Myken: The Food, The People
Julie Luneborg
«ØYA – Myken Maten Menneskene» is a cookbook about an island, the bounty it offers, and the people who live there. In this excerpt, the authors share four recipes and introduce some of the people featured in the book.
Myken is a small and remarkable island. Just 13 people live here, far out at sea on the Helgeland coast, 32 kilometres from the nearest mainland neighbour. Authors Kerstin Marthinsen and Julie Luneborg have now written “ØYA – Myken Maten Menneskene”, a cookbook about life on a small island far out in the ocean—meant to inspire joy in cooking and help build community in small coastal settlements.
Julie Luneborg
The authors offer a vivid glimpse into the island’s food culture—from the days when women ran the kitchen while the men were out at sea, to today, when professional chefs experiment with fresh ingredients straight from the source. The book is filled with recipes and atmospheric images from the island across the seasons, along with engaging stories of life on Myken.
Kerstin and Julie have collected recipes from both neighbours and professional chefs. Most of the neighbours’ recipes have been passed down through generations on the island. These locals are represented with dishes like redfish and gomme, along with traditional fare from the Helgeland coast that still brings joy to the table. Sharing culture is also about passing on a love for food and drink, and the chefs featured in the book share recipes created over time in the kitchen of the island’s restaurant—where they’ve had the chance to work with ingredients as fresh as they come.
The book «ØYA Myken Maten Menneskene»
Julie Luneborg
Myken is a very special island. Just 13 people live there, far out at sea on the Helgeland coast—32 kilometres from the nearest neighbour on the mainland.
Now, authors Kerstin Marthinsen and Julie Luneborg have written “ØYA Myken Maten Menneskene”, a cookbook about life on a small island out at sea—meant to inspire joy in cooking and help build community in small coastal settlements.
You can find the cookbook at Mykenisland.com
