beyond the city, Jutland is quietly making a name for itself in culinary innovation. Northern Jutland offers Michelin-starred restaurants like Frederikshoj and Gastromé, both in Aarhus, while in the south, farmland rhythms dictate the pace and cake takes centre stage. Cake is beloved across Denmark, eaten between meals rather than as pudding, but South Jutland is synonymous with it thanks to the sønderjysk kaffebord (‘South Jutlandic coffee table’, also known as a cake table). It’s a spread traditionally featuring 21 varieties of cake: seven yeast, seven cream and seven hard. And it was a lack of schnapps that…

Cafe culture and chocolate have long gone hand in hand in Turin. Merenda reale (‘royal snack’) is a local speciality that originated in the 1700s, in which hot chocolate is served with an array of traditional sweets and biscuits for dunking. Bicerin, meanwhile, is a combination of espresso, drinking chocolate and milk, served at cafes including Baratti & Milano (right). Among Turin’s many historic establishments are Moderna Torrefazione Caffè (above and overleaf, bottom right), known for its merenda reale, and Pfatisch, established in 1915, which sells chocolate bars (left) alongside pastries and other cacaocentred treats. Then there’s Fiorio (previous spread), famed for its gianduia (hazelnut and chocolate) gelato — legend has it that ice cream cones from Fiorio helped break down the taboo of women eating in the street. Meanwhile,…

Hailing from Haute-Savoie, this sweet and savoury dish was traditionally served on Sundays. This recipe ideally requires a farcement tin — aspecial highsided tin with a tube in the middle. However, it can also be cooked in a normal cake tin. SERVES: 8-10 TAKES: 4 HRS INGREDIENTS 1.5kg potatoes, peeled 50g raisins 12 stoned prunes, cut into small pieces 12 dried pears, cut into small pieces 2 eggs 100ml sour cream 25 thinly sliced streaky bacon rashers METHOD 1 Heat the oven to 180C, fan 160C, gas 4. Finely grate the potatoes, then rinse the grated pieces and dry off any excess moisture using a tea towel. Tip the grated potato into a mixing bowl and add the raisins, prunes, pears, eggs and sour cream. Stir until smooth, then season…

What’s your connection with Taiwan? My parents’ families have been in Taiwan for over 300 years, so even though I was born and raised in the US we would go back every year. We’re from a city in the south called Tainan, which is arguably the culinary capital of Taiwan. Then in 2020, I settled in the capital, Taipei. Right now there’s a movement to redefine Taiwanese food, but I felt the conversation was very limited to what people grew up eating; it wasn’t representative. What I’ve tried to do is zoom out and define what Taiwanese food is. My co-author Ivy Chen has been cooking and teaching Taiwanese cuisine for over two decades. Together we made a really good team: I was able to centre the book for a…

Although pumpkin flowers are very popular in Mexico, in Europe they’re not as common — or as cheap. Courgette flowers make for a good substitute. SERVES: 2 TAKES: 1 HR INGREDIENTS 150ml vegetable oil 1 white onion, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, finely chopped 1 jalapeño chilli, seeds removed and finely chopped 20 fresh pumpkin flowers, stems and pistils removed 20g chopped fresh coriander or 10g chopped fresh parsley 4 tortillas 250g grated cheese (mozzarella works well, or another cheese that melts easily and isn’t too strong) METHOD Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan set over a high heat. Add the onion and cook for 1 min, then add the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Add the jalapeño and pumpkin flowers and season with salt. Cook,…

HOVINGHAM, NORTH YORKSHIRE RESTAURANTMYSE.CO.UK If my meal were to end after a bite of this ox cheek appetiser, I’d be perfectly content. Encased in a Yorkshire pudding batter and crowned with a pinch of fermented cucumber, this little ball of umami is at once creative and comforting — afabulous teaser of what lies ahead. Here at Mýse, a restaurant with just three rooms in the village of Hovingham, chef Josh Overington (formerly of Le Cochon Aveugle in York), has created a menu that’s just as big on local ingredients as it is on nostalgia — think elevated, grandmother-style cooking using the very best ingredients Yorkshire has to offer. By this point, we’re three dishes into the 11-course taster menu, accompanied by wines paired perfectly by sommelier Louis. The ox is…

One of my oldest friends married a Swede. On their big day, they eschewed a conventional wedding cake and instead treated guests to a smörgåstårta — layer upon layer of crustless white bread, laid out on a tray and covered in tuna mayo, prawns, creme fraiche, dill and ribbons of cucumber. At the time, it seemed a cavalier decision, but we were all soon swept along by the boldness of it. And, happily, the cake turned out to be delicious. I think, though, even before I’d tasted it, part of me just assumed Anna, the Swedish bride, knew better. After all, she was Scandinavian, and Scandinavians famously know how to live. If they think it’s a good idea to serve up a fishy sandwich cake at their wedding, then they’re…

THE EXPERTS What are the best, budget-friendly dining options in Istanbul? Berkok Yüksel: For an affordable and hearty breakfast, Lades (ladesbeyoglu.com) in Beyoğlu district is a haven for golden, buttery menemen — barely scrambled eggs with tomato and green pepper. Along with a spread of Turkish breakfast staples (tomatoes, cucumbers, honey and clotted cream), it comes in at 235 TRY (£7). The nearby Baran Lahmacun (instagram.com/ baranlahmacunbeyoglu) is a must for lahmacun — thin flatbread topped with a generous paste of finely chopped meat (often a mix of veal and lamb) and spices. Try the Antep style. For vegans, I recommend the soy-based version at Çinili Taş Fırın (instagram.com/cinilitasfirin) in Kadıköy. A lahmacun at both places will cost around 55 TRY (£2). While in Kadıköy, don’t miss the 24/7 Kimyon…

SERVES: 4 TAKES: 40 MINS INGREDIENTS 3 courgettes 3 tbsp vinegar 1 tsp caster or granulated sugar 1 tbsp chilli flakes, plus an extra pinch 1 big aubergine, cut into 1cm-thick wedges 4 tbsp vegetable oil 4 tbsp sesame oil 1½ tsp Sichuan pepper 4 garlic cloves, minced (ground) 1 cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and minced or grated 4 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp mirin hot chilli sauce, to taste (optional) 1.2 litres dashi, ideally mushroom dashi 100g tahini 100g miso ¼ Chinese cabbage or similar cabbage, roughly chopped 4 portions of uncooked ramen noodles 4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, crushed to a coarse powder 1 spring onion, finely sliced METHOD 1 Cut half of one of the courgettes into long, thin matchsticks, or use a spiraliser…

“Gastronomy or conservation working alone doesn’t make sense any more. But these two working together: this is the way.” So says Rodrigo Pacheco, who, over the past decade, working with his wife and business partner, Dayra Reyes, has transformed several deteriorated parcels of land on the rural coast of Ecuador’s Manabí province into thriving habitats for wildlife and produce such as cocoa, soursop and yucca. These BCBs (Bosques Comestibles Biodiversos, which translates as ‘biodiverse, edible forests’) supply their 10-year-old restaurant, Bocavaldivia, and its neighbouring eco-hotel, Tanusas, with around 150 species of fruit, vegetable and herb. At the 12-seat, open-air restaurant, Pacheco serves his creations on sustainably sourced tableware. Either carved from wood and seeds or made by the chef himself from clay dug on site, the bowls and spoons pay…

Australian entrepreneur Jason Renwick came to Copenhagen in 2005, travelling in and out of the country before opening vegan cafe Souls in 2016. He then teamed up with British chef Brett Lavender, who had spent much of his career cooking in luxury hotels and Michelin-starred restaurants in Australia, New Zealand and Japan, to open Ark restaurant, in central Copenhagen, in 2020. The seasonal plant-based menu is a surprise for diners on the day, but might include signature dishes such as barbecued blue oyster mushrooms or deceptively complex combinations like turnip with apple and macadamia. The business grew and evolved, and today, Ark Collection comprises three plant-based restaurants — Ark, Bistro Lupa (both of which hold Michelin Green stars) and Beyla — as well as urban mushroom-growing operation Funga Farm, which…

Berlin’s food scene is flourishing as never before. Over the past decade or so, partly thanks to relatively inexpensive rents and the city’s reputation for fostering creativity, local culinary entrepreneurs have been given platforms to experiment and grow, and chefs and restaurateurs have been drawn here from all over the world. Danish-born, Icelandic-trained chef Victoria Eliasdóttir is currently culinary director at vegetablefocused Dóttir; Vancouverite Dylan Watson-Brawn, chef and co-founder of Michelinstarred Ernst and its minimalist ‘little brother’, Julius, was named the top chef in Germany by Gault-Millau in 2022. From supper clubs and street food to natural wines and Levantine fare, Berlin has embraced international trends and immigrant cuisines. Newly Michelinstarred restaurants sit alongside innovative takeaway stalls, making the city’s food scene diverse and constantly evolving. For visitors, the sheer…

Cornwall’s most northerly coastal town, Bude is known for its wide, sandy beaches, dramatic cliffs and excellent surf, but when it comes to food, nearby Padstow and Port Isaac have tended to steal the show. That could all be about to change, however, as Bude has quietly been undergoing something of a culinary revolution. The place that kick-started it all is Temple (templecornwall.com), which opened in late 2017 and set a new standard for Bude’s restaurants with a changing menu featuring local, organic produce, and dishes that hadn’t previously been easy to come by in the area — such as ramen. Asian and Middle Eastern inspiration abounds, with options such as barbecued pork chop with burnt onions and green tapenade, and pollock with beetroot, hazelnuts and brown butter. It’s all…

This recipe comes from a man called Tung Yu-Chu, who came to Taiwan from China at the age of 16 as an air force soldier. The original contains monosodium glutamate (MSG), which I’ve omitted as it’s completely optional and not for everyone. The use of lard is mandatory, though, because according to Yu-Chu, “it really wouldn’t be a scallion pancake otherwise”. MAKES: 4 PANCAKES TAKES: 1 HR 30 MINS INGREDIENTS 2 spring onions, minced 250g plain flour, plus extra for dusting 1 tsp fine sea salt 25g lard or unsalted butter, softened 4 tsp rapeseed or soybean oil, plus extra for frying METHOD 1 Spread the spring onions evenly on a plate lined with kitchen paper and air-dry them for at least 30 mins (this gets rid of excess moisture…

COCINA MEXICANA London-based Mexican chef Adriana Cavita’s debut cookbook is both a heartfelt ode and an informative guide to the diverse cuisines of her homeland. Walking the reader through the staples of Mexican cooking, she starts with basic building blocks such as moles (sauces), salsas and tortillas before moving on to the dishes with which to enjoy them. Expect an array of tamales, tacos, soups, stews and desserts, all interspersed with fascinating tales and photography from across the country. There’s a section dedicated to breakfasts and another focusing on festive feasts, which tend towards flavoursome meat- and fishheavy recipes. Cavita’s Mexican-style turkey, for example, served as part of a Christmas meal, comes stuffed with an exuberance of beef, pork, olives and nuts. You’ll find plenty of everyday inspiration in this…

3g The amount of fibre provided by a mediumsized apple. The skin accounts for the majority of an apple’s fibre content, while the flesh is a valuable source of vitamin C 1.849kg THE WEIGHT OF THE HEAVIEST APPLE EVER RECORDED. CHISATO IWASAKI PICKED THE PRIZE FRUIT AT HIS FARM IN HIROSAKI CITY, JAPAN ON 24 OCTOBER 2015 1796 The year American Cookery — the first USprinted, American-authored cookbook — was published. It featured a recipe for apple pie 2,131 The number of varieties of apple trees spread across Kent’s Brogdale Farm, home to one of the world’s largest fruit tree collections 87,900 tonnes THE TOTAL WEIGHT OF GALA APPLES PRODUCED IN BRITAIN IN 2022. THE VARIETY IS THE NATION’S TOP-SELLING EATING APPLE 3 THE NUMBER OF MAIN CLASSES OF APPLE:…

With their beautifully earthy, nutty notes, Jerusalem artichokes remind me of salsify, but they also have a distinct hint of artichoke hearts. What I like most about them is that they can be served in a variety of ways — raw, pureed, pickled or made into crisps. In Germany, they’re even fermented to make brandy. You can also use the skins washed, roasted and ground to add a breadcrumb-like texture to dishes. These beautiful tubers are the root of a specific variety of sunflower, which is why in the US you’ll seem them on menus as ‘sunchokes’. They store their carbohydrates as inulin rather than starch —which some people find harder to digest — and lie dormant in the ground, withstanding low temperatures, meaning they can be harvested throughout the…

Sam Greig & Carmen Ferguson: When we visited Sri Lanka, rich, spicy squash curries were a mainstay and consistently excellent. The use of butternut squash in this recipe results in a hearty, almost meaty curry. If you can’t get hold of coconut sugar, you can use caster sugar instead. Serve as part of a spread or enjoy as the main event with rice. SERVES 2-4 TAKES: 1 HR INGREDIENTS 1 large butternut squash, cut into 2.5cm cubes 4 tsp coconut oil, melted 3 tsp curry powder 2 tsp black mustard seeds 2 tsp cumin seeds 1 small onion, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, minced 2 red chillies, finely diced 10 curry leaves 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp chilli powder 1 tsp ground cinnamon 400ml coconut…

SERVES: 6-8 TAKES: 1 HR 15 MINS INGREDIENTS 400g diced onions (around 4 small onions) 400g leeks, white and light green parts only, cleaned and cut into 1.25cm pieces 30g butter 1 tsp salt, plus extra to taste 1½ litres good beer (nice and malty, like a pilsner) 1 litre white chicken stock 1 small smoked pork knuckle or ham hock sachet d’épices (3 sprigs thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 tbsp black peppercorns, 1 clove and 1 cardamom pod, tied together in cheesecloth) 240ml sour cream 2 tbsp sugar ½ small nutmeg, grated slurry (2 tbsp cornstarch mixed with around 3 tbsp cold water; it should be the consistency of cream) METHOD 1 Add the onions, leeks and butter to a large pan set over a medium-high heat and sweat…

SERVES: 4 TAKES: 25 MINS INGREDIENTS 350g minced beef (15–20% fat content) 1 egg ½ small red onion, finely chopped 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped ½ tsp crushed Sichuan peppercorns 1½ tsp ground coriander 1 tsp salt plain white flour, for dusting 125g baby spinach leaves coriander leaves, to garnish METHOD 1 Put the minced beef in a mixing bowl, crack in the egg and mix together very well using your hand or a fork. Add the onion, garlic, peppercorns, coriander and half the salt and thoroughly mix once more. 2 Sprinkle a little flour onto a chopping board. Pinch off a 2.5cm piece of the meat mixture and roll it between your palms to make a ball, then roll it through the flour on the board (don’t douse…

An expectant hush falls as two knife-wielding chefs in pristine whites emerge from behind the polished walnut counter at Sabi Omakase, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Stavanger. Ziggy, the sommelier, tops up our glasses. The show is about to begin. “‘Omakase’ means ‘chef’s choice’,” he says, smiling warmly. “Everything is prepared fresh before your eyes, and you should eat each course immediately when served.” The curtain rises on a zingy, king crabbejewelled finger lime soup that we’re urged to slurp. Then, dish after dish appears on the counter, the tiny restaurant’s sole dining table, seating just nine. Silky halibut nigiri topped with caramelised onions, salmon belly nigiri with a powerful punch of wild garlic, umamipacked bluefish tuna with marinated seaweed, sweet raw shrimp, flat oysters with salmon caviar, a perfect langoustine…

You’ll find moussaka, with its chunky layers of deeply savoury, sweetly spiced meat, silky aubergines and creamy bechamel sauce, on the menu at every whitewashed tourist taverna. No surprise, then, that it’s perceived by many visitors as Greece’s national dish. Some in the Greek diaspora, however, seem less convinced, with chef Peter Conistis telling listeners to the Ouzo Talk podcast that, “You might hate me but… it started as a Turkish dish”. In reality, moussaka’s true origins may lie even further afield. In Kitab al-Tabikh, a 13th-century manuscript referred to in English as A Baghdad Cookery Book, there’s a recipe for ‘maghmuma’, or ‘muqatta’a’, consisting of alternating strata of aubergine and onions, spiced meat and fat, soaked in a vinegar-spiked gravy. And according to Charles Perry, an expert on medieval…

“Chowder has always been here,” says Emily Haynes. “It isn’t just a dish for Nova Scotians — it’s who we are.” The executive director of Taste of Nova Scotia, an association that promotes businesses that champion local ingredients, Emily is taking me for a blustery coastal stroll along the Bay of Fundy. “Chowder was shipboard food,” she says as we pass fishing boats stranded on the bay’s muddy bottom; the Atlantic inlet between the Canadian Maritime provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick is home to the world’s highest tides. “Fishermen would cook salt cod or fresh catch with salt pork in hot water, then ship’s biscuits were added as a thickener. It was a tasty meal that could feed a whole ship from one pot.” It’s thought Nova…

A FEAST OF FISH LAC LEMAN To the Swiss, as to many, it’s known as Lake Geneva. But here, in the village of Yvoire, on the French side, it’s known as Lac Léman. And, from the rooftop terrace of the restaurant Les Jardins du Léman, I can see it glistening in the mid-distance. Although I hadn’t realised it when I first sat down, I’m here for fish — because, as it’s soon explained to me, no food-loving visitor to Yvoire should leave without trying at least one of the lake’s three most treasured specimens: fera, omble chevalier and perch. Right now, it’s time for fera, which arrives sitting in a fragrant, buttery puddle, accompanied by a punchy bowl of thyme risotto. A type of whitefish, it’s quite tender and absorbs…

CARIBBEAN FLAVOURS East Winds Riaz Phillips The third cookbook from award-winning food writer Riaz Phillips is an extraordinary exploration of what unites and differentiates the cuisines of Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana and Suriname. Phillips details the culinary vernacular of the Caribbean through the lens of geography, history and culture to bring accessible recipes to the home cook. £22, DK HOME COMFORTS Korean Home Cooking Jina Jung Big flavours and simple techniques were the central ingredients of Jina Jung’s upbringing. Featuring classic Korean recipes such as barbecue sauce and bibimbap, the book is dotted with personal stories, too. For hot days, the chilled seaweed soup is a musttry, while the braised Korean chicken is the perfect winter warmer. £22, Murdoch Books MADE TO SHARE Peináo Helena Moursellas & Vikki Moursellas Born…

I’VE BEEN EATING AT… Pidgin, in Hackney, where new head chef Naz Hassan combines European, East Asian and South Asian cooking to create a weekly changing tasting menu. On my visit, the cod with celeriac and peach and the hazelnut Paris-Brest were both knockouts. Nicola Trup, deputy editor Which ingredient have you been enjoying lately? ISOT This Turkish spice is a type of sun-dried chilli pepper that imparts a smoky aroma and gives depth to eggs or tomatobased dishes. Berkok Yüksel, content strategist PICKLED CORIANDER SEEDS I’m putting them on everything — salads, curries, eggs, you name it. The tart crunch makes everything taste better. Lauren Gamp, art editor BULGUR This parboiled grain is a real kitchen staple of mine. I find it works particularly well in a salad of…