How could I have forgotten!
After all Ancestry.com has told me I'm something like 80 percent Norwegian.
And my late uncle, Zenas Howland Taylor, celebrated his birthday on this day.
This is called in Norway, Norwegian Constitution Day because the constitution of the country was signed on May 17th, 1814.
So what do we eat to celebrate this great day?
Norwegian meatballs. These are served in gravy.
And lefse!
That's a soft Norwegian flatbread made of flour, butter and milk and the best kind includes mashed potatoes.
It's delicious buttered, sugared and rolled into a tube.
But while many Norwegians eat this, you can leave it out of my diet.
The legendary Lutefisk!
It's a dried whitefish like cod that is brined in LYE, then soaked (allegedly) to get rid of that taste, then steamed until it flakes.
It smells horrible and it may be the reason that Norwegians who eat this stuff accompany it with generous topes of beer and Aquavit.
But that's just me.
I have heard that many people of Norwegian ancestry in my home state of North Dakota love the stuff.
There's just no excuse for some people.
The first two I would enjoy. The fish, no.
ReplyDeleteI always knew you were a wise man.
DeleteI'll have to have a drink to toast SYTTENDE MAI...i'll pass on the fish.
ReplyDeleteANOTHER wise man!
DeleteI like fish but I've heard (from Norwegians here) that the consistency is nasty. I celebrated the holiday in Ballard many years ago when I was studying Norwegian at UW. The food, the dancing and the outfits were spectacular! I think I'm a bit Norwegian too due to my Scottish father.
ReplyDeleteNasty is a descriptive I'd say is understated. I'd like to celebrate in Ballard. We drove through there with a Seattle friend many years ago.
DeleteI am only 2% Norwegian, but 40% Swedish which is almost close enough to enjoy the meatballs in gravy and the lefse. Although I would enjoy them anyway even without any % of the Scandinavian kind.
ReplyDeleteI think it is nigh time you learnt The Norwegian National Anthem...
ReplyDeleteJa, vi elsker dette landet,
som det stiger frem,
furet, værbitt over vannet,
med de tusen hjem, —
elsker, elsker det og tenker
på vår far og mor
𝄆 og den saganatt som senker
drømmer på vår jord.
Which means...
Yes, we love this country
as it rises forth,
rugged, weathered, over the water,
with the thousands of homes, —
love, love it and think
of our father and mother
and the saga-night that lays
dreams upon our earth.
I've heard of lutefisk but I've never tried it! (And now maybe I don't want to.)
ReplyDeleteMy husband is 75% Swedish and 25% Norwegian. We eat meatballs and lefse but not lutefisk. His father however, loved pickled herring. But, no potatoes in our lefse, please.
ReplyDelete