chapter 1
Most of them would have an expensive car and a spacious house back home, but buying a $5 sandwich on board was unthinkable. An obvious conclusion is that the relationship between Norwegians and what they eat is not a matter of economy, it is rather a question of ethics and morality. Historically, Norway has not been a land of milk and honey. The natural surroundings have not provided for a life of material abundance. Consequently, moderation and thrift became virtues. It may be difficult to observe these values in Norway today if you look at the houses in which people live or the cars they buy. But it is still possible to see it in the ways they eat. Two of the most successful entrepreneurs in Norway are examples of a frugal way of life. There are many examples of this in relation to the real estate developer Olav Thon (1923–). He would often turn down invitations to business lunches and instead eat a carrot he had in his jacket.3 It has also been said that shipowner Fred Olsen (1929–), one of the wealthiest people in Norway, used to make his own matpakke with crispbread and Norwegian brown cheese (brunost) every day while working.
The cheese slicer is a true Norwegian invention. Its purpose is to slice the cheese as thinly as possible.
3 https://www.ut.no/artikkel/1.11097872/
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