Eleven Milk Cartons and Many Dozen Eggs

“What was the reason we wanted hens?” Marit’s husband, Øystein, asks with a smile. Chickens had been on their wish list for a long time, and a few years ago close friends gave them the perfect fiftieth-birthday gift. Seven hens. In Rakkestad, Norway, that’s a perfectly normal present.

The family’s hens lay about five eggs a day, and when they start piling up, Marit often brings a tray of eggs along when visiting friends. 

Marit’s friends and neighbours may live quite comfortable lives, but food is at the centre of everything she does. For her blog, Marit often cooks several dinners a day. Since the family can’t eat leftovers every day, she has a group of regulars who stop by to pick up meals. In Rakkestad, “fast food” has taken on a new meaning.

Her philosophy is simple: good food and simple food are the same thing. Food should be uncomplicated, unpretentious, and very good. Nutrition matters, but flavour — and the social side of food — matters more.

“When we built our house, there was one thing I knew we needed: a Corner Fridge.”

Marit Røttingsnes Westlie 

Through her blog, Marit would rather inspire people to invite a neighbour over for pancakes on a Thursday than to cook elaborate gourmet meals. “I’d rather inspire than point fingers,” she says. When the family moved from city life in Oslo to a calmer, more rural life in Rakkestad, Marit finally got the opportunity to build her dream kitchen.

“When we built our house, there was one thing I knew we needed: a Corner Fridge. First of all, it gives you exceptional space — and with more space comes better overview. For someone who cooks for a living, practical solutions are essential for simplifying both everyday life and work.”

One example is cold-rising dough. A tray of rolls is often prepared the night before and then simply slid straight from the countertop into the Corner Fridge to rise overnight — no rearranging required.

Cakes on a pedestal fit easily inside as well. “That’s always a challenge with a standard refrigerator — where do the cakes go?” she laughs.

Generous storage also makes everyday cooking easier. To cook more — and better — on busy weekdays, it helps to do one large grocery shop per week. “That’s why prefabricated meal kits are so popular in Norway,” Marit notes. Buying in volume also saves money, because you’re more likely to stick to your shopping list.

Marit appreciates that the Corner Fridge offers exceptional capacity without demanding excessive kitchen space. While she also has a separate work kitchen five minutes away for cooking and photography, the Corner Fridge at home is used daily by the family.

You can easily count eleven milk cartons on a single glass shelf. Food and drinks disappear quickly in the Timian household. The Corner Fridge works perfectly for a family of four during the week — and just as well when they host parties for forty guests.

Whether it’s everyday life or a full house, there are always people coming and going.

“I love having people over. This isn’t a house with a perfectly set table — that’s not what I offer. I want to be part of the party myself,” Marit says. “I’m usually still cooking when guests arrive, so everyone helps set the table, and everyone helps with the dishes.”

“It’s relaxed and welcoming. You’re welcome here — and if you want to put your feet up on the table, that’s fine too. That’s how I like it.”

Now, let’s eat.

And yes — the rolls were excellent. Try it yourself.