Lutefisk – a stinky Christmas fish but a funny story to read!

Different people eat different things at Christmas.  It is part of what makes Christmas special for them.  In Norway, Christmas would not be Christmas without a special fish dish called “lutefisk”.  You say it “loo-ta-fisk”.

Part of the tradition is eating the lutefisk.  The other part of the tradition in Norway is making fun of eating lutefisk!  The elves and I love their sense of humor! 😊

I have a very special recipe for stinky Christmas fish given to me by an elf from Norway.  Make sure you read the whole thing!:

1. Get a lutefisk
2. Put it on a pine board
3. Flatten the fish
4. Put salt, pepper and butter on the fish
5. Bake it for 30 minutes on the board
6. Let it cool
7. Throw out the lutefisk and eat the board!

I don’t think that is a recipe Mrs. Claus will be making!

Most people think this smelly fish dish is way too stinky to eat.  They won’t even try it.  Yes, it is a stinky Christmas fish.  But, if you tried it, it has a certain “charm”.  I tease the elf children that it is made of green eggs and ham.  But none of them will try it.  🙂

There is also a funny song about this smelly fish dish that the elf taught me.  You sing it to the same tune as “O Christmas Tree”.  Here is some of it:

The Smelly Christmas Fish Song!

“Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, how fragrant your aroma,
Lutefisk, O Lutefisk, you put me in a coma.
You smell so strong, you look like glue,
You taste just like an overshoe,
But lutefisk, come Saturday,
I tink I eat you anyvay

Lutefisk, O lutefisk, I put you in the doorvay.
I wanted you to ripen up just like they do in Norvay.
A dog came by and sprinkled you.
I hit him with my overshoe.
O lutefisk, now I suppose
I’ll eat you while I hold my nose.

Lutefisk, O lutefisk, how well I do remember.
On Christmas Eve how we’d receive our big treat of December.
It wasn’t turkey or fried ham.
It wasn’t even pickled Spam.
My mother knew there was no risk
In serving buttered lutefisk.”

Isn’t that a silly song?

But there’s even more to the story of this stinky Christmas fish!

How to make a lutefisk!

This stinky Christmas fish usually starts as a kind of fish called cod.  If you want to be really traditional, you have to catch it in the cold waters off of Norway.

Then, the fish is dried.  If it looks like cardboard and feels like leather, then it is perfect!  Yikes!

Next, you have to make it look like a fish again.  But you can’t just add water to it.  Instead you have to add a chemical called “lye”.  You can also use any leftover lye to unclog your drains.  Double yikes!  Did you know lye explodes if you add it to aluminum?  I sure hope no one’s stinky Christmas fish explodes!  (And don’t tell Clumsy the Elf about this because I know he’ll want to try it!)

Now you have to wash your stinky fish in water.  After you do that, you have to wash it in water again.  And again.  And… well, I think you get the idea of what you have to do with your exploding stinky fish.

Did you know that the state of Wisconsin even has special rules about this smelly fish dish?  They have to do with workplace safety.

Merry smelly Fishmas!

Santa Claus

P.S.  What do you like to eat at Christmas?  Would you like to try some stinky Christmas fish? You can leave a message for me.  Or, scroll down to see what others have written.

Santa Claus

A right jolly old elf, in spite of myself. I love Christmas, children, the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, elves, reindeer, snowmen & the list goes on!
My title is CEO: Christmas Elf Online.
Merry Christmas!

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