Norway Restaurant Tips by FletteMette

The Norwegian Brown Cheese is made from whey - most water from the whey (which is a by-product from making ordinary cheese) is boiled out, and what's left is shaped into a compact, brownish cheese that tastes quite sweet and caramel-like. Many varieties of brown cheese are made, by mixing in cream or goat's milk - or both. If the brunost contains much (or only) goat's milk, the flavour gets sharper. Prim is a soft, mild, spreadable brown cheese.

The brunost has been popular for over 300 years - and it's still found in most Norwegian fridges - annual production is approximately twelve million kg, or almost three kg per Norwegian...! When Norwegians living abroad are asked what they miss the most, brunost is (sadly) a quite common answer, and I'm pretty sure that several tons of brunost have been smuggled into countries all over the world.. :-P

The brunost should always be eaten in very *thin* slices - and never be cut with a knife, a cheese slicer (invented by a Norwegian, and another typically Norwegian product) is essential. (See my shopping tips for more info)

Brunost is eaten on sandwiches, waffles or pancakes - it can be used in cooking, and tastes great in various sauces. Brunost is probably the most "Norwegian" of all foods, and should of course be tried during your visit to Norway.. :o)


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Theme: Local

Website: http://www.jarlsberg.com/page?id=185&key=9124

Norwegian (ok, Scandinavian) berries really are sweeter than the ones you'll find elsewhere, and if you're in Norway in summer you just have to buy some of the locally grown berries and fruits you'll find for sale - or go pick some wild berries in the forest...:o)

The light Nordic summer nights provide the berries growing here with loads of sunlight - which might be why our berries are so sweet and tasty and *delicious*...:o) The relatively cool climate might also play some role here.

You'll find Norwegian strawberries for sale between late June and early August, raspberries from mid July. There's an abundance of wild berries in Norway, my favourites include blueberries, wild raspberries and wild strawberries. You may pick wild berries in the forests, but be aware that the picking of *cloudberries* has been regulated by law. It's not permitted to pick cloudberries in Finnmark (our northernmost county) unless you're living in Finnmark - and in Troms and Nordland counties you need the land-owners permission if you wish to pick cloudberries. In other parts of Norway you're generally allowed to pick cloudberries *for consumption on the spot*. You'll find wild berries for sale in supermarkets as well if you can't be bothered picking them yourself...:o)

The climate along the fjords is excellent for fruit-growing, and cherries, pears, plums and apples are grown here.

Locally grown fruits and berries are sold in markets, supermarkets - and you'll often spot stalls selling berries and fruits along the roads in the fruit-growing districts. (Like Hardanger, and along the Sognefjord...) Stop and buy some - mmmmm delicious!!!:o)


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Theme: Other

Fastelavn (Shrovetide) is celebrated 7 weeks before Easter Sunday - in 2007 on February 18th. Fastelavn marks the beginning of Lent - and was originally a big feast before fasting started. Today the Norwegians don't care about Lent, but we do like our fastelavn celebration - and in particular our fastelavn buns!;o)

Kindergartens and schools often have carnivals around this time, but there aren't any big street carnivals or the like. (It all takes place indoors, February is one of the coldest, snowiest months of the year in Norway;o) You might notice fastelavnsris for sale: fastelavnsris are birch branches, decorated with brightly coloured feathers - make your own (we always made those at school and in kindergarten!) or buy one - various organisations sell fastelavnsris for charities.

The fastelavnsbolle - shrovetide bun - is a sweet bun filled with whipped cream (and perhaps some strawberry or raspberry jam), and sprinkled with icing sugar. The fastelavn bun dough is flavoured with a hint of ground cardamom seeds - like a lot of the sweet yeast dough buns and rolls you'll find in Norway. I always make my own, but you'll find the fastelavnsbolle in the bakeries in the days leading up to Fastelavn.


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Theme: Bakery

Waffles are very popular in Norway, and you'll find traditional Norwegian vafler - waffles - in many cafes. Waffles aren't eaten for breakfast here, they're more a snack... If you're invited to a Norwegian home for *afternoon coffee* you might very well be served waffles.

The waffles should be served straight from the waffle iron (the traditional Norwegian waffle iron is round, and each waffle is divided into 5 hearts) - I think they taste best hot or lukewarm. Waffles are usually served with jam (strawberry or raspberry) and sour cream, or with brunost - sweet brown cheese.

I often make waffles - I don't have a proper recipe, but my batter contains 2-3 eggs, a few tablespoons of sugar (beat eggs and sugar together) - add milk, and perhaps some sour cream or plain yoghurt, then add plain flour, a teaspoon or so of baking powder, a teaspoon of vanilla sugar, and melted butter. Add half a teaspoon of ground cardamom if you like. I usually eat my waffles plain, hot from the iron.. :o)


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Theme: Local

Lefse is a traditional Norwegian, soft flat bread - the lefse dough is rolled out (to a circle), and then the lefse is fried on a griddle until light brown on both sides. There are many different kinds, which can be eaten in numerous different ways! Some types of lefse are thin and sweet and often served with a filling of butter, sugar and cinnamon, savoury lefse can be served for example with smoked salmon or lutefisk. Many - but not all - types of lefse are potato-based.

A somewhat tortilla-like potato lefse (often called lompe) is made of mashed boiled potatoes mixed with flour and salt, and is often eaten with sausages (instead of a hot dog bun) and ketchup, mustard etc. Lompe isn't that common in western Norway, but most hotdog vendors elsewhere in Norway will be offering "pølse med lompe" (sausages with lompe) in addition to regular hotdogs.

Tjukklefse - thick lefse - are quite cake-like, and if you're lucky you might be served tjukklefse when you're invited for coffee in a Norwegian home. ;o) My great-grandmother Agnes made the best tjukklefse ever, and the ones you can see in my photo were made using her recipe.

You'll find various kinds of lefse in Norwegian supermarkets and cafes, and the lefse is most definitely worth a try!


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Theme: Local

Pinnekjøtt - literally "stick meat" - is the traditional Christmas dinner (which, of course, in Norway is served in the evening on Christmas Eve!) in western Norway. The pinnekjøtt is getting increasingly popular though, and it is eaten in other parts of Norway as well - around 30% of the Norwegians have pinnekjøtt for dinner on Christmas eve. A lot of people will also have pinnekjøtt for dinner on New Year's Eve. If you're in Norway in December, you will find pinnekjøtt on the menu of many restaurants - try it!

Pinnekjøtt is salted, dried and sometimes smoked lamb ribs, which are steamed and served with boiled potatoes and mashed swede. Some will also have sausages, gravy, sauerkraut and / or flat bread with the pinnekjøtt. The pinnekjøtt is traditionally steamed over birch branches, but that's not *really* necessary, a metal steamer works almost just as well.

How to cook pinnekjøtt:

€ Leave the separated ribs in cold water overnight or for ca 24 hours. (Very important, your pinnekjøtt will be *very* salty if you forget this little detail...;o) Change the water at least once.
€ Cut enough fresh branches from a birch tree to cover the bottom of your pan. Remove the bark of the branches. (Or simply use a metal steamer)
€ Fill the pan with enough water to (almost) cover the branches. Refill when needed, it should never get completely dry.
€ Steam the ribs at medium heat until the meat loosens from the bone - at least 2 hours, but many cooks will tell you that the pinnekjøtt gets better if you let it steam for 4 hours or so.

Drink cold beer and aquavit with your pinnekjøtt dinner. Enjoy!


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Theme: Local

First: Norwegian (and Swedish) kaviar (of the kind found on toothpaste-like tubes) is nothing like the expensive Russian stuff... :o)

Kaviar is made from lightly smoked and salted cod roe - the cod eggs are really tiny, and the kaviar kind of resembles salty, red (and fishy-tasting;o) toothpaste. Most Norwegian kids (and many adults) love kaviar - me, I used to eat it when I was little, until I found out what it was made of...

Kaviar is eaten as a sandwich spread, either alone or for example with boiled eggs or cheese (but *please* don't try to eat it with brunost, the sweet Norwegian brown cheese;o) - hard cheeses such as Norvegia or Jarlsberg should work well.)

There are several brands of kaviar, the most popular ones are Mills and Kavli. Mills also makes a kaviar / cheese mix (called Mills stripete) and a kaviar / mayonnaise mix (called Kaviarmix) - both available in tubes, like the regular kaviars. Kaviar is very inexpensive, and you'll find it in any supermarket - buy a tube and try some!


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Theme: Seafood
Comparison: least expensive

Norway has a looooong coastline, and it's probably no surprise that you'll find all kinds of delicious seafood here! If you're in Norway during summer, you really should try some lovely fresh shrimps - preferably eaten somewhere by the sea... :o)

The cold-water shrimp (Pandalus borealis) lives in the cooler parts of the Atlantic, and is the species you'll usually find in Norwegian fish markets, supermarkets and restaurants.

In summer, you'll find both frozen and freshly boiled shrimps for sale - the ones that haven't been frozen taste better (and are also more expensive). It's quite easy to tell whether the shrimps have been frozen: the fresh ones will usually have their long antennae intact - like in my photo. Frozen shrimps can be bought at the supermarket all year round - you'll also find peeled, canned shrimps (but don't bother with those, that's just not the same..!!)

How to peel the shrimp: Pinch off the head. Grip the feet of the shrimp, and pull around to one side. The shell should break off in one piece, leaving the tail. Pull off the tail.

In Norway, the shrimps are usually enjoyed with white bread, mayonnaise and a squeeze of lemon - and of course white wine.


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Theme: Seafood

Stockfish, fish that is dried on racks (called "hjell") outdoors, is produced along the coast of Northern Norway, and in Lofoten in particular. Most stockfish is made from cod.

The fish is split and then hung to dry for around three months, without salt - around 80 % of the water in the fish will evaporate. This is done in winter, when the temperatures are cold and the air crisp and clear.

Stockfish is a very good source of protein, and the nutritional values for 1 kilo of stockfish are about the same as for 5 kilos of fresh fish. The stockfish is in Norway most commonly used to make "lutefisk", a traditional dish often eaten around Christmas time. Stockfish is Norway's oldest export product, used in foreign trade as early as around 800 AC. Much of the stockfish of poorer quality ends up as dog food.

In many supermarkets in northern Norway you'll find "snack packs" with small pieces of stockfish, which many locals (and adventurous tourists) munch on - the smell is not particularly pleasant, so it's advisable to avoid eating stockfish before going on a date... :o)


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Theme: Seafood

Restaurant Name: Vegetarians...

I get quite a few emails from vegetarians wondering if they'll be able to find something to eat in Norway - the short answer is yes, you will - but your choices might be more limited than what you're used to. It's more complicated for vegans, of course - but lacto-ovo veggies generally won't have problems finding a decent meal in Norwegian cities and towns, it can be worse in rural areas though. If you're road tripping in Norway, and intend to eat at roadside cafes, you will find that veggie options there are very limited to non-existent. Ask the staff - most will be helpful, but slightly clueless..;o) I'd recommend stocking up on nuts and fruits and "emergency foods", otherwise you might end up eating *a lot* of french fries and salads...

There aren't that many purely vegetarian restaurants around (even though you will find *some*, particularly in Oslo) - but many places will have at least one or two veggie options on the menu, and most places will be able (and willing!) to make you something vegetarian if you ask. Your best bets, if you want to actually be able to choose between several dishes;o) - would be Italian, Chinese, Indian places etc. The places to avoid are those serving old-fashioned, traditional Norwegian food - but you usually won't have a problem in more "modern" cafes and restaurants - I have only experienced twice that a restaurant told me they couldn't (or wouldn't) make me a veggie meal - at Brekkestranda hotel in the middle of nowhere, and at Thai House in Tromsø.

Health food stores and Asian shops are your best bets for vegetarian products such as tofu, seitan etc - but many supermarket chains now seem to realise that there *are* many vegetarians in Norway, and there is an ever increasing number of veggie products to be found in regular supermarkets. The COOP chain (Shops: Obs, Prix, Mega) is generally ok when it comes to both organic and vegetarian products, while budget chains such as REMA are crap.

Do check out my blog (below) about veggie food (restaurant reviews etc) in Norway!;o) (You'll find the English version of a post below the Norwegian one, in italics)


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Theme: Vegan/Vegetarian

Website: http://norwayveggie.blogspot.com/