Inuit eating habits: eating a raw seal?

[Morten]

Smithy: Np! Did you watch the video?

Morten: Oh wow, so you LIVED in Greenland? Wow such an interesting life you lead with all those quirky school/teacher stories and all (what kind of class was that?! It sure wasn't science...was it?.....)

Btw, is Greenland by any chance quickly modernizing or would you say it's relatively still 'untouched'? I think I might consider going there -sounds really fascinating

Polar bears with a sandy texture? Strange indeed...I'd imagine it would taste extremely 'gamey' and probably have a strong 'smell'.

Oh and I guess the cold, icy weather does have some of its advantages -you can certainly save a fair bit of money by living without a fridge 

What is the common type of seasoning over there in Greenland? Is it just the typical salt and pepper? Is there a particular flavouring agent that is native to the place? And do the Greenlanders eat dessert? Perhaps they use berries to make a pie of sorts but I'm guessing they don't. I have a feeling the Greenlandic cuisine is mainly simple and hearty, rather than intricate and elaborate. It is, after all, hard to be the latter when you live in such climate.

I wonder...are there any restuarants anywhere in the world that specialises in Greenlandic cuisine? Perhaps in Denmark hmm...

P.S. Seal skin is probably chewy...

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I do believe it was a futile attempt to learn us the basic of homecookings. Best memory was our competition in who could drink most water. I cant rember who won, but im sure at the time i was 98% water

Greenland has and is a very modern society, with the limits that comes from living relative isolated. All modern conveniences are there and the even though the supermarkets are far from where most foods are produced - they should be well stocked, but expensive. But im sure the proximity of an impressive nature and a strong sense of culture is keeping their tradition and culture strong.

Im not sure how it is now, but back in 80s there were last ship around this time of year, wich meant that no supplies would arrived before spring.

Back then winters where really cold and if it wasnt because of the lack of places to get fuel you could drive a car to Canada. Now thats ice!

I do rember one of my first winters up there, where the ice wouldnt break up and it keept being there for 3 months more than expected. Every day a new food would be rationed, so that everyone could get a fair share. I have to mention here that there is no roads between towns and a quick look on google earth should tell why

Being a young kid i thought this was real exciting, but i can rember my mothers concerns about what to make next for diner. But eventually the supply ship smashed its way through the ice (took over 3 weeks as i rember it), I can still see it sailing back for about 100 meters and then sail fullspeed ahead into the ice and advancing about 3-5 meters. The stern was blank polished battered metal. Quite a party on the ice around the ship with most of the town (all 3900 of us) was down there to greet them or rather the food they had with them! The ice was still over 2 meters thick and it was a really fun to experience the shockwaves going through the ice, people where falling all over the place.

That evening the stores was open really late and i dont rember what my mom made, but i rember the pure joy and smiles that meet you everywhere for a while. Nothing like fresh supplies to bring a smile to an inuit!

Oh im rambling again

About frigdes and freezers - we keept our 3! freezers in a outhouse without heating, so as soon as the tempurature dropped we turned them off!

Seasoning traditionally.. Im not sure to be honest, but i seem to recall to have read that sometimes berries where used. The lack of agriculture puts some limits to what can be done.

Even though the best smoked salmon i ever got was smoked in the mountains with the bush of black and blue berries.

I never heard of a greenlandic resturant in Denmark, but i know that some protein is used by some kithcens in Denmark, like Noma in copenhagen.

Every year when the seal hunt in Newfoundland comes around, and the CBC does its obligatory story on how appalled the rest of the world gets about it, my mother gets all high dudgeon-y and (picture her ironing in front of the TV) shakes her iron and shouts "Club 'em all! The little bastards eat all the cod!"

I have simular experiences from back then. Its enough to say that the inhabitans on Greenland feelt like Greenpeace was out to get them