Eating our way through The Land of the Midnight Sun
It’s already Sunday morning (we’re sitting at the airport
waiting for our flight out of Norway)
and I’ve been neglectful in my blog
duties – I have to go back to Tuesday to tell you about our experiences up
north. Much of our day on Tuesday was
filled with eating – eating raw salmon, smoked salmon, pickled salmon, pickled
herring, lamb, bread, cow cheese, goat cheese, white cheese, brown cheese,
lefsa, buttermilk lefsa linginberries, salami, ham, 5 minute hard boiled eggs,
7 minute hard bo
iled eggs, 9 minute hard boiled eggs and waffles. We had breakfast at ten in the morning, lunch
at four in the afternoon and dinner at eight in the evening. Oh and there was wine, beer, scotch, aquavit
and lemon water. Needless to say our
bellies were full all day.
BREAKFAST: our day
started and ended at the same “kafe” – that’s how they spell café in Norway – I
guess it either makes it look fancier or it’s just the way they spell in the Norwegian
language – I don’t know for sure. Might
be a bit like Markus – seems like my name spelled with a k (Markus) looks better
to me when I’m in Norway then Marcus with a c – must be a European thing. Anyway, we had breakfast at a kafe in Hamnvik. The building we ate in is call a Gammelbrygga
– old warehouse.
It’s been there since
1797 and was used to store dried fish and such.
People back in 1797 were shorter than we are now – the ceiling in this
warehouse was very low – I’m pretty sure everyone that goes in the building
hits their head on a cross beam. It hurts
a bit. But in some strange way the pain
is worth it.
The Norwegians breakfast is my kind of breakfast – meats,
cheeses, bread, great coffee, and a waffle if you want something sweet. Oh and there is raw fish – salmon and herring
– all great ways to start you day. I
think I’ve eaten more raw fish this week then I have in my entire life. The key to remember is this isn’t raw salmon
or pickled herring like you’ve ever had before – most of this fish was probably
swimming in a fjord yesterday and I’m eating it today. Doesn’t seem fair but right now God has us
the top of the food chain (except for maybe Grizzly Bears, African Lions and
the elusive Siberian Tiger) so we eat the fish that swan in the ocean yesterday
and we are happy.
LUNCH: after
breakfast we went to an old church and was given a private tour by a childhood friend
of our host, Odd Reitevold.
Odd
(pronounced Odd) is my 3
rd cousin on my Mom’s side. Odd’s sister, Nancy, spends her summers in
the home where my Great-Grandfather Markus grew up. He was one of eight children that grew up in
the house and word on the street is that Markus used to row across the fjord to
meet up with Johanna who he eventually left Norway with to go to America.
Markus and Johanna settled in Blue Earth,
Minnesota – had 9 kids of their own, one being Elida, who is my Grandmother –
my Mom’s mom. Anyway, Markus used to
attend this church before he decided to go to America – that would have been in
the 1850’s. We all decided Markus must
of really liked Johanna because rowing across the fjord looks to be no easy
task. First, it was a long way, second
the boat couldn’t have been very big and third it seems to be cold, windy and
rainy most of the time. So I’m sure
Markus was a stud. Anyway, we had lunch
at Markus’ house where Nancy summers.
Again, raw fish – salmon. Very fresh, firm and delicious. But the best part about lunch
was the ease at which this group of related strangers talked, laughed, told
stories and generally behaved like we’ve know each other all of our lives. It was one of the highlights of the trip.
DINNER: back to the
“low ceiling everyone hits their head” kafe for a great meal of lamb, pototatos
and vegetables. Again excellent food and
another round of great conversations.
Our chef/server told us the history Hamnvik and all the comings and
goings over the past few centuries.
Several kings have been there and other famous dignitaries. I’m pretty sure a Viking or two passed thought
the area and took what they wanted, when they wanted and as much as they
wanted. That’s the Viking way – if you
can kill me and take my stuff (including wife, kids, livestock, etc.) that’s
OK. It was truly survival of the
fittest. And it you think about it
that’s why we come from such hearty stock – if you were weak, you died. Period.
Harsh world but necessary in those days.
After dinner we tried to see the Midnight Sun but it was a
bit cloudy and frankly everyone and probably thankful because after three
endless meals through the day we all were way beyond a food coma – with full
bellies and happy hearts we all slept well.
Besides, we had to get up at 5am to catch the ferry to Nardvick so we
could go to the airport. And was you
might expect, we were not going to go hungry in the morning – the chef from the
kafe had prepared two large boxes of sandwiches for us to eat while traveling on
the ferry – sandwiches with raw salmon and hearing.
They do know how to eat fish over here.
Marc
Sharing the experience with our 5 children was exceptional!
