Pitches in Scania, part II

Things rarely have a tendency to be short when I get my greedy little writing fingers on them, but I'll try and be as sweet as possible with this prequel on Scania. At the peninsula of Bjärehalvön - where part one took place - you'll also find the magnificent Hovs Hallar.

And outside the town of Båstad - a place mostly known for the annual tennis championship and the *sort of* rowdy crowd hanging about there at that time - the magical gardens of Norrviken, since 2004 run by the talented, enigmatic Danish flower artist Tage Andersen. An absolutely delightful place - even if my gorgeous dahlia, bought there, didn't want to appear a second year... - enchanting like a mixture of Orlando and a Peter Greenaway film. A must visit!

Also just outside Båstad is Solbackens Våffelbruk, a place that specializes in serving waffles and nothing else. It's charmingly tucked away in the lush hills overlooking the bay of Laholm. Let's just say that you pay for the amazing view and not for the amazing culinary experience...

An amazing culinary experience we had our eyes set on though, when making reservations at Niklas i Viken - Niklas in the Bay, but Viken is also being the name of the village - , summer restaurant run by a Swedish TV-chef...

The weather was grand - even though the ample photo opportunities where sort of damped due to the fact of really harsh winds that kept me all too busy trying to get control over the skirt who wanted to fly away to adventure of its very own... - the ambiance was unpretentiously lovely - IKEA cutlery, soda served in big wine glasses for example - the view from the outdoor veranda overlooking the bay and the harbour was to relish. Then came the food... And now I'm all out of sweet words;

Ciabatta-style bread, probably, baked in muffin tins. Dry and even burnt. Served with olive oil and seasalt - the one and only time I've ever enjoyed only olive oil and herbs with bread was at Carrabbas in Orlando, Florida. There the food was made and served with knowledge and love. Other than that I really hate it when olive oil haphazardly is thought of as something as a delicacy to be liked by everyone all the time, and a naturally sub for butter. I do not want olive oil with my bread, I do not want olive oil at all, my tastebuds finds it repulsive.

Charfilet with papardelle, saffron, capers, lettuce-onion and sugar peas - no sugar peas at all, instead tiny sour tomatoes, too much capers, too much bones in the fish, well a bit too much of everything and not enough of anything I guess. The saffron part was by far the best detail of that dish.

This is what should have been a gooseberry pie - instead it was a cherry one... Served with absolutely flavourless pear marinated in, what was probably, basil and mint. Not what I consider a pie either, more like a dry piece of spongecake. The vanilla icecream was nice though.

This was probably the best dish of them all - too bad it wasn't mine, and of course I'm just too wellbehaved to demand we change, um... - milkchocolate pannacotta with marinated cherries, granité and almondcrumbs.

And really, shouldn't every restaurant have one or two ciders on the menu, not only wine and beer...?

I can safely say we were far from impressed by that boosted place by the bay. But the village of Viken was just such a charming place with narrow streets and old houses. And perhaps some more un-boosted restaurants with far better food on offer...

Neighbouring village of Viken is Domsten, even more delightful and jampacked with these typically picturesque Scania kind of houses. So adore them, wish I had one of my own, with cherry, plum, pear and apple trees and a rosegarden, with birds, bumblebees and butterflies... And a library and study overlooking the open fields, where I'd read and write and my heart would sing...

Before we'll take Öresundsbron - Öresunds bridge - over to Copenhagen, Denmark, I promise to tell you about a place you really shouldn't miss having a bit of food. Good value for money and oh my so tasty. Until then...