MISS APRON EATING OUT

Her forth day in Norway Miss Apron felt house warm and entitled to say her meaning.
"Today I want to eat out," she demanded.
Little did she know how the Norwegians act when they are eating out. Gunnar phone his good friend Espen, and asked if it was alright to crash in at his place by the fjord, bringing left overs from yesterday.

Espen agreed that was a nice thing to do on a sunny day. He had otherwise spent the day sorting 154 old local burnt tile stone for his boathouse. That seemed a perfect natural thing to do for a man working on his Ph.D.on Japanese architecture.
As always, when I'm on the picture, Gunnar is behind the camera. We brought a disposable grill and placed it on the metal plate cemented in the terrace for BBQ use.
Menu for today; Grilled bacon, grilled salmon wrapped in tin foil with garlic butter and salt, boiled potatoes, leftovers from the shrimp salad and herbs.Gunnar posing with Miss Apron, the new sprung birches and the fjord down under.


Did I mention the Espen once owned a gourmet restaurant in Bergen? He seemed a trifle reluctant to the way the bacon is prepared, but he was a big, broad smile afterward, when the meal was served.Of course Gunnar is the BBQ chef, a perfectionist when it comes to tossing and turning both fish and bacon.

Miss Apron at first was a bit shocked that the Norwegian way of eating out, is to be taken verbally.With wool sweaters and down jackets we were enjoying the spring, the singing of the birds, the sight of a fish eagle sailing above us, the white anemones and blooming blueberry plants.
We stayed for five hours, watching the sun go down about 10 P.M. Espen gave us the tour around the propriety. We admired the four boats, the boathouses, the work that has been put down here by three generations, grooming, planting, building. We also decided to go for a fishing trip later. The mackerel is found in great shoals just outside his land. There even are industry fishers setting their yarn near by.
Serina was very pleased when she heard that; "Yeah, summer dinner is saved,"she said. New potatoes, cucumber, sour cream and new fished, fried mackerel is her idea of a an ideal summer dinner.

Miss Apron took hide in her sleeping bag.
She'd had enough open air for one day. While we were driving home, she therefor missed the enchanting sight of the deer family headed for the water after sunset.So did, alas, your truely's camera.

MISS APRON MEETS THE FAMILY

Next day after working hours Miss Apron was called out from her (Serina's) room to help me serve the shrimp salad for near and dear family, also known for their love of shrimps.
Somehow she was a bit shy, but she soon relaxed as she heard the guests praise the food.
My sister- in- law, Sigrid, and her husband Terje, were impressed by the style and the looks of Miss Apron. ...
Sigrid is soon 67, but still going strong, working in elementary school, helping challenged children.She has more or less always been working with children all of her life.She looked after little brother Gunnar while their parents were busy building the home in which she now lives. Married Terje at 18 and less than a year later adopted Terje's nephew, Tom. She has also been a foster mother of two brothers, who still call her mother, then they adopted cousin Kristine Maria, Serina's good friend and "big-sister", finally Ruby came, saw and won in 1997.
Terje is educated nutrition engineer and has spent the best years of his life as a manager of dairies.He also has supported Sigrid in her multiple projects; grocery store, convenient store and a successful, private kindergarten.
Besides Terje is a talented inventor. I must not forget to mention his non toxic pesticide used in greenhouses; a solution made of grapefruit seeds. Mrs. Mac, here's your organic pesticide. I cannot believe I did forget Terje's product.
The shrimp salad must be allowed to stay in the fridge over the night,, for the flavors to blend richly.In the background, the mini greenhouse with Amrita's holy Basil sprouts. They grew so slowly, I found it best to place them in front of the new windows, so that they can get more sun. Miss Apron totally agree, she has had some problems adjusting to our cold climate.

She cuddled up in Sigrid's lap, as do all small children. Gunnar was in the kitchen preparing fresh toasted sandwich bread. As always I only manage to get photographs from the start, later on we get busy eating and talking.

All in all Miss Apron had a smooth first day in Norwegian social life.She's now looking forwards to getting around a bit. She's truly a Lady of the World, there's so much more to see and learn.

MISS APRON COOKING NORWEGIAN

Miss Apron complained over long days in transit. I guess she was spoiled living the good life in the Philippines. She had picked up some pretty posh habits and an exotic taste in food. We talked all night and she told me about the metropol Manila, the vast city and the beautiful scenery. She even brought a dozen classy postcards to explain the special beauty of various islands.I tried to share some of the Norwegian food traditions, where the simplicity of nature has made people content with what can be found just outside the home.
We decided to made a super simple dish, of ingredients found in the garden,- and in the grocery store; shrimp salad. To make it as simple as possible I bought peeled shrimps in boxes and frozen scampi. Don't you dare to tell any of my Norwegian friends. They'll skin me alive. After 11 a.m.I can buy day-caught fresh shrimps in five grocery stores, so why use these 2nd glass shrimps. Well, they don't need any peeling, and my Scarf Sisters can get them where they live. First of all I hard boiled 9 eggs. I always take time to pin a hole in the bottom of each egg, so that they don't crack while boiling.

The we whip 3/4 liter of thick whip cream, blend in 2 bags of rich mayonnaise, chop asparagus, carrots, peas, cauliflower, a tea spoon of sugar, 1 kilo shrimps and a packet of scampi.


Finally blend in 8 eggs and let the 9th be for decoration, also some scampi and parsley.
I serve chopped herbs like rams leek, basil,lovage,ground elder,thyme,- anything edible from my garden and add small cherry tomatoes for the look. Fresh toast and garlic butter to go with. Still water and white wine to drink.
Tomorrow is 40 days after Easter. It's a holiday in Norway. We celebrate Ascension Day.
Let's see if we can celebrate with some dear guests.Time for Miss Apron to go to bed.
I let her sleep in Serina's room, really good chi in there..

Here she's lying with the post cards from Philippines in her right arm and Serina's teddy in her left.I let the light on, in case she's feeling homesick. The bed spread is knitted by my mother. The pattern is called court yard tree. Every old farm has a tree planted to root its inhabitant. I love the fact that my grandmother made a double bedspread with the court yard tree pattern lying on Gunnar's and my bed, and Serina's grandmom has made her a similar. Being well rooted is important when the winds of life are howling.

FROM PHILIPPINES WITH LOVE

Welcome at last dear apron from the Philippines.
Someday someone really clever must calculate the mileage of Miss Apron.
We, old hubby and I, have been really busy lately. We have had to supervise three carpenters changing 9 windows and the terrace doors, all with double glazing.I have hardly left the house other than for buying groceries. Imagine my surprise when this package was waiting for me at the local post house.
I was so caught by surprise, I had to stop at the nearest gas station to tank up.
Fast food for fast sisters.. Daijm buns and coffee.We pay 20 dollars for the white steel coffee mug and can refill free on all Statoil stations in Norway. I see to that I get value for my money. Its kind of late in the night and tomorrow is another busy day. Nevertheless I thought I'd grab the opportunity to teach how to magnify your photos on blogger.
1.Click on the "Edit Html" links at the top of the writing screen.
2.After having loaded up the picture of your choice, you just have to double the number of width,length and s (for size)
With my camera the numbers will have to be changed from width 400 to width 800, length 300 to length 600 and /s 400 to /s 800.
3. Remember "Save now" Then return to the Compose board.
Good luck dear sisters. See you tomorrow.

Local Lovliness

OK...first of all I have to get it off of my chest....

Apron is made for a very SMALL woman - and that I am not!

If you look up, way way up - then you will find me.

So Apron has had to be rather indulgent and is only thrown over my body at photographic moments...she gets a little ticked about that

but 'one size fits all' she is not!

Having said that - she is great to have around

and accompanied me throughout a very busy weekend.

I seem to remember some instruction about the cooking of our heritage or local favourites, and it is the latter that I chose to make for a friend who came to spend a weekend with me so that we could 'Seminar' together.

Being a lover of comfort food it was all to easy to whip up a favourite of people from these parts - especially those of Mennonite culture - Farmer Sausage (locally made of course), Warenike (home made) smothered with a deliciously sinful Cream Gravy, and accompanied by the ever easy salad - Cole Slaw. You can see the finished dinner here waiting for us to come to the table!

Warenike (perogies) and little pockets of dough which can be filled with a variety of things. My personal favourite is cottage cheese, to which has been added an egg, salt and pepper and chopped up spring onions. They are then boiled - until they rise to the surface (plus a few minutes for good measure). Some people fry them because they do not like the consistency of the dough, but boiled is the standard way to serve them. Other fillings are combinations like bacon and sauerkraut, potato and cheese, and many people enjoy them filled with fruit and eat them as a desert. They are enjoyed by many of the cultures that live here, not just the Mennonites, but the Ukrainians and eastern cultures. They will usually eat their perogies with sour cream, whilst the Mennonites will often serve them a Cream Gravy, made by butter, flour and either sour cream or heavy cream. Mine uses the fat rendered from the sausage and an extra big dab of butter. I chop lots of onions and throw then in, then add flour and as much cream as I can find in my fridge!

Farmer Sausage is a local delight. We ignore completely that any type of sausage is a heart attack waiting to happen and eat it as often as possible......on the barby, in the oven, boiled, fried...it is always delicious. And when it is left over we slice it up for sandwiches...grind it and add salad cream and pickles...or just eat it cold. Here you can see my friend Dianne - who I forced to pose in the apron...if truth be told, it fits her better, as she is not quite as long as I am!

Apron also accompanied me to a Bridal Shower,

where although it was not her responsibility to cook - she served to keep me rather tidy when eating......

The lady in red is one of my other partners in crime (if you are going to be my friend then that role is automatic!!) - her name is Patsi......and she hosted the Shower for her God-Daughter Megan.

This last picture (obviously without Apron- she was tucked up for the night already) is just a shot of Patsi, myself and Maureen at the shower...enjoying a good giggle remembering our weddings.....and just to show what fun it is to live in Winnipeg, Manitoba....our city is known as 'The Heart of the Nation' and it is a pleasure to show you the joy that resides here, and is continually being poured out in us as we experience the love of the Father for us....

Moonlight Serenade

Who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

The sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

The moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

Psalm 136:7-9 NIV

The past few nights have been graced with moonlight. With estimated income taxes & Ann's college tuition due this month, we are pinching pennies. But we had a 'rich' date night that included a buy one get one free coupon for a local sandwich shop; drinks and chips included. So we packed up the good eats in a picnic basket, threw a few beach chairs in the back of our open top (1976) vintage Jeep, and headed five minutes down the road to the lake. We found a place to pull off and set up our dinner camp just a few feet from the water's edge. The night sky was lit up, not quite one of Felisol's 'blond' Norwegian nights, but pretty close with the rising of the moon and its shimmering light reaching across the lake in front of us.

When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place
Psalm 8:3

Intoxicating is a word that I don't usually use. But the cool breeze, good food, and the enchantment of the moonlight deserves such a description.

Arriving home I made a impromptu dessert of cappuccino with Dutch windmill cookies. Mr. Mac provided the 'music' ... and not the usual kind of music from 'guys around a campfire';) Only he couldn't think of the tune, 'Moonlight Serenade', by Glenn Miller, so I had to settle for Stardust.(Pic: parting shot of apron @ campfire dessert). Until next time ..... fare-thee-well.

Please Pass The ...

Smashed potatoes. When we have a heavy meal such as Mustard Chops, I try to limit our side dishes to just two. One starch .. and one veggie. Being that I have a bounty-full garden sitting just outside my dining room door, a garden inspired by my step-father's mother (another Grandma Elizabeth .. Libby for short). I was able to dig up some red spuds just twenty minutes before it was time to cook them. Now if you've never tasted freshly dug taters, you are really missing a treat. For a rustic and less fuss approach to typical mashed potatoes, try leaving some of the red skin on when you boil the potatoes. After draining, add some milk or 1/2 & 1/2 with sea salt and a little butter. Smash by hand with a masher .. leaving a few lumps to desired consistency. These potatoes make the perfect 'holder' for gravy.

To eat fresh veggies was a treat usually reserved for our yearly trek to visit Grandma Libby on one of our family reunion vacations. We'd visit relatives in the state of Illinois; a few lived on farms. Fresh sweet corn, watermelon, wild blackberries, green beans, and yellow tomatoes were all rare treats. And farm fresh treats such as these just couldn't compare with plain old canned or frozen veggies back home. At no other time in my life has the taste of fresh veggies been as memorable than on our reunion trips. Grandma Libby set the standard in my life for aspiring to grow a garden and learn how to can food for the winter. It's only been recently that both of these life goals have been attained. So to honor the life skills observed in my youth, I try to be as frugal and thrifty as Grandma Libby was by serving whatever is ready for 'pickin' from the garden that day.

Fresh Veggie Medley 'Stew'

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 Cups zucchini (or yellow crooked neck squash)
1 Cup fresh chopped tomato
sprinkle your favorite herbs (fresh or dried)

Heat a large skillet and add olive oil. Saute the onion for one minute. Add the zucchini and saute for another minute. Add the fresh tomato .. mix well. Add a few tablespoons of water. Salt and pepper and herbs to taste. Cover and cook until veggies are tender and the tomatoes have made a nice juicy sauce. Serves 4(Photo: Grandma Libby .. front right .. at a family reunion)

A 'Stirring' Memory

OK .. so maybe I put out too much 'food' to digest yesterday ;) .. A problem with having a 'type A' personality (lol). This morning was a simple cup of coffee, a bowl of cereal .. and some melon.

Coffee gets me going in the morning. I'll leave you with this little story I wrote years ago as it relates to coffee and my grandparents.


Sounds, tastes, scents and sights can evoke long ago memories. My morning cup up coffee transported me back in time to my grandmother's kitchen. Just from the little clink, clink sound I made when stirring my coffee. A sound I don't hear often as I usually put the creamer in first, then pour in coffee, thus eliminating the use of a spoon. Ahhh, but that sound ... brought back a flood of wonderful thoughts. For a moment I could see Grandma Donna sitting in her little kitchen nook wearing her turquoise bathrobe with pink and white flowers ... pink house slippers and a little white hanky sticking out of her sleeve. Grandpa's standing at the over sized stove frying bacon in a black skillet talking about his plans for the day. He just "perked" some great coffee in the clear glass Pyrex percolator. She's waiting for him to pour the coffee. For some reason, they both made the same little clink, clink sound (probably from stirring in sugar). I spent so much time at their home when I was a little gal that they seemed more like second parents to me. So as I sip the last few drops from my cup this morning, I'll have fond memories to get me through the day. You can bet my next cup of coffee will include the use of a spoon.

Photo: Grandma Donna with 'tootsie' the dog.

I promise ... the apron was not worn while browning the pork chops last night .. nor while smearing mustard ;) The Mr. was so pleased to have a Sunday type of dinner on a Tuesday night.

International Flair

Just call me a mutt ;) My ancestors' lineage comes from a mix of 'pound puppies'! Such is much of the American 'experience' .. a vast melting pot of peoples. Nations from all four corners of the globe. From what I have been able to research, my heritage is as follows: English, German/Bohemian, Irish, Danish, & a fraction of Native American. I have traced my European ancestors directly by three of my great grandfathers that came over during the 1880's. I'm not so sure about when my grandmothers' families arrived to the new world. One great grandmother's family may have greeted the white settlers .. she being part Native American (Cherokee Indian I believe). Boy, would I love to go back in time for a few days to meet these relatives. I am fortunate to have many old photos to 'imagine' what they were like. And studying the reasons so many immigrants came to both Canada and the United States ... to find a 'easier' life .. that turned out to be just as hard in most cases. Much of Europe was depressed economically. The call from across the ocean to start a new life was quite a draw.

In planning for my heritage meal, I chose to focus on a few dishes that would represent several of my ancestors' nationalities. We Americans are always rethinking the 'wheel' and have a definite culture of our own. A culture that is sheer fusion. A living, changing culture. One that is greatly influenced by the different regions of our vast land. So if you make fried chicken in the deep south, you can bet if you travel north it will be a completely different bird. Our ancestors tended to settle in pockets. Little German Town, Little Italy, China Town, etc. etc. The Irish were treated shabbily for many years until they gained respect by their hard work. It seems no matter what nation we came from, some one group was the target of ridicule. I guess that's human nature at its worst.
(Photo: my grandmother Donna)
My grandmother, Katherine Donna by birth, changed her name to Donna Kay ... was quite a trend setter; a beauty of a woman. She attended school until the age of 14 .. eighth grade in American schools (very typical for her generation). After which she was self taught and quite well read. The main course of dinner tonight is one that was passed down from her mother. Remember the picture from the previous post. Well the lady in the middle of the back row was her mother, Elizabeth. She was Irish and married a man of German-Irish mix. So a German influence can be found in tonight's main course. For lack of a better name, I call the dish "Mustard Chops." German's like their mustard for sure. The Dutch oven I have is the same one great grandma Elizabeth used to cook the same dish. Grandma Donna told me her mom purchased an entire set of 'Super Maid Cookware' from a traveling salesman. I ended up inheriting one of the pans. (Photo: my great grandparents, Oscar & Elizabeth Melcher on their wedding day.)

To make 'Mustard Chops', you need only to coat seven or eight nice (bone in) pork chops with prepared yellow mustard. Dip in flour. Brown on both sides a few at a time in a large, well oiled Dutch oven. Remove chops as they are browned to finish browning remaining chops. Return all to the pan. Add two cans of cream of chicken soup and 3 to 4 cans of water .. enough to make liquid barely cover the chops. Cook covered on low for about 1-1/2 to 2 hours. Pork will be very tender and the gravy will be thickened. Serve with mashed potatoes and your favorite vegetable. See what I said about not needing a recipe? When this dish is cooking, it smells great. And the gravy is delish.

Tonight I set a typical American table. Not fancy .. but not with paper plates. We do not have a formal dining room in our home. Having such a room in the past was a waste of space for our 'not so formal' family. Our dining area is just off the kitchen in a nice sunny room. The table was purchased new when Mr. Mac and I got married (in 1980). We have many little worn spots and tiny scratch marks on the wood to remind us of the numerous meals we served to our growing family. The utensils were my Grandma Donna's everyday 'silver plate' ... as a very young girl it was my job to polish her silverware twice a year. The ruby red tumblers were my grandma Esther's. As you can see, we like to use a real cloth napkin. The kind that can get tossed in the wash and folded straight out of the dryer .. not fussy. Candles are lit when we have company or a special meal. My colors are warm, deep, rich autumn hues with a splash of white and blue. Grandma Donna's dining room light fixture now hangs above our table. The amber prisms were a treat to clean when I was a child. I'll leave you with this final picture of our meal ... and report back on the side dishes and dessert later.