Lutefisk: The lye and truth

When it’s cold and wet and the days are short, Norwegian Americans become passionate about something repulsive.

Lutefisk, which literally means lye fish, is an ancient mix of chemistry and culinary custom that harks back to the days of refrigeration.

It takes weeks to prepare. Air-dried cod is reconstituted in a caustic solution of potash water.

When the poison is flushed out, what’s left behind is translucent, gelatinous and flaky chunks of fish.

It’s then simmered to perfection.

When made right, it’s sublime, says Viggo Andersen, a Norwegian-born chef who lives in Everett.

Much maligned for its pungent aroma and how it is made, lutefisk tastes surprisingly mild. Some warn too much butter or white sauce can overpower the delicacy.

For many, it’s childhood and Christmas served with potatoes.

It goes down well with shots of aquavit, the Scandinavian liquor flavored with caraway and other spices.

The inherited winter practice plays out in the northern states from Everett to Chicago at Sons of Norway Halls, Lutheran Churches and homes.

Lutefisk devotees drive for hours to partake, wearing intricately woven Norwegian sweaters.

Recipes were brought by earnest fishermen, loggers and mill workers who escaped tough times in Norway. Swedes, Danes, Finns and Icelanders carried similar ways.

Lee Brevik, 70, whose parents were Norwegian, remembers Hausmann’s market on Broadway and Hewitt Avenue with piles of long, rock-hard, scaly, dried imported Norwegian fish.

Lutefisk dinners at his family’s Everett home were a big deal. Twenty or so guests squeezed into the kitchen for a taste of the old country.

Travel writer Dave Fox, a proud Norwegian American, understands the deep emotional connection.

Fox was the target of scorn when he penned an essay poking fun at the embarrassing caricature of his culture.

A century ago, lutefisk really was a staple in the Norwegian diet, Fox wrote in “Make Love not Lutefisk.” Also a century ago, a lot of Norwegians fled the country.

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