Budeia on Fagerdalen

Fagerdalen støl , foto Trude Henrichsen. minimert(22)

Budeia on Fagerdalen

At Fagerdalen støl, you get real sederkost with more than 300 years of traditions. The seat has been in Anne-Lise Søndrol's family since 1702 and is located peacefully and beautifully with a view of the Hallingskarvet. Among other things, non-traveled food and white cheese are served and sold here - a specialty you can hardly find anywhere else.

The road up from Hovet takes you on gravel roads past quiet mountain lakes and blue behind blue. Until 2008, when they had their own cows on the farm, people and animals walked the 12 kilometer long road from the farm down in the village. - Bufardagen was very special, she says in her well-maintained Halling dialect. - The timing of the move varied according to temperature and grazing conditions.

Father's Day, a public holiday

- The day itself was characterized by celebration and anticipation. Grandfather Goffa had a fixed ritual: When, after 4-5 hours of walking, we got the first glimpse of the stole, he took off his hat and sat down on a certain rock. Then he sang the earth is beautiful. That says something about the significance of Father's Day. The last time Goffa traveled home he was 89 years old.

With the joys of stable life as a driving force

She even went alone the summer the animals were to be moved up for the last time. - It was with sadness, but now I have been here for 35 summers. You don't get any younger with age, but the joy of being here keeps you going. Today I borrow cows from the neighboring farm, which are transported up by animal transport, she explains. - Although the road is no longer taken on foot, it is still a public holiday. 

Contentful days

Eleven dairy cows, six lucky pigs, two Old Norse sheep, three hens and the stølspusen. The working day starts at half past seven with a quiet half hour while the cows graze up towards the barn. Then it's only the cup of coffee and the tranquility of the mountains that count. The rest of the day goes by in one go with milking, separating, cheese making, kneading and kneading, cooking and frying. Admittedly, visitors are not allowed to follow the actual process up close, but inside the cafe, new portions of real sour cream porridge are constantly being scooped up in addition to traditional stølskost from Hallingdal.

Real hearty food

The recipes and craftsmanship have been passed down since the dawn of time and cheese production has remained the same for hundreds of years. White kyost to be served with freshly boiled potatoes, real mountain butter and flat bread is one of the place's specialities. Sour cream porridge, Kvikaku, Sour cream, Stølsmør, Multerømme, Pultost, Surystil and cooked Trøgost, are other popular støls products.

When everything is homemade

The master behind everything that is served and sold is the lady herself. - Few people know everything that is done with the milk before it turns into cream, cheese and butter, she emphasizes. - The food here is unique because everything is made here at Fagerdalen.
She explains: -First, all the cows must be milked and the milk separated, that is, separated. The cream goes into sour cream, which becomes sour cream porridge and multer cream, while the skimmed milk goes into various cheeses. The whey itself is carried in a kind of Reodor Felgen solution in a hose through the ground to the pleasure and nourishment of the pigs.

Not a drop to waste

The soup (the buttermilk left over after churning the butter) is used to leaven the kyosten and in baking. The sweetest skimmed milk goes to the stølen's signature dish, Kvit kyost, which is left to mature in the underground cellar under the cafe for 6 - 8 weeks. In addition, she makes soft cheese ala sury style. Every drop of what the cows give off is turned into food.

A true carrier of culture

Long and hard working days. Aching hands and heavy lifting. - Those who have romantic notions about life at Setra will soon have them crushed when they see how much heavy lifting and a lot of hard work there is, she assures. -When it's at its most hectic and I'm standing over the sour cream porridge, I sometimes think: Should I have just delivered all the milk to the dairy? - But what drives me is being a shop owner and getting on top of the stake. The bit of culture is the best thing about being here. I am proud of what I can do and to pass on traditions and knowledge. The reward is grateful guests and the very special peace of mind that the støls life provides. Besides, it's good to know that I'm looking after traditions that have been created throughout the family's 300-year history, says Fagerdalen's proud owner.

Fagerdalen Støl

  • Open cafe and sale of own stole products from 1 July to 21 August. at 12. - 17.

    Then Saturdays and Sundays until 11 September

  • Stølen is located in the middle of Skarvheimen on the mountain road between Bergsjø/Ål and Hovet, at the top of Hallingdal.
    Address: Fagerdalevegen 17.
  • fagerdalen.com

Byline: Trude Henrichsen