In which GG does not go to Norway

So, I love Norway. I love the scenery, I love the people, I love the way of life. Mostly what I love are the two of my closest friends that are Norwegian - Barbie who lives here and Ingrid, who now lives back in Norway with her English partner Harvey and their beautiful beyond words daughter Molly.

And this weekend, after what hasn't been the easiest year in the Glutton household, I was due to spend a weekend in Norway with Ingrid, Harvey and Molly. Nothing fancy - some light baking (more on that shortly), a little bit of sitting on the veranda wrapped in blankets looking out onto the fjord and waiting for a big boat to come past so we can all shout Big Boooooat, some gentle strolling to the organic farm for the most expensive coffee in the western world. As I say, nothing fancy, nothing that's a showstopper, but just quiet, understated, good for the soul loveliness. And that is the essence of Norway right there. They don't boast, they don't showboat. They just have a nice life. And Ingrid's white wooden Captain's house on a hill, overlooking the fjord, in a little village called Hvitsten, is as nice as it gets.

So, GG and her husband don't go places without stuffing themselves. Norway, it has to be said, is not known for being foodie. But, what they do, they do well. Local, traditional, simple and plentiful. And really good sushi. There's lots of food things we look forward to when we go to Norway - here are the highlights:

Polse - Norwegians are mad for hotdogs. Every newsagent or cafe will sell them - you can have them boiled or grilled (grillepolse), in a bun or a kind of potato pancakey thing (lompe), with potato salad on top (potetsalat) and always with ketchup and mustard (sinep). You see how I'm picking up Norwegian? We love polse and it is the first thing we eat off the plane and the last thing before boarding.
Holiday Dipmix - this is a spice mix you stir into sour cream as a dip and I love it. Comes in packs of three, I have to stock up when there.
Jelly Ladies - In Norway, they have Jelly Men, Jelly Shrieking Children (modelled after the famous sculptures in Oslo's park) and, best of all, Jelly Ladies with boobs. Really.
Banse Mums - marshmallow bears covered in chocolate
Chocolate - there is something about the Norwegian national chocolate that I love - rich and creamy and available with almonds, fruit and nut and with bubbles. Also with bits of Dime bar in it. And talking of Dime bar, they do packs of Dime bar sprinkles.
Brunsaus - yummy gravy
Bolle - sweet buns of all descriptions. Ingrid is an incredible baker. Last time, in the summer, she whipped up a batch of three different sorts of bolle without breaking a sweat. These are the national buns of Norway and available with raisins, with icing, with icing and coconut and in the best variant of all, the School Bun. So named as it is the official bun school children take to school - so no one has a better or worse bun than anyone else (I might have that wrong but that is a very Norwegian kind of concept, so it may as well be right). A sweetish dough, with an indentation filled with custard, baked, iced and covered in dessicated coconut. I cannot get enough of them and just the sight of them makes me happy. Ingrid, for the record, is the sort of friend everyone should have - makes buns because she knows you like them.
Apple Pie - at the Oslo ski slope, near the top of the train station, is a restaurant in a beautiful log cabin. Both times I've been there the weather has been atrocious. The first time I was soaking wet and freezing with the wrong shoes for snow. The restaurant is heaving, full of people who've earnt good food, log fires, antlers etc. And a couple in traditional dress celebrating their wedding. It sells really delicious Norwegian food like smorgasbords etc but the star of the show is the apple pie. A square sandwich of crisp, dark puff pastry filled with juicy apples, topped with a whopping swirl of cream. The second time we went we walked for nearly 30 minutes through snow so vicious I couldn't see 2 metres in front. And it was worth every step.
Brown Cheese - I hate it, but is it the national cheese - eated with bread and honey. Uuurgh.
Cloudberries - yellow berries, picked by Ingrid's lovely parents who have to walk for hours in the mountains up north to find them. Frozen, served at Christmas. Love them

I'll post more about Christmas in Norway nearer the time. But for now, as I'm not flying North tomorrow, this will have to suffice. Saturday will hopefully see me visiting Scandinavian Kitchen in London and trying not to cry. And you know what I've learnt - if someone who has your passport offers to put it in the post back to you, insist on special delivery.

ha det from GG