The Scandinavian Aisle

In all of my time at a grocery store, I'm used to the same scenario on the ethnic aisle. You usually have a smattering of Kosher goods and maybe a slightly larger selection of Asian foods. The Italian items will take up a big chunk of an aisle, and the Mexican-Hispanic food section is always expanding.

But, I've never seen a special section for Scandinavian foods. I'm not a foodie, but I do find this section rather interesting. There is a large segment of the population that is proudly Scandinavian, so a special section is justifiable.

A bit of history here: With the passage of the Homestead Act of 1862, hordes of immigrants swarmed into Minnesota for the land and the possibility of a better life. Contrary to popular belief, more Germans came to Minnesota than any other ethnic group. Nearly 45-50% of immigrants came from Germany to escape oppression from the government and the strict inheritance laws. There is ample evidence of their presence, in places like New Ulm or New Munich County. There's even a German language immersion school.

Norwegians made up the second largest ethnic group, and Swedes came in directly behind them. Their voices were and are definitely louder, and they established newspapers, societies, and churches that are still strong today. There is a brand of Lutheran church on every corner here. Other ethnic groups brought in respectable numbers--the Irish escaping the potato famine and the Bohemians, who are still centralized in communities like New Prague.

But, back to the food.... The vast majority of Scandinavian goods I've never tasted, but look good. I've had lingonberries, which look like red wild blueberries and taste like something between a cranberry and a blueberry... yum. They are especially good on Swedish pancakes, which are thin like crepes. Krumkake (think waffle cones), rosettes (think funnel cake crossed with wontons), and lefse (a tortilla-like potato bread) are also good during the holiday season.

However, the granddaddy of them all, Lutefisk, I can't imagine trying. Lutefisk is dried cod that is tenderized by soaking in lye. It is rinsed before cooking, but I've never met anyone who liked it. Most will tell me it's something their grandmother had on the table during family gathering or holiday. The younger generation doesn't seem that interested... and on this one, neither do I.