The Inuit lived in a harsh environment in the Arctic, but they took advantage of the unique conditions of the region to create a way of living that suited them. They live in spherical ice huts, which are well insulated and protected from the cold.
At the same time, their daily food is also very unique, because in the Arctic, natural resources are very limited, so they mainly live by fishing and hunting, and "pickled puffin" is a local specialty delicacy and one of their main foods, it is rich in protein and fat, which can provide the energy and nutrients that the body needs.
Pickled puffin is one of the traditional cuisines of the Inuit people, and it has a special meaning in the culture of the Inuit. But for outsiders, it is difficult to accept due to its very pungent smell. This is also because it is pickled from the entire body of the puffin, including the internal organs, so the smell is stronger.
If visitors go to Inuit inhabited areas and see this dish, they can try it or learn how to eat and cook it from the locals, and experience the local customs and culture. But if you really can't accept this smell, you can also choose other cuisines.
Inuit living in the polar regions
The Inuit lived in an environment where food resources were not plentiful and they depended on hunting and fishing for their livelihoods. Pickled puffins are an important source of food for them, and they also have high nutritional value.
Therefore, although pickled puffins have a pungent smell, it is a prized delicacy in the minds of Inuit.
Inuit, formerly known as Eskimos, lived in very harsh conditions, mostly living in Greenland in the Arctic Circle, Alaska in the United States and other places.
The climate in the Arctic is very cold, with few times of the year when temperatures rise above 0°C, winters are long and cold, and polar days and nights are long.
In the coldest months, the average temperature is only -29°C to -34°C, with the lowest temperature in February as low as -53°C. They lived in spherical windproof snow huts, made of dense blocks of snow.
The Inuit live in a very harsh environment, with little vegetation cover, a short growth period of only 20-90 days, no trees and no crops, only moss and some creeping plants.
Therefore, their main source of food comes from the surrounding animals that can adapt to the cold environment, such as reindeer, seals, albatrosses and so on. They obtain food by hunting, fishing, etc., and also use animal fur to keep warm.
Inuit consume vitamin C by eating fresh meat, cod liver oil, seal liver, fish eggs and other foods, which are rich in vitamin C.
In addition, the Inuit also pick some plants as vegetables, such as moss, vegetable moss, etc. Although these plants contain relatively little vitamin C, it can be used as a trace element needed to maintain the body. As a result, Inuit can access vitamin C and other nutrients they need to stay healthy in a variety of ways.
The pygmy puffin is a penguin-like seabird that breeds mainly in the Arctic. They fly to the rocks in summer to spawn and form dense breeding communities. Therefore, pygmy puffins are one of the important food sources for the Inuit because they are abundant and easy to catch.
Inuit pickled puffins "out of the loop"
Pickled puffins are indeed a very smelly food because it is pickled with fresh puffins. During the curing process, the puffin's flesh is placed in an airtight container along with the internal organs and then soaked in brine for several months to allow it to ferment and spoil.
The puffin meat emits a very pungent smell that is sometimes described as a "mixture of fish and sweat", so many people may find it difficult to accept, but for those who like it, the smell is very delicious.
Canned herring is known as one of the smelliest foods in the world because of its extreme stench. It is a traditional Swedish delicacy made by boiling fresh herring in thick brine and then fermenting naturally for months in cans. In this process, the proteins in herring are broken down into amino acids and amines, releasing a strong odor.
Canned herring is often used in bread or served with things like potatoes, onions, yogurt, or sour cucumbers. Canned herring may have a milder smell than pickled puffins. Pickled puffins are more foul because they are pickled with fresh puffins and take a longer time to pickle.
According to reports, a Japanese program once measured food such as canned herring and found that the odor value of canned herring was 8100 alabast (odor measurement unit), while the smell value of pickled puffins was as high as 9500 alabaste. It can be said that the stench of pickled puffins is indeed very strong. Can you accept pickled puffins for this?