I have often criticised the Norwegian alcohol monopoly stores, but my concern is more about the system than the shops themselves. They seem to have good knowledge of everything they sell (except beer, that is), and there is friendly and service minded staff in most shops.
They even have a color magazine for their customers, which gives fair and well written information about various tipples without promoting any particular brands.
In the summer edition they have a good article on food and drink outdoors, where they sing the praises of having a picnic on a balcony or in the park. There are brightly illustrated recipes for a chilled vichyssiose and vegetables with home made aïoli. With this they propose drinking a Savignon Blanc or Riesling, with a pale lager or wheat beer as alternatives.
But then, as an afterthought – please don’t do this anyway:
Remember it is not allowed to drink alcohol in parks or other public places.
Dream on. What passes for summer around here is over anyway!
I couldn’t help but laugh!
I can imagine the editorial meeting. The article was handed out and edited right on closing time, there was no chance to put anything else, so one of the puritan idiots that seem to populate Norwegian public institutions thought something should be done about it….
Pathetic…