Our world is no stranger to shortages. Over the course of history, many substances and products have been in short supply, notably nylon during the war and oil/gasoline in the latter twentieth century. Now, perhaps one of the most serious shortages to ever occur, especially at this time of year, is affecting the tiny country of Norway: A butter shortage.
How this could possibly happen around the Holly Daze, when cooks and bakers of all ages, stages, sizes and skill-levels are pulling out all of their best stops to create their families' and friends' favorite recipes is unfathomable. As far as I am concerned, the shortages of nylon, gas and oil pale in comparison to the possibility of not having butter available in my refrigerator. Tine, which is Norway's major dairy co-operative lays the shortage blame at the feet of the popularity of the high-fat Atkins' diet and poor weather. I say it is an economical strategy to drive up prices by driving down supply.
The good citizenry of Norway are even being bamboozled by their own. Norwegian teenagers in the southern part of the country hawked two kilos of butter online, earmarking their proceeds to go towards paying for their spring graduation party. In the west, a newspaper offered half of a kilo with each, new ten-month subscription sold.
I hereby encourage all Norwegian cooks to rise up with their spatulas, scrapers, Kitchen-Aid mixers, blenders and utensils and descend upon the Norwegian capital of Oslo and do what petulant Europeans Americans do when they are unhappy about just about everything: Picket and protest. Establish tent cities near the capital. Disrupt traffic and the normal government business in order to accomplish what every Norwegian citizen desires:
Butter on their breads, butter in their cookies and butter slathered over baked potatoes. Nothing less will do.
Ancora imparo
