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Rakfisk | Local Cured Fish From Fagernes, Norway | TasteAtlas
Rakfisk | Local Cured Fish From Fagernes, Norway | TasteAtlas
Rakfisk | Local Cured Fish From Fagernes, Norway | TasteAtlas
Rakfisk | Local Cured Fish From Fagernes, Norway | TasteAtlas
Rakfisk | Local Cured Fish From Fagernes, Norway | TasteAtlas

Rakfisk

Rakfisk is a Norwegian specialty that is made by salting and fermenting fish for a few months or up to a year. It is typically prepared with trout or char, although any freshwater fish can be used instead. The fish is preserved through a process called raking, hence the name rakfisk.


This fish delicacy is known to have a remarkably strong odor, often described as reminiscent of old cheese or dirty socks. Contrary to its pungent aromas, the fish has a pretty mild and slightly salty flavor with a tang to it. Rakfisk has been traditionally enjoyed during the festive Christmas season in Norway, and it can also be savored at the annual Rakfisk Festival, held in November in the district of Valdres, which is considered the original birthplace of this delicacy.


The fish is typically consumed raw and chilled, either sliced or cubed, and it's usually paired with accompaniments such as potatoes, potato cakes, onions, sour cream, butter, lefse (flatbread), eggs, and mustard-dill sauce. Norwegians usually wash down the exceedingly pungent aromas of the fish with beer or shots of aquavit (a distilled Norwegian spirit).