The Dough Debacle 2020, the Mustard Jam, and other Challenges

This is a different entry. Not unexpected, in my opinion, but still something special.

Problems, or let's put it positively; challenges are inevitable on such a journey. Whether it's a squeaky and clattering sliding door or a leaky rain jacket.

So we set off for Kvalvika Beach. We thought something like: yeah cool, then we can sit by the campfire and roast our food over it. So we prepared a dough for stick cakes, bought whole corn cobs, a few sauces and dips, and some crispbread for breakfast. You might already guess... We packed the dough into one of our stainless steel containers. Filled our water bottles, packed our camping equipment into our backpacks, and off we went.

The path we chose was rated as particularly difficult, but we are experienced balance artists by now (despite the heavy backpacks). It was a bit slippery, but no problem for us. Even finding a suitable camping spot, no problem. Tent set up and then it's time to find firewood. You see, it had been raining and drizzling in the previous days. Actually non-stop. So we couldn't find any dry driftwood or even a dry branch, let alone a tree.

The beach is wonderfully sandy and far away from any tree-like vegetation. It's beautiful here, we think, but we need wood. So we reluctantly peel off a few thicker branches and dry the shavings in the sun. It takes some time until the fire is on, or at least glowing. It takes exactly the time a dough debacle needs.

Because the stick cake dough thought: oh, let me grow a little more, after all, this is the ideal place to spread out. Out of the container, into the pleasantly dark backpack. Agnes' clothes and a good part of the inner backpack are now sticky with dough, and Agnes scrubs them laboriously while Freddy makes the shavings smolder. Since it's getting cold, A. has to put on the sweater, even if it has become a bit dough-stiff. And even if she smells like freshly risen from the yeast box.

Unfortunately, the fire situation is not going so well either: it's just smoking and giving off little heat. To make matters worse, it starts to rain and we have enveloped ourselves so much in smoke that even the birds pity us. Finally, we give up and eat the two stick breads half raw and the corn cobs completely raw.

As I said, this trip will stay with us for a while.

The mustard jam as well. And now you may think: yes, you should have known! Not at all.

Genuine Bautzner (brand) mustard is almost as essential for survival as water for us. So we go in search of it. Since we like to try local and regional products, we buy one from that region. Unfortunately, almost everything in Scandinavia is seasoned with sugar. So the hearty mustard we long for tastes super sweet. So sweet that it can actually pass as a breakfast spread. Mustard jam, that is. And even the pickles we try a little later are not sour but sweet. Now we know: always check the ingredients list first.

Other challenges involve the car; spending money in Norway, we can do that, and properly. Ahoy, new wheel bearing! And in Sweden, a few weeks later, we hit a big bolt into the other rear wheel. Fortunately for us - both times we are near cities and can go straight to a workshop (Alta in Norway and Mora in Sweden).

I have been asked several times if we argue or annoy each other. No, not really. If we annoy each other (or whatever you want to call it), it's because of one thing: WHAT DO WE EAT? And because this problem simultaneously offers the solution to being annoyed, it's quickly resolved.