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Archiver > NORWAY > 1997-11 > 0879544419


From: Alf Christophersen <>
Subject: Re: NORWAY-D Digest V97 #152
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 22:53:39 +0100


At 11:04 14.11.97 -0800, you wrote:
>Date: Fri, 14 Nov 1997 14:46:26 +0000
>From: "Donald M. Bjuland" <>
>To:
>Message-ID: <>
>Subject: Lutefisk
>Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>MIME-Version: 1.0
>
>There are a lot of stories and tales on lutefisk from songs to poems on it
>good points and bad points. I have an uncle that told me his views of
>lutefisk. When he was a young lad he went with his parents to town for
>shopping after winter arrived in Minnesota and that means cold temperatures,
>just use the out doors as an ice box. This would be in the 1930 and at that
>time much of the lutefisk was shipped into the stores as dried stick like
>forms. The stores simply displayed these lutefisk sticks standing on end in
>front of the store on the sidewalk.
>
>Now there were quite a few dogs that walked up and down the streets in this
>little town of Ada and I guess most of you know what dogs do when they find
>a tree or similar item standing on end on the sidewalk. He always said that
>is how lutefisk got it's yellow color. Yes, he did eat lutefisk when served
>but he also remembered those dogs.
>
>Enjoy
>
>Don Bjuland
>Independence, MO

Well, well, good stories on how to spoil dry fish and lutefisk :-)

(Now, wonder how well done a beef should be before eaten?? When the beef
start to run again, then it is just at top of tenderness!!)

Well. You guys are mixing dry fish (which lutefisk is made of) and
lutefisk. I can't believe a real lutefisk ever could stand at all. It is
most water, so it's fate, if something than being eaten, rather must be
that it is evaporating :-)

When well made it is very delicious, when mistreated (it happens here too)
it is stinking like concentrate of 10000 dogs and 50000 mens urine. The lye
preparation is VERY crucial. Too short, and the fish resembles unboiled
dried fish and when done too long or with too strong lye, it disappeares
when you boil it.

I bought this autumn/winters first batch last friday, and I feel with
everyone if that quality is ever produced in US. I for once tried boiling
it in the microwave, which I obviously shouldn't have done. First, the
whole kitchen was stinking of urine and alike and afterwards, there was
plenty of water in the dish and some bones. Here and there there was
something looking like diluted gelatine. Funnily enough, the taste was not
to harse, so I was able to eat/drink the fish soup as that :-) It was just
spoiled. I will never more buy Mørefisk lutefisk! Never. They are just
plagiating the product and ruin the feast for thousands of people! When I
tried to boil the last batch, the fish felt like it was slimy (the effect
of too much lye, a soapy toach and I easily put the finger through the
flesh. That's not correct!

Well, I look forward to a dinner with homemade lutefisk! E.g. in a
restaurant with respect for it's name!

--------------------------------------
Alf Christophersen, Computer engineer
Institute of Nutrition, Faculty of Medicine
PO Box 1046, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo Norway
Tel. +47 22 85 13 27, Fax: 22 85 15 32
URL: http://www.uio.no/~achrist

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