From the newspaper Aftenposten I just learnt that it was a lady named Anne Hov who in 1863, while working on a seter (summerfarm) in Soer-Fron in Oppland invented the famous Norwegian cheese, sometimes called Gulbrandsdalsosten. She was then working as a budeie – the woman taking care of the cows – on Solbraasaetra. Now, nearly 150 years later the local authorities want to protect this place as part of the national heritage.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Old Times in Norway: The Brown Cheese
From the newspaper Aftenposten I just learnt that it was a lady named Anne Hov who in 1863, while working on a seter (summerfarm) in Soer-Fron in Oppland invented the famous Norwegian cheese, sometimes called Gulbrandsdalsosten. She was then working as a budeie – the woman taking care of the cows – on Solbraasaetra. Now, nearly 150 years later the local authorities want to protect this place as part of the national heritage.
Old times in Norway : Decorating the Butter and the Cheese
Not so long ago we bought a beautiful Norwegian brown cheese.Usually this Norwegian sweet cheese is sold as square blocks, but as a special treat you can buy a decorated cheese, inspired by the use of traditional wooden moulds.
Today, in a Norwegian magazine for antiques (Samler, Nov 21st 2005) I was reminded that similiar wooden moulds were used to decorate butter.
According to the article, you need 20 liters of milk to produce 1 kg butter, so butter was very precious. Most of the traditional moulds took half a liter of butter.
The decorations on the inside of the moulds sometimes included a bride and bridegroom, as these festive butter blocks often were presented as «sendings» to local weddings.
Norwegian: Eplekjekt (Possible free translation "As cheerful as an apple")
The word «Eplekjekt» is not a word I remember myself, but my mother used it the other day in describing the voice of a Norwegian TV commentator.
Suddenly I realized that this word could be used to describe what I, at this point, feel is a particular Norwegian way of talking and behaving – cheerful, optimistic, healthy. You may not feel that way inside, but you put on your cheery mask. Then again, perhaps you do feel like an ad for a health magazine.
Can this indeed be so?
I watch both Norwegian and Swedish TV.
To my ears, the Swedish voices on TV sound more relaxed, like they are talking from their favorite chair at home.
Norwegians often sound like sport stars interviewed after their victories.
Could there indeed be such a difference between the two neighbouring countries?
Can it be that this mostly reflects different media styles in the two countries?
Suddenly I realized that this word could be used to describe what I, at this point, feel is a particular Norwegian way of talking and behaving – cheerful, optimistic, healthy. You may not feel that way inside, but you put on your cheery mask. Then again, perhaps you do feel like an ad for a health magazine.
Can this indeed be so?
I watch both Norwegian and Swedish TV.
To my ears, the Swedish voices on TV sound more relaxed, like they are talking from their favorite chair at home.
Norwegians often sound like sport stars interviewed after their victories.
Could there indeed be such a difference between the two neighbouring countries?
Can it be that this mostly reflects different media styles in the two countries?
Norway: Living in Impossible far-off Places
A series of Norwegian TV documentaries will present people who have decided to live in far off farms and houses in Norway. Tonight we will visit one of the small mountain farms in Sognefjord, Norway's longest fjord. I remember how J. looked up from the ship as we sailed through that fjord in 1990 and saw tiny farms and houses high up on the mountain side. «I would have liked to walk up there and see how they lived,» he commented. Indeed, one wonders how they get up there from the fjord – it is so steep – but even more how you live your everyday life so far from the rest of the world.
Norway: Hurtigruta
Hurtigrute is the ship going from Bergen up to Kirkenes and back.
If you have heard about this voyage, you may know that taking this ship from Bergen and to the far north and back takes 11 days. It is a dream for many Norwegians - and some foreigners too.
The official price is, according to a pamphlet I have, around 1400 Norwegian crowns (230 US dollars?) a day for one person in a double room with three full meals. It is possibly to take part of many special excursions along the route, if you decide to pay extra for it.
This spring my mother will go on this trip. She is so excited about the birds she will see along the coast, and the fantastic nature up in the north. It will be the first time she is going north of Trondheim.
Perhaps I will one day in the future have the opportunity to do at least some part of the trip. Spending 11 days on a ship seems to much for me....
Moss : The Norwegian Lady
In March 1891 the bark named «Dictator» from the town of Moss sank outside Virginia Beach in the States. Among the victims – the captain's wife and their young son.
The gallion figure of the sunken Norwegian ship was then placed on Virginia Beach. The locals named it The Norwegian Lady.
It was made in wood, but wood is not forever.
Two bronze copies were made of the gallion figure - one is now in Virginia Beach and the second is here in the harbour of Moss.
The gallion figure of the sunken Norwegian ship was then placed on Virginia Beach. The locals named it The Norwegian Lady.
It was made in wood, but wood is not forever.
Two bronze copies were made of the gallion figure - one is now in Virginia Beach and the second is here in the harbour of Moss.
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