Kalvdans
Kalvdans (lit. calf dance) is a classical Scandinavian dessert. It is made from unpasteurized colostrum milk, the first milk produced by a cow after giving birth.[1]
![]() | |
Type | Dessert |
---|---|
Place of origin | Scandinavia |
Main ingredients | Colostrum milk, water |
Kalvdans has a long tradition in Swedish cuisine. It is mentioned in the encyclopedia Project af swensk grammatica from 1682. The encyclopedia mentions 'kalvost' (lit. calf-cheese) as an alternative name.[2] The name kalvdans refers to the jiggly pudding-like consistency of the dessert.[3] Swedish emigrants brought the tradition of kalvdans to North America, as well. It is however rarely consumed today, as very few families keep cows of their own.[4]
In preparing the dessert, the colostrum milk is mixed with water and cautiously heated.[1][5] Due to the high levels of protein in the colostrum milk, it coagulates and hardens when boiled (much like eggs do). Thus the dessert gets a pudding-like consistency.[6]
Due to Swedish health regulations, unpasteurized milk may only be sold directly from the farms. Thus the capacity to produce kalvdans is somewhat limited.[6] As a consequence kalvdans is very rarely prepared in Swedish households today.[2] In 2008 kalvdans, along with four other Swedish dishes, was included in the 'Ark of Taste' of the Slow Food movement.[7]
A related dessert is råmjölkspannkaka (raw-milk pancake).[2] Similar desserts like kalvdans exists in other countries. In Iceland, a pudding called ábrystir is made out of colostrum milk. A similar Finnish version is called uunijuusto (oven cheese). In England colostrum milk, or beestings as it is called locally, was traditionally used for puddings. In India kharvas is a dessert made out of colostrum milk from buffaloes.[6] In Norwegian and Danish dialects, the word kalvedans sometimes refers to a type of jelly made by veal meat.[3][8]
See also
References
- receptfavoriter.se. Kalvdans med råmjölk
- Slow Food Göteborg. Kalvdans Archived 2010-08-20 at the Wayback Machine
- Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1922). p. 293 kalmera-Kalven
- Kaplan, Anne R., Marjorie A. Hoover, and Willard B. Moore. The Minnesota Ethnic Food Book. Saint Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1986. p. 137
- Svenska landsmål och svenskt folkliv, Vol 51–54. P.A. Norstedt & Söner, 1949 p. 62
- Taffel.se. Kalvdans: Utrotningshotad delikatess Archived 2010-12-02 at the Wayback Machine
- Borås Tidning. Prisad slow food i Eggvena
- Arkiv for/för nordisk filologi / Fjerde Bind. 1888. p. 137