Youce6 fF onw LULTURE EVENTS ¥ THINGS TO.80 EUROPEAN TRADITIONS AND HISTORY OF THE HERRING Pick ATOPIC DELICACY ‘The herring prepared in numerous ways across many cifferent countries in Europe's consiered 2 delicacy and sometimes a spacial dish an festive occasions, ts preparation and serving rooted in old tradtions and culture makes tan acquited taste, relished by many Europeans, and inthe case of the Dutch, considered a culinary icon. Grapes & Grains isan nternatonat community and blog dedicated to food, finks, ants and care, In this arte, we explore the history, culture and trations ofthe herring across clferent parts of Europe, besides its many efferent ways of preparation.Herring an European Delicacy Herring an oly siver-colored fish found inthe North Atlantic, Bac and North Seas considered a dalcacy in many cifferent countries in Europe, where it has been a staple food source for over 2000 yeas. Herring besides being inexpensive is also a great source of omega 3 faty acids, making i nutritious as wellas flavorful Due ois relative ease of production and long shelf If through picking cr marination with flavorful spices and herbs it became very papular with both the rich ana poor Families in Europe. Tes served by itself or along with ot fermented, pickled, or smoked. tional recipes in numerous different ways eaten raw, Herring are known ta mave in large groups and are always on the move, hence over 2 peried of time they have migrated to diferent part ofthe Baltic Sea and the North Sea creating an abundance and intuencing nat only the cuisine but alsa the econamy of many European countries. Influenced of Herring on Cuisine and Economy During the 12th, 13th and the 14th centuries, herring was abundant inthe Batic waters around) southern Sweden along the coast of Skéne, which was then a part of Denmark. Herring were traded with the Baltic German ports through the Hanseatic League, alate-medieval network of trade ‘THINGS 70 DO PROJECT Tringst DeFeet, (ur Things to Do Project allows travelers to share their experiences and notes with other travelers ang fiends, besides nding new places to explore. (ouR Next EveNT 7 TRANSLATE Selena ima ‘ABOUT AUTHORmerchants ‘when the herring spawning grounds moved westwards sometime around the early 15th century towards the Netherlands and later into the North Sea, it shifted the monopoly ofthe herring trade from the Hanseatic League and its economic and culinary influence to the western European counties including the Netherlands, Germany, and later towards the west coast of Norway and the nerthem part ofthe United Kingdom around the start ofthe 19th century. ‘After 1950s, the overfishing of herring in the North Sea caused sharp declines in mid1960s and early 1970s. Ths briefly created a shortage of herring resulting in ishing quotas introduced inthe 1990s. evelopment of Different Preservation Methods During catch seasons herring would be avallable in vast amounts, but occasionally, would also disappear for along period making it seasonal but als irregular, This led tothe development and adoption of preservation methods lke dying, brining, pickling and smoking, which allowed the ability to store and transpart fish, before the advent of refrigeration and artifical freezing, Preserved sh was also a vey important protein source during the Christan fasting period of Lent and Fridays. Rodolfo Morais “Traveler, write, language enthusiast and founder of Grapes & Grains. Through my articles and research, would he to share my passion and interests in diferent cakes, rts, food and crnks. contact US: Ena Naage Image Credits Powered by Blogger. ©‘Though drying is one of the oldest method of food preservation, pickling and smoking were mare popular among the Europeans because ofthe resulting flavors, especiallyin the form af snacks or when accompanied with ether food shes. Additionally, fatty fsh species ke herring are not very suitable for drying because oftheir higher level of cl ‘The raw herring sa Dutch delicacy ane tration while the fermented herring known as surstromming Isa big par of the northern Swedish cuisine, Pickled herrings are par of Scandinavian, Nordic, Dutch, German, Polish, Eastern Slavic, Baltic Ukrainian, Russian and jewish culsine. Raw Herring in the Netherlands Herring has been 2 staple dish of the Netherlands since the Midale Ages. The Dutch have historically been a seafaring nation and a large par of their economy was dependent on fish trade. During the Middle Ages, the Dutch were known to cure fish with brine and smoke for preservation so that they could be transported to different parts of Europe. Starting from the 14th and 1Sth century the process of preserving and favoring the ish improved with the se of vinegar, followed by the use of herbs and spices.Ovach hernng ishing at by err Greaneaegan 1789 The sea vesselused by the Dutch ering fsnermen in the 15th through earl 19th centuries is called herring buss These large boats and the sak-curing process made it possible to preserve herring at sea and as 2 result allowed the Dutch fishermen to follow the herring shoals fr from the coasts, ‘The Dutch also havea historical connection with the herring ast played an important partin many of the long sea expeditions during the 16tn and 17 centuries asthe herring provided an excellent source of protein and emegafaty acids to the Dutch sallors on thelr long voyages. In the Netherlands, herrings typically prepared and served the traditional Dutch way where the fh are ripened fora couple of days i oak barrels ina sally solution, or brine. Herring can also be soaked in a mild marinade containing vinegar herbs, spices and Dutch Herring Tradition ‘The Dutch havea long tradition of celebrating the start of the new herring season between mid-May and the end of june. Hering caught earler than this sto lean: ater than this its too faty. The young herting caught during this period is called Hollandse Nieuwe ard must have a body fat percentage of at least 16% and prepared according to Dutch raditon ‘To prepare herring in a tradkional Dutch way the fish are cleaned, gutted and salted but the pancreascontaining an enzyme which helps te fish to rpen is left in place. The herring is usually served with some chopped onions and pickles gherkins, During the herring season feasts ae organized in many places to celebrate the Fst herring catch of the season, One of these isthe famous Vlaggetjesdag or lag day in Scheveringen that dates backto the 14th century when fishermen went out to sea in ther small boats to capture the annual atch, and to preserve and export their cate abross. uth bey stings ering inte aden wy Inthe Netherlands, the whole herringis often eaten by iting the herring vertically by ks tal, holding It ‘over the mouth and savoring each bite ofthis cured delicacy dipped in chopped onions. For the less adventurous tourist, herrings served inside a bread roll Fermented Herring in Sweden In Swecen the Baltic herring, known asstrémming in Swedish is fermented to create surstromming, considered a delicacy in northern Swedish culsine, The Batic herring found inthe inner parts ofthe Baltic Sea is caught just prior to spawning, rom May until the fst week of uy. tis smaller and less faxty than the Allantic herring found in vie North Sea, During production of surstrémming just enough sats used to prevent the raw herring from rotting. is then fermented for one to two months, then canned. Inside the can te fermentation process continues which gives i its characterstic strong smell and somewhat acl taste, Surstramming mustalways be stored ina cool environment as a warm storing temperature causes the lactic acd to destroy the fish proteins and ks favor. Fermented fish is an old staple in European cuisines as the ancien Greeks and Romans made a sauce {rom fermented fish called garum, The process relies on naturally occurring enzymes in the spine of the fish and may have been developed to preserve fish with a ite salt as possible. In this method the fish are cured with alight brine, fermented and canned. ‘Swedish Herring Tradition In some regions of Sweden, surstromming has been a staple food for many centuries. was also popular among te Swedish troops inthe 17th and téth century, when they needed non-perishable {ood for theirlong assignments away from home. ‘Traditionally the fermented ish were stored in large wooden barrels but Introduced in the 19th century, allowed surstrémming to be marketed in stores, stored at home and be readily available tobe served with other food dishes. canning procedure, Surstromming which means sour herrng''san acquired taste and many complain about Is strong, Smell and weird pungent taste. However, much of that impression depends on haw its stored and the way tis servedLate August isthe traditional period for Swedes to eat surstromming, when it stars being sold around the third Thursday of August. The traditional festivity is called surstrommingsskva (SurstrOmming party), accompanied by schnapps ang light beers. urstrémming is commonly served an thin tsp bread called cunnoréd, with boiled potatoes, chopped red onion and sour cream and sometimes with tomatoes or il Pickled Herring in Germany Pickled herrings have been 2 staple ood in Northern Europe sine Medieval times, being away to store and transport fish, before the advent of refrigeration and artificial freezing Pickling of herring is a two-step process. ntl, the herrings are cured with salt and the second step Involves removing the salt and adding favorings, typically 3 vinegar, sal, sugar solution to which Ingredients lke peppercorn, bay leaves and onions are added, Though other flavorings may be added, onion, mustard seeds and all are some af zh traditional averings. Inthe olden days, the coastal waters around Northern Germany was rch with herring and fishermen 4id not have to venture as fa a they do today, so seafood was an Important part ofthe cuisine for ‘many Germans living near the coastal areas, Pickled herring allowed the Germans to store and is strong flavor wich can be combined with other foods made ita favorite snack or apart of amain meal German Herring Tradition ‘Although most Germans love to eat fresh fish, they have a special craving for pickled and smoked fish flavors which have been a staple food for mary centuries due to the long history of ishing and fish trade among the countries around the Batic Sea and the North Sea, Pickled herring is particularly popular among the North Germans due tats ol 'shing traditions in the North Sea There are many different pickled herring recipes in Germany, but some very popular marinated herring preparations are the Bismarckhering,brathering and rollmops, BismarckheringBismarckheringis names after Otto von Bismarck (1815-1888), Germany’ first chancellor, known to have introduced several progressive reforms including establishment of the welfare state, Hef said to have been an admirer ofthis way of preparing the hering, and a crafty ish trader named itafter him. a For the preparation of &ismarckhering, the herring let is cleaned and cured in brine with the skin left ‘on, then pekle in solution containing water, vinegar, sugar and sak. with favoring from onion bay leaves, mustard seeds and other herbs, Blsmarckhering ls served as Is or sometimes as par of fish sandwiches (ischbrétchen Brathering Brathering is a traditional German dish of fried, marinated herring Its typically served in northern Germany asa snack or as part of a meal, Traditionally, this was something that was prepared only in homes. Today, t can be purchased asa snack at fastfood stands or take-out restaurants or asa «commercial product in cans.In traditional home cooking, fresh herring is gutted, cleaned and then turned in Nour, and panvfried Until golden and erspy on both sides. Usually, hiss then apart of 2 mea, called 'grUner Hering whieh means green herring in German, where green stands not for color but for fresh, The leftover herring Isallowed to cooland is then marinated ina solution containing white vinegar, bolled water, onion, sat bay leaves and mustard seeds Brathering i typically served with fried potatoes (Bratkartoffln) or cold potato salad (Kartofelsalat) and sometimes also offered as part of fish sandwiches (Fischbrétchen} Rolmops Rollmops are made by rolling ane stuffing raw herring filles in cylindrical shape and then marinating them ina vinegar and sak micure or by roling and stuffing already marinated Bismarckhering The stuffing usually conssts of pickled cucumber and onion with toothpicks to secure the ralls, Onions and capers can also be used in the marination mixture,Rollmops which are served as finger food orn sandwiches grew popular throughout Germany during the early 19th century and were considered as a favorte snack in Berlin, Today, they can be found in many non-European res and markets, Marinated and Old-fashioned Matured Herring in Denmark. The important history af herring in Denmark goes tothe period between 1397 and 1523, when [Denmark and sweden were were par of the Kalmar Union under a single monarch, Legend tells that, In the Middle Ages the hernng fishery off the coast of Skane was so rch, that one could scoop up the fish with one's hands,During the 13th and the 1th centuries, the Skdine market or Scania market was a major fish market for herring which was abundantly found in the strait besween Sweden and Denmark, The abundance of herring abruptly ceased sometime during the early 1Sth century and the region lost itsimportance 35.8 major herring trading market. Due tothe seasonal avalability of the herring various preservation techniques were commonly used in this region which included salting picking and smoking. Danish cuisine has alvays been inspires by foreign and continental practices and te use of imported tropical spices, therefore the infuence of different herbs and spices have created mary different ways of preparing the herring Marinated Herring Marinated herring is popular withthe Danish people and there are numerous ways fr preparing the herring such 25 pickled herring. spiced herring, herring in curry, herring in mustard and herring with fnions et, Marinated herrings 3 "wo-step process where the herrings are fist cured with sat and the second step involves removing the salt and adding avorings Old-fashioned Matured Herring In Denmark, salting of herring in barrels a traditional preservation process that has been a common practice for many years This method sao called 'ole-ashioned ripening, and itis now a protected product in Denmark with special manufacturing rules thatthe food authortes control In the old-tashioned ripening process he herring are put into large barrels of salt to produce rmarinated.herring or in a mixture of salt, sugar and spices for spice.marinatedcherring. The herring ripens naturally ovr a period of 6 months with ts own natural enzymes, after which tis filed and the skins flashed off and packaged ina solution containing vinegar, sugar and selected spices, Danish Herring Tradition Marinated herring in Denmark's a tradition to serve at Christmas ang especially on Easter Sunday lunch along with Danish sraps and strong Easter beer. The marinated herrings served on buttered, black rye bread, topped with white onion rings ane usualy served with hard boled eggs, potatoes,capers, fresh dil pickled gherkins or tomato slices ‘Though the herring is mostly served cold after being marinated, other serving styles include smoked, fried, breaded, or charred. ‘The herring draws every spring into Ringkabing Fjord to spawn, making the area atthe wha in Hvide Sande a fishing mecca for anglers. Thsis celebrated each year in Hide Sande with the traitional Herring Festval andthe unafficial World Cup in herring fishing, The event also Includes competition for herring fileting andthe best herring recipe for the year Kipper in the United Kingdom ‘Akipper isa whole herring with guts and gis removed, split down the back from head to tall, cured in a ight brine and cold smoked at an air temperature not higher than 30°C, typically over smoldering ‘ak The quality of kippers depends a great deal upon the fat content ofthe herring from which they are made,kKippering as aver means to preserve by ubbing with salt or other spices before dryingin the open ai or in smoke, Kippered herring originated in the early nineteenth century when the waters around the north of Scotland experienced an abundance of herring, as these fish have been known to move in large groups and are always an the move, Kippers are often dyed inthe brine bath as most consumers preferarich mahogany color which cannot be achieved by smoking without losing its fat flavor and producing an over dried product. However, some producers from the Ile of Man and Scotland prefer not to dye the kinpers and use the traditional smokin techniques. British Herring Tradition Inthe United kingdom, kippers have been traditionally serve for breakfast with fried or scrambled eggs and toast besides lunch and dinner. In recent years, kippers have been replaced on many restaurant menus with smoked salman or mackerel, Some ofthe reasons that kippers lest its popularity in the United Kingdom is due tothe overfishing of herring in the North Sea which caused sharp declines in mid-1960s and early 1970s, besides is strong flavor, mass food production and the advent of fast food which has had a greater appeal forthe younger generation.References Encyclopedia ofthe Arctic by Mark Nuttall ‘The Unnatural History ofthe Sea by Callum Roberts Socio-economic importance of ecosystem services in the Nordic Countres by Nordic Councilof Ministers, 2012 [Article Category: Food & Culture ome ov Ge 8 ‘YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE onus FROM AROUND THE WORLD HISTORY OF THE HERRINGost A COMMENT To leave a comment, cick the button below to sign in with Google. COPYRIGHT © 2023 GRAPES & GRAMS