I am a big fan of Scandinavian food, really, I am. Give me a fat-laden Danish pastry, or even a Scottish roast venison and I am happy. But nothing prepared me for this particularly gruesome experience. It was the weirdest and nastiest of all
weird food I have ever taken in my mouth ("take" in because I never got to the swallowing part).
My second day in Norway started perfectly. Woke up with the sunshine on my face, had a cup of good coffee, some sausage, potatoes, and six pieces of jam tarts. I thought nothing could ruin my day. My friend picked me up in the hotel for what he promised to be an unforgettable lunch (how right he was, the traitor!). We went to a fine-looking diner that he declared to be the best place for getting Norweigian specialties. Unfortunately, the linguist in me couldn't understand the menu as it was written in the local dialect. Confident that my friend won't let me down, I asked him to order for me. I only gave him some instructions: no vegetables or trout. He grinned and handed me a
glass of ale. Right then, I knew I was in trouble.
The smell alone should have been warning enough for me. But I am tough, I am brave, so I waited it out. The waitress set in front of me a platter of what is probably the sickest food in the world. Apparently, she mistook my grimace as a sign of happiness and babbled on about how the dish was prepared. My friend happily took on the translating duties. It was Smalahoved, smoked, boiled, and still warm. Smalahoved my butt, it's a baby sheep's head, split in half, with its brains spilling out. Cabbages, I'll just have cabbages next time.
