Nordstrand

 peninsula  Add category

Nordstrand (Frisian Noordströön) is a peninsula and former island in North Frisia on the North Sea coast of Germany. It is part of the Nordfriesland district in the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein. Its area is 50 km², and its population is 2,300. Nordstrand is part of the Amt Nordstrand.

In medieval times Nordstrand was a part of the larger island of Strand which was torn into pieces in a disastrous storm tide in 1634. Other remnants of Strand are Pellworm and the Halligen islets.

Nordstrand is accessible by road over a causeway which connects to the mainland and was built in 1936.

Nordstrand is the origin of a locally famous beverage, the Pharisäer ("Pharisee") which the islanders developed to be able to drink alcohol in the presence of their local priest, who preached abstinence. It is made from strong hot coffee, sugar, dark rum (4 cl of 54 %vol) and whipped cream (to prevent the alcohol from evaporating). The priest got the only cup without rum, but one day the cups got mixed up. When he discovered the deceit he exclaimed "Ihr Pharisäer!" ("You Pharisees!", connoting: "hypocrites"). Hence the name.[1][2] A curious issue is the name of a small village: It is called England

The original Nordstrand island (before the flood of 1634) is thought to be the ancestral homeland for the North American surname "van Nostrand" (including variants: vanNostrand, vanNordstrandt, vanOstrand). Two brothers emigrated from here to what is present day New York, USA in 1637 and 1638 after the flood.