In two minutes, 12-year-old Jostein Ekran cut 34 cod tongues, which made him the first ever World Champion Cod Tongue Cutter!

– I am very happy that I did win. It was a tough competition, the 12-year-old world champion says to Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation.

He was aimed to win, and in two minutes he did cut 34 tongues out of cod heads. The price money was 1000 Norwegian kroner, equivalent to about 170 U.S. dollars. The crowd saluted the young champion when the world record was revealed.

The competition was a special event at the Lofoten Islands Seafood Festival, where people every February celebrate cod spawning. The festival is taking place when millions of cod from the North Sea come to spawn in the shallow waters surrounding the islands. It is a local tradition to use every part of the fish, and the tongue is regarded as a delicacy. It is easily prepared: Just add salt and pepper and fry it in a hot pan with butter (with a touch of lime, of course).

The festival contestants were between the age of 10 and 13, a normal age for cod cutters. Adults are not allowed to participate, and hundreds of people came to watch the competition.

The proud champion, Jostein Ekran, works as a tongue cutter on a regular basis.

– I earn approximately 2000 U.S. dollars a year. I am saving the money for my driver’s license and an apartment when I get older, Jostein says.

See how to cut a cod tongue:

Text by: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews

Photo: Kjell Mikalsen

Source: Norwegian Broadcast

Categories: Culinary Surprises, Quirky