Alternativmessen = Alternative Fair

Palm readers, clairvoyants, Native Americans, UFO seekers, and...climate change? I just spent the weekend at Alternativmessen, the largest alternative living fair in Oslo and, as you can see from the list, "alternative" has a fairly broad meaning in Norway.

From the table where I was volunteering with a environmental organization (Framtiden i våre hender) it was like watching a circus go by. On one side we had a HARD CORE animal rights group handing out pamplets and across the way was a stall filled with crystals, dream catchers, raw hide, and fox tails that you could clip on the back of your pants to look like Daniel Boone. I was surpised that the two groups didn't confront eachother at some point.

But really, the most intriguing thing about the event was the diversity. Out of the woodwork came the "alternative" community of Norway. People in handmade costumes, crazy hippies with dreds, importers of peruvian shawls, and row upon row of tarot card readers and reike practioners. A real live Indian from South Dakota was offering autographs. A few tents where offering "scientifically" produced photos of people with their "auras" for just 200 kroner. (Geeze!) And then the best one was a station where you could get an "ionizing" foot bath and watch the water turn black and brown until it looked like tar. There must have been a little something extra in the bubbling pump to add to the drama of it all.

At our table we offered free buttons, fair-trade coffee, magazines, and a carnival game where you could knock down cans representing CO2 emissions to win a documentary film called the 11th hour, with Leonardo DeCaprio. Seems a little ironic that we had to compete for attention with crystal worshipers and believers in extraterrestrials.

Weekend in London

Snø = Snow

Bilder/photos: (http://picasaweb.google.com/roaring.tree/First_Snow#)

Første Snø = First Snow
Jeg var veldig overrask at vi hadde snø ønsdag. Det var bare 29 Oktober, to dag før Halloween. Min kollegaer sa at vi skal ha snø, men jeg trodde at de snakket om fjellene i Nordmarka og ikke sentrum av byen.

I was very surpirsed that we had snow on Wednesday. It was just October 29th, two day before Halloween. My coworkers said that we would have snow, but I thought they were talking about the mountains in the Nordmarka and not the center of the city.

Jeg sto ved vindu og kikket og kikket i morgenen. Jeg kunne ikke tro at der var sant. Men gaten var ful ny, hvite snø. Jeg gikk på kontor langsome. Jeg gikk på veier og i den graveplass og ned trapper og langs Akerselva. Det var så pent, vakker, og kaldt. Over natten, byen har forandret til en eventyr land.

I stood by the window and looked and looked in the morning. I couldn't belive that it was true. But the street was ful of new, white snow. I walked slowly to work. I walked in the streets, in the graveyard, down stairways, and along the Akerselva river. I was so attractive, beautify, and cold. Overnight, the city had changed into a wonderland.

Grønn Gourmet

Tomorrow were hosting a "Green Gourmet" dinner night with a wonderful local environmental group called Framtiden i våre hender. I put out the idea of having the event at our apartment after I went to the last Green Gourmet about a month ago. Simply put, it's a cooking party. The host provides a recipe and some raw ingredients that the guest assemble into a meal that they share together at the end of the night. So far, we have 12 RSVPs confirmed and I don't know how we will all fit in our cosy apartment, and we don't have 12 matching bowls, but that's part of the atmosphere.

Here's a sneak peak at the menu.

White bean, butternut squash, kale and olive stew

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 3 large onions, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 3 1/4- to 3 1/2-pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 3 red bell peppers, seeded, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups canned vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 large bunches kale, thick stems trimmed, leaves cut crosswise into 2-inch strips
• 1 tablespoon dried rubbed sage
• 5 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney beans), rinsed, drained
• 1 cup Kalamata olives, pitted, halved
• 2 cups Freshly grated Romano cheese

Heat oil in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add squash; sauté Add bell peppers and stir to coat with onion mixture. Add broth. Cover and simmer until squash is just tender, about 10 minutes.

Mix kale and sage into stew. Cover and cook until kale wilts, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add beans and olives and stir until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer stew to large shallow bowl. Sprinkle generously with cheese.

Beets with Yogurt

• 2 pounds small beets2 cloves garlic
• 2 cups strained Greek-style yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• salt
• handful of chopped mint or parsley

Cut the stems and leaves 2/3 of an inch above the beets. Cut each in half and lay them on tin foil on a baking pan. Lay tin foil over the beets. Roast at 400 degrees F for 1.5 to 2 hours un until tender. Cool and peel. Cut into thin, half moon slices.

Crush the garlic and beat it into the yogurt. Spread the mixture on a serving plate and arrange the slices on top. Beat the lemon juice with the oild and a little salt and stir in the chopped herbs. Spoon generously over the beets and serve.

Optional: add 1.5 teaspoons tahina to the yogurt.

Rose hips

This weekend, when we were visiting Matt's friend at his new abode along the coast, I found another edible plant! Rose hips are red fruits, about the size of small cherry tomatoes that are left behind after the bloom has died. Although nearly all rose bushes produce rose hips, the tastiest come from the Rosa rugosa variety which are planted all over the Oslo area. The flavor can be described as a mushy version of a cranberry or sweet red pepper. The fruity part only extends about a fourth of an inch into the center and then the rest is mostly seeds. But, some varieties have more fruit than others.

Right now in mid to late October is the best time to harvest them, just after the first frosts. They seem to taste best when they are plump and yeild to gentle pressure. But, the older ones that are soft and wrinkly lack the tart flavor. I've seen the bushes everywhere in parks and open spaces without realizing that they could be used for anything. Now, I'll have to pay more attention.

As it turns out, rose hips are high in both vitamin C and antioxidants. Some recipes advise that you avoid using metal pans and utensils when processing them so you don't discolor the fruit or reduce the vitamin C concentration, but I don't see how or why metal pots would have any effect on it. If it were the case, why aren't there similar warnings on recipes involving red peppers and tomatoes?

Here are just a few convenient ways to store, or cook the tasty fruit:

Dried rose hips
Rose hip tea
Rose hip puree
Rose hip leather
Rose hip candy
Rose hip jelly
Rose hip apple sauce
Rose hip pudding
Rose hip soup
Rose hip syrup
Rose hip nut bread

Links:
http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blrosehips.htm

Becoming a bookworm

Since my commute to work is relatively short, and our grocery store is just outside the apartment building, I have plenty of free time to study and read. The city library is great. I've been taking full advantage of it, filling the evenings with international news, science journals, thought provoking books. I just finished a book about global warming, called "Six degrees" which was a bit frightening and now I'm in the middle of "The Ages of Gaia", biography of the planet that looks at life on Earth as one, self regulating organism. The author, James Lovelock walks through each eon showing how each successive wave of organisms unintentionally moderated the temperatue, atmosphere, geology and conditions to sustain life. It's a bit dense, but entertaining and inspiring.

Speaking of atmosphere changes, Norway's season are quite dramatic. Fall has finally arrived in full force and the ground is covered in colorful leaves. Now the tops of the trees are starting to show bare branches and the tree outside our balcony is suddenly barren except for a few hanging seed pods, ready to drop.

It's raining more and more which intensifies the waterfalls near our apartment and up in the NordMarka. Along the river you can see old flour mills or factories from the turn of 19th century, now transformed into office buildings or apartments. Last weekend on a run with the running club we came across a glassy lake at the base of a gushing fall at least 50 feet tall. The sun broke out for just a moment illuminating the bright leaves agains the slate gray rocks and the black bark.

The pace of my running has slowed down because it takes so much effort to avoid all the puddles and streams on the rocky trails. Some of the more experienced runner just laugh and plow straight ahead through muddy streams up to their calves. If you're shoes are already wet, it doesn't make much of a difference. And at some point, I have to just give in and get soggy. As the Norwegians say, there is no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing. But perhaps they should say that there is no such thing as bad weather, just unwaranted hesitation.

Taking a Break

Hi all, Hubby Gray here.
Laura is still taking a break from writing on her blog while she continues to gather more material. I will write in a later entry about the band after we have our first performance in October. For now an update.

We have settled in quite nicely here. The sun has returned after a couple of weeks of drizzly weather all over most of Europe. The fall colors are beginning to show and the temperature is dropping quite fast. In a couple of weeks there will be snow in the mountains. You can now get great deals on mountain bikes and last years skis. Every few days folks are slowly adding a new piece of warm clothing to their outfits; a scarf here, a hat there.

Last weekend we went to a free environmental festival. There was a free tour around the fjord. It was fantastic to see all of the little island communities. In little over a week Oktoberfest Oslo style will begin. Not sure what that entails. I do know that around this time of year Norwegians enjoy a popular dish of lamb and cabbage. I was disappointed to hear that my friend Ulrik will not be serving this dish at his party this Friday. He is having people over to watch the American debates and in honor of that he wants to serve meatloaf with a little American flag sticking out.
He asks me if I am excited about the debates. I tell him my stomach hurts just thinking about it.
Maybe a slice of meatloaf will fix it.

Speaking of which; Laura and I met an American in our Norwegian class who is so happy to be away from American press and any news about the election. He said it really used to stress him out and now he is happily taking a break. Not a bad idea. The American news has become so insistent these days, like the fast flickering of a TV screen, screaming out "look at me look at me, I am all that matters, feel the tension conflict and the utter outrage." Maybe I need to to take a break myself. I don't mean pretend its not there, I just think turning down the volume a bit will do. There are so many amazing things all around us everyday, expressing eternal beauty and connectedness. All one has to do is turn away from the laptop and head out for a walk on the beach, or climb a tree, build a porch, a spend some time playing a board game with one's kids. NOT MONOPOLY, at that point one might as well go back to reading the news.

Anyway, we miss all our friends and family back in the states and we so look forward to our vacation in December where we can sit around and play all in poker while we discuss the economy, and have some stiff eggnog while we discuss the election results... ahem, yeah...
Think I need a walk on the beach.