A Wednesday in Oslo Norway- Persian Dining and Nespresso Cafe

From Norway Dave Persian stew

A preview picture of the Persian Eggplant Stew I enjoyed for dinner, over wine and various other alcoholic drinks. My buddy here insisted she get me drunk and I accepted. It was an evening of fun.

But first in other news...

I drink a Latte in Norway.

From Norway Dave Persian stew

It was traditional Italian style.
The milk was both flat and sweet.
The double shots of espresso blend smooth with the savory froth.
This satisfying drink was had at a bar within the campus of The University of Oslo.
It was the best I've had in Europe so far in this trip .

This Friday is the Iranian New Year and Polliwog needed some things to bring to her local family's celebration. So we shortly after jumped on the metro and headed to Grønland once again, where one can have nearly most ingredients from the mideast to southeast Asia. At the main transition hall of Central Station a young woman was handing out small sample packages to any passer-bys that would take them.

What were they?

From Norway Dave Persian stew

Why, they were Nescafe Espresso Cappuccino drinks...and! complete with a stainless steel spoon! Honestly, we were both mostly interested in the spoon.
We located our proper connector train and took the ramp that leads to the outside tracks.

What's this?

From Norway Dave Persian stew

Why, it's a Nescafe advertisement for..what?? An Espresso Cappuccinno drink? How strange! Look! That is nearly an identical spoon to the one we got. WOW!
So we have only a few minutes to wait for our metro. While the Polliwog talks away on her phone I notice how lovely the Norwegian sky is this day. She accused me of bringing the sun with me to Oslo, because it had been nearly gray skies every day for the last couple of months. There are many trees here and most are bare of leaves. The only large mass within their branches are nests. Big nests and small nests. I pan around with my head still aimed high and notice something else.

Something else? you ask...

From Norway Dave Persian stew

Oh my! It's the Nescafe headquarters.
All in the same proximity- isn't that cute?!
I'll have to see how this stuff is and report.
I really have become a coffee snob. Espresso in a bag is typically never worth drinking, usually not even better than "a poke in the eye".

After retrieving the needed whole-fig jam and lima beans in Grønland, we began a search for some sort of mini tripod for my camera. Preferably a Gorillapod, I was open to alternatives of course, being in a foriegn country. After striking out at the first store we found one at a large Norwegian Chain that had very reasonable prices as well. Standing in line however was a chore. It seems the two cashiers were more inclined to talk with each other and physically ponder the essence of what it might be like to move at the speed of molasses, than shorten their line of paying customers. Anyway, having lots of time on our hands, we began sorting through the video bargain bin standing nearby.

Did this already get released in the U.S.?

From Norway Dave Persian stew

I guess a lot of the movies here have double features like this X-Men flick accompanied by Sunshine(?).

Oh Look, Honey! It's Nescaffe Cappuccininno again!

From Norway Dave Persian stew

There it is, my Gorrillapod. I've been accused of "just loving these kinds of things"...it's true! So what?!!

From Norway Dave Persian stew

She programmed it to attack me anyway!

From Norway Dave Persian stew

Back in the safety of the Dorm and the Gorrillapod confined within its package again, we soon enjoy a simple salad of lettuce and very mild radishes with lemon and olive oil, topped with pepper and salt.

From Norway Dave Persian stew

And now for the grand finale!

I give you: Persian Eggplant Stew

From Norway Dave Persian stew

From Norway Dave Persian stew

From Norway Dave Persian stew

The beef is tenderized minimally by hand with grated yellow onions, pepper, salt and tumeric powder. Tomato paste is added to the mix at the very end and are shaped into little one inch patties.
Placing these little morsels in a pan of hot olive oil immediately produces sharp crackling sounds that cause me to jump and incredible aromatic smells that force my eyes to roll into the back of my head ( I think they are still there).
The eggplant, cut lengthwise, with a simple seasoning of salt and pepper, are draped on top of the bite size flats and a final tomato paste of sliced oninions and other herbs are topped on.
Served with saffron flavored basmati rice, Tadik potatoes, and more alcoholic concoctions.




Delicious.
My hats off to the chef!