>> Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following... Horten Municipality.

[ Bottle cap pops, clinks ] >> Ahh!

>> 62 degrees Nord.

[ Wind howls ] ♪♪ Kvaroy Arctic.

♪♪ Up Norway.

>> Rodseth: Just listen.

When you can actually hear that the food you're making is going to become amazing, it's good stuff, man.

It's good stuff.

♪♪ ♪♪ [ Ship whistle blares ] Hi, and welcome to Horten and Karljohansvern here in Southeastern Norway.

I am Christer Rodseth.

All along the Oslofjord, the small towns and dwellings are faced to the water, and it was the proximity to the sea that made all these small places flourish in the old days.

In today's program, I'll visit Midgard, which sounds like an old adventure story.

A matter of fact, it's an old Viking site not far from here.

I'll aim right for a modern version of a Viking stew, served with bread and local beer.

Then I'm going to Asgardstrand, where I'll visit Edvard Munch's first house.

Super charming.

I'll make the world's best Norwegian cinnamon and cardamom bun, baked with lots of butter.

I'll serve the buns with a tasty cup of coffee.

There will be a touch of art in today's program.

I'll make a dark chocolate mousse with cherries, red roses, in a true Edvard Munch spirit.

First out is Karljohansvern, which is an old Navy base here in Horten.

♪♪ [ Ship whistle blares ] ♪♪ ♪♪ This submarine, Utstein, is like an excursion destination in itself.

Cool.

So this is the old part of the Naval Museum?

>> Yes.

That's right.

This part of the museum was the original museum.

It was founded in 1864.

Well, it was established in this building in 1864.

And here we have ship models from early 1800 up to 1900.

>> Rodseth: So this is a copy of a real boat?

>> Yes.

This was the frigate Freia.

Was the first frigate to be built in the new Norwegian Navy in 1828.

>> Rodseth: How many was working on this ship?

>> The complement was 344 persons.

>> Rodseth: That's lots of people in this quite small boat, actually.

>> Yes.

And most of them slept in the gundeck in hammocks.

>> Rodseth: I've heard some things about what the Marines ate because I know they had stockfish... >> Yeah.

>> Rodseth: ...back in the days, as well, like in the 18th century.

And this smell on a boat for a long time, I think it would have struggled a bit because this is, uh -- it's quite heavy.

So they started off with lots of dry stuff, dry bread, but, as well, you started with these cans, as well, after a while, because this keeps the food for a long time.

>> When the canning production started in the Navy, from about 1850, the Navy also took cans on board.

So they had first only meat and then also fish balls.

>> Rodseth: I'm going to explore what the Vikings ate, as well.

>> Yeah, yeah.

>> Rodseth: That's my next stop, in Midgard.

And I heard you have a boat here, as well, do you?

>> We have a large model, a quarter model of what was called the Gokstad ship.

The Gokstad ship was discovered in 1888, and they were decided to build a replica, called Viking.

But before they built the replica, they built this quarter model.

And when they had finished the replica, it sailed over to the World Exhibition in Chicago in 1893.

And it was a great success.

And today it is in Lincoln Park in Chicago.

>> Rodseth: With so many details on over 150 ship models, it's really a whole day's trip to fully experience the Navy Museum in Horten.

But this stretch of coastline along the Oslofjord is filled with more history and culture.

I need to investigate more about the Viking theme, so I decided to make my way to a Viking site just outside Horten.

At Midgard Viking Centre, they built a reconstruction of a Viking house, a guildhall, where you can learn more about the Viking way of life.

Okay.

That's how you do it.

>> Yep.

Have you tried it before?

>> Rodseth: I have tried a bit more modern one.

Not this, uh, more manual one.

>> Yeah.

This is really easy.

>> Rodseth: Really easy.

>> Put your hand in the middle of the bow, nock the arrow.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

>> Draw and release.

>> Rodseth: Into the middle of the centre, of course.

Yes.

>> Of course.

>> Rodseth: Thank you.

Just in the middle of the arrow.

Woof!

>> Go backwards.

Yeah, that's a nice shot.

>> Rodseth: Hmm!

Not too bad.

Maybe one more, just to check if it's not luck.

Maybe I have a talent.

>> Maybe you have.

But you can imagine that this is a herd of reindeer... >> Rodseth: Okay.

>> ...that you're firing against.

>> Rodseth: He's dead.

>> Hit it.

>> Rodseth: That was easy.

What's next?

>> Let's try some axe throwing.

>> Rodseth: Okay.

Let's do it.

Okay.

>> Beat too low.

>> Rodseth: Just wait.

I need to hit that -- that target.

♪♪ Very close, though.

Okay, one last.

Okay, here.

>> You can do it.

Oh!

Great shot.

>> [ Clapping ] >> Rodseth: It's pure talent.

>> Yeah.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

Well, thank you guys.

This was fun.

>> Thank you.

>> Rodseth: I'll go what I can do, which is cooking.

Thank you so much.

>> Looking forward for the meal.

>> Rodseth: Yeah, come and eat afterwards.

See you then.

>> See you.

>> Rodseth: Hello.

>> Hello.

>> Rodseth: What are you making?

>> I'm making a sort of net from a stinging nettle.

>> Rodseth: Okay.

That sounds hurtful.

>> And you can imagine the word "nettle" and "net."

There's a connection there.

>> Rodseth: Oh, it's something.

Yeah.

So now we're at the Midgard Viking Centre.

Why are we here now?

>> Well, of course we are here because of the spectacular mounds.

And also the more recent finds of all the big mead halls, the kingly mead halls.

>> Rodseth: Just behind you, that's guildhall.

>> Yeah, that's a mead hall in English.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

Who lived there?

>> No one lived there.

It's the local king who would sit there and be king and rule and receive his guests.

This is where all the parties were.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

So if you talk about about the food, the eats in the Viking Age.

>> Well, we know they ate lots and lots and lots of barley porridge.

That was the main dish.

But of course they had all the ordinary farm animals, like cows and sheep, goats, pigs.

And they even had the chicken.

And they probably ate lots of fish and marine resources like seals and whales.

>> Rodseth: I can see you've got lots of different ingredients there, as well, on the table.

Can we have a look?

>> Sure.

>> Rodseth: Did they use lots of herbs, or...?

>> Probably not.

They probably used herbs for medicinal purposes and to make things last, because some of them, like this one, has lots of conservating properties.

>> Rodseth: So what's it called?

>> Bog-myrtle.

>> Rodseth: And these guys?

Because this is familiar.

>> That's yarrow.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

>> And we know they used it to make beer taste nice and last a bit longer before they started using hops.

>> Rodseth: Mm.

And this is...?

>> That's actually common cress.

>> Rodseth: And this little one?

>> It's the seeds for the cress.

We think they were used as spices somehow.

The ladies in the Oseberg ship burial had a box full of them.

>> Rodseth: Whoa.

>> [ Laughs ] >> Rodseth: Very spicy.

>> Yep, they are.

>> Rodseth: Well, I'm gonna cook, so why don't you just finish that little net of yours, and I'll go and have a little cook?

>> Yep.

>> Rodseth: And I'll see you afterwards.

♪♪ >> So, guys, what happens when the director tells you to put some nice clothes on?

This happens.

It's -- It's -- It's nice.

I can see that it's nice, but it's not very -- it's not very, like, easy to cook in it.

So I'll just -- Sorry.

It's not gonna happen.

I'm just gonna take it off.

♪♪ Yeah.

That's it.

Let's cook some Viking food.

I'm gonna make a stew, and I'll use some onion and garlic to start with.

When I was a kid, my mother and also my grandmother, actually, she made this kind of stews, and there was always some nice bread on the sides.

We take a piece of bread, just took some stew on top.

Was a very nice way to eat, actually.

So about four cloves of garlic and, as well, one carrot, and I'll peel it.

Chop them down into a bit smaller bits like that.

And, as well, some leek.

I got this beautiful leek.

Just chop them up, as well, and just start mincing.

[ Motor whirring ] And press down.

[ Motor whirring ] I got some fresh herbs as well as I use some parsley, some lovely fresh basil.

[ Breathes deeply ] [ Motor whirring ] Press it in.

And, as well, the meat.

I got this diced lamb.

Just put that straight in.

[ Motor whirring ] And I'm probably just gonna need half of this big chunk of beef.

Just cut it down to smaller pieces.

I'm not done, but the rest is going to be cooked inside guildhall, just behind me.

And since this was, you know, the place where the king sat, I feel like I need to present everything in an ordinary way in case he's still there.

You never know.

So, see you inside.

♪♪ Okay.

So, this is it.

Now we're going to cook the stew on an open fire, and I'm just going to get this very Viking-y pot on.

Just gonna start off with a tiny bit of oil in the pot.

So it's already quite warm.

So we're just going to get the vegetables in.

Let's cut some bacon.

Small slices like this.

Put the bacon straight in.

Doesn't have to get crispy.

It's just there to give this salty smoky flavor to this stew.

A tiny bit of salt.

This is super-duper hot.

My trousers are -- these are warm.

It's crazy, but it's so fun.

I love this.

It gives me lots of energy to cook in this old style.

Some tomato puree, big teaspoon.

The minced beef and the lamb.

Next step, guys, is some local beer, okay?

So I've got this beautiful beer.

Gonna be a bit careful when I open it, because it's probably lots of pressure in this bottle.

[ Top pops ] As expected.

And the stock, I'm using a beef stock.

1 1/2 cup of that, not too much.

Add some crushed tomatoes, 1 1/2 cup of tomatoes.

And now we're gonna add some chili, as well.

That's it, guys.

Just everything into the pot.

Just listen.

When you can actually hear that the food you're making is going to become amazing, it's good stuff, man.

It's good stuff.

♪♪ So, guys, this is now reduced into perfection.

The only now missing is some -- the red peppers.

Just take it off, put it on the side.

The last bit just to -- I'm gonna quickly just grill some bread.

So -- >> Oops.

>> Rodseth: It's okay.

>> I don't think I want to pay that much for this slave.

>> No.

Me neither.

♪♪ >> Rodseth: You can find all our recipes at our website, newscancook.com.

♪♪ [ Crunching ] Yeah, be careful.

>> Thanks.

>> It was quite edible, actually.

>> Rodseth: "Quite edible, actually" -- that was quite the compliment.

>> Actually tasty.

>> Rodseth: Actually tasty.

It's actually been a very good day, so cheers.

>> Cheers.

>> Rodseth: It was somewhat difficult to please my Viking friends with my cooking, but I'm glad they liked the final results.

Now it's time to change scenery.

I have been told that everything has been prepared for my next dish in the picturesque seaside town of Asgardstrand.

After a short trip, we arrive at an old friend's house.

Finn has a spectacular garden.

He's a renowned gardener in Norway.

Hallo, Finn!

>> Oh, welcome.

So nice to see you.

>> Rodseth: Oh, same to you.

>> Ah, I'm very happy to have you here.

>> Rodseth: Thank you.

It's so nice to be here.

What a beautiful place.

>> Yeah.

You haven't been here before?

>> Rodseth: No.

>> No.

It's a little -- yeah, a village on our way, or a town or whatever you want to say.

>> Rodseth: Very nice.

So much flowers.

>> Yeah.

I have a flower garden up there, as you see.

So I can cut flowers from May to November.

>> Rodseth: So, have you done your preparations you promised me?

>> Every single thing.

>> Rodseth: Okay, let's have a look.

>> Oh, yes.

You can really have something to look forward to.

>> Rodseth: Okay.

We'll see, we'll see.

Well, this is very nice.

>> Yes, I've done everything for you.

>> Rodseth: Have you done this?

>> Made the jam and everything.

You like it?

>> Rodseth: It's very nice.

It's beautiful.

>> Oh, thank you.

Okay, then, I think I'll leave.

>> Rodseth: Well, just go clip your roses or something, Finn.

I'll make something nice for us.

So, guys, we're gonna make very nice, beautiful cinnamon and cardamom buns with caramelized apple chutney.

It's going to be amazing.

I'm just gonna start straight on with the milk and, as well, the flour.

Sugar, as well.

A pinch of salt.

Fresh yeast.

One egg.

And, finally, the butter in.

I know that lots of bakers, they love to put the butter in in the end, but I just put it straight in.

The last and most important ingredients are these fresh cardamom seeds.

So just crush them.

And the smell that comes now while I'm crushing them is -- [ Inhaling ] -- amazing.

And put the machine on, low speed, 17 minutes.

While this is happening, take a cup of coffee, watch the fire, read a book.

♪♪ ♪♪ Okay.

So I'm going to use this.

Maybe you've seen it before.

It's a Norwegian invention which we use to -- to get, like, thin slices of cheese.

So I'm going to show you on the butter now.

It slices like this.

Put it on.

You know, when I was apprentice in the restaurant in Oslo, I was taught that, what's better than butter?

That's more butter.

So I'm just going to put loads on.

And next now is to put the apple jam on.

It's going to be very messy, but as long as the end product is very nice, no problem.

Okay.

Like that.

And then we're gonna spread some sugar on.

And, in the end, cinnamon.

And now before we start rolling out again, we just put the dough over like this.

And we're just going to pinch the ends together.

So try to minimize the amount of apple chutney getting out.

Now we're just going to chop these into pieces like this.

So what you do, you take the dough and you just tap it like this.

And you hold it with one hand and you twist it with the other like that.

And then around 2 or 3 fingers, depends on how big your hand is.

And you take this one part and put it into the middle, because then it's locked and you get a very nicely shaped bun.

So as you can see, guys, it's -- it's messy.

But as long as you have in mind that this is going to be amazing, you can live with it.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ For more recipes, visit our website, newscancook.com.

♪♪ >> This is perfect.

>> Rodseth: I think we have succeeded.

>> Yeah.

>> Rodseth: So some coffee, maybe?

>> A little.

>> Rodseth: Not too much?

>> I have to sleep in the night.

>> Rodseth: So, you can choose.

This is the -- like, the natural ones with apple.

And you have it here, as well, with some frosting and toasted hazelnuts.

>> Apples, of course.

♪♪ >> Rodseth: This has been very nice, Finn.

But how is it you live here?

Because it's quite close to Oslo, but it feels like the south of Norway in a way.

>> It's nice to be here.

It's quiet and a little bit slow.

And in the beginning of the last century, it was a lot of artists here.

Edvard Munch, the most famous one in Norway.

>> Rodseth: And you are the most famous flower decorator in Norway, I'd say.

And for me, I'm -- I'm going to ask to visit you, not Munch.

>> Yeah, that's -- Everyone says the same.

So thank you.

You are welcome.

>> Rodseth: So, Finn, I'm gonna have to leave you now.

I'm going to Munch's house.

Want one more before I leave?

>> Yeah.

Now I'll take that one.

Thank you.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

Okay.

Bye, then.

>> Bye-bye.

>> Rodseth: Yeah, yeah.

The idyllic town of Asgardstrand have both galleries and cafés where you can spend some quality time.

I decided to visit Edward Munch's house, today a museum, where the famous Norwegian expressionist painter found inspiration for his art over 100 years ago.

Hello.

>> Hello.

Welcome.

>> Rodseth: Thank you so much.

>> Do you want to come inside?

>> Rodseth: Absolutely.

Munch's house?

>> Yes.

>> Rodseth: Historical moment for me.

Wow.

So this is it?

>> This is it.

Welcome to Munch's House.

>> Rodseth: Thank you.

Can we sit on anything here?

I feel like I'm in a museum.

>> You can sit, yeah.

And I will sit down here on the bed.

>> Rodseth: Of course you will.

Comfortable.

So, Edvard Munch, this is his first house?

>> Yes.

>> Rodseth: He painted some paintings here, as well.

>> Yes.

He found the landscape to his major artistic project, called The Frieze of Life, in Asgardstrand, where he painted the organic shoreline, the full moon like a golden beam across the fjord, and also the rounded rocks that you find on the beach.

These were trademarks, really, in his art from the 1890s and onwards.

And you have paintings such as "Attraction," "Separation," "The Voice," and, later on, "The Girls on the Bridge," all painted in Asgardstrand.

>> Rodseth: But where in Asgardstrand did he paint?

>> Oh, he would do most of his paintings outdoors, down on the beach, in the forest, on the square, down in the harbor.

And he would have equipment just standing at the beach, in the forest.

And when he felt like it, one evening, he would go to the forest and paint, and he would leave all the equipment and paintings in the forest, and nobody would touch or steal his paintings.

>> Rodseth: But this house we're sitting in now, it's quite small.

So he lived here by himself?

>> Yes.

He did.

>> Rodseth: No family?

>> No.

Of course he had girlfriends coming and going.

>> Rodseth: And a fiancée, as well?

>> Yes.

He was engaged to a lady called Mathilde Larsen.

But it ended with what is called the shooting in Asgardstrand.

They were in this house, and they were discussing whether to get married or not.

She wanted desperately to marry him.

He felt that marriage could stand in the way of his work as an artist.

So instead of then the marriage, it ended with one gun that went off, and he injured one finger on his left hand.

And when you come to Asgardstrand, you get to know the man behind the myth, and you can walk around in the landscape that inspired him.

>> Rodseth: I -- I need to know, what did Edward Munch eat?

>> It was very diverse.

He would eat meat and poultry growing up, and later on, he became a vegetarian.

So he writes in his letters that he would live off his vegetable garden here in Asgardstrand, eating salad and cucumbers and peas and a chicken, sometimes.

Quite a Mediterranean style, with olive oil and Parmesan cheese on top.

And, of course, here he could go fishing.

So cod was his preferred fish meal.

>> Rodseth: Yeah.

I think we should celebrate this guy, so I baked some buns.

Have one.

Take one, all you want.

>> Thank you.

Mmm.

Oh.

[ Car horn honks ] >> Rodseth: There my driver is actually back now, so I have to leave you.

It's been very nice to meet you and all these stories.

And you like buns, so you're officially a member of my bun club.

Thank you.

>> Bye.

♪♪ >> Rodseth: And with this, it's time for my last dish for today.

So I return to Horten, the naval base, and to Hotel Sjomilitaere Samfund, the historic hotel with the grandeur of bygone days.

The walls in the restored building have many interesting artworks on display by the renowned Norwegian portrait painter Ole Peter Hansen Balling.

He is also represented in the U.S. since he painted several Union Army generals, American statesmen, and presidents.

So I'd say this program is a bit like a big nice meal, and you have to end the meal with a great dessert.

So we're gonna make a chocolate mousse with some cherries, some roses, some coffee.

It's going to be amazing.

So we're going to just whip some cream.

I know that, in some countries, you have double cream.

You can use that, as well.

Look at this now.

It's a bit thick, not too thick.

It's just lightly whipped.

So let's just quickly go through all the ingredients.

You've got the dark chocolate, lovely sour cream, gelatin which are soaked in cold water, and you've got some egg yolks, sea salt, you have more cream, sugar and glucose, and lovely lightly roasted coffee beans.

I'll get the cream in.

The egg yolks.

The sugar and the glucose.

You're gonna warm this up until you have 180 degrees Fahrenheit, 82 degrees Celsius.

And you have to constantly stir the mix because otherwise it's going to be scrambled eggs, and that's not what we want.

We just want this very thick and nice sauce.

Crème anglaise is the classic French word for it.

Now you'll see it's starting to get heated up.

And these small bubbles are starting to become even smaller.

Now you see, it thickens.

I'm just gonna take it off.

And keep stirring, because it's still a lot of heat in the pot.

And we can just get the gelatin, because this is going to get the temperature a bit down, and just whisk.

And just pour the whole egg crème anglaise mixture over and just start mixing this together, because you're going to see that it blends together like an emulsion.

Like if you're going to make a hollandaise sauce, that's an emulsion.

The mixes are going to go together like that.

Add some sea salt and this sour cream.

You want this to go down in temperature because you want to mix this cream and the chocolate mix on 40 degrees Celsius.

That's about 75, I think, Fahrenheit.

Now the temperature is nice.

I can feel it.

So you're just going to add the cream, as well, and just gently mix the cream in.

Use love, you know?

All food tastes better if you use some love into it.

Well, guys, this is going into the fridge until it's set.

Then we're going to put it into lovely bowls with the cherries and rose leaves.

So, see you there.

♪♪ ♪♪ For recipes and more, visit our website newscancook.com.

♪♪ So, guys, chocolate mousse with some cherries and coffee.

This is like -- it's a match made in Aurskog, or heaven.

Aurskog is where I'm from, so that's my heaven.

♪♪ >> Mmm.

Really delicious.

>> Rodseth: Wow.

But I've seen there's lots of nice paintings around, and I feel like you maybe can tell me something about them.

>> Yes, because quite a lot of the paintings here at this building are of naval officers, and it was painted by Ole Peter Hansen Balling in the 1870s.

>> Rodseth: And who was he?

>> Balling?

He was born 1823, in Kristiania -- Oslo at that time.

And in 1856, he moved to New York.

And then, when the Civil War broke out, he fought in the war until 1863.

And because he got to know quite a lot of the higher officers, he was asked and was able to make a painting of Abraham Lincoln at the Oval Office.

But his most famous painting is called "The Heroes of the Republic," where there are 26 of the generals.

And this painting, for a period, was in the -- in the Congress.

I'm not sure if it's still there, but it was in the Congress for some time.

>> Rodseth: Well, thank you both.

Let's finish our dessert before I have to go.

>> Thank you for staying with us.

>> Rodseth: I'll come back.

♪♪ ♪♪ ♪♪ >> For more of the "New Scandinavian Cooking" experience, visit our website and social media.

♪♪ Funding for this series has been provided in part by the following... Horten Municipality.

[ Bottle cap pops, clinks ] >> Ahh!

>> 62 degrees Nord.

[ Wind howls ] ♪♪ Kvaroy Arctic.

♪♪ Up Norway.