I hope so, Ned. Alexi is sincere in his enthusiasm, indeed in his belief. He talks beautifully about the Greek origins of his name. The Greeks, he insists, spread the use of Christian names and not the Romans.
The observations about being the heroes of our age made me think of DeLillo's "Underworld," which in part is the observation that a great deal of what maintains the planet is how we dispose of our garbage. How very quickly things would go awry without that unspoken underworld of activity.
"The unspoken underworld of activity," that's fantastic, Steve Zani. Alexi is a true believer in heroes and life. "Heroes of our age, my friend! Heroes of our age"--not easy to forget.
If people were paid according to the value of what they contribute to the community, number one would be doctors and number two would be garbage collectors.
You should definitely look up a recipe, Will. You can have finnbiff day at Morning Star Cafe! Basically, finnbiff is a Sami take on stroganoff. The key is to add an acid, like bits of green apple or, the local favorite, fresh tyttebær (cranberries). Also, you should use thin cuts of reindeer, what the Norwegians call "skarv." Any game would work well, whitetail, elk. Enjoy!
Stick with Alexi; he knows!
I hope so, Ned. Alexi is sincere in his enthusiasm, indeed in his belief. He talks beautifully about the Greek origins of his name. The Greeks, he insists, spread the use of Christian names and not the Romans.
The observations about being the heroes of our age made me think of DeLillo's "Underworld," which in part is the observation that a great deal of what maintains the planet is how we dispose of our garbage. How very quickly things would go awry without that unspoken underworld of activity.
"The unspoken underworld of activity," that's fantastic, Steve Zani. Alexi is a true believer in heroes and life. "Heroes of our age, my friend! Heroes of our age"--not easy to forget.
If people were paid according to the value of what they contribute to the community, number one would be doctors and number two would be garbage collectors.
I love the rhythm of this piece Damon. And of course my cameo appearance!
And a great cameo you have! More than that, thank you again for the adventures and for your knowledge of Norway and its culture.
suddenly I have a craving for finnbiff....and I dont even know exactly what it is....how does one prep reindeer?
You should definitely look up a recipe, Will. You can have finnbiff day at Morning Star Cafe! Basically, finnbiff is a Sami take on stroganoff. The key is to add an acid, like bits of green apple or, the local favorite, fresh tyttebær (cranberries). Also, you should use thin cuts of reindeer, what the Norwegians call "skarv." Any game would work well, whitetail, elk. Enjoy!
Probably same as we would prepare elk here in Michigan. The back strap being the prime cut. Thanks Damon
Thank you for this post!
I wrote this poem about woodsmoke and how rare it is becoming at https://frangardner.substack.com/p/purses-and-bags
Autumn Smoke
Fall used to mean smoke
Leafy bonfires,
Warmth on our faces,
Potatoes tucked amid the embers.
But then we cared
About air quality,
And burning leaves . . .
We turned that page.
The Amazon Basin burns,
But not our backyards.
Progress of a sort:
No more campfires, either.
Melt those marshmallows.
In the microwave.
The half-burned gooiness
We loved while camping—
Forget about that.
Age matters for something:
At least I have those memories,
Like eating the charred parts, too.
Today’s children
Have marshmallow treats.
So many things are better now.
Just remember that.
Yet spare a quick thought
For the fires of our youth.