The word solstice derives from Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still) and this year it occur the 21st. The term is also colloquially used like Midsummer to refer to the day on which it occurs, except in the Polar Regions (where daylight is continuous for half of the year) – like north in Norway; The Land of the Midnight Sun – see my report from a few years back: Arctic Adventure Rafting The Barents Sea!

Since it’s the end of a season or semester and beginning of summer (schools close for 8 weeks and people normally use at least 3 of their total 5 weeks vacations), there is a lot to celebrate – and mostly outdoors. Who blame us; in 6 month we have winter & snow and 5 hours daylight. So we party, party, party – with co-workers, colleagues and friend. Let me give you a couple of examples:

Culinary sensations at Nodee Asian cooking:
This year’s party with colleagues at the Norwegian Computer Society was at an Asian restaurant, 5 minutes by Tube out of Oslo center. Okay, we ate indoors, but it count as a summer party anyway Let’s go directly to the 5 course serving and start with a friend of mine, well known to my regular readers:

<sup>The one and only; TorAa

Colleagues around the table.</sup>

<sup>1: King Crab, Soft shell Crab & Sea Bass. 2: Crispy Duck

3: Lobster wok Shao. 4: Ching Lak Ao Lau 5: Grilled Scallops</sup>

University collage mates from 73-75 at Aker Brygge:
The last 10 year or so, I’ve invited old school friends (yea, I’m kind of a HUB ) to summer party in Oslo. They are spread all over Norway, but 10 to 20 persons shows up; this year at Aker Brygge:

In the background you see Akershus Fortress! Aker Brygge (former ship yard established in 1864), across Oslo harbour and close to the Town Hall, is the city’s finance and amusement aria with shops, restaurants, cinemas, office space and apartments as well as a small boat harbour. Let me show you what we had to eat, before I show you the aria:

^{I had Blue Mussel (love seafood you know), some had just a burger.}

After dinner we walked around to soak in the summer atmosphere at Aker Brygge and checked the service at some of the restaurants (click to bigify & enjoy!):

^{These photos is shot around 9PM – still sunny and bright}

Don’t you love this summer party rituals and the late, sunny – and even romantic – nights? Norwegians have learned to take advantage of this, since we don’t have it all year around you know
Would you like to experience this and soak in the summer late night atmosphere yourself? Well here is you’re chance: I invite all to the Oslo Blog Gathering in August – click to check the program and book to join us! – if you then go to bed at sun set and get up at the rise; you haven’t waste you’re stay in Oslo by sleeping

I took tons of photos – some for public, and others for more private use As pics often says more than a thousand word, I will reveille some along with my report and start with the whole gang to give you a hint and invite you into the mood:

The best party formula ever:
Invite all you’re very best friends, give them a chef hat and an apron to set the stage. Then the most important thing: A menu with detailed recipes for all courses (we had 4).
So what’s happens then? Well everyone starts to read the menu of course – which in the beginning we thought were the party songs – but no:

Then you divide them into groups and tell them they will be making tonight’s dinner. Do not forget to buy the ingredients! Invite them a bit earlier than normal of course, and then you tell them we’ll have dinner in two hours: and let the game begin (click all pics to bigify & enjoy):

_{Soon the kitchen looks like a professional restaurant’s.}

The 14 guests were divided into four teams, each being responsible for one dish for the party – for example the starter, the main course etc. The given menu was complete with ingredients and step by step instructions to making each dish. We were divided so we were with people we did not know very well, but the process of creating the best dish possible broke the ice and got us laughing and acquainted in the process.

The dinner is served:
I can tell you we needed the two hours to prepare as we made it all from raw ingredients; we peeled the shrimp, made all the gravy and sauces from the bottom up and so on – this was no fast food feast you know! So when we finally sat down at the table, we were a well mixed and hungry group:

_{Left: Around the table – Right: Edgar giving his speech}

The 4 course and the recipes:
I’ve saved the best for last and again pics say more than a thousand words, so let’s start with my groups contribution – first to the left and eat on:

<sub>Left: Natural Shrimp Cocktails – Right: Filet mignon with wine sauce & baby roasted potatoes

Left: Fruit and cheese plate – Right: ice cream with fresh strawberry sauce</sub>

Edgar Valdmanis, a network evangelist:
Before I end, I’d like to introduce the jubilant: He is a nice guy, a Professional Networker, a great colleague and Marketing Director at the Norwegian Computer Society. He invited his best friends, but just a few knew each other in before hand. I can tell we did after making this dinner together – and quite a few business deals was done too! You can meet Edgar in most all Social Media of course – some examples; at LinkedIn as well as Twitter and Facebook.

The recipe – Salmon Au Gratin:
No measurements but the dishes ingredients are 4 salmon fillets, tomatoes, onion, leek, carrot, celery root, white wine, mushrooms, cream, dill, a dash of garlic salt baked in the oven for 30 minutes – then topped with cheese and shrimp and browned for 10 more.

The serving is ready – DianeCA’s Salmon Delight with rice:

The dish with a glass of white wine – Bon appétit:

Fish Farming in Norway:
My initial info and remarks make Norway perfect country for farming Salmon too. Actually fish farming is Norway’s second largest industry, and provides jobs both within and outside of the country. Thus Salmon is the flag ship of the Norwegian fish farming Industry and may of course are prepared in numerous ways; You may eat it dried, as a snack, smoked, marinated, salted, cooked, fried or baked and can even make an excellent sushi! Recently Salmon Caviar is fast growing in popularity – some even think it’s better than Russian caviar.

So how about you; have you eaten any Norwegian salmon lately? If so, in what way – or do you wish to try some of my wife’s specialities?
Here are some posts from our earlier fish delight dishes:
-> Rakfisk dish as traditional fish delicacy from Norway
-> Olga experience seafood delight in Norway
-> Rainbow trout fish dinner delight
-> Norwegian Sea Food dinner

Get a taste yourself of Norwegian Salmon at the Oslo Blog Gathering 2010!

Restaurant Balkan Bistro:
The Continental Forum Hotel’s restaurant impressed us by the Balkan traditional food. Side by side you’ll also find their Wine Cellar, even in the original cellar of the former Habermann coffee house (built-up in 1876), famous meeting place and symbol of the cultural life from Sibiu at the end of eighteen century.
The atmosphere gives the most ideal choice either for a business meal or a delicious dinner. The day before I attend CEPIS Council Meeting (the reason for my stay in Bucharest), my wife and I had a nice dinner here and we invite you all to join us:

With a 100 seats capacity, Balkan Bistro invites you to indulge in a varied menu consisting of the most delicious specialties from various countries: Albania, Croatia, Greece, Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Turkey, and a lot more. Guided by their excellent servant Anna, I tried my best to stick to the Romanian style, Bon Appétit (click pics to bigify and enjoy):

<sup>Left: Bread with Alioli – Right: Fish & Egg salad

Left: Romanian meet stew (beef, pork, chicken & sausage) – Right: Coffee</sup>

La Mandragora:
In the evening after CEPIS’s council Meeting, we all had another culinary adventure. Decadent décor and smart ideas about food have inspired a classy, edgy ambience at this lovely new restaurant that opened in a renovated house in June 2006. Cristi Puiu suggested the name, after his production company, and chose a special place for the restaurant. The house in 29 Mendeleev Street (Bucharest) is where the painter Ștefan Luchian, the flowers master, lived and painted:

Lilac-colored walls, a glittering bar, and gathered drapes are the opening gambit for an evening of superb food. French dishes with a twist are how you might describe the divine creations of German chef Paul Peter Kopij, who plans seasonal innovations and additions to a cleverly sophisticated yet simple menu:

The menu is among Bucharest’s most innovative and I gladly share my dishes with you:

<sup>Left: Cream of carrot soup – Right: Red wine, Penfolds Shiraz Cabernet, Australian

Left: French breast of duck in Guinness ale with basmati rice – Right: Crème brûlée and Beignets filled with apple</sup>

This was our culinary adventure from our trip to Bucharest. Like I said in my last post, mentioning that I had DianeCA my wife with me, you might agree I have the ability to combine business with pleasure. However, I took a lot more pics and had some more time to explore this interesting, special and historical East European city. So stay tuned – there will be lot more about the contrast in architecture, history and culture as well as to show you spring was on its way!

This post is part of Reiseblogg2010 – A Norwegian Travel Blog Competition.

I will show you more of how we make the most adventurous cookout every Easter Sunday. Only first I want us to learn something from my posts – so I have done some research and here is a summery:

The Easter Bunny roots:
Like the origin of Easter which has its roots that go back to pre-Christian, Anglo-Saxon history. The holiday was originally a pagan celebration that worshipped the goddess Eastre. She was the goddess of fertility and springtime and her earthly symbol was the rabbit. In pagan times, the “Easter hare” was no ordinary animal, but a sacred companion of the old goddess of spring. The Easter bunny has its origin in pre-Christian fertility lore. The Hare and the Rabbit were the most fertile animals known and they served as symbols of the new life during the spring season.

The Easter Bunny folklore:
Feeling guilty about arriving late one spring, the Goddess Ostara saved the life of a poor bird whose wings had been frozen by the snow. She made him her pet and filled with compassion for him since he could no longer fly, she turned him into a snow hare and gave him the gift of being able to run with incredible speed so he could protect himself from hunters. In remembrance of his earlier form as a bird, she also gave him the ability to lay eggs – in all the colours of the rainbow – but only on one day out of each year. The eggs should be given to the children attending the Ostara festivals that were held each spring. The tradition of the Easter Bunny Eggs hunt had begun:

Outdoors family Bunny Egg Hunt:
So with this as a background, let me share my family’s way of doing it. We love to be out in the woods where the bunnies live (and at Easter lay their eggs), so the hunt must take place there – in all weather, snow or cold! You know my saying: there is no such as bad weather, only bad clothes!

So walking into the woods, without the children taking notice, an adult runs ahead and hides the eggs, usually with the excuse that he (often my father) would like to start the bonfire. When the rest of the gang arrives he announces that he has seen signs of the Easter Bunny, which he was especially big this year and made a lot of noise hopping here and there and everywhere hiding his eggs.
So the hunt begins – here are some more photos from different years in different weather conditions:

^{Snow and cold does not matter – spring is in the air}

Hot dogs in branch bread:
In resent years my sister has made dough called ‘pinnebrød’ (branch bread) which you can roll around the stick or around the sausage stuck on the branch. Then we all sit around the bonfire, enjoying the catch of the hunt and some hotdogs – and of course our company. Again, here are some example photos from the latest years:

There is of course other (Norwegian) ways to eat your hotdog too; in lompe:

We are soon on our way to my home town to meet my parents and sisters family for this adventurous tradition. When I post this in advance this year, it is to give you all the chance to have fun the same way. Have you tried? Or would you like too? Tell me what you think in comments please!

I have of course posted about this over the years and here are the previous ones:

The name Tekethopa comes from the Norwegian word for pharmacy/apothecary which is Apotheket. The first years the café was called Apotheket until the cities pharmacies objected and said that it might confuse people.

Therefore they just twisted the Norwegian word for it, it is simply spelled backwards. In the left photo, you see their logo etched in the window from the inside and it should explain it all

Most of the walls, floor and ceiling are original and retain the stucco, plaster ornamentation, with large windows that let in much light. They have matched the interior with the old style – quite cosy I would say. I was there for Sunday lunch with my wife DianeCA (her favourite Café) some weeks ago, and gladly take you along:

From the charming and cosy interior.

To capture the atmosphere and remind you of that you are in an old pharmacy, they have e.g. restored the original ceiling paintings and kept some equipment in glass cases:

The service and food is both nice and here are some examples from the menu which my wife and I had:

Left: Chèvre salad with honey, mustard and cashew – Right: Chili marinaded shrimp salad

This is just an example of many cafés or restaurants in old buildings renovated and decorated to take care of and preserve the original architecture. Instead of tearing down these beautiful old buildings Oslo is interested in taking care of the history, culture and traditions. This also makes Oslo a lovely city as many areas are well maintained from the era they were built. That’s also an example of what you can experience together with bloggers from all over the world, if you meet up with us at the Oslo Blog Gathering in August (click to see the official program site!).

What is Rakfisk & how to make it?
The word “rak” comes from the word “rakr” in the Norse language, meaning moist or soaked. Raking of fish is a preservation method where there is a fermentation process known back for thousands of years. Most use trout, scrubing so all the slime is gone, removing the gills and guts and rinsing well so that all the blood is washed away. Then the fish is rinsed and put it in vinegar solution for about half an hour and then in a tub with strait sides, close side by side with the abdomen up. The abdomen is filled with ocean salt, 60g per kg fish. Then the fish is put under pressure with a lid that fits down into the tub and a rock, and placed chilly for two to three months.

Up until lately, it was to be bought in barrels, but now you may also buy the fish vacuum packed and where the head, tail and skin are removed:

Then you just have unwrap, fillet, remove the bones and slice the fish:

Well prepared and sett on plates, this is the fish and condiments on the table:

What to drink with Rakfisk?
Beer is a must or at least the most common in addition to the Norwegian herb liqueur; Aquavit. You get it in different flavour for different occasions – ours was Rakfisk Aquavit of course. We get it in a special carafe too:

Left: The carafe to the right – Right: The carafe top is you’re shot glass – cheers!