Dried Fish Dipped in Chocolate

Last November, I went to Mo i Rana to buy Christmas presents. After spending one hour at the first mall, I was drained. I had no idea of what to get for people. It turned out leaving without a list was a huge mistake. Walking the aisles of big stores (big by island standards) didn’t at all make me inspired. Then, in a moment of desperation, a revelation! I would go home empty handed and order all the presents from a chocolate factory that I just heard about.

Back home, crawled up on the sofa covered with a thick woolen blanket, I placed a big order of chocolate at Lofoten Sjokolade. The website was full of temptations: chocolate that came in different colors and shapes, beautifully handmade pieces of godliness. There were round ones, hearts, fish, penises, boobs and pieces with prints from kamasutra. Chocolate penises come in two sizes: a big one named after the island where the chocolate is made, and a much smaller one named after a neighboring island.

Lofoten is a chain of islands north of here. Besides its breathtaking beauty, it’s known as the capital of Cod fishing in Norway. Every winter, fishermen go there to catch Cod by the ton. A young woman, for some strange reason, decided to set up shop at an abandoned airport there to make crazily good chocolate. I would never have thought to look for a chocolatier amidst racks of dried fish and rugged mountains, but I am so glad I did.

When I brought home my order and opened it, I felt as if it was Christmas morning. They had sent with quite a few free samples! So our whole family gathered around the dining room table for chocolate tasting. We loved the chocolate. Perhaps the best we’ve ever had.

For Christmas shopping this year I will try to find another small, local business who is clearly striving for excellence. And since I am a believer of giving away things that can be consumed, I will spend the next few moths searching for something that will make our family say “Yum!”