Eating My Way Through Norway
There was a song that I loved in my teens: Belinda Carlisle's "Oooh, Heaven is a place on Earth".Now I know that place is Norway! Gorgeous landscapes,loving people and lots of seafood! What's not to love? Norway is lush green in places,snowclad in others and with tall mountains,next to fjords just as deep, elsewhere!! All at the same time!!
Went to the UNESCO City of Gastronomy,Bergen, which in the medieval times, was the capital of Norway.We stayed at a hotel by the harbour which was a great decision as we could walk to various sightseeing attractions and to cruise terminals.
Breakfast at the Clarion hotel was complimentary as is usually everywhere but the selection was exceptional.Not just the usual jam, butter,eggs and sausages, there were a choice of cheeses such as Brunost (brown cheese),Jarlsberg (white cheese) and Gorgonzola.
No Scandanivian breakfast is complete without pickled herrings,mackerel and smoked salmon which were all there on display with remoulade and mustard.Caviar in a tube that had the taste of the ocean.Jams like strawberry and lingonberry that are daily commodities.
We chanced upon Cloudberry Jam near the fjords .The fruit looks like a orange-yellow raspberry and has a tart taste.They grow in marshy areas, near fjords and farms.The locals love them and have them as is or in forms of jams.At Christmas time, they make a luscious Cloudberry Cream.We were lucky to get a bottle of Cloudberry jam at Flam,a place at the farthest end of Sogne Fjord,the longest and deepest fjord in Norway.
Brown Cheese is made of whey, cream and milk and tastes like salted caramel.It has a soft texture and locals have it with jam and bread.The original one is goat cheese which can be strong.The younger generation prefers the cow milk version.Breads here are wholegrain, low GI...scrumptious rye sourdough!!
Norwegians love their Rice Porridge and Sour Cream Porridge (they call it Grommerot).In days of yore it was had only on weekends and Christmas.
Weather at Bergen was lovely.Sunny on the first few days and with a light drizzle on the others.It was cool but I didn't need to use my thermals.Only on the boat rides, it was cold on the decks
As we were on a short trip, we took a day tour called "Norway In A Nutshell".Saw the Sognefjord and travelled by train, bus and boat on the same day.The fjords are outstanding feats of nature.The mountains are huge and the water flow powerful.As you sail through them, you feel a deep sense of peace.On a shorter cruise, we stopped at a waterfall and had glacier water.Did you know that Norwegian's top vodka Viking Fjord has glacier water in it?
There are various options along the fjords like apple cider tasting on farms, fishing for salmon and trout and hiking
We took the pretty Alpine Railway Train to Flam.It was all wood and made a photo stop at a waterfall.Flam has a scenic view and many quaint restaurants.I had the buffet lunch at Flamsbrygga restaurant (that is known for its Viking menu).I had traditional lamb chops, meatballs and smoked fish.
The boats all return to the harbour at the end of various cruises and street stalls are lined up with a selection of food.These vary at different times of the year.Some stalls have no name.There are also food trucks.Fish skewers,Skagen (prawns on toast), fish and chips,smoked salmon jostle with salads for your attention.We even had music in the background as the Bergen Marathon was on and the place was pulsating with vibrant music
The weekend saw a Farmers Market at the harbour with breads, desserts,jams and deer meat burgers.I had one with sweet caramelised onions and lingonberry jam.Perfectly done and bathed in garlic, this lean protein burger was the best dish I had in Norway! That too street side!
Supermarkets are also a stone's throw away.You can pick up bottled drinking water, fruits and vegetables.I am told that the tap water here is safe for drinking.Saw bananas and strawberries at the store but no cloudberries as they are not sold commercially.Seven Eleven was however selling Reindeer Sausage.
Norwegians love their coffee so you see pretty cafes all over including Starbucks on the harbour!! How cool is that?!!
We came across an old cafe called Sostrene Hagelan that has completed 90 years.
Named after the two sisters (shown above) who started it, their speciality is "Fish Cakes" but they also serve Fish Pudding and the famous Bergen Fish Soup.The lady at the counter was ever so helpful explaining each item! The fish cake ( made of potato, cod,milk and flour) was available in a heart shape and a larger form in honour of their celebration.These are so popular that they have them in frozen form as well.
I sipped the creamy, white Bergen Fish Soup (topped with onions and celery) while sitting on the street side table outside with the cry of the seagulls in the background, reminding me of how close we were to the sea.
he The highlight of our Bergen trip was a boat ride to the Seafood Restaurant Cornelius.They have a Meteorological Menu,meaning what is served depends on the weather and local produce availability.Let me tell you that the chef- partner is known to dive for mussels for the menu !
Cornelius is located on an island.It is a feast for the senses! Through the large glass windows, one can see seagulls, ducks,swans and even fish jumping out of the water while one waits for the food to arrive
We started with their rye sourdough bread with beaten butter, topped with powdered Norwegian seaweed
The first starter was smoked salmon.They smoke and cure their salmon in house.The cold and firm slices were served with sweet cabbage (they actually got me to eat cabbage!!)
Next was Snow Crab,sweet and soft like a dewdrop and embellished with creamy goat cheese and radish
The best item was the Hake,a fish I had never tried before.Pristine white, firm flesh and freshness of morning mist, this dish was so-so ,so good.It had a red wine sauce and was accompanied by beetroot puree.I conveyed my compliments to Tor,our handsome chef.Our stewardess Mareen was also great fun.Chirpy and full of humour, she made our evening even more enjoyable
Dessert was light and gently sweet.Lime and lemony along with tart raspberry sorbet
I had the local drink Aquavit,made of potato, dill and caraway seeds.It is STRONG and you can only take small sips.Works as a digestive, I am told.I had the botanical variety on Mareen's suggestion but the locals have a more powerful version specially after a heavy meal
I was impressed by Norwegian food and culture.It is a society that likes to see everyone happy.No one upmanship.Just understated elegance.They help one another, work hard and pay their taxes (approximately half of their earnings) so that they have a strong system that provides for health, education and pension to all.They make time for their families and for a concept of relaxation called "Hygge" which means cosying and cuddling up.It may be in cabins up on the mountains, by the fireplace, or even at home but surrounded by those they love and with good food
So........tell me now .........have I convinced you to "Go Viking" ??? :)))
#Norway #Bergen #Cornelius #Cruise #Fish Market #Viking #Seafood #Fishcake #Fishsoup
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