Archive for February, 2010
Where to eat in Hvaler
Posted by admin in Food and drink on February 27, 2010
There are surprisingly few restaurants to choose from in the Hvaler Archipelago. You’ll find all five options listed below. Please note that with the exception of the last restaurant, all venues are located on Kirkeøy.
- Hvaler Gjestgiveri : One of the best restaurants in the archipelago, serving locally-sourced food in lovely rustic surrounds. Extensive wine list. Skjærhalden, Kirkeøy. Tel: 69 37 82 00, http://hvaler-gjestgiveri.no
- Sandbrekke Gjestegård: Traditional restaurant also showcasing local ingredients (Sandbrekke Gjestegård is a member of Regional Matkultur Østfold). Outdoor sitting in big garden in summer. Skjærhalden, Kirkeøy. Tel: 69 37 94 27, www.sandbrekke.no
- Vertshuset Skjærhalden: Right on the main square in Skjærhalden, you can’t miss this informal restaurant, popular for its pizzas and its sunday buffet. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays. Under kollen, Skjærhalden, Kirkeøy. Tel: 69 37 95 03, vertshus.net
- Første Reis: Relatively new in Skjærhalden (Første Reis opened in June 2009), this more upmarket restaurant specialises in seafood. Great location with outdoor sitting right by the water. Under Kollen, Skjærhalden, Kirkeøy. Tel: 91 91 77 33, www.forste-reis.no
- Havkatten: Maritime-themed restaurant offering seafood and outdoor seating by the guest harbour. Ødegårdskilen, Vesterøy. Tel: 69 37 70 90.
Modern architecture in Fredikstad
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Photos and videos on February 26, 2010
Fredrikstad Town Hall and Cinema
Posted by admin in History and architecture on February 26, 2010
Designed by award-winning architect firm L2 Arkitekter AS, the people behind the Oljemuseet in Stavanger and Tønsberg Library among other projects, the Fredrikstad Town Hall and Cinema complex was completed in 2002. The building, which houses a 6-screen cinema in the basement and ground floor, and 310 office spaces on the floors above, covers an area of 15,000 square meters, and cost 257 million kroner to build. The main entrance, just off Nygaardsgate, the main pedestrian street, overlooks the cathedral and the park that surrounds it. Features of note include the angular clocktower and the striking facade, with its huge door, off-white columns and copper panels.
Poached skrei, traditional style
Posted by admin in Food and drink, Photos and videos on February 24, 2010
For more info on skrei, including recipes, see www.seafoodfromnorway.com
Skrei, or Arctic cod
Posted by admin in Food and drink on February 24, 2010
The arrival of the skrei, or Arctic cod, in the Lofoten Islands every winter is a big event, and one eagerly awaited by gourmets all around Norway. Skrei (and Old Norse word meaning ‘wanderer’) is much prized for its lean, firm white flesh, and the unique flavour of its tongue, liver and roe, all of which are delicacies much loved by Norwegians. It doesn’t just taste good – it’s also an extremely healthy food, low in fat and a rich source of vitamin D in the sunless winter months. And because it’s only fished seasonally, it’s also a sustainable species.
More good news? Now is the time to try skrei! The spawning season, which lasts from January to March, has started, and skrei has as a result started to appear on menus in restaurants up and down the country. Do give it a go – you won’t be disappointed.
If you’d rather try skrei at home, do as the Norwegians do (they cook skrei in very much the same way they cook cod): bring a pan of water to the boil, slice the fish into thick slices, then remove the pan from the hob and let the fish stand in the just-boiled water for about 10 minutes. You’ll know the fish is ready when the flesh starts to come off the bone.
Skrei is usually served with boiled potatoes and melted butter, sometimes with hard-cooked eggs. Its mild and delicate flesh is also used in gratin and fish balls, although I personally think this is a bit of a waste… such gorgeous fish is best eaten on its own, to reveal all its flavour.
Read more about skrei here www.seafoodfromnorway.com/News/News/View+media+article?key=23066 and www.seafoodfromnorway.com/Fishlovers/News/View+article?key=23067
Norway: Money matters
Posted by admin in Travel and practical stuff on February 23, 2010
The currency in use in Norway is the Norwegian krone (NOK; symbol Kr). One krone is worth 100 øre. Notes come in denominations of 1,000Kr, 500Kr, 200Kr, 100Kr and 50Kr; coins in denominations of 20Kr, 10Kr, 5Kr and 1Kr, and 50 øre.
Currency exchange is available at banks and bureaux de change. The Norwegian kroner has been extremely strong of late, making it expensive for Brits, American and many others to holiday in Norway. When I moved here at the end of 2007, the exchange rate was almost 13Kr to the British pound, whereas now it’s closer to 9Kr!
Norwegians love plastic, and all major credit and debit cards are widely accepted (even to pay for small amounts like road tolls, parking, etc). ATMs are widely available. Traveller’s cheques are accepted in banks, hotels and some shops, although they are not as widely used as in other countries maybe.
Banking hours are Mon-Fri 0900-15.30 (1500 in summer), Thur 0900-1700.
To check the exchange rate for your currency check www.xe.com
Birkebeinerne, by Knud Bergslien (1869)
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Sport on February 22, 2010
Norway and the Winter Olympics
Posted by admin in History and architecture, Sport on February 22, 2010
Day 11 of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, and so far 5 gold medals, 3 silver and 4 bronze. It hasn’t been such a bad year for Norway after all, although some of the big favourites, Petter Northug among them, haven’t scored so well.
Here are, however, a few hugely impressive facts to ponder. It might be small (just about 4.7 million inhabitants), but Norway is the country that has won the most medals in the history of the Winter Olympics. A whopping 290 medals to date (and counting!), well ahead of the US in second position with 237, and the former Soviet Union with 217. So far Norway has won 103 gold medals in the Winter Olympics, again, well ahead of the US and the former Soviet Union (84 and 87 respectively). Well, they do say that Norwegians are ‘born with skis on their feet’… but still!
In terms of gold medals, the best games so far for Norway were Salt Lake City in 2002, when Norway scooped an unbelievable 13 gold medals (out of 25 medals they brought home). But the most successful games overall were the Lillehammer games in 1994, when Norway, which was competing on home turf, beat all other participating countries and topped the table with an impressive 26 medals, of which 10 gold!