– I like to have a relationship with those who produce my food | Norwegian Farmer
Astrid Regine Nässlender (30) is a chef and gründer, live on Engeløya in Steigen municipality on Helgelandskysten where she has recently opened a delicatessen, pbrewery and catering company. You may have hear about her already. In 2018, she was awarded the Chef’s Award for her work with bhonorable cooking, she has long served food on spectaclehonor Manshausen, and in years she has fewtt in place an agreement with Hurtigruten. We have vpea so lucky and have a little chat – about real mat, relationship with those who produce it, and to follow the seasons in mat cooking.
- Favorite ingredient: What’s in season!
- Al: 30
- From: Balsfjord –
- Occupation: Chef and runs a local grocery store in high seasons
- Residence: Engeløya in Steigen (moved from Denmark 5 years ago)
What is it like to sell and process local food in Steigen?
One must stand out for being a place in the market, and high quality to retain the customer. I sell a little privately, and do a little catering. And then I send out mat to blah. Nordlandsmuseet in Steigen and has recently entered into a collaboration with Hurtigruta to produce products for them – they cheer on local food and want to handle more season.
You have to have more legs to stand on. In the beginning, it was difficult to find local meat, but little by little I have come into contact with good producers nearby.
You work seasonally, how this characterizes the operation through oneright?
In the autumn there is hunting, when I accept venison. 60-70 moose then visit the facility. Most go in return to the hunting teams, but I also buy about 20 slaughters. These are raw materials enough for me to produce and further process the meat and sell it. Next season then is the Christmas sale, with everything from Christmas sausage and pieces of meat to cooked ham and liver pate. In January, everyone is slim so then I can not bear even open.
Most positions come during the spring, and at Easter I hold an open Easter shop. Then I get slaughter from local farms – mostly on Engeløya. I like to have a relationship with those who produce mine. Now I have lots of mutton and cattle from here on the island, and I regularly get in some pork for sausage. I work with the slaughterhouse and keep in touch with the farmers about when they send what. I do not trade directly with the farmer since it is not possible per. today. The nearest slaughterhouse is today in Lofoten. Then the animals have to travel many hours depending on the ferry and weather. The dream is that we get to slaughter here in the municipality so we avoid the long journey for the animals.
Where does the interest in local råvarer from?
Luckily, I escaped growing up with bagged food. We cooked a lot from scratch. Without being a particularly food-interested family, we still had contact with ingredients and how things work. That cream gets thicker the longer it cooks, for example.
In Denmark, 60% of the area is arable, and one is quickly presented with different ways of doing things. Something is struggling more on the planet and something else. This with labeling schemes for animal welfare and for ecology is a larger and natural part of the grocery trade in Denmark even in Norway, also because the contrasts are so great. I was thus a bit forced to form an attitude towards mat quite early on. Combined with the fact that I come from the large flat Jutland with its pig farms – it sets thoughts in motion and previously some values.
Now I have been doing math for well over 10 years, initially as a job alongside studies. It has been background music in my life before I found out it was an “adult job”. I especially like discovering a place … what is it here, what grows here? If I were to just pick up the food myself, what would it be?
How has it gonett to start up in a small village on Helgeland?
I have been lucky to get a little on my name due to different media attention, and agreements with Hurtigruten. The operation has gone a bit by itself. Until now, I have written on Facebook half a day before I open that I “open in mårra”. Now I’m at a crossroads. Just wanted to make sure the quality was right before I could screw up the quantity. Now I have received help, and it can roll and go, but more people must come to the store and get more major customers.
We hope she gets more customers. The reasoning from the jury in 2018 when she won the food prize at least indicates that we will all benefit from the upscaling:
«The winner of the Chefs Award 2018 is off the beaten track. The limitations require a head that sees the opportunity that exists and gjislandre benefit from what nature offers. ONEr times and place characterize the food wins stock, and ronethe goods hislandstes largely themselves. By opting out of resources and ronegoods that are otherwise easily accessible, the winner clearly has to create something very special, something unique and something that is worth taking the extra trip for. The winner fishes, picks, plants and poneis most of the food served. On the outermost nislandgne island is she maybe voner time Terje Vigen. ONEcourt winner stocks gold of gronestone, she does not give up and she is a great inspiration to everyone.»
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