Wilf loves salted herring or mackerel. Not just in a somewhat dismissive 'oh, that's lovely ' sense but in a full on 'I've died and gone to heaven' way. When 'the font' holds out a morsel of fish he closes his eyes, throws his head back, scrapes the ground with his paws like a miniature bull, and then smacks his lips like a canine Hannibal Lecter. A thorough ' let's not waste any of this' finger licking is then administered. I mention this because 'the font' has returned to Stockholm to load up on all those obscure things that Scandinavians catch, wind dry and then pickle and which other more sensible folk studiously avoid. Somehow I'm the only one in the family that thinks that salted herring has the texture and taste of old car tyre soaked in formaldehyde. I also fear that Lingonberries, with their peculiar taste of soap, will shortly make an unwelcome re-appearance on the dinner table.En route to the airport we stopped off at a little church which had the most stunning 15th century wood carvings in the chancel. Sometimes the sheer richness and joy of French culture hits you in the face.
'The font' safely off on the 737 to Sweden it was time to go shopping. In all the newsagents windows copies of Tony Blairs memoirs or memoires. The French have apparently been enthusiastic buyers of the book, possibly because he has said some laudatory things about Presidents Chirac and Sarkozy. Onto the hardware store for paint brushes. I have promised 'the font' that the hallway from the new downstairs kitchen to the terrace will be painted and finished by close of business on Friday. In that strange desolate area at the back of the store ( all hardware stores across the globe have them ) a collection of barbecues. Whereas much of the world is happy to use a Weber barbecue the French and sundry other Europeans prefer hideous concrete and breeze block constructions .
Home , with the paint brushes , in time for forty minutes of rugby with Wilf. Today the painting begins.
Tried the wind-dried fish in Norway......would be good for dogs.
ReplyDeleteXXXOOO Daisy, Kendra & Bella
scraping the ground like a bull would be quite a sight :) esp a fluffy bull. Happy painting to you and Vilfee.. he could prove useful to hand you the brushes and paints.
ReplyDeleteRugby with Wilf sounds good, painting sounds good, eating salted herring... not so much. ;)
ReplyDeleteWoofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae
Barbecue? Heavens, on first glance I thought they were a strange sort of crematorium. Ulp. Buzzy McDuff sezs, "Love them fishies - and the stinkier the better!"
ReplyDeleteYankee Gal
Wilf certainly has good taste! As far as the Lingonberries, my Mother used to have a Swedish friend who at Christmas would bring us warm östkaka which was topped with lingonberry preserves and fresh whipped cream--Somehow, at least to me, I used to think that the lingonberries tasted the way our kittens smelled--I loved the kittens but not the berries so much--I've not had them since then and wonder if I'd still think the same thing.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the painting deadline!
I have a very good friend from Sweden, and I am with you on the wind dried fish! You have my sympathies! I'd say you could slip yours under the table to Wilf, but his enjoyment of it might give you away!
ReplyDeleteI've never had Lingonberries, but they don't sound great. Can you not hold out for cloudberries (with lashings of cream and sugar)?
ReplyDeleteCheers, Gail.
The only Ligonberries I've had are from IKEA and I hope they aren't representative of the entire Ligonberry family!
ReplyDeleteWind dried fish? lingonberries? The font is actually going to IKEA..you can get those items there. Visited Sweedish relatives when I was 9 or so...imagine what I did with wind dried fish!! Needless to say, the parental units were not happy with me.
ReplyDeleteZach's mom
I think We'd rather have a crematorium barbecue rather than the Weber on wheels We just bought. (It would be a much better place for critters to crawl in and drive me crazy.) Roo Roo, Stuart
ReplyDeleteSo, have you tried lutefisk? Your blog entry title today was irresistible, even had I not routinely read about Wilfee.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your painting! I've never had the fish or the berries - must have led a sheltered life :)
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