Friday, July 30, 2010

Gladmat = Happy Food


Gladmat = Happy Food or is it Food With a Happy Smile :oD

Opened Wednesday July 28, 2010 at Noon,
and I was there, humgry...
Wandering up & down the entire length of all the tents at Gladmat/Happy Food...


Passing these 2 lucky Cruise Ships moored in the harbor,
following my nose & my food fantasy desires....



First off Chocolates--why not start with after dinner chocolates?!
at the Praline Chocolatier tent...



a perfect pink place to consume said chocolates...
Next the BBQ tents - Grill Kongen Craig, the King of the Grill (Norway)




He has numerous cookbooks in Norsk sadly, along with a new line of grill meats in the local Rema 1000 grocery stores, after closing his restaurant - Craigs (right after we moved here, went to make reservations one night only to find out over the phone--due to economic circumstances they were shutting down, what timing?!)



& of course BBQ accessories, grill seasonings (including one called Cajun, which I'm told has prob. half as much Cayenne red pepper in it as you'd find for real in true Cajunland - but that's to be expected with Norwegian taste buds) - plus of all the things for the Gladmat especially Texas wood chips (did not price these goodies in Kroners...)


in photo that's him in the black to the left, Grill Kongen Craig, with a dish towel in his right-hand pocket & his ball cap full of pins from being awarded all sorts of BBQ honors I'm sure along the years here & back in the USA



It's a shame he can't bring back in some real beef with him sometime, like ship an entire train car over maybe--or someone teach the farmers how to grain feed & raise beef cows rather than milk cows here in Norway, Please?!


(note: photo borrowed from http://www.fasett.no/ -
the design company, for Idsoe's new look/identity & branding...)
But we can get good cuts of pork (like loins) to grill, but have to visit Idsøe's famous old time butcher to buy good bacon (or Bratwurst, made German style) & chicken pieces you can get too--but ups and downs on that being good & I could swear sometimes my eggs smell like fish?!

For more about Craig Whitson see...


(Note: also read more in my earlier blog posts in the archives - I think I found the Weber teams & not just Denmark, but there's one for Norway too which the Grill King has coached...)



Next tent, next door - how convienent is that, the Weber tent & trailer
making? pizza! they were just there I think to sell grills - again did not price said grills,

but they were giving away free hats & keychains so snagged 1 each (can't pass up free?!)

Plus we already own a Weber & have before & will again...




yet another ship moving around in the harbor...
is there food on this one too? maybe, maybe not...




but not on this ship spotted from the other side of the harbor,

it's selling what? wool carpets?! of all the things at a Food Festival -
just pull up your boat & start selling carpets made of local sheep's wool, oh why not...



another boat docked to a smaller floating dock,
that is selling food at tables - Scandic, or that's the name of the restaurant...

but find it's also a hotel chain as well--though where in Stavanger? hmmm...
(my answer from Googling--June 2011 there will be one opening in Forus)
uptop on board are 2 or 3 chefs in high white chef hats cooking over grills or portable gas stoves - the banner says Scandic, Stay Smarter... (their motto from their webpage)


next stop, dessert (Yes, after the chocolates) - healthy choice,
organic ice cream...tried pear & raspberry scoops in a cup for I think 40 Nok

found out they're selling cartons of the Isrosa at Ullandhaug organic farm & at the organic green grocery near the ferry terminal, or across the street...yum & even better when you can tell yourself it's good for you--yeah right?!



and a Diner, a Festival Diner--at the Food Festival...
grilling out the back of a red/white VW Volksvagen--of course?!



the menu for the Festival Diner includes:
James Dean burgers & Olivia, The Captain & Festival Burger...

followed by Fish & Chips that were not priced--so I think you get Fresh shrimp instead
(or was that the Sushi? Yes, why not that too at the Festival Diner...will try this all another visit to the Food Feast, I mean Festival at the Gladmat--Happy Food, or is that Happy Eater?!)

Did not photograph the girls serving in the red/white skirts with their white tops that on the back is printed "Enjoy" (found that word though on their FB fan page) - if the girls were only on roller skates, that would of been just perfect...




At least one evening they had planned a Grease show, would of loved to have seen that - am still awaiting photos being posted on their Facebook page or better yet a YouTube video to show up instead to see some of that 50's singing & dancing Norsk style?!

Find them on Facebook at: Festival Diner - på Gladmat Festivalen 2010 i Stavanger


after the full/stuffing day, walk back thru old town Stavanger -
pass the flowers - some food for the eyes instead - at the curbside doorsteps of the old wooden houses there, thinking to yourself it feels like summertime now (maybe except for the lack of heat)



a rooster weathervane tops one of the old houses as the sky is no longer sunny...


on to Tasta & home for the sun setting--a picturesque end to a yummy foodie day at the Gladmat/ Food Festival - Stavanger, Norway

Find Gladmat on Facebook or at their Link: http://www.gladmat.no/

*****MAP OF GLADMAT*****

(If I'd only found this map sooner?!)

>>>>>>>>>>

Note: Started Wednesday, continues on until Saturday (when I return for more yet...)

Thursday I took no photos, but ate more food (if that's possible?!)
And the consumption list follows:

  • Empanada (with egg in it, never had that before)
  • Naan bread (with green garlic spread inside, another never had before)
  • Skwered meat off the stick & a battered shrimp
  • Pralin chocolates (again)
  • Cortado (aka espresso with milk) to digest at Benk KaffeBar under Afternblad's tent
  • Organic strawberry with Kefir smoothie (non-dairy)
  • Spring (?) water (there was a tent, the carrot & water tent - I call it)
  • Baklava
Hmmm...was that all?
I can't remember--all I know was that I had a very happy tummy?! mmm... ;o)
Link for Benk Kaffeebar in Sandnes: http://www.benkkaffebar.no/
Friday - Skipped, to rest (& eat the day before brought home leftovers instead)
Saturday - rained & still went anyways, but again no wet photos...
Short consumption list:
  • Benk Kaffebar for another Cortado (if they could only start up shop in Stavanger?!)
  • e-Bun for sweet meat grilled on a stick & of all the things--Black Angus beef Sliders (the beef it says comes from Aberdeen) & where is this Cafe/Bistro/Galleri? but in Rennesoy, an island--worse than driving to Sandnes for a good coffee, now I have to drive thru one of Norway's longest tunnels & off to an island in order to get a good (real beef) burger?! Ugh?!
  • Annette's Fish & Chips, because I didn't have any (actually) while in London over the weekend (but took this home as more leftovers for Sunday--so that's good eats from Thursday until Sunday due to Gladmat, Happy Food indeed?! mmm...)
Link for e-Bun: http://www.ebun-mat.com/
(Note: I've met the owner lady at a coffee & she was grilling under a tent in the rain herself at Gladmat--I think you work harder as an owner than anyone in the shop probably?! We'll have to make a Burger Run, or would that be Pilgrimage, out to the island of Rennesoy just to keep her in business making Black Angus Burgers?! Where's the Beef--in Vikevag?!)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Stats: 250,000 people to 300,000 people were reported to have gone to Gladmat this year
Photos: 1st one at the top is from the City of Stavanger, all others are mine - except the 2 Rema 1000 Kongen Craig grill food ads & Idsoe Butchers

No comments: