Koks: Faroe Islands Flavor

One of the most remote of all the Michelin-starred restaurants, Koks is dedicated to the foods of the Faroe Islands.  (At the moment, however, it is operating in Greenland, planning a return to the Faroe Islands in 2024. This book does not reflect this change.)

Nominally a part Denmark, the Faroes consist of 18 islands in the North Atlantic, several hundred miles from any other land. 

Poul Andrias Ziska, a native of the Faroe Islands and chef of Koks, notes in his introduction,

"To be Faroese is to understand that we have had to survive in an isolated landscape for more than a thousand years, a place where no trees grow, where the soil is thin, and the wind makes growing crops a daily challenge. We have always eaten what is available locally, the plants, the animals and fish that survive here. The flavours I create in the kitchen come from that landscape; they can be raw and powerful, and some of our ingredients—such as wild sea birds—may be challenging."

In this sweepingly gorgeous book, Ziska, working with writer Tim Ecott and photographer Claes Bech-Poulsen, demonstrates resourcefulness and beauty. There is a chapter for every one of the 18 Faroe islands, further emphasizing the differences within this compact ecosystem.

Koks: Faroe Islands Flavor contains recipes, one for each island. But because the dishes are unstintingly Faroese, those of us who live elsewhere and lack access to the likes of fresh puffin will find it most appealing as a source of inspiration. And as proof of what can be wrought from the humblest of ingredients.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout. In English.

 The original book from Koks, written by Ziska's predecessor Leif Sorensen, with a foreword by Rene Redzepi, has been out-of-print for several years. We have been fortunate to obtain a few copies, which you can find here.