WARNING!  For those of you who have sensitive stomachs or are sensitive
in nature, please immediately exit this e-mail and delete now!  For
those who are interested in Norwegian-American heritage, please
continue.  I apologize for it's off-topic nature.

Sletten Kenneth W KPWA wrote:
>
> Evan comes back:
>
> > Even though it is in May, I cannot believe that you could
> > possibly forget "Syttende Mai"( 17th of May - Norwegian
> > Indepence Day).
>
> As someone with a 100 percent Norsk heritage, I join the
> legions of indignant Norwegian-Americans...      ;-)
>
> > "If you can't fix it with duct tape - try a little bit of Lutefisk and
> Lefse."
>
> Lutefisk has been a big deal at Sons of Norway and other
> Norwegian-American gatherings across North America for
> decades....

My Grandfather has told me Lutefisk stories of days gone by.  One rather
disgusting one is as follows:  In the days of the old small town general
store, close to Christmas time, the Lutefisk order would arrive.  There
would be so much of it, that the crates had to be stacked outside of the
stores.  It had such a lovely aroma to it, that all the male dogs from
the town and country side soon picked up on the smell, and would head to
the Lutefisk stockpile.  They had no intention of eating it, but rather
would, how should I say, "hoist their rear leg on it an let loose."  I
was somewhat skeptical of his story, until about five years ago, when a
Lutefisk commemorative stamp was released.  It was a painting of an old
general store with Lutefisk crates stacked up outside all over, and sure
enough, the artist had painted in a dog with its leg hoisted on one of
the crates.  I assume now with the General Stores being a thing of the
past, this added flavoring must now be added in at the factory.
Probably an imitation flavoring to boot.

> but unless things have changed a lot in Norway
> since I was there 20 years ago, you will find Lutefisk is not at
> all popular in the homeland of the Vikings:  Lutefisk is basically
> fish soaked and preserved in an lye solution.

I am not 100% sure, but I thought that Lutefisk was introduced by the
Vikings.  But I could be wrong.

>
> ....  good lefse is great stuff, though.....     :-)

Everytime my 2 1/2 year old daughter sees a tortilla shell in a Mexican
restaurant, she says "I want more Grandma's Lefse."

regards,

Evan Vaala