Restaurant

#keepingupwiththeeasterneuropeans

/ Eveliis / 4 Comments

Noh nagu te Facebookist juba teate, siis suutsin ma nagu ikka lillehammerlaste igavasse argiellu tuua natuke põnevust. E6l katkise autoga seismine ei ole minu jaoks enam miski uudis, pigem kipub juba nii tavaline olema, et mu sõbrad arvasid, et asi peab ikka minus olema, mingis erilises auras, et pooltel juhtudest kui mina olen autos, juhtub midagi. Sellega seoses tuli meil “geniaalne” idee – me peaks oma Norra seiklused mõnele produtsendile maha müüma, sest ma ei peaks mitte midagi juurde mõtlema ega valetama. Minuga juhtub asju. Eriti kui ma sõidan autodega. Kuna minu parim sõbranna Norras on Poolast pärit ja koos minuga juhtub temal ka asju, siis me suutsime isegi “geniaalse” pealkirja oma realityle välja mõelda – #keepingupwiththeeasterneuropeans.

Aga tegelikult ei tahtnudki ma sellest rääkida, vaid hoopis sellest, kuidas me ootamatult pühapäevaõhtul kõik õhtustama sattusime. Tüüpilisse Norra türgi ja pizza “restorani”. Toit ei olnud teab mis kiiduväärt, isegi lausa nii, et ma imestan, et see restoran suvel ALATI paksult  täis on, kuid te küsite, kas ma läheksin Lillehammeri peatänaval asuvasse “Toscana” restorani tagasi, siis ma vastaksin kõhklemata jah. Ida käitus eile nagu Mowgli, nagu ta poleks kolm aastat kodust välja saanud, ei osanud absoluutselt käituda ja keeras restorani pea peale, kuid teenindav personal/omanikud olid nii meeldivad ja mõistvad, et sellist suhtumist ei ole mina veel näinud. “Ah, las ta teeb, mis ta tahab,” ütlesid nad lihtsalt kui Ida kogu mängunurga loomad oli mööda restorani laiali laotanud, “ta on ju vaid laps!” Ma tegelikult ei poolda sellist “las-teeb-mis-tahab-suhtumist”, aga eile olime me kõik päevasest seiklusest nii väsinud, et me pigistasime natuke silma kinni ja aitasime pigem pärast koristada.

Kui ma Idale 7865 korda ütlesin, et ta peab mu sõna kuulama, vaatas ta mulle oma pruunide silmadega otsa ja vastas: “Mina ei kuula sinu sõna, ma kuulan kodus issi sõna!” Ja ta on kolme-aastane! Ootan huviga, mis mind ees ootab kui ta vanemaks saab. Sähh, meile seda skandinaavia vabakasvatust. Laps nagu Mowgli. Okei, ma tegelikult liialdan, ta tegelikult oskab end ka väga hästi ülal pidada, kuid eile oli üks neist teistsugustest päevadest.  Kui see oleks olnud osa meie #keepingupwiththeeasterneuropeans seriaalist, siis oleksid kommentaariumid juba katki läinud sellest, kui kohutav ema ma olen, et laps niimoodi käitub.

PS: ma ei ole rase nagu mu sugulased arvasid mingeid pilte vaadates. teised ei vaata mu kõhtu, vaid ringi jooksvat Idat, kes pildile ei jäänud:D

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Me and my friend Klaudia found out that we should have our own reality show about our life in Norway, because something strange and funny always happen when I am “onboard”. They are laughing at me in Lillehammer that I have a special aura, I say that I am just to make their lives more interesting,. Otherwise life in Lillehammer is too sleepy. A good title for it would be #keepingupwiththeeasterneuropeans. I am pretty sure a new adventure awaits when we´ll be back in February;) 

But this was not what I actually wanted to talk about. I wanted to say some very good words about the service and attitude in a Lillehammer restuarant. The food there was nothing  to brag about, it was a typical Norwegian restaurant with pizza, pasta and turkish food, BUT Ida was yesterday acting like a Tornado called Mowgli  turning the restaurant upside down. The staff/owners were so friendly and nice that thay only said let her be a child when all the soft toys were all over the restuarant. I usually do not approve this kind of “let her do what she wants”-behaviour, but yesterday we were too tired of day´s adventures and I wanted to spend time with Satu, so I just closed my eyes and didn´t see the mess. Of course afterwards we helped to clean a bit, but even then the staff said us to leave everything like it was. I would not go there again for food maybe, but the service and attitude is something I will go back for. And I have before ordered pizza there, they make excellent pizza. Perhaps it was just the moussaka then?

Anyway. It was such a great finish to a bad day. To be with my Norwegains who actually are Estonian, Polish and Finnish;) 

PS: I am not preagnant. Just fat. Really.

Lutefisk is not food, it is a weapon of mass destruction

/ Eveliis / 3 Comments

Eelmisel aastal kui Satu kutsus meid Hvelvetisse lutefiski sööma olin ma natuke hirmul. Ma olin seda küll kunagi ammu Britt-Ida juures söönud ja mäletasin, et mulle see maitses, kuid legendid ja lood, mis lutefiski saadavad panid mu siiski mõtlema, et võib olla mu mälu petab mind. Väidetavalt ei söö seda ükski normaalne inimene ja isegi need, kes söövad, valetavad, et see neile maitseb ning söövad seda vaid solidaarsusest oma vaeste esivanemate vastu. Norra kirjanik Odd Børretzen on öelnud, et ” seda süüakse selle pärast, et harjutada end maast madalast alla neelama pettumusi elus”. Ameeriklane Jeffrey Steingarten on öelnud, et “Lutefisk ei ole toit vaid massihävitusrelv. See on näide toidust, mille maitse ei sarnane mitte millegagi, aga sealjuures põhjustab nii tugevaid emotsioone, mis sõna otseses mõttes saadab inimese nokauti.” Ka mu naabrinaine ütleb, et ei suuda lutefiski süüa ja seda just tekstuuri tõttu. Jällegi on norrakad ise ju öelnud, et võdisev ja kallerdav lutefisk meenutab koletist mõnest jaapani õudusfilmist.

Mis see kahtlane kala siis on?

Libekala (rootsi lutfisk, norra lutefisk, soome lipeäkala) on klassikaline roog suuremal osal Skandinaaviast. Traditsiooniliselt süüakse teda jõulude ajal. Rootsis ja Soomes on 99 % söödavast libekalast kuivatatud molva ja Norras peamiselt kuivatatud tursk. Libekala tehnoloogia leiutamisest ulatub viikingite aega. Legend räägib, et ükskord oli pikal teekonnal kuivatatud kalalastiga viikingite laev, kui sellesse laeva lõi sisse välk. Laev põles maani maha. Kuid laevalast jäi alles: kuivatatud kala oli pikka aega söestunud puude ja tuha vahel. Seda kastsid vihmad ja põhjustasid kalade ümber leeliselise keskkonna. Mingi aja möödudes otsustati seda kala maitsta, pestes eelnevalt maha kala ümber oleva leelise. Kala oli täiesti söömiskõlbulik ja nii see tava tekkiski. Esimese usaldusväärse märke libekala kohta on kirja pannud Rootsi õpetlane ja diplomaat, peapiiskop Olaf Magnus 1555. aastal.
Libekala valmistamine toiduks tänapäeval on sarnane ajaloolisele meetodile. Kuivatatud kala (kilttursk, molva) leotatakse 3–7 päeva leeliselises lahuses, mille jooksul liha pehmeneb. Pehmenenud libekala pestakse jooksva külma vee all hoolikalt ja seejärel pakitakse. Pakitud libekala säilimisaeg on 2-3 kuud. Roa valmistamisel küpsetatakse libekala ahjus 200ºC juures või keedetakse.
Keskajal oli lutfisk vaatamata oma lihtsusele au sees ja hinnatud ka kuningate laual. Teda hinnati kõrgelt, kuna kuivatatud kala säilis pikalt ja ta oli oluline valgu allikas kirikliku paastu ajal. Serveeriti lutfisk´i soolase võiga ülevalatult. Traditsiooniliselt serveeritakse lutfisk´i kõrvale tugevalt jahutatud õlut ning Norras ka akvaviiti.
Ka sel aastal kutsus Satu meid lutefiskile. Minule valmistas see äärmiselt rõõmu, sest mu meelest on TÄIESTI SIIRALT lutefisk üks paremaid Norra jõulutoite. Tõsi, vaid juhul kui see on hästi valmistatud. Ma proovisin seda kodus ka ise teha ja ütlen ausalt, ärge proovige. Minu libekala meenutas nagu surnud oravat, millest veoauto on 67 korda üle sõitnud, ja mis on siis vette ligunema jäetud paariks aastaks. Hais vastas täpselt samale surnud oravale. Aga Hvelveti lutefisk on imetabane. Kuid nagu te näete päisepildist, siis Klaudia, kes meiega ka sel aastal kaasa oli, nägi taldrikul just seda surnud oravat ja on siiamaani šokis, kuidas midagi nii kohutavat süüa saab. Minule pakkus see muidugi nalja ja kui ma tegelikult arvasin, et see on natuke müüt, et inimesed peavad libekala nii kohutavaks, siis nüüd ma tean tõesti üht inimest, kes viimased ööd on sellest kalast õudusunenägusid näinud. Sorry, Klaudia!
Huvitaval kombel meeldib lutefisk ka Idale. Aga talle meeldivad üldse kõik Norra “kummalised” toidud. Ja täiest hämmastav on see, et Hvelvet restoranis oleme me nüüd käinud kolmel korral ja see on ainuke restoran, kus Ida käitub põhimõtteliselt laitmatult. Me naerame, et tal on ilmselt lihtsalt kallis maitse!
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Last year when Satu invited us to Hvelvet to eat lutefisk I was a bit scared. I had had it once before at Britt-Ida´s house and remembered that I liked it, but the legends and stories that follow lutefisk are quite strong, so I was a bit scared that perhaps my memory lets me down. Norwegian author Odd Børretzen has said that “parents force their children to eat it, just because they can get used to all kind of disappointments in life and learn how to swallow them”. American food critic Jeffrey Steingarten has said “”Lutefisk is not food, it is a weapon of mass destruction. Lutefisk is an example of food that almost doesn’t taste like anything, but is so full of emotions that the taste buds get knocked out.”  Norwegian themselves say it is jelly and wobbly like a monster from a Japanese horror movie.
What is this “suspicious” fish then?

Lutefisk is dried whitefish (normally cod, but ling and burbot is also used) treated with lye. The first step is soaking the stockfish in cold water for five to six days (with the water changed daily). The saturated stockfish is then soaked in an unchanged solution of cold water and lye for an additional two days. The fish swells during this soaking, and its protein content decreases by more than 50 percent, producing a jelly-like consistency.

When this treatment is finished, the fish (saturated with lye) is caustic, with a pH of 11–12. To make the fish edible, a final treatment of yet another four to six days of soaking in cold water (also changed daily) is needed. Eventually, the lutefisk is ready to be cooked.

No one is quite sure where and when lutefisk originated. Both Swedes and Norwegians claim it was invented in their country. A legend has it that Viking fishermen hung their cod to dry on tall birch racks. When some neighboring Vikings attacked, they burned the racks of fish, but a rainstorm blew in from the North Sea, dousing the fire. The remaining fish soaked in a puddle of rainwater and birch ash for months before some hungry Vikings discovered the cod, reconstituted it and had a feast. Another story tells of St. Patrick’s attempt to poison Viking raiders in Ireland with the lye-soaked fish. But rather than kill them, the Vikings relished the fish and declared it a delicacy. It makes for a great story if you don’t mind the fact that Patrick lived centuries before the Vikings attacked Ireland.

This year, when Satu again asked to Hvelvet to have lutefisk I was extreamly happy. I honestly think lutefisk is one of the best Norwegian Christmas food. ONLY when prepared by proffesionals. I tried it at home and WILL NOT recommend to do it. It looked like the  cadavers of squirrels run over by trucks soaked in water for a month. And the smell was as bad as I imagine a dead squirrel would smell. But the one they serve in Hvelvet is just beautiful and tastes so good! I have also always had a suspicion that when people say they cannot stand the consistency and smell of lutefisk, they are just showing off, but I know really know a person who probably had nightmares of lutefisk later. Look at the header image. Sorry, Klaudia, for making fun of you, but the look on your face is priceless.

But is remarkable that Ida also enjoys it. She seems to like all kind of “suspicious” Norwegian food;)  And Hvelvet is the one restaurant where she always behaves and is a good girl, even after she was tired from kindergarten this time. We laugh amongst ourselves that she has just expensive taste;)

A journey through the Norwegian landscape

/ Eveliis / 5 Comments

I had the honour of celebrating my 35th birthday at Maaemo restaurant in Oslo, not a long time after they had received their third Michelin star. I have dreamt about visiting this restaurant for many years, but as the price is steep, very steep, I have never even thought it will be more than a dream. Until this Saturday.

We arrived to Maaemo 10 minutes before 12 o’clock (how lucky coinsidence was it that the only available time in March was on my birthday? The next available time for booking a table was in June) and it seemed like they knew we are arriving exactly then, because a smiling waiter was waiting for us the minute we came near the building.

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I was blown away by the interior. So elegant, yet so simple, so “motherearthy” – the photos on the walls were fenomenal ( I especially loved the one by the restroom), the view to Oslo Barcode…I cannot find words. This small restaurant has limited tables which gives an exclusive feel, each dish is introduced by the chefs themselves makes it personal and unforgettable.

The entire kitchen is in glass and located on the second floor and just before desert we got to go upstairs to take a look.

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It´s not only the food one remebers from vistit to the restaurant, but also the  service. I feel that this was really world class. It´s superb from the start with the discussion about the freshness of the food. The staff knew every little  detail about the origin of the food.

I don’t know too much about the Champagnes (only that I love it!), but the Charles Hedsieck Brut Reserve which we got served first, was much more than only a Champagne. It was a perfect start for the perfect lunch.

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Th lunch with 20 courses seems too long but it´s mostly bite sizes. Nevertheless we spent almost four  hours at the restaurant and the 20 plate fixed course was an enchanting journey to  Norwegian culinary delights from Jerusalem artichokes to  reindeers to 200 years old clams, oysters, goat cheese and waffles.

The lunch menu really was a feast for the palate. Each dish was delicious with lots of unusual combinations and ingredients from ants and reindeer heart, but the cooking is not about the unusual, it is about creating new and tasty dishes that everyone would enjoy. My favorite without doubt was the “emulsion of raw Norwegian oysters from Bømlo with warm sauce made from mussels and dill” and the “liquid waffle mountain tea made only from wild herbs found in Bøverdalen.”

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Rakfisk, rømmegrøt, fenalår, brunost and lomper have never tasted better. Last I had rømmegrøt (cooked sour cream porridge) was in 1997 and it was the worst experience of my life. The rømmegrøt with smoked reindeer heart was something totally different.

The 10 wines/champagne, a cider and a beer complimented the dishes, but my favourites were the 2012 Ratzenberger Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spätlese and 2010   Domaine Thibert Pouilly-Fuisse Les Cras . I felt sorry for my husband who was driving and had to have the “water menu”, he would have enjoyed the danish Hvede  N447 beer.

Maaemo was beyond our already high expectations based upon its reputation. From the warm arrival greeting to departure, it was the most amazing culinary adventure. So many courses, so many interesting tastes, visuals, smells that I cannot describe with words.It is  a performance of art and tastes you won’t forget, service that was fantastic and meeting the chefs/seeing the kitchen makes it so special.

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As a parting gift, guests are  given an envelope containing the menu and a series of black and white photos illustrating various locations in Norway where the food is sourced. A visit to Maaemo is less about dining and more about enjoying an experiential adventure – this is your entertainment for the day/evening.  This is not about the ego of the chief. It is about the customer and the experience.

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Football is better than sex

/ Eveliis / Leave a comment
There is a song in Estonia, which states that football is better than sex. I’ve never understood this statement, you cannot compare something so boring with something so enjoyable. If they’d sing “food is better than sex”, then I’d agree. At least after yesterday’s visit to Hvelvet restaurant on Stortorget Lillehammer.
I actually owe you a review from December when we were there first time to try the lutefisk menu. It was just beautiful and I felt a bit bad that I had said there is no good restaurants in this town. But there is. The one standing majestetically on the market place, appropriately for an house which used to be a Norwegian Bank.
Now during the Youth Olympics they have a special menu with the finest ingredients and tastes of Norway. It can be served as 3,5 or 7-cours dinner, accompanied with the best selection of wines (wine menu costs extra).
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As a starter we had a creme soup of Earth Apple with Fenalår. This was a soup of Masterclass. So delicate and tasteful. I would say devine. The downside of it was that we didn’t order extra food for Ida (unfortunately the had french fries and sausages for children) and as she usally does not eat much, we decided to share our food with her. She refused to share the soup with us. And you know what they say, when a child loves food? Then it really must have been good!
For main course I had “skrei” – the king of Cod as it is known worldwide. The pearly white fish from Lofoten together with cauliflower pure, risoni and marinated onions was beyound belief. It was a perfect combination of tastes. The sour in onion with Riesling which was served with this dish, was a bit like tasting heaven.
My husband had a honeyglazed duck with root parsley, rosehip broth and Savoy cabbage. I could see the happiness in his eyes. He said he had not had such a good duck since Diip ( a small restaurant we owned in Estonia.
For dessert the others had chocolatenemesis with black currant syrup and rasberry jelly and ice cream. Ida ate my dessert, but I was not too sad. For the first I was already full from the two courses and I am not too fond of chocolate desserts.

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We found out that Ida has an expensive taste. It is second time she behaves well in this restaurant (and she is actually in the age where she doesn’t know what “behaving well” means) and she ate. She never eats. By the way, she also slept yesterday and we know she actually doesn’t think highly of sleeping at nights either.
When we left, she also had to tip the waiters/waitresses. He got a five-kroner coin, but the girls were luckier – they got papermoney. In real world it may have been our check, but in a world of a two year old it probably was a (five)hundred bill. That’s how satisfied she was with the dinner. And so were we. It is definately the place you have to eat when visiting Lillehammer.