At last week's Norsk Høstfest, the annual Scandinavian festival in Minot, North Dakota, Prairie Public program manager Erik Deatherage was set out to "finally, finally try the often-dreaded traditional Norwegian fish dish, lutefisk."
A gelatinous dish made by steaming lye-cured cod, lutefisk is a holiday staple for families of Scandinavian heritage in the upper Midwest. Some enjoy it, some despise it, and some refuse to try it. Even the mayor of Minot confessed he'd never had it.
But Deatherage — the former East Coast, now landlocked fish lover — was determined to give it a taste.
"It tastes like cod ... This is delicious," he said. "It's warm, and it's not overly fishy. And I promise you, I'm going to finish this plate."
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Listen above as Deatherage narrates his full experience at Høstfest, including sampling lefse and perusing the stalls selling troll carvings and "uffda" coffee mugs — an experience he says made him feel more connected to his adopted home state.