Well, let me tell ya about these lutefisk dinners, you know? I heard folks are eatin’ ’em in 2023, still goin’ strong, I reckon. Don’t know much about fancy places like “Twin Cities, MN” or “Minneapolis, MN”, but sounds like they got a whole bunch of spots servin’ up this… this… fish jelly stuff.
They call it “lutefisk”, sounds all highfalutin, but it’s just fish, ya know? Soaked in somethin’ called lye, makes it all wobbly and… well, I ain’t gonna lie, it kinda looks like snot. But hey, some folks love it! Places like Jax Caf, Taste of Scandinavia Bakery & Cafe, and Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace, they’re all the rage for this lutefisk, or so I hear.
Now, I ain’t never been to no fancy restaurant, mind you. My kinda dinner is more like fried chicken and mashed potatoes, somethin’ stick to your ribs. But these city folks, they got their ways, I guess. They eat this lutefisk with melted butter, some kinda cream sauce, and all sorts of other fixin’s. Meatballs, gravy, potatoes, that flatbread stuff called lefse, even pickled beets! Can you believe it? Beets with fish!
- Lutefisk Dinners Main Course: They say it’s cod or whitefish, all dried out and then soaked. Sounds like a whole lotta work for somethin’ that looks like that.
- Side Dishes for Lutefisk: They put all sorts of stuff on the side, too. Swedish meatballs, whatever those are. Gravy, of course, ’cause everything’s better with gravy. And potatoes, can’t go wrong with potatoes.
Some churches are even gettin’ in on the action. Advent Lutheran Church, they’re servin’ it up with meatballs, potatoes, gravy, lefse, and… roo-ta-bay-gas? Never heard of it. Sounds like somethin’ you’d feed the pigs. But hey, to each their own, I always say.
And up there in Whidbey Island, at the Nordic Lodge, they’re havin’ a whole lutefisk and meatball dinner thing. Seatings at noon, 2 pm, and 4 pm. Guess they really like their fish jelly up there.
Why do people like Lutefisk? It’s a tradition, they say. Passed down from grandparents to their kids and grandkids. Some folks love it, some folks hate it. But it brings back memories, they say. Makes ’em feel connected to their roots, to their Norwegian heritage. Can’t say I understand it, but I respect it. People like what they like, ain’t no arguin’ with that.
Is Lutefisk hard to cook? From what I hear, it’s a whole process. Soakin’ it in lye, washin’ it out, cookin’ it just right. Not somethin’ I’d wanna tackle in my kitchen, that’s for sure. I’ll stick to my fried chicken, thank you very much.
So, if you’re lookin’ for a lutefisk dinner in 2023, seems like you got plenty of options. Just head on over to… well, wherever those fancy places are. And if you see me there, mind your own business, ’cause I’ll be havin’ the steak.
Tags: [Lutefisk, Lutefisk Dinners, Minneapolis, Scandinavian Food, Traditional Food, Norwegian Heritage, Jax Caf, Taste of Scandinavia, Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace, Whidbey Island Nordic Lodge, Advent Lutheran Church]
