OP: Koks

Between Iceland and Norway, remote in the North Atlantic, lie the rocky Faroes with a population of just over 50,000. These chilly volcanic islands were, at one time, viewed as little more than a stark landscape suited only for growing potatoes and raising sheep—which significantly outnumber the human inhabitants. Chef Leif Sørensen has turned that vision on its head, revealing that good, worthwhile food can be found practically anywhere. He has drawn on the sea, almost single-handedly establishing a shellfish industry, and has gone out into the local villages, assiduously foraging for herbs and mushrooms 

Perhaps re-introducing the indigenous bounty offered by the land and sea was less challenging than getting the locals—descendants of the Vikings—to embrace fine dining. Nonetheless, Sørensen took the helm at Koks restaurant in Tóshavn, the islands’ capital, in 2011. Sørensen has since moved on from Koks, but the restaurant, being run by his protégé Poul Andrias Ziska, received its second Michelin star in 2018. 

Koks profiles Sørensen during his time establishing the restaurant and the emergence of the Faroes as a presence on the food scene. Aided by photographs of the breathtaking Faroese landscapes, the book showcases the chef’s food and the land and sea from which it is taken. Although precise recipes are not provided, dishes are described in sufficient detail for the adept cook to derive insight: scallops with elderflowers, nuts, and horseradish; mussels with arugula and smoked lamb’s fat; soured milk with tarragon and cucumber. While some of the ingredients are distinctly Faroese—puffin, pilot whale, scurvy grass—many others will be familiar—mushrooms, seaweed, and, of course, lamb. Koks is a book to absorb and inspire.

Our copy is unused and in Near Fine condition. In Faroese and English. Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.

 The second book from Koks, Faroe Islands Flavor is available here.