Silver of the Sea
Season 2 Episode 205 | 25m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
The hosts explore Fosen, north of Trondheim, meeting families linked to herring fishing.
Herring, often called the "silver of the sea," is revered in Scandinavian cuisine for its simplicity and flavor. In this episode, Arne invites Stig and chef Live to Fosen, where they encounter two families whose livelihoods revolve around herring fisheries. Join the hosts as they venture out to sea to explore the rich history and traditional methods of harvesting this prized fish.
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People of the North is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television
Silver of the Sea
Season 2 Episode 205 | 25m 3sVideo has Closed Captions
Herring, often called the "silver of the sea," is revered in Scandinavian cuisine for its simplicity and flavor. In this episode, Arne invites Stig and chef Live to Fosen, where they encounter two families whose livelihoods revolve around herring fisheries. Join the hosts as they venture out to sea to explore the rich history and traditional methods of harvesting this prized fish.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
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[ Wind whistling ] Seafood from Norway.
♪♪ -Telemark -- a world of culture and history where nature knows no bounds, with the flavors of local delicacies.
Adventure awaits in Telemark.
[ Jet engine roaring ] -Welcome to "People of the North."
-Yeah.
Now we are way above the polar circle.
-Yeah, we are in Gratangen.
And we are going to explore the silver of the ocean.
It's a fish.
It's herring.
-And we're gonna meet two families.
-Two families that keep the traditions going because we have been eating this since... -The Viking Age.
-...the Viking Age.
It's a lovely little nutritious, versatile fish, a survivor for the people of the North in really tough times.
And when it comes to Christmas... -There's no Christmas without the herring.
-That's for sure.
-No Christmas without herring.
Because now it's herring time.
For centuries, the rich, herring-filled waters of the cold Atlantic have sustained Norwegian coastal communities, providing jobs and shaping our way of life.
Today, the herring fisheries is a prized resource, employing advanced technology to ensure sustainability and maintaining stocks for the future.
The silver of the seas continues to be a vital part of our lives, passed on in generations.
In this episode, you'll meet fourth-generation herring fishermen and eighth-generation herring producers and, of course, a culinary treat when star chef Live prepares a wonderful herring Christmas feast at a mansion on the coast.
♪♪ Join me on a journey where we will meet people who live, work, and enjoy life right here in the Far North.
I'm Arne Hjeltnes, and I'm gonna show you some exotic places and interesting people up north.
-I'm Stig Bareksten, and I will find good beverages and the nice flavors of the north.
-Welcome to "People of the North."
♪♪ It's early morning in Gratangen when the crew of the fishing vessel Odd Lundberg is stacking up supplies for another expedition in search of the silver of the seas.
In these beautiful surroundings, we are on board this very proud vessel, Odd Lundberg, with the fourth generation of the Lundbergs, who have been here for a very long time doing fisheries.
And, Mats, you are the skipper.
What does that make you feel when you sail out from here now?
-Oh, it's a big load to have on your shoulders that you're the fourth generation to carry on what the generations before you have achieved.
So it's a lot of honor involved in what we do.
It's no doubt about that.
-What is it like to work so tight with your family?
-Many people ask how we can do that.
We live almost side to side here, and we work together.
We travel, vacation together.
But our crew -- they say that we cooperate very good in the family.
-Father always was very good taking us with him to work and down on the piers.
I think we always knew that this is where we will end up.
-The roles float very freely on board here, so... -Geir, what's the perspective of your family business?
-We like to be here in these small areas, and we want to develop new industry to have more people to come here, to live here, to enjoy staying here.
So we will take part of what we can take part in.
And in 1984, we started also with salmon farm.
We have employers from Poland, from Lithuania, different countries down in Europe.
We need these foreigners to work because there are not so much Norwegian people anymore like to do these jobs.
-A big family company like yourself is important to the village here.
-A lot of people are relying on us, not only for work places, but also that we shop and do our supplies locally.
And now when we are head out this trip, we are going to the local store here, doing all our provisions here for this big boat, and all crew for all those weeks, we try to do here.
And all that we want to do and need to do, we try to do locally here, from contractors to electricians.
We try to use the local people first as much as possible.
We hope to be at least another 100 years here.
Fisheries continue to evolve all the time, but we are young, as you see, and we try to participate in the new things all the time.
So, we are testing new equipment.
We have invested in new boats.
-You're standing on the shoulders on those before you.
-Yeah.
That's true.
[ Laughter ] -Family and relatives of the fishermen are at the quay to wave farewell and wish them a safe and prosperous harvest in the mighty North Atlantic.
This is an important tradition.
Today, the vessels are modern and well-equipped, but in the old days it was not without danger.
They set out from their home turf.
-In these new vessels, we have the amazing technology.
Fish-finding sonars.
That's basically underwater radar.
You could look very far from the boat and also very close to us to determine what kind the school of fish we are looking at and if it's big enough to put the nets out.
But we still rely very much on information from old fishermen, family, my father, grandfather that's been carried on through many generations.
♪♪ -With a bit of experience, a bit of modern equipment, we have this big, big bag of the silver of the sea, our very valuable catch.
The modern vessel Odd Lundberg is doing well at the herring grounds.
This herring is soon to be landed further south on the Norwegian coast.
♪♪ The fourth generation in the Lundberg family is taking care of traditions and new opportunities in the ocean.
The young men are out at sea for the herring.
The young women are taking care of another important part of Norwegian fisheries -- aquaculture with salmon.
-We started in 1984 with the production of salmon and now produce around 80 to 160 tons each day in this factory.
-This industry is very important to keep the small communities alive and to make sure that we can live here.
We are around 150 people, if you count companies that are connected to our company.
We hope to develop and get bigger and better.
-Where do you sell the salmon?
Is it mainly in the domestic market or...?
-All around the world.
A lot to Europe and Asia.
So, most of the fish goes out from Norway.
-Most of it?
-Yeah.
-I saw some Japanese people on the harbor when we arrived.
Are they here to buy or...?
-They're here to see how the fish is produced, how it's done when it arrives at the factory.
We get a lot of visitors during the year.
-And it's not bad to take them here.
Blue sky, snow on the mountains.
Fantastic.
-And it's always like this.
-And it's always like this.
-I think they will buy.
-Yeah.
-Imagine that in little Gratangen, I met a real sushi chef all the way from Japan.
Ken, you're a Japanese chef working with sushi in the US, in Asia, all over, and now you're visiting here.
-Yeah, salmon -- many, many service.
Most popular seafood.
Very beautiful view.
Nice.
♪♪ -You serve this also with soy sauce, wasabi?
-Soy sauce and wasabi.
-Yeah.
-Sushi.
Sushi.
-For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.
You have to taste, and you have to taste.
[ Conversing in Japanese ] This is a Norwegian chopstick.
-No, no.
I have.
I have.
I have.
[ Conversing in Japanese ] -Ooh, fantastic taste.
Ooh!
Cho umai.
All: Cho umai.
-[ Laughs ] -Cho umai, mai.
-Okay.
Cho umai, mai.
"Mai" is good.
"Mai" is good.
-"Mai" is good.
-"Cho umai" is very good.
-Yeah.
-Okay, so I learned a little Japanese also in Gratangen.
Further south at Fosen, herring is also vital for the coastal community.
Sun is shining, Stig, and we're actually on a ferry, small ferry.
-And this is probably the smallest ferry company in this country.
-And it's actually the family Grontvedt, who makes herring, that owns this ferry company.
-Wonderful.
This transport is a kind of beauty and fun part for us tourists, but for you guys, this is more important.
-Yes, it's very important for the island because this is the way we can go back and forth.
This is very, very important transport for the islands.
-It's the family Grontvedt who handles the herring after the fisherman has landed it.
-Tonje, you are the seventh generation here in this company.
And bringing the youth, there will always be some innovation.
Have you come up with any innovation?
-Yeah.
Our contribution to this development is omega-11 and omega-3, made from fresh herring.
We remove all the taste and smell.
And also you don't get any rancid aftertaste, which you often get when you consume fish oils.
-Ah.
-Cheers.
-It's almost tasteless.
-Mm-hmm.
But it has no rancid aftertaste.
-Fantastic.
-Father Bjornar has a very long tradition to keep alive.
Bjornar, we're now actually here at your factory in this little bay, where your ancestors came almost 200 years ago.
-This island was, Krakvag, was under...Storfosna in the old days, from 1574 to 1820.
Then the son...bought Krakvag from his father.
And then he create this as a farm.
The product we do here, the fully mature herring, the matjes herring, we are very proud to produce this, the fully mature herring, where we store the herring and we produce it in the old way, like our XO or our RESERVA, and that we do here in Krakvag in this factory.
-And given the size, if you love herring, you've probably eaten some herring from this very bay.
Our star chef, Live Krangnes Edvardsen, has also arrived at Fosen and wants to see how the Grontvedts are taking care of this valuable resource.
Fresh herring from boats coming in from the sea is handled in this modern factory.
From here, fillets and herring goes to international customers, who make their own products with their own flavors.
The Grontvedt family have always played an important role in this community.
They even have their own hotel, where you can get herring, of course.
-Tonje, now we are at your hotel.
And you promised me that I would taste the best of the best herring you make here.
-This is matjes XO, or matjes RESERVA, as we also call it.
Here we have taken the herring when it has the right fat content.
We take it to the factory at Uthaug, and there we fillet the herring and put it back in our special XO brine.
-I really, really want to try this one.
-Yes, sure.
Get the good flavor.
-Mmm.
This is so nice.
The only thing I'm lacking now is an aquavit.
-I think I can help you with that.
-Oh!
This is a perfect combination.
-Yes?
Yes.
Perfect.
-This used to be a housewifery school, but now it's renovated to a wonderful historic hotel.
♪♪ Benedikte, you're also seventh-generation Grontvedt.
-That's right.
-This is not a herring factory.
This is a luxury hotel.
What's the story behind Hovde Gard?
-Going back to 1918 when it was the housewife school here.
-Housewife school?
-Mm-hmm.
I'm sure that it didn't look quite like this when you took it over.
-No, no, no, it did not look like this.
-So, what can people experience when they come to you now?
-We like that they see the history in the building when they are here.
-And good food.
-And good food.
-For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.
♪♪ At the manor of the chiefs who once ruled this coastline, Stig wants to invite Live for a cold cocktail before she starts preparing for our herring feast.
-Live... -Yeah?
-...I'm gonna make a dry martini today.
I've chosen a gin from just on the other side of the fjord there, Gratangen.
And I created a vermouth based on white wine, some green tea, ramson, and aquavit.
-Wow.
Sounds lovely.
-So, the homemade vermouth, then a friendly measure of gin.
I don't think I need to stir this much because it's quite freezing cold.
But the most important part here is to make it cold.
-And taste-wise, you think this will fit with the herring?
-Gin in general fits extremely well with fatty fish.
-Yeah.
-So I think -this will be perfect.
-The herring snack I made with the rosettbakkels.
-Yeah.
-It's quite fatty because I also have cheese there.
So... -Then this will be perfect.
-[ Laughs ] -So, cheers.
-Cheers.
Wow.
You can also feel a little bit of that ramson, as well.
-Oh, absolutely.
It's quite present, I would say.
-So, here I have rosettbakkels.
-Uh-huh.
-Fresh cheese, herring roe, which is also smoked.
-Okay.
-[ Laughs ] -Oh, quite fluffy.
-Yeah, it is.
-Mmm.
And here is a... -[ Laughs ] I would say this is a -- mmm -- perfect combination.
Perfect pairing.
Skal.
-Skal.
-Live, it's Christmas time, and I assume you have planned something with herring?
-I have.
I mean, herring is very popular here in Norway, especially during Christmastime.
So I'm gonna do two different snacks.
You can also serve them as courses, made out of traditional pastries.
It's gonna be filled with fresh cheese made from cow milk.
And then we also have smoked herring roe.
-Wonderful.
-So, first we need the rosettbakkels.
We turn it around, and then we start filling it with the fresh cheese.
We're gonna continue with the herring roe.
-Yeah.
-And we're also gonna top it with some onions and fresh herbs, as well.
♪♪ -Beautiful.
-Thank you.
-Shall we put it on this plate?
-Yes, we shall.
-And we have a lot of people at our Christmas table, so... 10 more, please.
-[ Laughs ] ♪♪ This is something we call potato bread, made with the boiled potatoes mixed with butter and salt.
-And just fried it.
-And then it's just fried on the takke.
♪♪ ♪♪ -Potato cake.
This mature herring and some sour cream and onions and stuff -- it's going to be delicious.
And next, before we start our Christmas party, we're gonna fill this table with herring.
-Yes.
-In all kinds of ways.
The coast is where our richness lies.
No wonder the rulers put their mansions here on the brink of the sea.
Oyvind, this island, Storfosna, has been a central place for a long time.
It's been almost like a roundabout for the Vikings, when they came along the coast in the ships, in the longships, because this is in the middle of north, south, east, west.
So it's a very central point.
It's given what's called the King's letter, which means that it's been a king's place.
But before that, Viking chiefs have been here since probably around year 600.
-And you have found quite a lot of artifacts from the Viking Age in and around your estate.
-Yes.
We have some people with metal detectors.
-Yep.
-And they found a lot of coins, pockets, belt pockets, all kinds of stuff from all the way back to year 650, 700.
I think it's from year 800, they found a coin, an Arabic dirham.
-A dirham.
-Which means they did the trade with the Arabs back in year 800 from here, which quite amazing.
-This must have been quite an important place with an important chief or king.
-Yes, this has been the home place for a lot of Viking chiefs and kings through the years.
And Norway -- The name "Norway" is "the way to the north," and this is right in the middle of it.
-The coast holds many dramatic stories also here at Storfosna.
-It's a monument of our prisoners of war from the Second World War.
East Europeans -- they were starved and froze to death out there.
Nobody visiting it and takes care of it anymore.
-No.
-But it's kind of strange to think about, that these men died out here so far away from home.
-Yeah.
♪♪ -What is Storfosna, the island today?
-Well, today it's mainly farmland.
-And you have this fantastic herd of deer.
It's called the red deer.
-They were put out here in the beginning of the '80s, and they flourished because there's no predators here.
So, because there's no predators, the only way to maintain the population is to hunt.
Today it's a very healthy herd of roebucks on this island.
[ Gunshot ] ♪♪ ♪♪ -After the traditional red deer hunt, it's time to get ready for a party at the mansion.
-For this fantastic Christmas table, we also need some garnish.
We have some almond potatoes here.
That's just boiled, mixed with butter and chives.
And then I've made a beet salad here with the yellow beets and also some red beets here with fresh cheese and pickled onions.
And at the end here, we have some eggs with some toasted buckwheat.
And then we have our main role over here.
It's fully matured herring and then some other types, as well.
♪♪ -Finally, it's time to get in the festive mood with everyone who has contributed.
Then it's the herring from Geir and Stian and Mats' boat of Lundberg, taken well care of by the Grontvedt family.
Live, what's your impression now after being out here on the islands, on the mouth of the Trondheim Fjord, and meeting the herring people?
-For me, as a chef, it's so nice to see where the food comes from and also meet the people who work so hard to get it on the table.
It's very important to keep the traditions.
And also, I mean, herring is such a beautiful product, and it's so much you can do with it.
So those two together I think is just perfect.
-In the dark and cold season, it is wonderful to gather with warmth, candlelight, and good friends in a tribute to our ancestors.
♪♪ Geir, how is it to taste the herring that you've been out in the open seas fishing?
-Well, this tastes very, very good, and it's an untraditional way to eat it.
And I think that's the way we have to do it.
-I think that the herring have a long future.
-So there will be herring people out here for the next couple of hundred years.
-For the next 100 couple years.
That's right, yes.
-Tonight is an excellent example of how we should use this place to make network and connect people and look at the future.
-I'll drink to that.
God jul.
God jul.
-God jul.
-God jul.
-For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.
This versatile, valuable fish is an important part of our culture and tradition.
It holds the story of survival and prosperity in many coastal communities.
♪♪ ♪♪ For more inspiration, visit our website, peopleofthenorth.net.
-Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following... [ Wind whistling ] -Seafood from Norway.
♪♪ -Telemark.
A world of culture and history where nature knows no bounds, with the flavors of local delicacies.
Adventure awaits in Telemark.
[ Jet engine roaring ]
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People of the North is presented by your local public television station.
Distributed nationally by American Public Television