We have all been in that situation where everyone is talking about something, and there you stand with very little knowledge of the subject being discussed. Recently at Minot AFB the subject has been Norsk Hostfest.
So, let’s do a little educating, because Norsk Hostfest is just the start of what will be a holiday season filled with interesting ethnic foods.
Lutefisk– We may as well start with the worst, first. In the olden days the seas were filled with Cod, an extremely tasty white fish that was certainly a staple on any Viking’s table. The Vikings were known to travel far on their ships to raid seaside villages in other countries, and they needed to take food along.
Who knows how they came up with loading wood barrels with layers of Cod, intermixed with salt, lye (yes, I said lye) and water. Sure enough, the fish were preserved, but they came out of the barrel with a much different texture. No longer fish, but lutefisk. On Thanksgiving this gelled fish is served with butter and salt (honestly, I don’t think anyone even tastes the lutefisk).
There is still one day left for you to try Lutefisk at the Norsk Hostfest but be aware that I gave you fair warning…it’s not for everyone.
Lefse- Well, rumor has it that lefse, made with potatoes, butter, cream and rolled into a thin pastry, was the results of a bad potato crop. It seems that if you have a mixture that needs “something”, you add cream. Rolled out into a 14 inch circle pastry, fried on a special lefse grill, and once more adorned with butter and sugar. Voila! You have something to go with your Lutefisk.
No finally, we turn the corner one of the most interesting of dishes of Scandinavian Heritage, Romegrot (pronounced rumma grout). Let’s start by explaining what Rømmegrøt actually means in Norwegian: “Grøt” means “porridge”, and “Rømme” means “sour cream”. I think there was a contest in Norway to see who could possibly include the most calories in a cup of what appears to be something similar to a thick soup. Hey, it is absolutely great! A perfect ending dessert for your Scandinavian dinner. But I used to watch it being made in a local church kitchen and they don’t cut corners anywhere. We use whole sour cream, lots of butter, wheat flour and topped with sugar. Like I said, it doesn’t sound good, but it is!
By the time you get this article, Norsk Hostfest is in full swing. Head on down to the ND State Fairgrounds before it is too late and take a little time to “act Scandinavian.”
Today’s Best Kept Secret
If you haven’t had a chance to take a tour of the Pointe of View winery just a few minutes west of Minot, fall it a great time. Never had chokecherry wine. It’s truly North Dakotan…
This Week’s Chuckle
The prospective son-in-law was asked by his girlfriend’s father, “Son, can you support a family?”
“Well, no, sir,” he replied. “I was just planning to support your daughter. The rest of you have to fend for yourselves.”
