Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-12
FOOD OF the NORWEGIANS
DIET has GOOD INFLUENCE ON
PHYSIQUE OF PEOPLE.
Hardy Northerners Eat Stews, Soups,
Sausage and Fish-Indigestion
Little Known in Norway.
From the Pail Mall Gazette.

From the Pail Mall Gazette.
The stranger in Norway is forciby struck
with the superior physique of the nation: he
meets race of large honed. fair haired
men and women. and the chief wonder is the
absence of Uniformed and under developed
people. When the rigor of the Norwegian
winter is considered one is likely to ascribe
this physical well-bearing to the survival of
the httest. But the splendid Physique Is
also due NOT only to the wild spread system
OF physical development in vogue. but to the
peculiarly suitable food eaten. Hence. an
inquiry into the Scandinavian dietary is
valuable and interesting.
The customary food of the nation is of the
soup-and-stew order. This results in a large
quantity of nouriShment being taken in a
liquid form, and renders the diet one easy
or digestion. Nations employing food in
more solid shape require more LIQUID in the
FORM OF drink; but this unfortunately leads
to a dilution of the digestive fluids and rem
ders them unable to act on the solid food
IN the necessary concentrated state. 1t is
mus matter of no surprise that few Nor
weg!ans suffer from Indigestion: indeed, it
is easy to see that many of the dishes. as
a result OF their mode of prepa ration, are
to an extent prcdigested. In this connec-
ton it would be we'll to point to the effect
upon the ratiOn's teeth. Naturally, the pos
session of perfect teeth is a guarantee of
satisfactory masticatiOn. the first stage in
the assimilation of food. But the nature Of
the food taken determines to a large extent
the condition of the moars. There is no
more fruitful source of dental dec ~ than
the retention Of meat fibers between the
teeth. IN such way that before chemical
action has released them the opening pres
sure and acid reaction from the fiber has
often induced injury to the dental enamel
This idea is borne out by the fact that in
Norway, where roast meats are the eX-
ceptfon, the condition of the teeth compares
wit hot of
men.
Take Juices From Food.
The aim of Norwegian cookery would APP
pear to be- not to retain the juices In the
food material, but to abstract them. and,
after the cellular formation of the food
has been broken down. to return the Juices
to the dish. For this reason Norwegians
regard English cookery, which attempts
to retain the natural juices in joints and
poultry, as ''one-sided." They regard Eng
land as the country of zone dinner and one
sauce But If joints are a thing unknown
in Norwegian cookery, it Is rather fact
to be anticipated than wondered at at
least, If one has observed the quality of the
meat exposed for sale For, In spite of the
fact that the beef and mutton are Of
ficially stamped with a triangular blue inn
preston before sale at the Kjordkontrol.
the meat Is poor stuff indeed-skinny. dark
and dry, and sinewy an Arab steed. AS
set-oH against the inferior meat the
Norwegian housewife has supply of fish
which can be bettered by no country in
the world, and of which every advantage
is taken.
In Norway. as in America three meals
are eaten per day-breakfast. mid daeg"
and supper. 'haffe," taken an hour after
beverage is coffee, and only fancy cakes
are allowed to accompany it. At breakfast
pOrridge is usually eaten, and the sausage
ubiquitous in Norway as in Germany is
n iafty IF
sages is notable. as well the mode OF
ea,.ng. In this form only is horsefiesh en-
ployed: and every variety of sausage is
sliced and eaten thus upon the bread with
or without butter. On Sundays and Thurs
days the staple article of breakfast Is
"bif This consists of pounded beef.
which is seasoned and afterward shaped
into solid lump. and then fried with
onions. 1t has much. the flavor of good
steak and naturally offers no difficulties
to mastication. The rich brown gravy, al
ways served with this dish, is one of the
many triumphs of gravy-production which
the nation enjoys
Dinner Bill of Fare.
Md-daeg, as dinner is called. Is the
staple meal of the day. The most note
worthy thing about the meal is the great
variety of soups. Not only are flesh and
vegetable soups prepared, but sweet soups
and porridge are common. Rice porridge,
favored to taste with butter and cinnamon
Is much affected. besides raisin soup con-
tanning tapioca. apple-porridge Consisting
of apple slices stewed in oatmeaD and fish
soups. The Norwegians, above all things
understand the art of preparing fish. One
of the most appetizing ways of eating this
article of diet is as fsh-balls, for which the
I.sh is boned and pounded and stewed after
being rolled into balls Meatballs are pre-
pared the same way. When meat does
appear a joint it is usually under the
guise of boiled mutton, and this dish Is
generally followed by prunes stewed In
tapioca. The national Saturday dinner will
not appeal very appetizingly to our insular
minds. for 1t consists of raw picked her
rims (pickled in brine). with raw onions
AMI boiled potatoes. The Norwegians calm
for IT that, in this FORM none of the nutri-
ment is lost. n imported dish. which bids
fair also to become a national dinner. is
delicious Spanish dish, resembling ola
podrida. which is made up of faxed cod
baked with sliced potatoes. tomatoes and
ri / gravy. Supper is hearty meal, taken
about o'clock In the evening. Among the
a:iOus dishes in customary use are meat
balls. slid salad (herring salad, made of
picked herring, onion sage and parsley
minced a eaten cold, bruised fish and
potatoes served hot. and steaming dried
fi:i. During katie. the sort of informal
meal which has already been mentioned, a
great variety of fancy breads and cakes are
eaten.