Act II

The scene switches from the wealthy Werle house to Hjalmar's home.  It's a big contrast.  Hjalmar's apartment loft is also home to his portrait studio, his father, wife Gina, and daughter Hedvig.  It's cluttered with chemicals and tools.  

Act II begins with Gina and Hedvig going over the family food budget.  Everything is budgeted.  Money is tight.  A piece of butter, some smoked sausage, cheese, ham.  Beer.  They eat cold food when Hjalmar's not home.  It's a sacrifice we assume Hjalmar knows nothing about, and would probably not fully appreciate if he did.  

Butter, sausage, cheese, ham...  Add eggs from the chickens we learn are in the loft (living happily with the duck, pigeons, and the rabbit), and you've got a fine quiche.  

Did they have quiche in Norway when Ibsen was writing?  I'm not sure.  There weren't quiche recipes in "Norwegian National Recipes."  They did have a ham omelet (skinkeomelett) which included macaroni and was topped with crumbled rusk toast crackers.  The picture looks more like what I'd call an egg casserole.

Anyway, my adventure in herring salad is coming up.