Happy Birthday Norway!
MAY 17TH - CONSTITUTION DAY
This day really is the happiest day of the year in Norway, a day where strangers say hello to each other, we congratulate one another on the big day, and people with the same bunad from the same region nod and smile or even start to chat.
The day is celebrated as it marks the date when Norway signed its constitutional rights in 1814, in a little town called Eidsvoll.
The big day usually starts with a breakfast party at 9 am, where all the guests may have gotten tasked with bringing a dish for the buffet. Usually, it’s everything from scrambled eggs, breakfast buns, gravlaks to champagne and pavlova cakes.
If you have kids in elementary school, the day starts early at 8 am, all the tiny bunads and shirts carefully ironed the night before, and itchy stockings make their way onto small legs to keep them warm, as Norwegian weather can serve anything from rain and snow to sunshine and summer temperatures all in one day in this long stretched country.
The flag is raised in the schoolyard where the kids are with their families, everyone sings the national anthem, “Ja, vi elsker dette landet” written by Bjønstierne Bjørnson.
Later on the kids all walk in a parade with a marching band, where they sing and shout hurray while waving the Norwegian flag in the air. Post-parade they all meet in the schoolyard to play games where everyone wins small prizes, eats hot dogs, and more importantly, get to eat all the ice cream that they can.
After the breakfast party, people might meet up with family or other friends in outside restaurants, bars, and cafes, preferably in the sun where they enjoy the weather, wine or beer and hang out. The day floats into a big party in the streets throughout the night where everyone is invited.
Get in the spirit with our National Anthem
Arne Hjeltenes talks about The bunad – Norway's traditional costume
"I'm happy to wear a bunad when I can, and have had one since I was a student. I have already worn out two bunads and can report, among other things, that it is stupid to swim in one. A Bunad is colorful and creates a good atmosphere. Even when I lived abroad for a few years, of course, the bunad was always with me. It creates much more life than a plain suit. We are making an episode with our show - People Of The North from Finse, where on May 17th the train takes us up to the Hardangerjøkulen. I will of course wear my bunad where I will hold a speech for everyone there" - Arne Hjeltnes
PAVLOVA RECIPE
The go-to cake for the Constitution day of Norway on May 17th, is the lovely Pavlova cake. It contains a beautiful a mix of meringue, vanilla cream and berries and is a must-have for any breakfast party on the happiest day of Norway.
The meringue
4 egg whites
250 grams caster sugar
1 tsp cornflour
1 tsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
The topping
600 grams strawberries cut in quarters
200 grams blueberries or redcurrants
3 tbsp icing sugar
350ml double cream
Bring it together:
Heat oven to 150C/ 302F
Using a pencil, mark out the circumference of a dinner plate on baking parchment
Whisk 4 egg whites with a hand mixer until they form stiff peaks, then whisk in 250g caster sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until the meringue looks glossy
Whisk in 1 tsp white wine vinegar, 1 tsp cornflour and 1 tsp vanilla extract
Spread the meringue inside the circle, creating a crater by making the sides a little higher than the middle.
Bake for 1 hour, then turn off the heat and let the Pavlova cool off completely inside the oven
When the meringue is cool, take 100g of the quartered strawberries. Mix them with 100g of the blueberries/redcurrants and 2 tbsp icing sugar
Place in a food processor, blitz until smooth, then push the fruit mixture through a sieve
Whip 350ml double cream with the remaining 1 tbsp icing sugar and spread it over the meringue. Add the remaining 500g quartered strawberries and 100g blueberries and/or redcurrants on the cream and finally pour the sauce over the whole lot.