a variety of herd animals, on one hand; and on the other, hardy wild, seasonal, or horticulture-derived fruits (wild or cultivated berries) and vegetables (mainly root tubers) on the other. In particular, grains are highly seasonal in Scandinavia, their production in the modern period a function of carefully chosen agricultural land, typically near more temperate ocean shores rather than in barren and arid interior or highland regions; and the benefits of advanced scientific farming and food-preparation strategies (Funk & Wagnalls, passim).
The idea of food-related strategies implies a whole range of activities with importance for practical survival on one hand and development of the culture on the other, which is simply a way of saying that food is a point of departure for both physical and psychological well-being in Scandinavia. To be sure, the physical importance of food in Scandinavia can be compared to the same importance anywhere else in the world. However, we have seen that climate and topography limit the available options of agriculture and animal husbandry in the region. Thus certain aspects of nutrition may be inferred from what has been considered important about food in the area.
The significance of food history in Scandinavia can be seen in the earliest cultural history of (or anyway from) the region. Consider the Old English epic Beowulf, which concerns the fate of Danish and Swedish migrants to English soil: Whatever else is true about this early literary work, it is also true that life and action unfold in the face of bleak hardship that is only too familiar in Scandinavia. Meanwhile, the culture of the society inside the work is built around the ceremony and comfort of food and drink. A key focus of action is the court known as the ômead hall,ö which is the center of shared culture and which achieves significance not least because it is identified with a food, notably a honey wine. A similar dynamic is at wor...