fish- it's what's for dinner

Minke whale

Business Idea





trying Minke whale meat in Bergen









King crab, lobster, salmon, halibut, moose, and whale, all fish caught in the local fjords and sold here at the Bergen Fish Market.Some of you who are more adroit are screaming, "Rich, there's a massive error in your previous statement!!"Well thank you for pointing it out (though I wish you'd do it more quietly) and you're right, halibut is a deep water fish and thus not available for capture in your average fjord.But one thing you certainly can purchase here, a slice of the world's largest fish- whale. Yes, the delectable and fresh local catch makes its way into the hands of consumers right here in the center of Bergen.: The nearly ubiquitous smiling whale mascot pictured above found in most of the world's top tier restaurants, the "classy pig" with a monocle, the plump chicken giving me the thumbs up to dig in; all designed to increase consumption of their flesh by making the animal "cute." As this bizarrely seems to work, does anyone want to open a Vietnamese restaurant with me? If so, I already have the logo.High sales taxes react with Norway's vast oil revenues like rocket fuel, pushing prices into the stratosphere- " $11 for a baguette, $10 for a beer, $32 a pound for salmon.Many of the employees are foreigners, drawn by wages far higher than they could dream of earning in their native countries, I walk from stall to stall meeting Spaniards, Chinese, and Russians, working long hours and living as frugally as possible in the world's most expensive country, hoping they'll be able to bring home substantial savings to start a business, to purchase a flat, etc.I sample the available cuisine. The salmon is unbelievably tasty, fresh, spiced just a touch. I'm also offered Minke Whale meat. I'm rarely one to say no, and before you PETA types get all in a huff, I want to state I didn't contribute to the demand by purchasing.The whale catch is limited to 500 a year, and carefully controlled by the government (as are all things in Scandinavia.)In an area where it rains the majority of the year, today's unblemished sun radiates smiles upon normally stoic Norwegian faces, the market's atmosphere warming in kind.I chew on the moose sausage I've purchased, watching the surrounding hustle in the busiest part of this touristy town, as I dream of my Vietnamese restaurant and the crowds that would gather-- WOOF WOOF!As a seasoned traveler, if I could offer one piece of advice, embrace the reality of where ever you are, of whatever the moment offers. And if you come to my grand opening, and have something against tasting dog, here, try some whale; it's Norway after all.