Lutefisk

Zygar_ Cthulhukin · Post by **Zygar_ Cthulhukin** » August 18, 2003, 8:44 pm

I just saw a show on eating contests on the Travel Channel and one was about Lutefisk. This one man ate 8 pounds of it to win one year. For those that don't know it's cod soaked in lye, yes LYE....the stuff Draino is made of. It's supposed to become jello like, taste like fish, and have the most horrible smell in the world. It's a delicacy in Norway, and the eating contest was held in the northern US. My questions are (1) Why doesn't it kill you? (2) Even if it doesn't why would you want to eat something that smells so bad? (3) Has anyone tried it?

emmer · Post by **emmer** » August 18, 2003, 9:21 pm

I'm half swedish, my great great grandparents on my mother's side emmigrated to the U.S. so my scandinavian roots are still strong. Every christmas either my grandma or one of her sisters makes lutefisk. It's fucking terrible. I used to get force fed spoonfuls (yeah you can eat it with a spoon) of it as a kid, which is probably why I can't eat any fish at all now without wanting to yak all over the place.

Here's how things went every christmas until I was old enough to fight off my grandma.

GRANDMA: Here, have some lutefisk.

ME: I don't want any lutefisk.

GRANDMA: Try it, you'll like it.

ME: I have it every year, I don't want any.

GRANDMA: It's good, try it.

ME: I don't like it.

GRANDMA: It's tradition. Have some.

ME: But I really don- *GLOMP

ME: -barf-

*sound of my grandma ninjafeeding me lutefisk

Wonko Wenusberg · Post by **Wonko Wenusberg** » August 18, 2003, 10:23 pm

Zygar seems to have a fetisch for scandinavian oddities!

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » August 18, 2003, 11:04 pm

The one day in months I look at VV and someone starts a thread on lutefisk. Must be some kind of karmic event.

Many of my buds know about my fascination with lutefisk...

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » August 18, 2003, 11:08 pm

The first time I had ever heard of this stuff was while I was watching King of the Hill. Little Bobby (that boy ain't right) ate the entire platter of it and his Grandfather, who gave his shins for his country, took the fall for it.

Deneve · Post by **Deneve** » August 18, 2003, 11:16 pm

half norge here, my grandpa loves the stuff and i found it to be horrid...and i wouldn't say quite jello-like, it is kinda gooy with a stringy texture....just lovely stuff

Cracc · Post by **Cracc** » August 19, 2003, 12:44 am

surströmming is worse

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » August 19, 2003, 8:01 am

It's a delicacy in Norway, and the eating contest was held in the northern US.

I object! It's not really a delicacy in Norway, it is more like a special interest food. Like nobody in my family can stand it, not even my mother who is a huge seafood lover.

Personally, I consider it nasty stuff I wont touch with a 10 foot pole.

Tegellan · Post by **Tegellan** » August 19, 2003, 9:18 am

Surströmming is probably the worst thing I have ever seen or smelled, it's rotten fish in metal jar for crying out loud! I can't imagine lutefisk being worse than that...

Drolgin Steingrinder · August 19, 2003, 9:19 am

Omg hi Lalanae!

Lutefisk is VILE.

Swedes love that shit though. They put that and shrimp salad and surströmning and fucking jam on their hotdogs.

I ain't kidding you man, they fucking drown 'em in that shit, I seen 'em do it!

Edit: But Icelandic food is worse...hi, let's bury an animal carcass in the ground for a year and dig it up when it's nice and rotten and fermented and filled with bugs and shit, and then, guess what? then we're gonna eat it like the crazed whalekilling psychos that we are, mwahahaha!

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » August 19, 2003, 9:24 am

From http://www.veeshanvault.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=5324

Sperm counts differ by region. New York outproduces rural Minnesota, but both exceed California. Finns rank higher than Parisians, and Danes have the lowest sperm counts in Europe.

Coincidence? All those northern Euros/Atlantic states have some pretty funky habits.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » August 19, 2003, 9:35 am

Edit: But Icelandic food is worse...hi, let's bury an animal carcass in the ground for a year and dig it up when it's nice and rotten and fermented and filled with bugs and shit, and then, guess what? then we're gonna eat it like the crazed whalekilling psychos that we are, mwahahaha!

Don't forget to have the entire village piss on it first!

Tegellan · Post by **Tegellan** » August 19, 2003, 10:07 am

Danes don't really have any vile eating habits, we are just pussies I guess

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » August 19, 2003, 11:18 am

Luckily no lutefisk but at christmas my grandma made silta with beat juice on the side, and potato sausage. Then for us picky kids she made a Jenny-O processed turkey loaf

Etasi · Post by **Etasi** » August 19, 2003, 1:29 pm

Tegellan wrote:Danes don't really have any vile eating habits, we are just pussies I guess

I don't know if it's just a Danish thing or if other countries have it too, but salty licorice is disgusting.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » August 19, 2003, 1:46 pm

salty licorice is disgusting

Word. One of my office minions offered me some the other day. If I hadn't dislocated my hackles when I saw it I would have punched him.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 19, 2003, 2:00 pm

something else gross is that jewish fish thing i can't remember what its called but its sooooooo gross looking and its in "jelled sause"

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » August 19, 2003, 2:06 pm

Jewish Carp ( or similar? )

Flaked carp cooked in aspic and served as a quivering pile of fishy gel.

Spew.

Zygar_ Cthulhukin · Post by **Zygar_ Cthulhukin** » August 19, 2003, 2:07 pm

gefilte fish......ewwwwwwwwww

Fyndina · Post by **Fyndina** » August 19, 2003, 2:19 pm

God I hate lutefisk.

Went to school in North Dakota... and god when they figured out I was from the "old country" they all wanted to feed me the Great Norwegian Delicacy called lutefisk. I flatly refused and say no sane norwegian eat that anymore (vestlendinger er ikke "sane"), and that it was a poor mans meal from back in the 80s (as in 1880s) when they all (the poor) left for the upper midwest.

Danes have some awefull food. That brick they call bread comes to mind. Eating it is like chewing on a cement block.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » August 19, 2003, 2:21 pm

It's gefilte fish. It's horrible stuff I've always refused to eat on principle. What kind of self-respecting fish would come ground up in a ball and get packed in murky brown gelatine. Ugh, my parents use to put horseradish on that crap.

I can't stand any of the "questionable" fishes. My wife's family always has cod and scungili christmas eve. I utterly wretched trying the latter

Marbus · Post by **Marbus** » August 19, 2003, 2:21 pm

So.... no one answered the question, why won't it kill you?

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 19, 2003, 2:29 pm

Gefilte fish reminds me of something i might see a cat throw up

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » August 19, 2003, 2:36 pm

Marbus wrote:So.... no one answered the question, why won't it kill you?

sodium hydroxide - caustic soda - lye
It's diluted enough that it doesnt harm you. It was also used in making soap in the old days. And in waste water treatment plants today and in purifying processes.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 19, 2003, 2:56 pm

i was bored and found this
http://www.seattlepress.com/print-1105.html

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » August 19, 2003, 2:57 pm

Ya, it was used in soap.

If it was deadly in small quantities my parents would have killed me at an early age through either bathing, or during thier efforts to clean my dirty mouth.

Ennia · Post by **Ennia** » August 19, 2003, 3:28 pm

Pilsburry wrote:Ya, it was used in soap.

If it was deadly in small quantities my parents would have killed me..........during thier efforts to clean my dirty mouth.

you're kidding, I always thought the whole washing mouth with soap was more of a scare for kids, kinda like the witch that will come and take you away if you're behaving badly

your folks really did that?

Traz-KOE · Post by **Traz-KOE** » August 19, 2003, 4:24 pm

Drasta wrote:i was bored and found this
http://www.seattlepress.com/print-1105.html

That's Ballard for you.

Fyndina · Post by **Fyndina** » August 19, 2003, 4:32 pm

What everyone in the US that eats Lutefisk has forgotten though, is that it takes liberal amounts of AquaVita to stomach the crap. Of course a few shots of Aquavita and you can eat or drink anything ....

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » August 19, 2003, 4:37 pm

Ennia wrote:
Pilsburry wrote:Ya, it was used in soap.

If it was deadly in small quantities my parents would have killed me..........during thier efforts to clean my dirty mouth.

you're kidding, I always thought the whole washing mouth with soap was more of a scare for kids, kinda like the witch that will come and take you away if you're behaving badly

your folks really did that?

I have been fed soap on numerous occasions in my youth.

It's not just a scare tactic any longer!

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » August 19, 2003, 4:59 pm

all i know is Pata Negra (sp) Jamon is gods food

rhyae · Post by **rhyae** » August 19, 2003, 5:03 pm

Ennia wrote: your folks really did that?

Yes, they do. I got pink Dove, bitter and salty, but with 99% real moisturizing cream.

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » August 19, 2003, 5:15 pm

Ya, I was a pretty good kid though so it didn't happen often.

I do remember one incident though....as captain of the irrelvant I feel it my duty to share it with you.

I was in the process of losing my teeth and I was at my Grandfathers house talking to my cousin about a FORT me and my friends had built in the woods behind my house. My Grandpa thought I said FART, which still wasn't even worthy of a mouth washing.....yet somehow I got my mouth washed out because I had bad pronounciation due to my missing front teeth.

And because I was resisting it (mainly by trying to explain the misunderstanding, which meant my mouth was moving) I managed to rub the bottom of the bar with the bottom teeth that hadn't fallen out yet, which just as some of you know, makes it so much worse because those chunks kinda stick there, you can't spit it out quickly.

Oh I was so pissed.

Nilaman · Post by **Nilaman** » August 19, 2003, 6:46 pm

Pilsburry wrote: And because I was resisting it (mainly by trying to explain the misunderstanding, which meant my mouth was moving) I managed to rub the bottom of the bar with the bottom teeth that hadn't fallen out yet, which just as some of you know, makes it so much worse because those chunks kinda stick there, you can't spit it out quickly.

Yes, that has to be the worst thing about getting your mouth washed out. Even worse though is when it got ground in on your molars. *shudders*

Not that the thought of people using the bathroom and then using that soap to clean their hands wasn't bad enough.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » August 19, 2003, 9:05 pm

This explains a lot about y'all..

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » August 19, 2003, 9:44 pm

Even worse if they grabbed the soap from the tub.

You know the whole last thing you washed business and all....

Zygar_ Cthulhukin · Post by **Zygar_ Cthulhukin** » August 19, 2003, 10:09 pm

Here's an interesting article I just found.....

http://www.davethefox.com/words/0112lutefisk.htm

Norwegians buy more frozen pizzas per capita than any other nationality. They consume 13,000 tons of frozen pizza annually — an average of more than five and a half pounds of cheesy goodness for every man, woman, and screaming toddler.

I did not know that..........

Pherr the Dorf · Post by **Pherr the Dorf** » August 20, 2003, 12:07 am

Most Olives are cured in a lye solution

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » August 20, 2003, 12:53 am

are you sure that frats don't consume more pizza?

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » August 20, 2003, 12:56 am

Sadly I've had far too much lutefisk in my life

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » August 20, 2003, 12:58 am

Fyndina wrote:God I hate lutefisk.

Went to school in North Dakota... and god when they figured out I was from the "old country" they all wanted to feed me the Great Norwegian Delicacy called lutefisk. I flatly refused and say no sane norwegian eat that anymore (vestlendinger er ikke "sane"), and that it was a poor mans meal from back in the 80s (as in 1880s) when they all (the poor) left for the upper midwest.

Danes have some awefull food. That brick they call bread comes to mind. Eating it is like chewing on a cement block.

hahahahahaha, what school?

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » August 20, 2003, 2:15 am

Fyn went to UND, Grand Forks.

Fyndina · Post by **Fyndina** » August 20, 2003, 11:16 am

the place from hell. Down Under and Winnipeg was about the only redeeming values.

btw akvavit = aquavita. Means water of life in Latin if I am not wrong.... originaly made by monks

Ajran · Post by **Ajran** » August 20, 2003, 11:21 am

Stragi wrote:
Fyndina wrote:God I hate lutefisk.

Went to school in North Dakota... and god when they figured out I was from the "old country" they all wanted to feed me the Great Norwegian Delicacy called lutefisk. I flatly refused and say no sane norwegian eat that anymore (vestlendinger er ikke "sane"), and that it was a poor mans meal from back in the 80s (as in 1880s) when they all (the poor) left for the upper midwest.

Danes have some awefull food. That brick they call bread comes to mind. Eating it is like chewing on a cement block.
hahahahahaha, what school?

Ack i went to Park River High School in of course Park River 17 miles ermmmm west of Grafton.. went to my senior year at Red River High School in Grand Forks in '85..

went to UND for one year in 86.

Drolgin Steingrinder · August 20, 2003, 12:06 pm

Dude, you do NOT disrespect the licorice...

There will be repercussions.

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » August 20, 2003, 1:30 pm

The article said frozen pizza.

Frat boys don't cook, they order in.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » August 20, 2003, 1:51 pm

Dude, you do NOT disrespect the licorice...

There will be repercussions.

Someone should look into the connection between salty liquorice and low sperm counts

Drolgin Steingrinder · August 20, 2003, 3:30 pm

Dude!

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » August 20, 2003, 3:36 pm

Hey I'm just joining the dots here. . .

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » August 20, 2003, 4:42 pm

Never had lutefisk THANK GOD, but the licorice is the yum.

I had my mouth washed out with soap once at a day care. I think I lasted about a week in day care. Which was much longer than my day-long stint at pre-school.

VeeshanVault

Lutefisk

Lutefisk

Re: Lutefisk

/puke

side note

Re: /puke

UND yupp

Re: /puke