Bergen, Norway.
So I know everyone says Norway is expensive, but it is actually really, very expensive.
We’ve been trying to save money by cooking for ourselves in the truck and testing some Norwegian specialties — like world-famous Snofrisk cream cheese (which has made it all the way to California!), protein and fiber-packed crispy Knekkebrød (to help you poop) and of course, lots and lots of lox.
We (read: Morade) also made some pretty sweet salmon burgers, and ate a lot of salads (with tomatoes mostly from the Netherlands!).
In terms of snacks, let me tell you about the glory that is the Wasa cracker sandwich. Wasa crackers are a Swedish crispbread that honestly taste a bit like cardboard. But they’re full of fiber (to help you poop, again!) and are sturdy enough so you can put lots of toppings on them.
Gas stations in most Nordic countries we went to had these Wasa cracker sandwiches with fillings like hummus, herby cream cheese, red pepper spread. And while Morade at first maintained that they still tasted like cardboard, we learned to love them by the end of our trip.
We also became big fans of this Norwegian candy bar called Kvikk Lunsj that looks like a Kit Kat and tastes like a Kit Kat with some dried fruit in it! It’s known as the “Hikers candy bar” because it’s supposed to give you energy on your hike. It also cleverly has Norway’s hiking guidelines written on the inside of the wrapper!
KVIKK LUNSJ !
The few times we did eat out in Norway, we were blown away by the prices (70 euros for soup and salad at lunch), but also by the quality of the seafood. We tried fish soup almost everywhere we went, from the traditional Bergen version with fish dumplings in it, to the absolutely unreal chive-filled version by the Fish Market restaurant in Stavanger (pictured below). If you are in Stavanger, stop by and try it because it is more than worth it.
Well, hope you’re as hungry as I am now!