Farse king Frode Hagerup recognized on the streets of Jæren

KLEPP — On the Jæren peninsula, there is one man people shout “farse!” at on the street: Frode Hagerup, known as the “farse king,” reports Dagbladet.

When the newspaper’s mobile news van rolled into Klepp outside the restaurant Pølsebua Te Håland, it happened again. “Some kids were playing and shouted ‘farse!’ at me,” Hagerup said, laughing.

For the uninitiated, farse is a local dish he describes as “a sausage with an identity crisis—or a sausage without a casing.” It is essentially a meat patty, often seasoned and mixed with milk, shaped like a sausage but served in a burger bun or a sweet Jæren roll called a heidevegg.

“It becomes like a bun in a bun in a bun,” Hagerup said.

He did not coin his own nickname. “I was hailed as the farse king because I managed to streamline and make money selling farse at a festival in Bryne,” he explained. The name stuck, and now both he and his twin brother are recognized for it. People hold up the “farse sign” and shout “farse!” at them.

Hagerup sees farse as more than food. “I love Jæren and local identity. This is a product unique to this region, and we should promote it,” he said.

He recalls the dish’s origins: over 50 years ago, a butcher traveled from Bryne to Bergen for a minced meat course, brought the knowledge home, and served a large farse in a syrup cake. It became a hit. Today, it is typically served in two buns.

Hagerup’s own promotion of farse began at the Ranglerock festival, where he turned it into a signature offering: rock farse and beer. He has since staged PR stunts to elevate farse culture, including nominating a companion on a farse trip to Bergen for a local cultural prize—knowing it would make the news.

The “farse sign” itself originated at a festival. “We played rock so loud we couldn’t order at the bar. So this became the sign for farse,” he said.

Now, people recognize him for it even abroad. “It happened in Budapest once. That’s when I knew I’d done a good job.”