Lutefisk Dinners Out of this World (Lutefisk on Mars!)

The annual fall lutefisk dinner season starts today, and we kick off this year's events by bringing you this startling news: Lutefisk has been discovered on Mars.

"That means there is no sign of intelligent life there," one of our city desk people offered. This from a man who has personally visited Norway.

But getting back to Mars. According to Wikipedia, that online encyclopedia that is occasionally reliable, one of the NASA rovers now exploring the Red Planet has discovered lutefisk. OK, it's not the Norwegian delicacy made from cod that we gather to eat each fall and winter, but it has the same name. Wikipedia reports that when close-up studies are made of rocks on Mars, they are often given names.

There must be a good Norwegian boy on the Mars Rover Team because one of those rocks is named Lutefisk. Only fitting on a planet named for the famed Viking, Eric the Red.

Guy Webster of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory confirmed that someone among the scientists studying the pictures from Mars had named a rock lutefisk, but Webster was not sure why. "They have themes sometimes, and maybe the theme was Scandinavian or holiday food," he speculated. Webster is married to a Norwegian, and in the days when his mother-in-law was alive he ate lutefisk, he said.

There is more good news to report. Oslo, Norway's capital, has a new mayor. The old mayor, Per Ditlev-Simonson, had pulled the plug on the Madison/Oslo Sister City arrangement, sending Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz a letter in 2004 that basically said Oslo was not going to participate any more because there were more important things to do. Not long after that my colleague, columnist Doug Moe, put a curse on the Norwegians involved.

It worked. Within the last year it has been discovered that Ditlev-Simonson, and others in his family, failed to report a rather large Swiss bank account where they had stashed money. That meant they were paying fewer taxes than they should have paid, and in Norway failure to pay your fair share of taxes is a mortal sin when committed by politicians, sort of like bathroom sex in the United States.

In any case, despite his admitting he was wrong (imagine that, George Bush) and quickly apologizing, it became apparent another candidacy would not be appreciated, and Ditlev-Simonson did not run for re-election. Just recently, Fabian Stang became mayor of Oslo. He is a longtime politician whose mother is the famed Norwegian actress Wenche Foss. While there was no immediate word on whether Fabian would renew the Oslo/Madison relationship, in which groups from each city periodically visit the other, it is not too presumptuous to think he may join us for a serving of lutefisk at this time next year. He has a lot of choices, as you can see from the following list.

The first of the big lutefisk feeds begins today in Dane County at the Vermont Lutheran Church, but has already sold out. Here are other upcoming dinners:

Northland Lutheran Church, N9850 Wisconsin 49, nine miles north of Iola in Waupaca County. About a 2 1/2 -hour drive from Madison and great viewing of fall colors along the way. 12:30 to 7 p.m., $12 for adults, $4 for ages 4 to 12.

Orfordville Lutheran Church, 210 Main St., 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., $13 for adults, $5 for kids 5 to 12, free for kids under 5.

Idun Lodge Sons of Norway, Norway Center, 2262 Winnebago St., Madison. 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., $13.50 for adults, $6.50 for kids 12 and younger.

Five Points Lutheran Church, 25744 Five Points Drive, west of Boaz, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m., $13 for adults, $6 for ages 7 to 12, under 6 no charge.

Lakeview Lutheran Church, Northport Drive at Mandrake, Madison's north side. 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., $14 adults, $5 kids 6 to 12, tots free.

Bonnet Prairie Lutheran Church, two miles south of Rio, N3694 Old F Road, tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. and servings are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $15 for adults, $6 for kids 5 to 12.

Western Koshkonong Lutheran Church, rural Stoughton, 2633 Church St., seatings at 11:30 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 4 p.m., 5:15 p.m., and 6:30 p.m. Reservations by calling 873-7148. $14 for adults, $6 for children under 12.

Barneveld Lutheran Church, 505 Swiss Lane, Barneveld. $14 for adults, $7 for children under 12. Noon to 6:30 p.m., with seatings on the hour.

Nordland Lodge Sons of Norway, 418 W. Milwaukee St., Janesville. 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., $13 adults in advance, $14 at the door.

Christ Lutheran Church, 220 S. Main St., DeForest, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., adults $15, $7 for children 6 to 12, under 6 free.

2 posted on 10/21/2007 4:12:24 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

I've heard eating Lutefisk is sort of like a punishment, something that has to be done, but only once a year ... is it better than that?

——darn—left Wisconsin on last Monday , missing the lutefisk season-—

4 posted on 10/21/2007 4:23:13 PM PDT by rellimpank (-don't believe anything the MSM states about firearms or explosives--NRA Benefactor)

So, what is wrong with cod that you gotta soak it in lye?

I’d rather soak it in a beer batter and fry it.

7 posted on 10/21/2007 4:45:48 PM PDT by irishtenor (How much good could a Hindu do, if a Hindu could do good?)

Well, it all harkens back to the fact that we Norwegians couldn’t brew a BEER if our life depended upon it, LOL! No beer-making supplies in the frozen lands of Norway. Plenty-o-Reindeer, though. Unfortunately, they don’t know how to make beer, either.

Soaking fish and other foodstuffs in lye as a preservative/pickler insured there would still be a FEW Norwegians alive the following Spring to keep the bloodline going. Only the strong-stomached survived. ;)

8 posted on 10/21/2007 4:50:46 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

My ancestors wrestled alligators and rattlesnakes.

I watch wrestling on TV. I don't like snakes. In other words, unless my ancestors drove pick-ups and ate pizza, I ain't gonna copy them :>)

9 posted on 10/21/2007 5:24:17 PM PDT by irishtenor (How much good could a Hindu do, if a Hindu could do good?)

I know! I had to learn to make beer and then beer-battered cod all by myself.

I’m the one that they consider “different” in the family, LOL!

10 posted on 10/21/2007 5:26:08 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (Save The Earth. It's The Only Planet With Chocolate.)

With that stuff, it's a wonder any of them survived!

Hey, Sheylayne -- someone else who likes your 'favourite food' !! ;^)

11 posted on 10/21/2007 6:39:12 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)

YUUUUUUUUCK!

No, thank you. YOu just go back to your internal organs, and I’ll stick with some nice Lobster Thermador or some finger-lickin’ BBQ. ;^)

My husband’s family is Norwegian, and I am so thankful that this nasty stuff is NOT part of their traditions. Leftse, I can deal with. Lutefisk **shudder**, not so much.

There is little better than braised lobster tails and honey-peppered baby-backs; dang now my mouth is watering! But I still miss my Mum’s cooking — organs and all. :^)

13 posted on 10/21/2007 9:04:39 PM PDT by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !!)

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.