Beer Batter Bread Mix Recipe
Flavors of Norway – Syttende Mai
Ask most people what the most important day in the calendar of Norway and one would say that probably the first day of the season for ice fishing. If you are in that group (come on, be honest), it is possible that shocked and surprised to discover that you are wrong … close … but WRONG! If you live in Dane, Rock, or Green Counties, you should run out of town on a rail.
The correct answer is Syttende Mai. (Pronounced Setter of me). Syttende Mai has the same meaning as in Norway on July 4 is in the U.S.. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Norway, who had been under the control of Denmark since the mid-1300s, received by Denmark to Sweden. The Norwegians were upset by the turn of events since I always considered an independent country on 17 May (or Syttende Mai), 1814, signed a constitution declaring themselves. Sweden was unimpressed and continued to rule Norway for another one hundred years, finally granting independence in 1905.
But I digress. Syttende Mai is celebrated with children's parades, big parades, dances and food, lots and lots of food. And what do Norwegians eat, you may ask? According to Howard Mohr, in his bible of Scandinavian lifestyle in the Upper Midwest Talking of Minnesota, Norwegians like white foods. If it is not naturally white, they will target. While this is all true, is not completely true. A bit of color creep in here and there.
Like most cuisines, Norwegian cooking includes things both wonderful and to the uninitiated … frightening. Here then is an overview of Norwegian cuisine. The most famous Norwegian foods are the ever-popular lutefisk and lefse. Lutefisk literally means lye fish. Lutefisk is air-dried cod, called cod, which is sawn (literally) into manageable pieces, soaked in fresh water for eight days, a lye (you read that right, bleach) solution for two days and then fresh water again for another two days. After all that, lutefisk is cooked until firm and transparent. Lutefisk is NOT an acquired taste. You Like it or not.
While lutefisk is available here and there in the grocery stores, especially around Christmas, is not the easiest thing to find. Olsen Fish Company on the north side of Minneapolis is the largest producer in the world. They make more than 650,000 pounds a year. They sell dried fish for the do-it yourselfers and processed and ready to cook lutefisk for the rest of us. The lutefisk is packaged under Olsen, Viking, Kemps, and Mike labels, but you can not buy directly Olsen because they are strictly a wholesale company.
Lefse is made from potatoes. It's thin and flexible, and looks and feels like a flour tortilla. It has been compared with a dish rag but that is an unfair trial by people who have tried poor quality, store bought, or product of age. Fresh lefse is a delicate pleasure, tasty, especially when buttered and rolled up with brown sugar.
The most favorable to get lefse is to find a church with a crew of little ladies Norwegian created in the church kitchen and crank out lefse to sell as a fundraiser. Stoughton, Mount Horeb, or Westby are good places to start. If not so, the general consensus among lefse connoisseurs is that Countryside lefse in Blair, Wisconsin, is by far the best commercially made lefse around. The reason is that they make lefse the Just as at home (or church). They use real potatoes and roll them and flip the lefse on hand. Countryside lefse is distributed to local grocery stores but also you can order directly to them on their website lefse.com.
Lutefisk is not only about fish dish. Almost as ubiquitous is pickled herring. Norwegians eat tons subject each year. Herring are pickled in the traditional way, with vinegar and spices and then things get interesting. There are 15 species of herring and at least that many forms packaging. The two most popular are in the form of sour cream or wine sauce, but recent years have resulted in new varieties including Cajun and fresh dill.
Fiskeballer (fish balls) and fish soup can contain almost anything. The main trick with fish balls is to run through a meat grinder at least five times. Strangest of all is that it sounds fiskepudding or fish pudding. It is exactly what it sounds. For light, spongy consistency required, you need very fresh fish. The fish mashed with cream and some other things and then baked. It is usually served hot and drenched in butter.
Now it is the way, we can pass to the important things – cookies and baked goods. Cookies are most recognizable Norwegian krumkake. These cone shaped delights are sometimes full, but often unpainted (As God) and are light and crisp with a hint of cardamom. Sandbakkel come in a variety of ways. The dough is pressed into forms that are essentially small cans of pie. They have a thick, solid texture and a definite almond flavor. Fattigman (biscuits poor) are similar to sandbakkels in texture but the flavor of almonds. Fattigman cookies are different because they are fried. A little powdered sugar on top and has a very tasty cookie.
By far the prettiest and most delicate cookies are the rosette, or rosettes. The cookie starts with a thin paste, then flower or star-shaped irons with long handles are dipped into the dough and then fell hot oil. Cookies fry until a beautiful golden brown. Once sprinkled with powdered sugar, which are both a work of art as they are a fine paper delicious treat.
Cakes of all kinds are part of the diet of Norway. Two in particular are worth mentioning. One is the kransekake. It is an almond cake baked in 18 thin concentric rings which are then stacked to form a cone of 12-18 inches tall, all glued together with frosting. Kransekake is usually served on special occasions, especially weddings. They are decorated for the occasion with real flowers, party poppers, flags, or whatever. They are so putzy as a cake can get and appear deceptively simple to create once you have the special baking rings. When things go wrong, kransekake are next to inedible. However, when Ole and Lena and a smile is as it should, the texture is nice and almond flavor kransekake do all the work worthwhile.
At the other end of the spectrum, cake Apple is a Norwegian study in rustic elegance that satisfies without pretension. Sugar, flour, salt, baking powder, apples, nuts, and egg combine to create a sturdy cake loaded with chunks of nuts and apples. It's simple, but this is a clear case of the sum is greater than its parts. Serve with some fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream in top. Best of all, what is even better the second day.
Odd and an assortment of Norwegian specialties are rommegrot, fruktsuppe, and sweet soup. Rommegrot is sour cream soup usually liberally sprinkled with butter and sprinkled with sugar and ground cinnamon (Norwegians seem to do much). Rommegrot is thick and sweet and needs something to wash it down. Current Red juice is popular, but could be better served by beer or aquavit.
Fruktsuppe, fruit or soup, is more or less what he says that is, a soup made with tapioca, prunes, raisins, apples, oranges, and any other fresh, frozen, canned or dried fruit you happen to have around. The difference is that while Americans like fruit soup cold, Norwegians serve hot, garnished with slices of lemon and orange.
Sot Suppe (sweet soup) is quite self-explanatory. It is also a fruit soup, dried fruit, especially raisins, currants, prunes, and tapioca, but it is served cold. Accompaniments include Christmas bread, Christmas cookies, open-faced sandwiches, and a variety of sliced cheeses.
This is far from a complete list of foods Norway. Norway is so broad and varied cuisine and that of other countries and is expected to go exploring. Many of the foods I mentioned are available prepackaged or as mixtures. The site offers plenty of recipes for those who want to reach with hands. Either way, you can get into the spirit of the party because, as St. Patrick's Day in Syttende Mai around the world is Norway.
Acquisition of Norway in Wisconsin
Many Norwegian food items are things you can not get at the local Pick n 'Save or Piggly Wiggly. These are special items that are only available in some stores. Some require special equipment. Lefse and krumkake irons and cans are sandbakkel generally available at the stores. Here is a partial list of places to visit.
Open House Imports, 306 E. Main St., Mt. Horeb, WI 53 572, (608) 437-5468 openhouseimports.com
Open House is a good selection of products including Freia Chocolates, sandbakkel, lefse and rommergrot mixtures fish soup, fish balls, salmon and caviar spread, cranberries, and Hartshorn Salt (a species hard to find the ingredients of some dishes Norway). They also carry Norwegian team.
Dick's Quality Meats, 201 Main Street, Mt. Horeb, WI 53 572. A good source for herring, lefse, and sometimes on vacation, lutefisk.
Norske Corner Restaurant and Coffee House and Gift Shop – Osseo, 13804-13807 7th Street, Osseo, WI 54 758, (715) 597-3765 norskenook.com
Norske Corner – Rice Lake, 2900 Pioneer Avenue, Rice Lake, WI 54868, 715-234-1733
Norske Corner – Hayward, Hwy. 27 South, Hayward, WI 54 843, (715) 634-4928
Norske's Corner is a legend in Wisconsin, offering "from scratch" cooking and fabulous baked goods. The restaurants offer a selection limited product, but the selection in the gift shop is broader Osseo with imported cookies, cranberries, lefse, potato dumpling and cake mixes, and Norwegian more. They also carry lefse and krumkake plates, cans sandbakkel, and other necessary equipment.
Dregne Scandinavian Gifts, 100 S. Main St., Westby, WI 54 667, Telephone: (608) 634-4414 Toll Free: (877) 634-4414 DregnesScandinavianGifts.com. Dregne had the best selection of products from all the monitoring sites. They offer Norwegian cheeses, fish soup, two different types of fish balls, vanilla and pearl sugar, syrup ljus, glucose, and mixed numerous. His store carries all kinds of kitchen utensils necessary to become a delicious meal in Norway.
Nordic Corner, 176 W. Main St., Stoughton, WI 53 589, Phone: (608) 877-0848 toll Free: (866) 912-6665-nook.com Nordic. The Nordic Corner has a good selection of Norwegian cooking utensils and all the standard food offerings. A couple unusual and delicious additions are pepparkakor (ginger) and Lena Ole fortune candies and cookies.
Cheesers, LLC 186 E. Main St., Stoughton, WI 53 589, Phone: (608) 873-1777 Fax: (608) 877-0362 cheesers.com. Stoughton has the largest Syttende Mai celebration outside of Norway so you know Stoughton is serious about Norwegian food. Cheesers does not provide cooking equipment like the others, but they do offer a good selection of products including a wide selection of cakes and crisps, fresh lefse, coffee, Jarlsberg cheese, and two types of Gjetost. This is a great place for all your cheese. Your selection is extensive.
About the Author
Henry Verden spent 15 years in the restaurant industry and has had a lifelong love affair with food (he grew up in Wisconsin after all). He has written freelance for many years and is now a feature writer for Bountiful Cupboard Magazine. Read Bountiful Cupboard, http://www.bountifulcupboard.com and discover the best quality food, ingredients, beverages, products and services. Learn about the finest in Wisconsin, northern Illinois and Minnesota. Connect with fascinating growers, local producers, and the finest providers. Offered in full-color print and online. Go to http://www.bountifulcupboard.com now.
Baking: Honey Beer Batter Bread