Americans are embracing the Nordic way of life. An article in Harvard Political Review examines two aspects of Nordic culture that make the Nordic people happy and healthy: hygge and fermentation. Hygge translates to “cozy” in Danish and is a method people in countries like Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland use to adapt to their long winter season. A fireplace, family dinner or cozy blanket can be hygge. Fermentation, the ancient technique used in Nordic cuisine to preserve food, is still practiced today. The article notes fermentation is pushing against fast-food consumerism. It’s a form of slow cooking the Nordic people traditionally do at home with the food they’ve foraged in the summer.
Read more (Harvard Political Review)