Beers in the Nordic kitchen, part II

After our post about beer and wild garlic, we've brewed a little further on the history of beer in the modern Nordic cuisine, or course, then, the lack thereof.
MOUTH-FULL was contacted by NOMA, who wanted to talk more about this with Nordic cuisine and beer. It was a very exciting chat with some office ganglia Pontus Elofsson. He pointed out that Noma is a Nordic kitchen with large N and that the choices are being taken with respect to the beverage compositions, this starting point.

 - "Nomas food is elegant in its composition, elegant and subtle taste, depends on a like-minded elegant companion."

In a clarification he explains that beer is too volmineus in its sweetness and bitterness to the more refined taste battles that are a gourmet meal at Noma.

 - "Razor clams with dill / mussel juice has as clear and cool expression that the acid and minerality a wine can offer is much better than a beer," says Pontus.

He also sees the wild fermented beers lambik and geuze, as too potent, perhaps too primitive to muslingen. Also,  access is difficult to the brewer's distribution was a reason for a smaller focus. Beer is also not particularly popular at Nomas audience, as Pontus puts it. Noma sells almost only its own beer and that as a start before the meal. Pontus Elofsson describes him self as one of the someliers who know most about beer in the country, which may well be seen by the card.


Nordic Prize 2010
Noma is the restaurant of the 40 nominees for this year's "Nordic Prize" which has clearly best beerselection. 26 beers, it has. After reviewing the beers, however, they imprint of being selected very randomly, according to quality judging. Thus the sublime brewery Mikkeller as Danish, Norwegian Nøgne Ø or Swedish Närke not represented on the card. In contrast the restaurant has Fur, Jacobsen, Kloster Bryggeriet and Claus Meyers Bændeale. As the only clear quality choice, we find Nils Oskar of Sweden and Danish Bøgelund.

Now no more about Nomas beer selection; we have tried to take this,  to MOUTH-FULL very important question, up a level.

"The Nordic Prize" is a Danish Crown and Arla sponsored price to the annual best Nordic restaurant.
Quote:
 - "In recognition and respect of the Nordic gastronomy and Nordic cultural values selected Connoisseur of gastronomy in the Nordic countries have teamed up to elect" Restaurant of the Year in the North ", an initiative that will bring further focus on the Nordic markers."

It will therefore reward the work of Nordic cuisine and nordic cultural values. Now beer is not sovereign a nordic product, but neither is wine. Yet it is a clear trend by examining the nominees restaurants websites that wine rules over beer to the food. A food and a job that otherwise, the pages themselves, claims toat work to create the best possible experience for the guest.

31 restaurants do not mention beer with a word on their sites. Four states brewery names while six mentions "beer" and a price, but not the brewers. Not so impressive, I these times of the Nordic Kitchen.
Finnish OLO, Helsinki, describes the wine as, "The Nordic kitchen is fairly tolerant with various wine tastes." Other restaurants are not as precise in the work to make grape juice from around the world BUT Scandinavia, to this new Nordic concept, but claim here and here to know about beer, because they have a philosophy about their drinks as a whole.


Therefore, MOUTH-FULL prepared and sent the following letter and questions to the 40 restaurants, with a 10-day answering time, so we're all seeing what is happening inside of these potential winners and real very competent restaurant to be representing the High in the Nordic chefs craft; food.

Mailtext:
Reguarding your restaurants use of beer and work with the Nordic Cuisine


Dear owners, chefs and sommeliers
I´m a Danish blogger on food and education. In my search for a valid reason to the lack of beers in the Nordic gourmet kitchen, I write you ,in the hope that you can help me. Since your restaurant has been nominated for the “Nordic Prize” award this year, I hope to address this to restaurants on the highest level, with interest in Nordic Cuisine and a never stopping desire to be on the forefront of gourmet cuisine.


So, I have made a list of questions I would hope you could find the time to answer, for my education, for my readers and the further work with the topic.


Thanx in advance
Yours truly






My blog (I´m afraid it´s in Danish) http://mund-fuld.blogspot.com/






Questions:


• Briefly describe your work with the Nordic Cuisine.


• Can you give a description, maybe in pictures as to how a meal at your restaurant is intended


• What are your views on beverages for meals?


• What requirements are you asking for wine when you assemble it with your food?

• To what extent are beer used in your restaurant?


• What is the background for your restaurant to carry beers?


• What background underlie your choice of beer?


• What requirements are you asking for a beer when you assemble it with your food?


• What education / training / travel underlie your knowledge of beer?

• Based on your focus on the Nordic kitchen, what reasons are there to overwhelmingly use wine in your restaurant?


• What can be the basis for the restaurant industry's greater emphasis on wine rather than beer for dinner?


• Have your restaurant's plans to include more beer in your work?



This is the second part of three, read the first here and the third here