Easter is a holiday with great traditions here in Norway. As many as 40% of us go on Easter vacation, and the majority head for the mountains. One would think that Norwegians were fed up with the snow and cold after a long winter, but come Easter time, we are all seriously enthusiastic about the cold stuff. We pack up our cars and head for the mountains, usually spending quite a few days cramming into a mountain cabin with friends or family, heavily supplied with good food and drink.
The weather obviously plays a vital role in this tradition. Being crammed into a mountain cabin and being cabin-bound due to the weather? Not so good for relations. So being out of doors is paramount, and this Easter saw day after day of beautiful sunshine. Exactly what we crave after months of darkness.
So what do we Norwegians do in the mountains? We ski. (You would never ask a fellow Norwegian whether they ski or not - this is something we just take for granted.)
So while out skiing, a Norwegian Easter tradition is to set up camp in a nice, sunny, out-of-the-wind spot - and make a campfire. On the campfire you can barbeque hotdogs, make coffee, or if skiing with kids, making "stick-bread" is very popular.
The recipe for "stick-bread" is simple: flour, salt, sugar, water and baking powder. Admittedly it's not a culinary masterpiece, but the charm lies in the making:
The "stick-bread" dough ready to go
On an expedition to find a sunny spot with no wind
A stick is retrieved from a nearby tree, the bark is removed, and the "stick-bread" dough is twined around the stick
Hold over the campfire - preferably staying clear of the flames as it will burn rather than bake - PATIENCE is a virtue!
It is surprisingly yummy! Making your own lunch out of doors is great fun.
Thanks for reading!
-lil-mich
