Setting off in Scandinavia, known for its fierce seafaring history, crossing through the Low Countries, where great river deltas shape earth and sea, and finishing on the indominable shores of the United Kingdom, this is a culinary quest like no other.

Linked by the waters they all share, these three regions have something else in common: waning fisheries and disappearing seaside traditions.

Hungry for sustainable fish and personal stories, author and photographer Joseph Puglisi and sustainable food blogger Jennifer Schleber, take an Odyssean voyage around the North Sea to preserve fish and culture.

Expeditions with sturdy fishers, meals with generous grandmas and tales from local legends combine to draw a textured mosaic of the various customs surrounding the northern coast of Europe. Along the way, they bring forth the tales of folk wisdoms subsuming into the past, fish disappearing from the waters, and traditional recipes at risk of extinction.

Filled with chance meetings, unknown cooks and charming sand-bathed villages, Preserving the North Sea is more than a travelogue or cookbook. With tempting images and irresistible flavors, it becomes something wholly original: an atlas of the tastes, aromas and the people of the sea itself.

Joseph Puglisi was born in the United States and attended The Jacobs School of Music. In 2018 he left on a round-the-world journey that just never ended. Along the way he lived in Buddhist monasteries in Sri Lanka. He worked on farms in Malaysia and Italia. Toured Europe’s great cities and Museums. And eventually ended up walking not only a geographic path, but an artist’s path. He is a Master’s student of Visual Anthropology, media and documentary studies at the University of Muenster. You can find more of his stories and images on his website.

Stories by Joseph

Jennifer Schleber studied Product design in Antwerp, Belgium and soon transitioned to graphic- and web design. But her creative spirit is most noticeable in the kitchen. For many years she managed the blog Empty the Fridge: a collection of recipes, tips and tricks to make the most out of your leftovers. Her first cookbook won the prize for most sustainable cookbook of 2017. So it’s no surprise she’s on board for this new adventure to explore and craft recipes along the North Sea.

Recipes by Jennifer