A thick, white, blanket for those who rest.

I’m sure every nation has a country soup dish - Norway has Lapskaus.

Lapskaus can range from a watery soup to a thick stew, it all depends on how you like it. Traditionally being made from last nights left overs, Lapskaus uses potatoes as a thick base with other hearty, winter vegetables and meat. The idea of Lapskaus is ‘anything goes’, so you can guarantee that your soup will be an original masterpiece every time.

It seems like everyone in Norway has made up their own version, even the Kings Royal Guards have their Gardelapskaus (The Guard Lapskaus) that they make for everyone on their open days. Over the years there have been some recipes that have stuck, however they describe more of a theme rather than set ingredients:

Brun lapskaus
This lapskaus is like a thick brown stew with beef. Brown gravy adds to the potato base and it is generally so thick you can eat it with a fork.

Lys lapskaus
A creamy sauce (bechamel) is used to give this lapskaus a smooth creamy texture. Light meat such as pork or sausage is used to add a little salt to balance the meal.

Soup lapskaus
This soup uses potato and stock for a base. Any meat can be used, however, it is very common to use salty meats such as pickled pork or ham to enhance the flavour.

I find that the potatoes are very important to the texture of the dish. When the dish simmers the edges of the potatoes dissolve making a natural thick sauce. In Norway they use yellow, floury, potatoes for such dishes, so any potato that is good for mashing will probably be good to use.

As a guide, you can use our original (last nights) lapskaus recipe:

Chop into bite-size pieces and throw all into a big pot:
4 large potatoes
2 large carrots
1 celery stick
1 think slice of swede
2 onions
2 garlic pieces (minced)
1/4 leek
200g cooked chicken pieces
200g cooked salty bacon bits*
500mls water
1 chicken stock cube
pepper, parsley

Bring to boil and simmer for at least 30mins. Serve with crusty bread, pita bread - or even better, Norwegian flat-bread.

*Salty bacon or ham goes really well with this dish - I find it a little bland without it. It also means you don’t need to use extra salt. Make sure you don’t overcook the bacon otherwise it will be too hard for the soft soup.

Note: If you like your soup thick add less water - if you like it thin, add more - easy!

You are most welcome to do all the ‘chefy’ stuff like saute the onions, garlic and herbs in butter and use your home-made stock, etc - but Norwegians never do and it still tastes great.

By our favourite jetty is the cutest little boat shed. We often have picnics there in Summer. It’s nice to just drop by our favourite places in Winter to see how very different but very beautiful everything still is.

Even though I’m getting used to Norwegian food, every now and then I’ll discover the weird and the weirder. My family, (aka Moose), has some awfully strange eating habits.

It’s very usual to have fresh chicken eggs on bread for breakfast… with caviar on top! Eggs with eggs, hmmm - this must be the Norwegian version of the Surf ‘n’ Turf: ‘the menu is guided not by aesthetic concerns, but for the sake of vulgar display’ (wikipedia).

But I think the strangest thing is that the caviar comes in a tube. It is squeezed out like toothpaste on top of the eggs. You can get different varieties of flavour too - mayonnaise, cheese and… egg! So, egg with egg and egg for breakfast! Well, that’s one way to get your protein fix in the morning.

When you learn to drive you are taught to expect the unexpected. This is certainly an unexpected expected for me - a little grandma skiing across the crossing. Lucky I wasn’t driving… (so I could take some pics).

This is a crossing for walkers and bikers in the Summer, and turns into a skiers crossing in the Winter. It even has a special sign to signify a skiers crossing. It means that the skiers don’t have to take off their skis. They just wait for the clear and ski across the road to the other side of the snow track. It makes it so much easier to get around by your own power in the snow - very convenient.

By the way, you can’t see the bonnet of our car because it is covered in snow. The picture is a little hazy as we kept fogging up the windows with our breathing. I’m impressed that our camera could snap the granny speeding past!

Nidarosdomen - Nidaros Cathedral

Nidaros Cathedral is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Norway. It boasts a textured Medieval history that began with the adventures of St Olav, the fierce Viking who was converted to Christianity and became King of Norway. The Cathedral has been under construction from the early ten hundreds and was only completed in 1983 with the last statue finding place in the west wall.

Nidaros Cathedral has stood the test of time through Norway’s modern history, surviving many fires, the Reformation, standing through both Danish and Swedish rule, Norwegian Independence, two World Wars and the rest of the 20th century. Many generations of workers have laboured to keep and preserve this national symbol. Nidarosdomen has certainly won the hearts of the people.

Nidaros Cathedral has many points of interest for those who love history, art, music and mystery. The Altar of the Holy Cross, the High Altar and St. Olav altar-front are just some of the religious artefacts you can see inside the Cathedral.

Music is a centre piece at the Cathedral with both the Steinmeyer and Wagner organs. Concerts and galas are a regular feature and on Saturdays the Cathedral hosts a Music Service at 1pm. The Cathedral has five resident choirs including an all female Gregorian choir.

The architecture will have enthusiasts looking up for hours as the decoration both inside and out is very interesting and amusing. One of the many relics found in the east end is a Russian Icon. Famous for anonymity, the piece was a special gift from Commercial Counsellor R. Zeiner-Henriksen. The origin of the piece is only for suggestion but its curious art work has earnt it the name “the Saviour with the wet beard”.

In the church crypt you can view special headstones that were discovered during an excavation inside the Cathedral during the 1800s. St Olav is said to have been buried where the High Alter now stands. In the early history of the Church, many notable persons were buried in and around Nidarosdomen to be close to their Saint. These excavated headstones are the oldest portraits of known persons in Norway.

Nidaros Cathedral is the birthplace of Nordic Kings. In 1163, the King promised that his crown and the crowns of all his successors would be kept in Christchurch, Nidarosdomen, for ‘the eternal honour of God and St. Olav’. Even in the 1814 Norwegian constitution it is stated that Christchurch is the place dedicated to the Coronation of Kings. However, since Norway regained Independence in 1905, King Haakon is the first and last King in modern Norway to be Crowned. The Article on crowing was removed from the Constitution in 1908 - at the request of the King himself. Now a blessing ceremony is performed by the Archbishop of Christchurch for the next King and Queen of Norway with their crowns resting on each side of the High Altar.

Erkebispegården - The Archbishop’s Palace

The Archbishop’s Palace is on the south side of Nidarosdomen, and just like the Cathedral, has gone through many structural changes and restorations.

In the Middle Ages, the Archbishop’s Palace was a religious and political centre. It was designed to be a self sufficient Keep complete with stables and workshops, armoury and mint.

After the Reformation, the palace was turned into a Military base for the King’s Lord Lieutenants and was (temporarily) renamed ‘The King’s Manor’.

From the outside the Archbishop’s Palace just looks like a brick wall but inside its size truly fills its big names.

In the 1990s a major restoration was completed and the Archbishop’s Palace became part of the Nidarosdomen Museum complex. The complex includes the Archbishop’s Hall and private quarters and holds a display of the history and artefacts of Nidarosdomen and Trondheim. A new Military Museum houses Norway’s military history from ancient through to modern times. The palace is also the home for the Norwegian Crown Regalia which is in the west wing. The courtyard is an entrance to the museums and is often used for festivals and concerts. On the Nidarosdomen website you can see a panorama of the palace from the court yard.

Nidarosdomen is a place that deserves time to look, sit and observe. While in Trondheim I visited the Cathedral three times throughout my stay and was never disappointed. However, everyday I was able to view Nidarosdomen from a far in different spots around the city. Just like the Norwegian seasons, the mood of Nidaros changes. The outside appearance shifts in the Norwegian light and the inside is affected by tone and melody. Nidarosdomen is a joy to visit.

For Tourists

Nidarosdomen is open all year. There are various State Church services in the Cathedral throughout the day and week, as well as Anglican Church and German Church services. The opening hours change with the seasons so make sure you check the website: www.nidarosdomen.no During peak season (May-Sep 15th) there is an entry fee to all attractions at Nidarosdomen.

The Saint Olav Festival, a festival of church and culture, is held near the end of July/beginning of August, every year. The courtyard and city comes alive with theatre, markets, acrobatics and concerts throughout the two weeks.

The very new Trondheim Stone Carving festival will be held 17-19 July 2009. The website is just up, but if it is anything like the ice carving competitions in Alta, it will be a fantastic day!

This is the last in a three part series on Nidaros Cathedral. Part one is Nidaros Cathedral: The Symbol of a Nation. Part two is Experience Nidaros Cathedral.

When you live in the Arctic, you never know how you will find your car in the morning. Will it be covered in 20 blankets of snow? Will there be ice stuck on all the windows? Or has Mr Plow dug you in again? (Sometimes I spend a good five minutes just looking for the car!…lol). Whatever the find, if you are not prepared you will always end up 20 minutes late. Here are a few things that a Norwegian has been trying to teach an Outlander (me!) to prepare for the next time she drives:

1. Before you leave your car for the night allow the cabin to cool down either by opening the car doors or blasting the air-con. This will help prevent ice forming on the windows the next morning.

2. Before you leave your car for the night raise the windscreen wipers up. This will stop them freezing to your windscreen and make it easier to brush off the snow the next morning.

3. Before you leave your car for the night take out the snow brush and ice-scraper and take them with you. When you find your car in the morning covered in snow you will be able to brush the snow off easily to get into the car. If you forget then you will need to brush the snow off with your hand/sleeve/arm in order to get to the door handle (which is usually frozen shut) to get to the brush inside the car.

4. And most importantly, make sure you park the car where Mr Plow won’t block you in! Look for snow dumps at the side or end of roads and stay well away from them. It can take a good hour to dig yourself out of a snow mound so make sure you keep a shovel in the boot.

5. Make sure you brush the snow off all the door seams otherwise snow will get into the car when you open the doors.

6. Scrape the ice off the windscreen with the ice-scraper (usually at the end of your snow brush) for a faster melt.

7. Make sure you brush off the snow from the roof of your car otherwise it will fall down onto the windscreen when you are driving. Also brush the snow off the bonnet as the wind can blow it onto your windscreen.

8. Be prepared to get all snowed up!

9. Or, alternatively, get a garage.

At 11:30 am, high-noon, we watched from our favourite jetty as the sun tried to peak over the horizon one last time… it didn’t quite make it. Today we entered the realm of the polar night.

A picture taken to the west from a walking track on the hill in the centre on Tromsø island.

Tromsø in high summer is beautiful and warm. The sun is mature and the colours deep. It is easy to forget that all this turns into a winter wonderland.