posted on 19th March 2011 under Food, Habits, Travel Abroad, Winter
Restoran Korsaar by the Old Town Square in Tallinn, Estonia, has a stunning pirate-themed design in a spectacular location and serves traditional Creole cuisine with an Estonian touch in a relaxed and informal environment with an emphasis on flavour. It’s a restaurant of Chefs where every client is tended personally by one of them. Attendants` friendly and professional attention makes every visit to this place enjoyable from the beginning to the end.
If you’ve ever dreamed of running away to become a pirate or a wench, now is your chance. This spectacular pirate-style restaurant goes way beyond anything we’ve ever seen in terms of attention to detail and authenticity. From gangplanks to shark tanks, this subterranean grotto has everything covered:
Panoramic Nokia N8 photo
The interior design has been finished to the smallest detail. The dining room is divided into three separate areas, the Bridge, the Shark’s Hall and the Eastern Corner, seating in total up to 72 guests. To evoke the atmosphere of the seven seas there is a pool of turtles and exotic fish and a beautifully crafted fish tank containing three small sharks in the dining room:
As you see from my photos, the interior is inspired by pirate ships and is tastefully and carefully crafted, with every element, from the furniture to the cutlery and glasses, having been custom-made by hand. Let me give you a couple more examples:
The Cocktail: “Bloody Frogs Eye” – Interesting ash trays in the smoking room
True feast for all senses!
Korsaar offers an a la carte menu, an excellent selection of wines and highly professional service. This was the way they made our aperitif “Elixir Bloody Frog Eye” (in the pic above) in front of our table: No frogs were harmed in this process!!
Their international food is fantastic, with leanings on the creoles and seafood side of the port bow. Even more, said before: it’s a restaurant of chefs who accepts the orders from the clients personally and we had an interesting discussion with him; the awarded Mr. Jaak Hiibus, to decide our dinner. When telling him we were from Norway and that I had caught King Crabs in the Barents Sea, this became our menu:
Left, starter: King Crab salad – Right, main course: Grilled Patagonian toothfish steak with mango béarnaise
No, I have not forgotten the dessert, but take this opportunity to example the personal and professional service. You see, I like coffee to go with dessert and we got Turkish coffee – the Korsaar way: Fresh milled coffee corns that are pieced up from ferocious plantations of Cuba are turned into a great hearted aromatic drink. First they boil it on hot sand twice and the process ended at our table boiled one last time before our eyes:
Left: one of our Waitresses serving coffee – Right: dessert: Dark chocolate fondant.
Social Media recommendation:
My regular readers know I am above average active in Social Media and this trip to Tallinn in Estonia was of course announced at my TripIt account and fed to my Facebook wall. The post was commented by a friend of mine Robert Henry T from UK, saying: “I got back from Tallinn on Monday. Incredible place (although freezing!). Check out the German Beer hall just off the main square and definitely eat there”. We did and had a jolly good time:
The charming waiters at The Beer House – Dinner: Duck Confit
When I told the Manager the reason why we paid them a visit, she insisted that we came with her for a guided tour downstairs: The Korsaar Restaurant, and we ordered a table for the next day – from where you now know the whole story : -)
We found both restaurants very nice, and the staff was professional, friendly and last but not least, fun. The next time you are in Tallinn we recommend you check these two restaurants out!
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posted on 24th February 2011 under Culture, Food, Habits, History, Sports, Winter
FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 started today in Oslo and will include 21 competitions within Cross-Country, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined as well as a variety of cultural events. It’ll take place at The Holmenkollen Ski Jumping Hill – the third best known sporting arena in the world, after Wimbledon and Wembley.
Since the first event in 1892, Holmenkollen ski jump has been re-developed on no less than 18 occasions. Even in its second year, work commenced on developing and improving the ski jump. In 1914, the first tower was erected, ‘Tower of Babel’. For the Olympic Games in Oslo in 1952, permanent grandstands and a judge’s tower were built and during the Championships of 1966 and 1982 the facility was further extended. Following these changes, only small alterations have been made before the current major re-development for the Oslo2011. I was there for the trial WSC in 2010 and took plenty of photos (click all pics to enlarge & enjoy) – here some spectators:
The arena has previously hosted the 1952 Winter Olympics and the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in 1930, 1966, 1982 and now 2011 as well as annual Biathlon World Cup races.
Advantage of Social Media sharing:
My regular readers knows I’m above average in Social Media activities. As a network evangelist, I love to share and be inspired of others – like I often say: It’s a Givers Gain! It occurs in many ways and in this case, two of the pics I took in Holmenkollen last year (posted about and shared on Flickr) has become “famous” in Norway:
Sausages: Kollen Grill & Wiener:
One of Norwegian food companies, Gilde, who make sausages or hotdogs, wanted to use one of the photos for their Holmenkollen sausage collection and the result:
Left: Boil Hotdog (or wieners) – Right: Grill Hotdog – the word “Kollen” in the name is of course a direct reference to Holmenkollen. As locals call the ski jump Kollen for short.
The picture is now to be seen all over Norway; at gas stations, local groceries, in newspapers e.g.:
Nora homemade Jam:
Another food company; Stabburet, who makes jam (made from old, traditional Norwegian recipe) asked for permission to use the other and they promote their Holmenkollen collection in newspapers:
Follow RennyBA & DianeCA on Oslo2011:
The companies above have of course paid for the use of my photos. This has not made me a millionaire but of course I am very proud to see them all over the country! The best payment I received was in addition 4 VIP tickets to the World Championship in Nordic Ski events. So we will be reporting from the atmosphere and activities in the coming days. There will be a lot happening here in Oslo winter sport capital so stay tuned!
Holmenkollen spirit: Kollen is especially known for its sportsmansly atmosphere and its famous “Kollen roar”.
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posted on 7th February 2011 under Food, Habits
Cod fish is flaky and good poached, steamed, broiled, baked, grilled or even fried. Norway exports large amounts of fresh as well as salted and dried (Baccalao) cod fish throughout Europe, America and Asia. It’s becoming increasingly popular, due to its mild flavour, low fat content and its dense, flaky white flesh. Traditionally, it is served with lemon wedges and a light sauce composed of parsley or you can easily add it to stews, risottos and soups. One simple pan-fried recipe calls for lightly frying the cod in oil and serving it with a creamy mix of potatoes, green onions and butter.
Learning how to cook it the Norwegian way is simple, especially if you have an expert guiding you the first time. We have one in my sisters’ family, and when he made the most wonderful cod fish dish the other day, I was there through the whole process and of course had my Nokia mobile phone to document the process. So sit in with us and enjoy the table setting while I tell the story – next Sunday, it’s your turn you know ; -)
Boiled or poached fresh Cod:
The best thing is of course to fish it yourself and bring it right to the kitchen, but if you have to buy it, make sure it is rinsed for an hour or so in fresh water. This makes it whiter and firmer when boiled. Have water in a pot with plenty of salt (4 palm of salt in this one) and don’t put the cod in before the water comes to full boil – some bay leaf is nice in the water too (click pick to bigify & enjoy):
No matter how you decide to prepare your fish by poaching, broiling, grilling, stewing, etc; make sure not to overcook it – think 8-10 minutes per inch of thickness.
Butter sauce is the top of the cream:
One of our chef’s speciality is this sauce called Sandefjorsmør (named after the city Sandefjord) It combines butter and cream with parsley and lemon. Simple to make, but makes all the difference. Melt (for 6 persons) ½ Kg butter and add ¾ litre of cream. Don’t boil to hard, just let it simmer for almost an hour:
Crumbled bacon is a must:
To add a bit of an extra flavour taste to the fish cuisine add crumbled bacon – sliced and fried, as simple as can be & just before you are ready to serve; you add the lemon to the sauce:
Cod fish is readily available all year long. It is also extremely healthy-being both low in fat and high in protein. Cod fish goes well with creamy sauces and fragrant pottages.
It has been said that cod has mattered more in human history than any other fish and since readily available all year long, why don’t you give it a try soon. I mean Cod fish is extremely versatile and healthy and now, since you’ve learnt how to cook it; the sky is the limit – so why not incorporate it into your diet for a healthier lifestyle?
If not convinced after learning how easy it is – ohh I forgot: add some veggies to the recipe (my favourite is carrots and broccoli) – maybe you can’t resist after seeing the final result:
Bon Appétit!
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posted on 4th February 2011 under Food, Habits, Nature, Sports, Winter
With Norway’s abundance of freshwater lakes, salt water fjords and a magnificent coastline it’s not surprising that fishing is very popular. These Vikings, with fishing in their blood, are guaranteed to find something to suit their taste – believe me: Everyone can enjoy a fishing holiday in Norway whether a novice or expert. Coarse fishing, game fishing, deep sea fishing; whatever your favoured sport then Norway can oblige in the most spectacular way possible! With a coastline the length of Norway, it’s no wonder that the Norwegians are known for their love of fish – my regular readers know that defiantly includes me ; -)
You also know my saying; there is no such as bad weather, only bad clothes – meaning; winter, snow and ice is no reason to sit indoors! Once the ice has set, Norwegian ice fishing enthusiasts hit the ice (click pics to bigify & enjoy):
At Eidanger Fjord, 2 hours drive south of Oslo along the Oslo Fjord.
Last weekend, while attending our yearly family Rakfisk feast, we had fabulous sunny winter weather. On Sunday afternoon, after stuffing ourselves with “fermented fish” delicacies, and drinking a bit of Aquavit my sister suggested a walk on the fjord to freshen us up a bit. A great way to get some sunshine, experience the beautiful nature and recover from a late night of overindulgence. Since I always have my Nokia mobile handy to shoot some photos, I hope you’ll enjoy coming along for a taste of ice fishing:
Sunny weather, crisp fresh air and beautiful scenery: that’s what I call recreational!
If you are patient and dressed warmly, a day of ice fishing can be an experience in a class of its own. Nature, tranquillity and the excitement of not knowing what you will catch are important elements. When passing some of these ice fishing enthusiasts, we stopped and chatted with them about the days catch and they were nice enough to pose for us to share in Blogsphere and more than willing to let us in on some of their “secrets”:
Temp of -10C (14F) is no problem if you dress correctly!
This type of fishing, is of course carried out close to the shore, and normally brings a variety of species. Most of them used mackerel as bait and normal catches were Cod, Herring, Haddock, Coalfish, Ling, Pollock and sometimes more Mackerel. Here are some examples:
Left: Pollock – Right: Cod and Blue whiting
If you have not become clear over this from the catches, this is of course frozen ocean water. The fjords are long fingers from the sea which reach into the country and bring us salt water delicacies to fish and enjoy. These same fjords are used for sailing and fishing in the summer and have lovely beaches along the edges. We were standing on 90 meters deep, just so you know, but as the ice was 30 – 60 centimetres frozen solid and more than enough to hold us all, plus skaters, skiers, dog walkers and other outdoor enthusiasts.
Above you see some of the detail of the frozen ice crystals forming on the snow. The beauty is fascinating up close, and at a distance. Another experience you can only have in a land with all four seasons!
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posted on 4th December 2010 under Culture, Food, Travel Abroad
Fado music is the heart of the Portuguese soul and maybe the world’s oldest urban folk music. Some say it started at sea as the sad, melodic songs coaxed from the rolling waves by homesick sailors and fishermen or maybe by the poor on the streets of Lisbon. Whatever its origins the themes have remained constant: destiny, betrayal in love, death and despair. Now it is a fixture in the everyday life of Lisbon’s working class and played for pleasure but also to relieve the pain of life.
There are fado houses and so called “revistas”, a popular genre of “vaudeville” in Lisbon and since we had our local friends, Helena and Luis as hosts and guides when visiting the city, we had our Fado evening at one of the best; Café Luso in Bairro Alto:
The traditional accompaniment for the singers is a Portuguese guitar = guitarra, a 12-stringed instrument (left in the pic below), and a bass guitar (right), or viola. Sometimes a second acoustic guitar (middle) is added like when we had this fantastic music adventure this evening:
The essential element of Fado music is saudade, a Portuguese word that translates roughly as longing, or nostalgia for unrealized dreams that speaks of an undefined yearning that can’t be satisfied. Like other forms of folk music such as American blues, Argentine tango or Greek rebetika, it’s hard to explain – it must be felt and experienced – and the performers must have the soul to transmit that feeling. That’s why my wife DianeCA and I are so thankful for having local friends to take us a place like this – I hope my explanation and these pics give you an idea:
Fado can be performed by men or women, although many aficionados prefer the raw emotion of the female Fadista. Dressed in black with a shawl draped over her shoulders, a Fadista stands in front of the musicians and communicates through gesture and facial expressions (click pics to bigify & enjoy):
Café Luso gives gourmet adventures too:
Even if this special traditional music adventure was the main objective, Café Luso had excellent food and wine. I believe my regular readers would feel something was missing if I didn’t share the meal – so here we go:
Main course: “Wild Magret” (magret of duck in a sauce of orannge and wild berries on a celery bed with wasabi and sauté leeks)
Dessert: Puff-Pastry of “Sericaia” with Plum Jelly of Elvas – DOP – and Syrup of Lime and Lemon
This evening was truly a once in a lifetime experience. Romantic, inspiring, and delicious to all the senses, we are especially grateful for sharing it with good friends who know the music and the culture. Discussing the singers and how they were different from each other, and what each ones special style was added to the experience and helped us to learn a lot. We were so inspired we even bought a CD from one of the singers so we can relive the memories. Hope you are enjoying our trip to Lisbon. If you have experienced Fado or something similar I hope you will share with us in a comment!
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Restoran Korsaar by the Old Town Square in Tallinn, Estonia, has a stunning pirate-themed design in a spectacular location and serves traditional Creole cuisine with an Estonian touch in a relaxed and informal environment with an emphasis on flavour. It’s a restaurant of Chefs where every client is tended personally by one of them. Attendants` friendly and professional attention makes every visit to this place enjoyable from the beginning to the end.
