Cowberry chocolate from Finland

On a visit to a tax free store on a recent trip I discovered that Fazer, the Finnish confectionery company, has sweets based on lingonberry, or cowberry as you and I like to call these jevels from the forrest. I had to buy and taste.

As you may suspect - I have tried to make something similar myself. Last year I was inspired by a TV program showing the process, and I ended up trying myself. Compared to the ones made by Fazer I prefer my own. But I am not very good at industrializing this type of production, so I guess my price per piece is much higher than Fazer's alternative.

Well, the ones I made last year ended up as Christmas presents. And I plan to to the same this year. So stay tuned for more!!!!!

Hoe - hoe - hoe

Christmas is comming close! But this hoe is something different. In Norwegian it is called "krafse" and the tray under it is a "krafsebrett", i.e. a hoetray. Both of them are invaluable to a garden owner. The picture is from the other day when I was spreading a truckload of gravel in my driveway and other places around the house.

Too bad I agreed to share the gravel with one of my neighbours, since I discovered that I could have spent it all myself.

How fresh is the fish? - revisited

I gave a talk called How fresh is the fish? once. It didn't actually answer the question.

However, things have moved forward. Of course, an experienced fish buyer can judge the freshness of a fish by looking at it, feeling it and so on. But there are other sources of relevant information. For example, the Matis research institute in Iceland has made findings of "undesirable substances" available online. Another, similar resource is Mareano, run by the Norwegian Institute of Marine Research.

Of course, fish moves around in the oceans, but if the fish we buy carried information about where it was caught, we consumers could look up what to expect in terms of harmful chemicals etc. But that wouldn't keep industry from polluting, would it?

The rain in Croatia stays mainly in Dalmatia

Have you ever seen? After a week of sailing in Croatia we had a night in the city of Trogir late in September. A heavy rainstorm happened to be visiting at the same time. From what I heard from the locals they weren't used to such intense rain.

I got thoroughly soaked in the narrow streets. The city was from long before cars etc. so the streets could just about let two people pass each other. When the water came flooding off the roofs, the streets turned into rivers, and there I was.

It all ended with a case of Bronchitis after comming home.

Nordens ark

Nordens Ark near Gothenburg in Sweden is worth a visit. It is a non-profit organization aiming at improving the situation for endagerede animals through breeding and reintroduction programmes.

I went there with kids and wife and we had a fantastic day. Imagine the satisfaction of being rewarded for patience with the view of animals like this snow leopard.

Lets hope the next time is in the wild, and that it doesn't see me!

Red fish - red fish - red fish

In 2010 Greenpeace added Rose fish to its seafood red list because it is being sourced from unsustainable fisheries. Well, in the middle of August I did some project work in Iceland where they obviously process this fish. I think the ones on this picture were sorted away from production together with some friends.

But I don't think I have ever seen so much fish at the same time. I wouldn't be surprised if the Icelanders could keep us all with fish if they were given the chance, provided of course it was sustainable!

Anyway, given that my hosts keep the project going I expect other Rose fish to end up as EPCs in a EPCIS system before the end of the year.

By the way, in Norwegian Rose fish is called uer.

The train in Spain stays mainly in the plain ...

Some weeks ago I took at trip to Spain to look at tomato harvesting and ketchup production. To get from Barcelona to Zaragoza I and my colleague travelled with the AVE, Spain's high speed train service.

It was breathtaking - home in Norway we have one of the crappiest train services I have ever encountered. And in Spain I travelled at 300km/t and more (I saw 301!).

I sincerely hope that Norway can start investing the profits from the North Sea in infrastructure. That may help the nation when we go back to being a poor country again, when we again depend on wood and fisheries. Nobody uses paper any more, and for how long will it still be advisable to eat fish? But with decent roads, rails, education and so on - who knows, maybe we have a future?