December 23, 2011 - 5:10 pm
Apparently American comedians are getting lots of material out of Norway’s butter products crisis, because a lack of butter is something Americans find hilarious. You can’t turn on Comedy Central and not see Dane Cook cutting Norway a new one about their lack of pussycat cakes. Well, Norway’s not gonna take it anymore! Enter Tommy*, one pissed off Norwegian who’s mad as hell, and not taking it anymore! Tommy’s threatening to come and eat your American butter in front of you and your family’s eyes.
(Language and sanity warning, needless to say):
(H/T: Jon of the Exurban League.)
Do they have cream?
Get a jar and make their own butter. I made some butter just this morning from cream I had cultured for cultured butter. Took 5 minutes to make after the culturing on the counter.
Cream and mixer. geez.
I’m going to have to try that one of these days! How did you culture the cream? I keep seeing references to cultured butter, but I don’t think I’ve ever tried it.
You inoculate the cream with buttermilk culture, yoghurt cultures, etc. and let it sit at room temp for about 24 hours until thick. If you read about historical butter making, ripening the cream was when it was cultured by natural yeasts and occurred as the cream was held for several days until they had enough on hand for efficient butter making.
If you don’t want to make your own, many European butters are cultured. Sweet cream butter is from fresh cream, which really only came about since refrigeration.
Don’t they have free trade?
Nope. Norway is the only Scandinavian country not in the EU. Though they’re just a short ferry ride (or in Tommy’s case, fairy ride) from dairy-rich Denmark, the tariffs are prohibitive.
>sigh< my Norwegian pride just took a hit.
Yeah, he sure looks Norwegian, don’t he?
Are you sure that “Tommy” is really a he? Please don’t tell me that this is a typical Norwegian male. (Yeah, all my Swedish relatives like to poke fun at the Norwegians, but even teasing has its limits.)
And in all of this, I have not heard what is the cause of this butter shortage. Any theories being offered?
The MSM would have you believe that it’s due to a low-carb diet fad (Really.).
But it is due to the usual government shenanigans of import restrictions and taxes:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2011/12/14/the-great-norwegian-butter-famine/
Having spent some time in Norway, I cannot believe this guy is Norwegian. Norwegians are very English literate and do not stumble over simple words. They can converse in English almost better than you and I. Not to mention the fact that he’s pretty dark-skinned for a Norwegian.
Argh! My eyes!
(You guys should give warning when you post these things, ya know?!)
Butter,nei. Fruits & nuts,ja!
Despite countless examples of disasters there are still idiots who advocate central planning. Cass Sunstien comes to mind. Surely there is a cabbage between his ears.