Sons of Norway Blog

The mission of Sons of Norway is to promote and to preserve the heritage and culture of Norway, to celebrate our relationship with other Nordic countries, and provide quality insurance and financial products to our members.

Dramatic Beauty: Møre og Romsdal

Dotted with coastal islands and carved with deep fjords, Møre og Romsdal county graces Norway’s central west coast where imposing mountains end in plunging waterfalls or ease into lush valleys.  

November 22nd, 2023|Blog|

Meet the Maker: Rosemaler Judy Ritger

The original artwork for this year’s limited edition rosemaled ornament was painted by Judy Ritger of River Falls, WI. Learning rosemaling mainly through studies at Vesterheim Folk School in Decorah, Iowa, Judy also studied with Ragnvald Frøysadal in Norway and in the U.S.

November 21st, 2023|Blog|

A Semester in Trondheim

As a student majoring in Nordic Studies at Luther College in Decorah, Iowa, one of the “requirements” was to spend a semester in Norway. I have ‘requirements’ in quotes, because it was more of a golden opportunity, as I had longed for a Norwegian experience for as long as I could remember.

November 21st, 2023|Blog|

Sveler med Smørkrem – Norwegian Griddle Cakes with Buttercream

According to godt.no, sveler were first made on board the ferry company Fjord1's routes in Møre and Romsdal in 1971. Originally, the sweet griddle cakes were made on a voluntary basis by the employees, but over the years the tradition developed into an expected service offered to the passengers. Sveler became associated with ferry rides so much, they are also referred to as fergesveler, ferry pancakes. 

November 20th, 2023|Blog|

Hva Spiser Du Til Frokost? What Do you Eat for Breakfast?

Breakfast is considered an important meal of the day in Norway. A 70% majority eat a daily breakfast, and only 5% of the population report that they never eat a morning meal. According to godt.no, Norwegians eat the following foods for breakfast at least once a week:

October 16th, 2023|Blog|

My Year Above the Arctic Circle

There is peace in a dog yard. It’s paradoxical, but it is there. You feel it while chopping raw meat, the rickety table covered in ice and deep gouges from persistent swings of cleavers and axes.

October 15th, 2023|Blog|

Intriguing Viking Finds

The July/August issue of Viking featured an image of an intriguing unnamed carving in the article “Tales from the Orkney Islands.” The ornate piece is not made of wood, but is a Viking whalebone plaque discovered in a late 9th- or early 10th-century burial in Scar, on the island of Sanday, Orkney.

September 20th, 2023|Blog|

Bits and Bobs

The Norwegian language has a tendency to sprinkle word pairings throughout conversation and writing, like bits of linguistic spice. These phrases are fun to say and add a poetic flavor, since they often appear in rhyming and or alliterative pairs.

September 20th, 2023|Blog|

Kleppmelk- A Classic Regional Middag

Kleppmelk (dumpling milk) is a creamy soup commonly eaten in Northern Norway, Trøndelag and Møre og Romsdal. It consists of thick dumpling dough formed into balls, simmered in milk and topped with cinnamon and sugar. Despite its light sweetness, this is no dessert, but is considered a main dish.

September 19th, 2023|Blog|

Kleppmelk / Dumpling Soup

Kleppmelk (dumpling soup) is a creamy soup commonly eaten in Northern Norway, Trøndelag, Vestland, and Møre og Romsdal, with each region having a slightly different recipe.

September 18th, 2023|Blog|

Scandinavian Food Festivals

When thinking of traveling and the best countries in terms of foods to try, Scandinavia might not be the first place to pop in your head. However, they in fact hold some of the world’s best food festivals.

August 23rd, 2023|Blog|

Arctic Race Goes Electric

The 2023 edition of the Arctic Race of Norway took place August 17-20. While this race always twists across Norway’s Arctic terrain, the course varies from year to year.

August 23rd, 2023|Blog|

Recent Ancient Finds

It seems almost daily there are reports of exciting new discoveries from Norway’s landscape. Let’s dive into two recent news stories!

August 23rd, 2023|Blog|
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