Everyday Norwegian food: from brown cheese to Taco Friday

Brown cheese and the packed lunch

Brunost is not really cheese but caramelised whey. It tastes sweet, a bit like fudge, and is cut into thin slices with an ostehøvel, a cheese slicer patented in 1925 by Thor Bjørklund from Lillehammer. The most common kind is Gudbrandsdalsost; geitost, pure goat's cheese, is stronger.

For lunch most people eat a matpakke: two or three slices of bread with toppings, wrapped in paper with a sheet of mellomleggspapir between the slices. Children take it to school, adults to work, and it is usually eaten cold at the desk around 11:30. A hot lunch is not common. Many people have dinner as early as 4 or 5 pm.

Popular toppings are brown cheese, mackerel in tomato sauce, liver pâté and Norvegia cheese. Try it before you judge it – many people who move here end up making their own matpakke after a few months.

Fårikål, lutefisk and Taco Friday

Fårikål has been voted Norway's national dish, most recently in a 2014 poll. It is layers of lamb or mutton and cabbage with whole black peppercorns, simmered for hours and served with potatoes. It is an autumn dish, and the last Thursday in September is Fårikål Day.

Lutefisk is dried cod soaked in lye and then rinsed in water again. It turns jelly-like and is served around Christmas with bacon, mushy peas, potatoes and mustard. Plenty of Norwegians don't like it either – it is perfectly fine to say «nei takk».

The real everyday classic, though, is taco-fredag. Almost every Friday a huge number of families eat tacos: minced beef with a spice mix, soft tortillas or shells, sour cream, sweetcorn, cucumber and grated cheese. It is not Mexican, it is Norwegian. If you are invited for «fredagstaco», you have become one of the group.

Waffles and buns

Norwegian waffles are thin and soft, cooked in a heart-shaped iron. They are eaten with jam and sour cream or with a slice of brown cheese. You will find waffles at a dugnad (community work day), at kindergarten, in DNT cabins and during the break at many workplaces – often on Fridays.

Cinnamon buns are everywhere, but in Bergen the skillingsbolle is a subject of its own. It is a large, flat cinnamon swirl, often with sugar on top. The name comes from the fact that it once cost one skilling, an old coin. Many people from Bergen have firm views on which bakery makes the best one.

In Eastern Norway people are more likely to buy a raisin bun or a skolebolle: a sweet bun with vanilla custard in the middle and icing and coconut on top. Almost every bakery and kiosk has them, and they are a good excuse to practise: «En skolebolle, takk.»

Prices, Vinmonopolet and shopping tips

Food is expensive in Norway, especially meat, cheese and alcohol. The discount chains Rema 1000, Kiwi and Extra are cheapest; Meny and Joker cost more. Many shops have apps with discounts, and products close to their date are often sold cheaply at the end of the day. Shops are mostly closed on Sundays, apart from small ones.

Beer up to 4.7 per cent alcohol can be bought in the supermarket, but only until 8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on Saturdays – not at all on Sundays. Wine and spirits are only sold at Vinmonopolet, the state-owned chain. The age limit is 18 for drinks under 22 per cent and 20 for spirits, and you will often be asked for ID.

In restaurants service is included in the price and tipping is not expected, though many people round up. Tap water is free, and you usually pay at the table by card or with Vipps.

Useful phrases

Kan jeg få regningen?Can I have the bill?
Trenger du pose?Do you need a bag?
Kan jeg betale med kort?Can I pay by card?
Takk for maten!Thanks for the meal!
Jeg vil gjerne ha en kaffe og en skillingsbolle.I'd like a coffee and a cinnamon bun.
Er det noe kjøtt i denne?Is there any meat in this?
Kan jeg få et glass vann?Could I have a glass of water?
Nei takk, jeg er mett.No thanks, I'm full.