What is Lutefisk Day?
Lutefisk Day in Norway, Finland, and Sweden has been urging people in Norway, Finland, and Sweden to start preparing their lutefisk for Christmas on December 9th. Anna's Day is also known as Anna's Day.
In case you are not Scandinavian, lutefisk is just cod that gets soaked in lye. It's dried to the point of becoming hard and leathery after the cod is caught. It becomes soaked in lye to tenderize the fish and bring it back to its former state. Once it's fresh and tender, the lutefisk is skinned and boned.
Eventually, the fish is boiled until it reaches a gelatinous consistency. Another way to prepare lutefisk is to season it and bake it in the oven.
According to some, lutefisk tastes mildly fishy with a soapy aftertaste. Many people would agree that lutefisk doesn't smell so good. Some people coat the fish in beer batter and deep fry it to make it more appealing. Many die-hard Scandinavians also eat lutefisk despite its taste and smell. After all, it is a Christmas tradition.
In the United States, Scandinavian Americans consume lutefisk alongside those from Norway, Finland, and Sweden. Madison, Minnesota, is one of several places in particular that consumes significant amounts of lutefisk. "The "lutefisk capital of the world" has been dubbed this town in fact. The dish is particularly popular among Lutherans. The annual lutefisk dinners are held by Sons of Norway groups. Lutefisk is also popular in several areas of Canada.
