Buttery gold: Norwegian Smør butter and thick Rømme sour cream – why their taste is unmistakable

Many tourists remember Norway not only for its fjords, but also for how a slice of bread literally melted under a layer of butter at breakfast, and a spoonful of thick rømme gave berries the taste of an alpine meadow in summer. The secret lies in the cows that graze on mountain pastures in the summer, breathing in the scent of heather and eating grass rich in omega-3. As a result, the butter smells of nuts and freshly cut hay, and the rømme is thick with a slight sweetness.

Why is Norwegian butter considered one of the best in Europe?

The cows spend up to 120 days grazing freely at altitudes above 600 metres, where the grass is rich in carotenoids and essential fatty acids. The milk is cooled directly on the setra and transported to micro-cooperative dairies. The low water content (≈14%) and high β-carotene content give the butter a golden colour and a distinct creamy, nutty aroma. Analyses show elevated concentrations of vitamin A and CLA, the main "features" of the Norwegian terroir.

What is "setter" butter and how does it differ from industrial butter?

Setersmør (or setersmørre) is produced by hand on summer mountain farms called setras: cream is fermented with natural bacteria, then churned with a wooden butter churn. The butter is then pressed into birch moulds and left to mature for 1–2 weeks. The taste is slightly sour, with hints of nuts and herbs. Industrial TINE Meierismør butter is pasteurised and whipped in centrifuges; it has a smoother taste but is less "wild". Tourists should try seter butter straight from the farm to experience the nuances of heather and pine needles.

What types of rømme are there and how are they used?

• Seterrømme — 35% fat, thick, slightly sweet; ideal for desserts and fish sauces.
• Rørosrømme is a farmhouse version made from raw milk with wild cultures; it has a creamy, nutty flavour with a slight yoghurt note.
• Lettrømme — 17% fat, light; added to salads and soups.
  Rømme can withstand heating up to 90°C, so it is added to hot sauces for salmon or venison; served cold with berries and svele pancakes.
  

What is Rømmegrøt and why is this dessert called the "taste of summer"?

Rømmegrøt is a thick porridge made from rømme, cream and wheat flour, simmered until it separates into oily "eyes". It is served hot, sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, with a spoonful of melted butter. Traditionally, the dish is eaten on the first "setra" (pasture) of St. Hans Day (23 June), marking the beginning of the milk season. The taste combines the sweetness of caramel, the sourness of sour cream and the spiciness of cinnamon — the perfect balance after a day in the mountains.

Where can tourists try the best butter and rømme?

• Rørosmeieriet (Røros) — a tour of the country's only organic butter churn, with tasting of Røros-smør.
• Undredal Stølsysteri (Sognefjord) — a seter tour with hand-churned butter and lunch with Rømmegrøt.
• Mathallen Vulkan (Oslo) — the Heidrun shop sells Debio-certified setersmør and Rørosrømme.
• Hardanger Ciderhuset — pairing menu: cider + seter butter on crispbread + apple chutney.
  

How to store and use Norwegian butter and rømme at home?

Butter: store in paper at +4°C, shelf life — 4 weeks; remove 15 minutes before serving to enhance the aroma. Freezing is possible: divide into 100 g portions. Rømme: do not stir the liquid whey; it protects the cream from mould. Once opened, store for up to 7 days. For sauces, heat rømme gradually in a water bath to avoid separation. Butter is ideal on bread with a pinch of sea salt and a slice of Brunost, while rømme goes well with berry jam or smoked fish.

Norwegian butter and rømme are the taste of slow summer days on a mountain seter, where the air is filled with heather and cowbells ring in time with the wind. A slice of bread with setter butter or a spoonful of rømmegrøt is enough to experience the "purity of taste" that gourmets travel to the northern fjords for. Book a trip to Røros, learn how to churn butter by hand and bring home a jar of rømme: let every breakfast remind you of the golden slopes and milky riches of Norway.