Chasing the Aurora Borealis & chunky Norwegian soup

WOW, WHAT AN ADVENTURE THIS WAS!  It may not have been the furthest, the most exotic, or the most popular travel destination I’ve ever been to.  But it sure was like nothing else – simply pure magic! 

In March, we took a trip past the Arctic Circle to the Norwegian city of Tromsø (aka: Paris of the North), to chase the Aurora Borealis (aka: Northern Lights).  Yes, in March – the month when “normal people” start welcoming Spring, celebrate the melting of the grey-ish slush once known as snow, and enjoy birds chirping, flowers blooming and sun shining (after all: they’ve been waiting for this for so long!).  Yep, that’s exactly when we went North.  North, where there is no melting, chirping or blooming, but instead a freezing, in-your-face reminder that in March Queen Winter still rules over large parts of Europe.

And I mean it when I say in-your-face.  The moment we opened the door of the Tromsø airport, we were hit by a snowstorm so dense, that we were instantly converted into snowmen, struggling to move in the strong icy breeze.  I was freezing to death and thinking to myself: who the hell wants to come here when there are tons of other, perfectly habitable destinations?!

Still, we came here with a purpose (plus, let’s be honest, nobody likes a wuss), so we got our act together, and on the very same evening went for a night walk in the blizzard.  Yep, two people, in complete darkness, in the wilderness, in a snowstorm, wearing… ah I think I need a new sentence to describe all the things we were wearing.  Starting with woolen thermal underwear (long-sleeve T-shirt & leggings), through layers of fleece jumpers, warm pants, ski pants on top, two pairs of woolen socks, a wind & water-proof jacket, ski goggles, ski scarf, hat, hood, two pairs of gloves, and sturdy winter boots.  

On top, the tourist office gave us (compulsory) double-padded overalls (!), Nordic walking poles, snow shoes (you know, these things looking like mini rackets) and head torch lights.  Pffff - it was a lot of stuff!  But boy was I happy to be wearing all of this!  Because this actually made walking in the snow blizzard a lot of fun!  We felt like first explorers of rough polar territories, like real adventurers in contact with the raw and harsh outdoors.  It was like nothing else!  And, believe me, hot tea honestly never tasted as good, as when we came back from this trip, and were served tea and cake near a cosy fireplace in a Norwegian hut!

The main attraction of the trip was without a doubt the sighting of Aurora Borealis!  This is a spectacular natural phenomenon, in a nutshell caused by clashed of solar winds and Earth's atmosphere.  For years, however, people believed these are spirits of the dead gathering in the sky in a majestic dance of colors, waves and flows.  and when you actually see the phenomenon, this non-scientific explanation looks very believable.

It is not so easy to spot the Northern Lights.  First, they are only visible in Tromsø during a few months.  They also depend in the solar activity - the more active the explosions on the Sun, the more spectacular effects you get.  Finally, you need a clear sky to be able to see anything at all - which is not easy during Winter months.  Consequently, just sitting and waiting for the light show is not he best solution.  It's best to go on a so-called "Aurora hunt", where people with proper meteorological equipment can tell where there is a clear sky and also monitor solar activity.

Our Aurora hunt took us close to the Finish border, where we set out camp in the middle of nowhere.  And then we waited and waited for hours...  It was around -20°C and despite all the layers we were wearing, it started getting very cold after a few hours.  We saw the Northern Lights, but because of low solar activity the effects were at first not spectacular - it looked more like a green glow or Batman sign ;)  But then suddenly, when our hope started fading, the show started.  A fascinating performance of dynamic, quickly changing green waves and shapes.  As breathtaking as Nature can get:) 

Tromsø itself is a charming little town, which has everything you need at a winter resort.  It has many cute shops, a pretty harbor, and consists of tons of colorful small houses, playfully scattered among the white mountain hills and plains.  Our hotel was located in the center of the city, near the harbor, and served the most amazing breakfast buffet I've ever seen.  With plenty of healthy/bio versions of muesli and dried fruit, delicious dark bread and an impressive selection of smoked fish.  The cold smoked salmon (see below) is so different in taste from the "popular" hot smoked salmon is honestly the best tasting smoked fish in the world.  

Tromsø also has plenty of restaurants, some traditional, some international.  One of the most traditional dishes we had was randier (see below), which is served medium rare with a cranberry sauce.

There are so many fun things to do up North!  One of the most characteristic activities of the Polar Circle region, are sleigh dog rides!  It's SO MUCH FUN!  The huskies are just adorable and very well trained.  You can lead your own sleigh without much effort, and the dogs follow the instructions flawlessly.  That is unless they are up for some frolicking in the snow with the other dogs, in which case you must remind them to get back into the line.  But that's just their happy, friendly nature that surfaces - so you really can't blame them (but feel like playing with them yourself ;-) ).  What is also so great about dog sleigh rides is also the close contact with nature.  You don't hear any motors, smell any polluted fumes, but just gracefully glide through the white snow dessert - magical.

Having said that, it's also a lot of fun to do the snow jet ski.  For the speed, snow fun, and possibility to cover longer distances and see so many breathtaking sights.  We went jet skiing in the Lyngen Alps - and the views were just spectacular.  A vast mountain range covered with a blanket of soft, fluffy snow - virgin white and untouched.  All in glorious sunshine, so strongly reflected in the snow, you really needed sunglasses to be able to see.

This fish soup is really delicious and super healthy!  I never would have guessed fish soup can be that good!  We had it during our Aurora hunting night, while standing around a big fireplace in the middle of nowhere.  It tasted phenomenal - especially in the biting cold of the outdoors.  We also had it a few more times, and it seems a popular dish up North. Nonetheless, I couldn't find a recipe online that would mirror what we had in Norway.  So I just improvised, and the result is exactly as I wanted!

Unlike in many fish soups, there is no cream added here.  Nonetheless, the soup is very thick, and actually more of a stew with big delicious chunks of vegetables and fish.  The tomato base gives it a certain sweetness and acidity, which goes particularly well with the meaty fish and big chunks of potato.  I added quite a few chili peppers to the soup (with pips included), which also made it very spicy.  If you prefer milder flavors, you can skip the chili, or add less and remove the pips (almost all of the heat comes from the pips, so if you get rid of them the soup will be much milder).

You can play around with the ingredients a little bit - adding you favorite veggies or removing others.  I think this combination is really great though, with a great diversity of flavors and textures.  I hope the soup will give you a taste of Norway, and inspire to explore its wild glorious beauty!

INGREDIENTS:

• 400 g white fish fillet (cod, halibut or any meaty white fish), cut in large chunks
• 4 medium/small potatoes, cut in quarters
• 3 carrots, cut in large chunky slices
• 1 fennel bulb, diced
• 1 red pepper, cut in chunky pieces
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 baby cauliflowers (or approx. 1/3 of a full size cauliflower), cut in large chunks
• 1 can of peeled tomatoes
• 500 g of tomato puree
• 2 chili peppers, finely chopped (optional) (I added around 6-7 and the soup was SUPER HOT!)
• 200 ml of good quality, liquid fish stock
• olive oil
• 3 bay leaves
• 3 allspice berries
• salt / pepper
• boiling water
• lots of fresh parsley, chopped

METHOD:

[The overall cooking time depends on the size of your veg & fish.  You want the ingredients to be cooked but not overcooked - the veg needs to stay firm, and the fish can't get rubbery.  Check the veg during cooking, and adjust cooking time accordingly].

• Sauté the onions, garlic and chili peppers with some olive oil in a big non-stick soup pan, for about 4-5 minutes.
• Add all the chopped vegetables except for the cauliflower.  Stir well, then add the tomatoes, tomato puree, fish stock and boiling water, enough to coat the vegetables with 2-3 cm liquid.  Add the bay leaves and all spice, and season to taste.  Cover with a lid and let simmer (small/medium heat) for approx. 20 minutes.
• Add the cauliflower and let simmer for another 5-10 minutes.
• Finally add the fish, and cook for 5-7 more minutes until cooked through, but not overcooked.
• Serve with plenty of fresh parsley, and buttered bread.

Bon appetit!

The good life: Greek island bliss

Above: Knossos Palace, Crete.



Sometimes we don't need to go very far to have the best vacation ever.  We don't need to overload our activity plan with millions of ambitious trips, we don't need to have a check-list of highly recommended must-do's, we don't have to want it all and want it now.  Eating good food, drinking local wine and simply enjoying the sun and the sea breeze is, frankly, all you need.  

 

Because when you're in paradise, a little goes a long way...

Below: the lovely village of Loutro, Crete (close to the Samaria Gorge).

Above: restaurant Okeanis in Elounda, Crete -- spicy meatballs, tzatziki, Mum's Aubergines, Cretan bread, lamb in wine stew, fava.

During our summer holidays, we usually go somewhere way more exotic than Europe, move from hotel to hotel every day, plan ambitious trips and explore-explore-explore!  Or actually, should I say "deplore, deplore, deplore"?  Yep, the result is often that we come back more exhausted than we were before leaving, and that we need another week of vacation to rest after our vacation. 

 

Well, not this time.  This summer we went to the Greek islands of Crete and Santorini, adamant to do justice to our newly adopted resolution "this time we R E S T".  And boy - did we have the time of our lives...

Below: breathtaking village of Oia, Santorini

Above: a selection of mezze: dolmadakia, olive & feta pancakes, zucchini pancakes, and tyrokafteri.

 

People living in the Mediterranean have an incredible knack (unfathomable to us, People of the North) of truly living the moment: unwinding, making the small worldly pleasures count, taking the time to enjoy a glass of good wine in even better company -- be it of a good friend, or of a good book (or of good cheese ;-) ).  

 

Food is strikingly simple, but mind-blowingly delicious.  Some signature local products - such as bread, cheese, olive oil, honey - are paired with the unquestionable stars of the meals: sun-fed fruit and vegetables.  And so the dance begins: ** fragrant juicy tomatoes with salty goat's cheese, fruity olives, red onions and herbs ** tangy vine leaves wrapped around soft rice, and dipped in a fresh cucumber-lemon tzatziki ** thick, velvety yoghurt with lightly roasted almonds, sweet figs and golden honey **  A dance I could dance whole day...

 

Below: the breakfast of Kings: Horiatiki salad, a selection of olives and cheeses, fresh vegetables.

Above: the breakfast of Kings: spanakopita, tyropita, baked tomato with salty cheese and basil, sesame bread stick.

I completely rediscovered Greek food while in Greece.  Obviously I have had it before in Greek restaurants located in other parts of the world, but it was not the real deal.  That's why I generally preferred Italian or Spanish cuisine when going for Mediterranean food. 

 

The trip to Greece was an epiphany: Greek food is absolutely amazing!  Of course the freshness and flavorfulness of the local ingredients contributed to this epiphany: a Greek salad in Greece and a Greek salad outside of Greece are two different stories...

 

Below and middle: the breakfast of Kings: thick, Greek sheep's milk yoghurt, dried fruit, roasted nuts, preserves, honey.  Local coffee and sweets.

Above: huge watermelons, fresh figs - torn in half and growing on trees.

During the trip we tasted quite a few local specialties.  At Okeanis, a traditional restaurant near Elounda, Crete, we started our evening with a selection of mezze - small appetizers.  The set included the locally famous "Mum's Aubergines" - aubergines slowly baked in a clay pot, with tomatoes and herbs, sprinkled with salty cheese (no wonder the dish was praised by local newspapers: the flavors were simply divine!); fava - a rich, earthy puree of yellow split peas sprinkled with spring onions; tzatziki - a wonderfully fresh cucumber and garlic yoghurt dip; spicy mint meatballs; and a Cretan specialty called "Cretan bread" - slightly stale, hard bread, topped with diced garlic tomatoes (moistening and softening the bread), grated salty cheese, olives and herbs - giving a very original, yet tasty, flavor combination.  As a main course, we ordered lamb, slowly cooked in a sweet red wine sauce -- the meat was simply divine, super tender and spicy.  Before we left, the owners surprised us with a free dessert - a great finish of a delicious meal.

We also tried other mezze on Santorini and Crete.  Among our favorites were the classic dolmadakia (dolmas in Turkey) - marinated vine leaves stuffed with rice, served with a fresh lemony tzatziki; tyrokafteri - a spicy feta & hot pepper spread, one of our favorite things during the trip; as well as various little pancakes -- with olives, zucchini, feta, spinach etc.

What is also amazing in Greece is the seafood.  Different kinds of seafood are incorporated in mezze (e.g., fish roe paste taramosalata), but to me there is nothing better than fresh fish from the grill.  The lovely, romantic little restaurant Taverna Giorgos in Plaka, Crete, serves the best grilled fish I ever had.  The jovial and extremely friendly owner welcomes you to choose a specimen from his catch of the day -- fish he freshly caught in his fishing boat earlier that day.  I tried a red sea bream, which was divine -- meaty and flavorful -- you could really taste the freshness of the fish.  Pair that with a glass of good wine and a sea-view-to-die-for, and your evening is perfect.

Above: Taverna Giorgos, Plaka, Crete: a selection of mezze; grilled freshly caught red sea bream.

I can hardly imagine a better place to relax and enjoy the good life than Crete.  I'm sure we will go back some day, and, who knows, maybe even buy a little summer house there (there is no harm in dreaming, right?).  I can already see myself sitting on the terrace, watching the sun set, sipping good Cretan wine and munching on some local pistachios. 

So why not repeat after the Greek philosopher Epicurus: "Pleasure is the beginning and the end of living happily"...? 

NYC bites + Cucumber Martini

New York, New York!  You either love it or hate it -- but it never leaves you indifferent.  Being a city person to the bone, I had my hopes up high when I visited NYC for the first time.  But as it turned out -- I hated it at first.  The slow crowds of of tourists blocking your way and view, the stench of the food carts, rats, dirty streets and derelict buildings.  Just like McKayla -- I was not impressed.

Still, I kept coming back, drawn like a moth to... the Big Juicy Apple.  

There is a thin line between love and hate.  And soon my disliking started melting and transforming into a liking.  I used to live close to New York, and dropped by on a regular basis.  For a concert, Broadway show, party, dinner etc. or just some simple sight-seeing.  And I had a great time on every visit -- and great food.

It's no revelation that New York has some of the best restaurants, cocktail bars, bakeries, food markets and stores in the world.  Everybody can find something they like, or still want to discover.  

On the last visit we dropped by Magnolia Bakery for a taste of their divine baked goods.  We went for two kinds of cheesecake and a double-chocolate cupcake.  It was a beautiful, sunny day so we went to Central Park and sat down in the sun on one of the bridges.  A perfect lazy New York afternoon!

Speaking about desserts -- on one of my previous visits when I was doing some sight-seeing with friends, we stumbled upon a nice bakery somewhere near Washington Square Park.  I ordered a latte and a caramel pecan cake.  Both were delicious, and just what I needed after walking off half of Manhattan.

Before you think I only eat desserts when in New York: here come some main courses.  On our last visit, we went to a great steakhouse on Park Avenue South (Hillstone).  My boyfriend ordered a rib eye steak with a soy-ginger marinade, that since has become more or less legendary.  Every single person that saw our holiday pictures -- no, wait -- every single person that blissfully unaware asked us about our holidays -- was shown pictures of THE STEAK.  

And what a steak it was!  Perfectly moist, flavorful, and baked just right.  I'm not a big meat-eater myself, but had a few bites from my boyfriend's plate secretly wishing I'd have ordered the steak instead of my crab cakes (shhh, don't tell him though).  Don't get me wrong -- my jumbo lump crab cakes were very good too. But what is "very good" compared to "amazing"?

Finally -- the drinks.  New York cocktail bars have some of the best drinks in the world, and the bartenders are not stingy with the alcohol.  The cocktails are so good, that you have to be really careful if you want to keep track of how many you've had.

 

On one dinner/party in the Meatpacking District, I decided to try something else instead of the usual NYC drinks, such as Long Island Iced Tea or Cosmopolitan.  I asked the bartender to prepare his specialty drink for me, which turned out to be the Cucumber Martini.

 

Unfortunately, I didn't have my camera with me -- but the drink looked very simple and I didn't expect much of it.  Cucumber in a martini seemed a bit weird, if anything.  I had a small sip, and immediately discovered this was the best cocktail I had ever had!

If you're thinking: No thanks, no drink that tastes like cucumber gazpacho for me -- you could not be more wrong.  The only connection with the cucumber was the incredible freshness of the drink.  The martini was very well-balanced, sophisticated and simply amazing.  I ended up having quite a few more of those that evening.

Last weekend, I tried to recreate the legendary drink.  I made "great sacrifices" tasting all these alcohol mixes just so that you guys could try it too.  After quite extensive sampling, I found a very good combination of flavors.  Not exactly the same tas the one in NYC though -- that would simply be impossible.  But close enough to make a great drink.  Definitely worth a try!

Cin-cin!
 

Cucumber juice (not radioactive, despite appearances)

The amount of servings will depend on the size of your "unit".  The recipe only sets out the proportions.

 

Ingredients:

• 3 units of fresh cucumber juice (see below)
• 5 units of cold vodka (you can also use gin if you prefer the taste)
• 1 unit of cane sugar syrup
• lime juice to taste (precize amount depends on the size of your unit + your own taste)
• ice

Directions:

• For the cucumber juice: peel and finely grate the cucumber(s).  The finer you grate the better.  Squeeze out the juice (I used a very fine sieve and a sterilized cloth).  Cool down in the fridge.
• Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker (the ice will cool the mixture down).  Pour in a martini glass (without the ice), decorate with a slice of cucumber.

Enjoy!