Norway's Sweet Teeth

Norwegians definitely have a sweet tooth and it's obvious wherever you go. Our hotel breakfast buffet featured two types of kringle, the Scandinavian pastry (really, Danish) that is the symbol of Jean Sue's hometown, Racine, Wisconsin. These kringles were a big flakier than those offered at Racine's bakeries; Jean Sue observed that a now-closed Racine bakery made them similarly.

I'd travel to Norway just for the breakfast. It features, to quote Ulla, the fictional Swedish secretary in Mel Brooks's The Producers, "many different herrings." The buffet in the ornate dining rooms at the Hotel Bristol featured herrings in tomato, cream and mustard sauces. Other fish on the table included fried mackerel (which I'll try tomorrow morning) and very good smoked salmon. Three or four different kinds of eggs with bacon; flatbreads, rolls and a variety of sliced breads; baked beans and Norwegian meatballs; ham, turkey,  cured beef and cheese; raw vegetables; yogurts with fresh berries and museli/granola options; cereals; fruits and assorted beverages made sure there was something for everyone.

To conserve Jean Sue's energy we dined in the hotel's lounge. Usually I expect hotel food to be overpriced and underwhelming, but that was not the case. Of course, it was no less expensive than any other place in this high-cost city, but the quality was excellent. Although it was not billed as one, Jean Sue enjoyed what was essentially an open-faced hamburger (pure beef) with delicious sautéed onions. I ordered the "roast beef" open face sandwich, which was finished on a grill or pan to a perfect medium rare (horseradish butter finish), with a typically Scandinavian over-mayonnaised potato salad. Crisp, fresh spring salad greens accompanied both plates.

Once again, dessert demonstrated Norway's passion and perfection when it comes to sweets. Jean Sue's "chocolate cake" had just the tiniest layer of cake at the bottom: otherwise it was all mousse encased in more chocolate. My "Budapest Cake" likewise did not fit the normal definition of a cake; it was a meringue roll filled with a creamy center accented by mandarin orange sections: light in texture, not at all cloying, and deep in fruit flavor.