When they say ‘poles apart’, there is some truth in it! When we think about our planet’s polar regions, an image of huge ice glaciers, a calm ocean and numerous penguins and polar bears come to our mind. As such, the Arctic and the Antarctic regions are all about surviving amidst extreme cold conditions while still being able to find food daily, which is as rare as finding fresh supply of fruits and vegetables.
For one, hypothermia and hunger go hand-in-hand at the Poles. The colder it is, the hungrier you become. And your body can generate heat only when fed well. When surviving daily in itself is a humongous task in the Polar Regions, culinary variations can hardly be expected.
So, what do the locals eat? First of all, there is a huge difference in the cuisine between the Arctic zone and the Antarctic zone. But one thing is common to both regions- foods that induce body heat, like meat or high fat items like cheese.
Foods from the Arctic- A peek into the Inuit culture
The Inuits are the indigenous people of the Arctic region inhabiting Greenland, Alaska and Canada. The word ‘Eskimo’ is a pejorative used for the Inuit people. The Inuits follow a diet that is low in carbohydrates and very high in protein and fat. The most common food is meat. This meat-based diet provides them with essential vitamins along with proteins. Inuits mostly eat their meat fresh and raw or freshly frozen.
Hunting
Inuits are traditional hunters and fishers. They hunt the commonly available animals like polar bears, Arctic fox, caribou, birds, etc. They use ‘qajaq’ or ‘kayaks to hunt whales, seals, walrus and other fishes. All these animals are preserved to be used in the long winter months when finding food is next to impossible.
Plant Food
Since plant-cultivation is mostly not possible in the Arctic, the Inuits resort to collecting what is available in the summers and then preserving them for the future. These include berries, grasses, roots, stems, tubers and ‘kuannig’ (edible seaweed).
Preserved Animals
During the extreme winter months, the animals hunted and preserved, are eaten. From huge whales to polar bears, everything is preserved naturally in the ice. At first, the pungent stench of the preserved animal is overwhelming. But without many options at hand, the Inuits eat the animals in parts- one whale fin today, a polar bear head tomorrow and so on.
Western Food:
The Inuits do have general stores that supply them with imported, processed foods from time to time. Surprisingly, beer is readily available!
Nonetheless, a day in an Inuit village is a traveler’s idea of visiting a different version of paradise!
Foods from the Antarctic- An Explorer’s Nirvana
Unlike the Arctic region, the Antarctic region does not have permanent residents. Most of them are visitors and explorers that stay there for a short time. Foods in most part are preserved just like in the Arctic and they are high in fat content for constant energy. But most food items are shipped in from different places. As such, a few food recipes have evolved in the course of time that represents Antarctica.
Pemmican (meat-bar)
Pemmican is a low water food that originates in native America. It is a compact meat bar that provides high energy and has a very long shelf life. Along with sledging biscuits, pemmican is a must for an explorer in the Antarctic.
Sledging biscuit
A staple diet while exploring around, sledging biscuits are high-energy food that can be eaten and stored for long time. They can be topped with butter, cheese or marmite or crumbled and mixed with pemmican and water to make hoosh.
Hoosh
Hoosh is a simple stew made by mixing pemmican, sledging biscuit and Antarctic snow. This stew can be heated and consumed when exploring out in the open.
The Polar Regions are different universes altogether. Their interesting lifestyle and food habits are unique as well. A visit to the Poles is a must for every ardent traveler who wants to see worlds within worlds!