Rekesmørbrød. It’s what’s for dinner

What’s for dinner? It’s the universal question that’s even more relevant in summertime when farm-to-table dining is in peak season. Fresh peaches and tomatoes, corn and squash abound this time of year—light yet filling fare tasting of sunshine, laughter and the dregs of summer.

When it’s hot outside, we crave cool suppers. In Norway, that means fresh seafood, of course, but also crunchy cucumbers and sweet lettuce straight from the garden, hearty bread just out of the oven and softis, which is soft-serve ice cream, Norwegian style. Is your mouth watering yet?

Let us romance you with the simple pleasures of some of Norway’s favorite foods. Remember, the sun never sets during long Scandinavian summers, so there’s more time to linger around the dinner table.

The Fjords’ Finest

We’ll start with seafood, which is both a Norwegian staple and a delicacy. In particular, we’re craving shrimp or rekesmørbrød, the tiny crescent-shaped crustaceans straight from the deep-water fjords. Unlike their larger cousins, the googly-eyed cold-water prawns of Norway, these plump pink beauties are dainty in size, perfect for heaping on a fresh slice of Sunnmørsbrød, a traditional bread from Northwest Norway. Open-faced sandwiches are all the rage in the Kingdom of Norge, so pile on the pint-sized shrimp with a dollop of mayonnaise and savor!

A Garden’s Gem

Now we’ll wax poetic about cucumbers or argurker, as they’re known in Norway—that tender, succulent vegetable that’s the perfect foil for sea-flavored shrimp and salmon. Scandinavian cucumber salad is made with fresh dill, sugar, white-wine vinegar and a generous pinch of salt. The key to this delicious dish is to slice the cucumbers thinly and even squish them a bit to release the juices. Mix well. Cover and chill for at least an hour, maybe even overnight. Then mix again and serve. That’s agurksalat.

Adventure for Dessert

And finally, Norway’s crowning glory—soft-serve ice cream in exotic flavors like brown cheese, salted licorice and rhubarb. The unexpected mélange of ingredients makes softis a culinary adventure. Rømmegrøt ice cream is a special sour-cream based treat made from porridge and dusted with cinnamon sugar. Norwegians take ice cream to new heights of creamy, sweet and tangy for a refreshing finish to your Scandinavian summer supper.

Did we mention that Stressless makes the perfect dining chairs for enjoying a leisurely meal? Well, we do. With the Stressless® Mint and Stressless® Laurel chairs dining at home never felt so good. Lean back and enjoy yourself. May the Midnight Sun smile down on you as you gather with family and friends around the table. God appetitt!