Norway Shopping Tips by FletteMette

The cheese slicer is a Norwegian invention (in addition to the paper clip possibly our most important contribution to mankind..;o) - and would make a good, useful souvenir.

The cheese slicer was invented in 1925, by carpenter Thor Bjørklund. One day mr. Bjørklund wanted to cut the big chunks of cheese that his wife sent with him for lunch, into thinner slices. The weather was warm that day, and the cheese had melted a bit - so when he tried cutting the cheese with his knife it didn't work very well. He tried his saw - no luck. Thor then tried his carpenter's plane - and voila: perfect, thin slices. He later made his very first cheese slicer out of a thin slice of steel, based on the design of the carpenter's plane. Bjørklund's factory at Lillehammer is still going strong, and it is the only Norwegian cheese slicer producer.

The cheese slicer is absolutely essential when eating Norway's special brown cheese - which always should be eaten in thin slices. (You'll find more about the brown cheese in my "Restaurants" tips) Great for slicing other hard cheeses as well - in Norway cheese is mainly eaten in thin slices on open-faced sandwiches.

You'll find cheese slicers in all kitchen stores, many supermarkets as well as in souvenir stores. (But the ones for sale in souvenir stores will probably be more expensive...!)



Leave a Comment

Theme: Other

Name of Shop: Various supermarkets

Some tourists believe - both before they come here, and after they've left;o) - that Norway is *outrageously* expensive. Well, it doesn't have to be. Norway is expensive, yes - but honestly, it isn't *that* bad if you know what / where to shop (and more importantly, where *not* to shop)

The first rule is: never ever shop for groceries in places like 7-eleven or Narvesen, or at the petrol stations (which also sell basic groceries) - they are much, *much* more expensive than regular supermarkets. Remember that supermarkets are closed on Sundays!

Second rule: look for the shop's own brands - they're often half the price of other brands.

Third rule: don't buy drinking water!;o) The tap water in Norway is perfectly safe to drink.

Among the cheapest supermarket chains you'll find Rema (but Rema's fruit & vegetables can often be rather poor - that varies from shop to shop, though) Kiwi and Prix - while ICA and Spar usually are more expensive.

Here are a few sample prices (I'm a veggie, so I can't tell you how much a kilo of dead animals cost;o) - remember that the prices for fruit & veg vary a lot, but this was the situation at my local Prix in October 07:

A litre of milk: 11-12 NOK
Natural yoghurt, 500 grams: 12.50
Onions, per kilo: 14
Bananas, per kilo: 15
Potatoes, per kilo: 10
Tomatoes, per kilo: 35
Carrots, per kilo: 12
500 grams of pasta: 10
Tin of tomatoes: 5
6 organic eggs (the other eggs are cheaper, but...please buy organic!): ca 20
Bread: anything between 10 and 40 per (large) loaf of bread
Crispbread, large packet (500 grams): 12.50
Orange juice, 1.5 litres: ca 15
Large bottle (1.5 litres) of Coke: ca 15
Toilet paper, 8 rolls: 13



Leave a Comment

Theme: Food and Drink

Name of Shop: Husfliden - Norsk Flid

Norsk Flid, aka Husfliden, is a very well-known chain of shops - there are ca 30 Husfliden shops, in towns all over Norway.

Husfliden is perhaps most known for its bunads - the bunad is the Norwegian national costume (more info under "local customs") - each Husfliden store specialises in bunads from its local area, and you'll usually be able to see some on display in the shop.

In addition to bunads, Husfliden carries quality gifts, jewelry and handicrafts - and a very nice selection of knitting yarn! If you're into knitting (or crocheting, weaving...) you'll find yarn (esp wool) in about a million different colours here, and also patterns. Most shops also offer knitted sweaters, scarves and other clothes. Most products at Husfliden are designed (and many produced) in Norway. (I always though everything was Norwegian, until I discovered that they'd got Finnish Marimekko stuff in the shop in Bergen!)

Husfliden isn't a cheap place to shop, but the products are generally of very high quality. Highly recommended.

You'll find Husfliden shops in the following towns:
Arendal, Bergen, Bodø, Elverum, Fagernes, Gol - Hallingdal, Holmestrand, Hønefoss, Kristiansand, Kristiansund, Larvik, Leknes, Lillehammer, Mandal, Mo i Rana, Molde, Mosjøen, Moss, Oppdal, Porsgrunn, Skien, Stavanger, Steinkjer, Stjørdal, Tromsø, Trondheim, Tønsberg, Voss, Ålesund, and Værnes



Leave a Comment

Theme: Local Craft
Website: http://www.husfliden.no