What? Why are you laughing?
For those of us of Scandinavian descent, eating lutefisk during the holidays is a Sacred Event. (Or, for the less fortunate, an abominable torture.) My parents and I dutifully ate it (with boiled potatoes, peas, & lefse of course) every Christmas Eve before going to candlelight services. Well okay, so I didn't eat it when I was very young; my parents were merciful enough to fry me a hamburger instead. I did grow into it, though (a possible explanation of my short stature?).
Please note: despite what some people say, properly prepared lutefisk is not gelatinous. (At least not much.) Plus I think most people assume that The Odor is some horrific fishy smell. It doesn't smell (or taste) fishy in the least, it's actually quite, er, unique. If you don't believe me, let me put it to you this way: my cats won't touch it. (Now are you afraid?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk
I wasn't sure I was going to buy lutefisk this year, since it was yet another bittersweet reminder this holiday season. But the durned stuff pounced on me at the grocery store, and how could I say no? (The lefse talked me into it.) The evening of Christmas Eve, however, I was not feeling overly lutefisk-ish, and it occurred to me that I did not have to fix it, that no one besides me was expecting it. (So liberating and yet so sad, all at once.) So I had leftover curried broccoli casserole (yum) & was relatively content.
Now forward to New Year's Eve. Keep in mind that I bought my 2 pounds of lutefisk (way too much, btw...1 pound would have been fine) a good 2 weeks before Christmas. But fear not, my fellow food safety warriors, the stuff's sell date was January 7th. (If that doesn't scare you, nothing much will.) The lefse was gone (molded, sigh), but I had my potato (microwaved, which I'm sure was a mortal sin) & peas, and dang if that wasn't some good lutefisk!
So lutefisk, a bottle of Brut, and the best critters in the whole wide world helped me to ring in the New Year & say good riddance to the dregs of 2005. I wish you & yours all the best as we dive into 2006...may it bring nothing but blessings.
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5 comments:
Aw sugar...I hope your 2006 is full of joy, peace and opportunities.
Here's to the New Year, sweetums! I have faith that you will land on your feet. A true cat person such as yourself always will. Love You!
Happy New Year! At least happier than last year . . .!
I'm now officially very afraid of lutefisk. Cats will eat anything, and well... enough said. (which is silly because I'm Danish and we eat some pretty bizarro stuff, too)
Great blog! Your friend Mel sent me. :-)
Hi, Mel sent me. I could like you, a liberal finally after reading so many conservative women's blogs. They have helped me understand the Red State Americans. I still love new England best.
Lutefish. . .never had them. You don't tempt me. I rage against the disgusting French Canadian "poutine". We all have our crosses to bear.
I will be back. Keep blogging.
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