Love it or loathe it, lutefisk still a popular holiday meal

Country Today ^ | 11-26-03 | Heidi Clausen

[LibKill]

Is this anything like canned anchovies?

I like anchovies (screams of horror, calls from many to have LibKill banned for life).

[Charles Henrickson]

So ... what does Lutefisk taste/smell like ...

It's hard to describe. You have to experience it.

It's bland. It's gelatinous. It's . . . there.

It's the sauce that gives it a good taste. The lutfisk is kind of the "empty easel" on which you "paint" the sauce.

[Spruce]

The ash is the lye.

[Charles Henrickson]

The lye softens it up. Then the soaking in water gets out the lye.

[Blue Screen of Death]

So ... what does Lutefisk taste/smell like ...

Hillary's underwear.

[tet68]

Down here in the south, usually for Festivus we have
Lutepossum.
This year though, my cousin from La. is bringing us some
Lutenutria, sounds yummy and it's non-fattening.

Skoal!
Tipping back cup of Glogg.
Tipping cup at you.

[Nachum]

I guess this food would be in the category of "ethnic foods" that we of various persuations are forced to eat now and then. For us, it was a particularly strong smelling pickled herring. For others it might be that rock hard fruit cake.

[connectthedots]

Drain well and serve.

The fish or the wooden bowl?

[Spruce]

Lutfisk is truly a viking food. The dried fish is very durable, light and nutritious. And the ingredients can be found in even the most basic campsite.

[ErnBatavia]

Reminds me of Lefsa...(the bread)

Norwegian goes to New York, and his buddy takes him to his very first pizza place.

Norwegian takes a quick look, and axes his pal, "Who troo up on da Lefsa?"

[HairOfTheDog]

Heh.... here's a secret, we Norwegians don't really make Lutefisk unless there is company over we don't want to stay too long.

[Bogey78O]

I would wager no one in has ever made Lutefisk in Louisiana.

[ErnBatavia]

Lutepossum.

In Texas, do they have Lutearmadillo? Break out the crab-cracking tool.

[Servant of the 9]

I think I see the problem.

Early vikings in America had developed a taste for hominy and grits.

When they got home, they knew the process, but lacked the raw ingredient, dried corn, so they substituted what they had, dried cod.

Not the best choice.

So9

[tet68]

I got one of those new abrasive blade shell removers for
Festivus last year. Works good, hard to clean though.

[Ramius]

Ahh... Lefse. Now THAT is truly the food of the gods. Little butter and sugar... I can munch on that by the trainload.

I've never prepared Lutefisk, and wouldn't... but I HAVE become somewhat adept at making lefse.

Hair: One ping only, please.

[Charles Henrickson]

The demand for lutefisk has fallen off over the years with the passing away of the older Scandinavians who kept up the tradition. . . .

This is true. Grandpa and Grandma Henrickson were born in Sweden in the 1880s. That immigrant generation passed on the tradition to their children and grandchildren. But that's usually as far as it goes.

Even in Sweden nowadays, the lutfisk tradition is not so popular. I talk to a lot of younger Swedes who have never had it or tried it once and didn't like it.

[Big Horn]

... what does Lutefisk taste/smell like ...
Fish boiled fish, but pretty good with all that butter on it.

[rmlew]

I'll take a Santa Lucia celebration over lutefisk anyday!
(And I'm not up for the sil/herring on the equinox either.)

Anything fun going on in Sweded=n in early February? I'll be in Boros for a week for my cousin's wedding. Then again it is shaping up to be a comedy by itself.
What happens when a Swedish 1/2 Macedonian and 1/2 Polish Jewish accountant marries a traditional Swedish farmer and lives on his farm? Hillarity and culture clashes ensue.
(Must bring camcorder!)