IN THIS SEASON of church dinners, I am reminded of an event I covered decades ago as a young reporter fresh out of Minnesota State University, Mankato, with a journalism degree. My editor assigned me to write about and photograph the annual Lutefisk Dinner (or maybe it was supper) at Bernadotte Lutheran in Bernadotte, an unincorporated community northeast of New Ulm.
Having heard a few things about lutefisk—cod soaked in lye—I was in no hurry to undertake this assignment. But work is work and I eventually headed to this rural church to get the story. I don’t recall all the details from that late 1970s introduction to lutefisk. But I do remember a hardworking crew of volunteers, enthusiastic diners packing the church basement and my first taste of this Scandinavian seafood. A generous dose of melted butter made lutefisk, which reminded me of warm Jell-O, palatable. Sorry, Norwegians.
Lutefisk dinners remain popular in Minnesota’s Scandinavian enclaves. Like Vang Lutheran, rural Dennison, hosting a Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner on Wednesday, October 11, starring lutefisk and Norwegian meatballs with gravy plus fruit soup, lefse and Norwegian pastries. On Saturday, October 14, First Lutheran in Blooming Prairie is also serving a Lutefisk and Meatball Dinner. Except their meatballs are Swedish (what’s the difference?). Sorry, folks, all three dine-in seatings at First Lutheran are sold out, proving just how popular lutefisk dinners are in these parts. The Blooming Prairie lutefisk dinners have been around since 1934.
BARS & BARS, NOT TO BE CONFUSED
This got me thinking about ethnic and unusual foods some of us love and others of us don’t. For example, this past July while vacationing in the central Minnesota lakes area, I came across turkey gizzards and pickled eggs prominently displayed on an end cap at a Crosslake grocery store. You couldn’t pay me to try the gizzards, priced at $12.49 for 16 ounces. But I’d give pickled eggs a try. Apparently there’s a market in Paul Bunyan country for these delicacies. And in some Minnesota bars, not to be confused with the bars we Minnesotans eat.
Ah, bars. They hold two definitions. I recall my native-born California son-in-law’s confusion about bars. It took a bit of explaining for him to understand that bars, besides a place to imbibe, are also, in Minnesota, a sweet treat that is not a cookie, cake or brownie. But similar, made in a cake pan and cut into squares.
KOLACKY OR SAUERKRAUT
Then there are kolacky, a Czech pastry unknown to me until I moved to this region. It was at Franke’s Bakery in nearby Montgomery, self-proclaimed “Kolacky Capital of the World,” that I first tasted this dough into which prunes, apples, raspberries, blueberries and other fruit or a poppy seed filling are folded. Kolacky are so popular in this Czech stronghold that Franke’s baked nearly 1,800 dozen of the treats for the annual town celebration, Kolacky Days, in July. That’s a whole lot of kolacky, like nearly 22,000.
Me? I prefer a Bismarck oozing with custard. And, yes, I am German, which might also explain my love of sauerkraut. Henderson, where my paternal great grandparents settled upon arriving in America, celebrates Sauerkraut Days annually. And, yes, there’s a sauerkraut eating contest. I grew up eating homemade sauerkraut fermented from cabbage grown in our large garden. My grandma made kraut and my dad thereafter.
HOW ABOUT HORSERADISH OR COTTAGE CHEESE PIE?
Dad also made horseradish, a tradition which continues in my extended family today, 20 years after his death. Horseradish seems an acquired taste. Not everyone likes a condiment that burns nostrils, clears sinuses, waters eyes, nips the tongue. But I do.
And once upon a time I also ate SPAM, a canned meat made in Austin, Minnesota, and wildly popular in Hawaii. I liked it in Pizza Burgers—SPAM, onion and American cheese ground in a hand-cranked meat grinder and then canned chili (without beans) stirred in. I haven’t quite figured out the “without beans” in chili. Mom made and spread the mix on homemade bun halves, broiled until the cheese bubbled. Yum. I no longer eat SPAM. Or Jell-O. Make that red Jell-O with bananas, a staple of extended family gatherings many decades ago.
Food, in many ways, connects to memories, traditions, heritage. You won’t find me eating peanut butter on pancakes or Cottage Cheese Pie, food oddities my husband brought into our marriage. I don’t much like pancakes and I’ve never made the Helbling signature pie. Nor have I made my mom’s favorite pie, Sour Cream Raisin. But I love cottage cheese and I eat Raisin Bran cereal. Just don’t ask me to eat turkey gizzards. Or lutefisk. Once was enough for this writer.
© Copyright 2023 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
yes, I’m not sure that I’d choose to try some of those, but cultural traditions are thankfully passed on, and food is a part of that. we each bring something to the party and our traditions feel like comfort and security in so many things
Well stated, Beth. “We each bring something to the party…”
Food definitely links me to memories. Orange jello with mandarin oranges— a birthday treat. 😊
Oh, goodness, I’d forgotten about that version of Jell-O.
It was a favorite!
I remember liking it also. Molded for holiday meals.
Boy does this bring back memories! I can say I managed to avoid trying Lutefisk and knew a few people growing up that made homemade horseradish and was not my thing either. I so do miss a good Kolacky and just give me a fork when it comes to cake and bars and of course had homemade cookies by the bag load in the freezer growing up. I still enjoy sauerkraut and pickles but just not the same in not being homemade. I enjoy a good pickling but draw the line at pickled meat – a little out there for me. Now I am hungry for a Kolacky or two or three 🙂 Happy Day – Enjoy
Kolacky available in Florida? I’m guessing not in your community at least.
We just do not have those bakeries and meat markets here. We had them when we lived in the Midwest and Out West. Here you pay a fortune for a plain donut and every topping is additional monies unless you go to a chain. We do have meat markets but so not like what I grew up around. Everywhere I have lived I miss having a few food items like inexpensive tri tip, going to a true old school bakery, etc.
Shoot. I’m sorry. No wonder you’re longing for kolacky.
Hmm…I’ve never had lutefisk, even though I’m a life-long Minnesotan! But I am, notably, without a drop of Scandinavian blood. I ate Spam growing up; my mom treated it like a little canned ham and baked it with cloves stuck in it. Or she sliced it and fried it. I loved it then. Not so much now!
I feel the same about SPAM. Liked it then, but not now. My mom also fried it.
My mom made lutefisk once (just once) in a misguided attempt to connect our roots in the old country.
Love this story. She tried.
The Rohliks (and other families) at Seaforth and Wabasso are Bohemian (an area of Czech Republic now). We had kolache (our spelling) as an occasional treat. But I have never seen kolache made the way your pictures show. Probably a regional variation. This August we went to the Czech Festival at Bechyn, MN. Lots of kolache there.
Why was I unaware of kolacky while growing up? And, yes, I’ve seen the word spelled different ways and the treat made different ways.
The Czechs/Bohemians in the Litomysl area of Steele County (south of Owatonna) made their kolaches that way, although in the photo, they look like they have more dough. My family made them that way but with a little less “fold over.” The story was that workmen who wanted to take along a dessert in their lunch pail liked them this way as the fruit filling was protected by the dough. I’m not sure if that’s really true, but it does make for a good explanation. I occasionally make kolaches; prune is my favorite. My sister also makes them usually every Christmas.
Colleen, your explanation makes sense regarding how kolacky are made. Some day I’d like to attend the festival at the church in Litomysl. Was that your home church? I can’t recall the name.
Also, congrats on winning honorable mention for your creative nonfiction story in The Talking Stick 32. I just received my copy today.
There is a similar German/Russian filled bread called bierrock or runza. They are similar to kolache, but with a meat and cabbage filling. They could be taken to the field for men’s lunch. There is a chain of “Runza” restaurants in Nebraska.
Thank you for teaching me something new. I asked Randy if he was familiar with bierrock/runza given his ancestors were Germans from Russia. He’s not familiar with the food. I will need to ask his sisters.
Audrey, the church at Litomysl is Holy Trinity. We went there occasionally for their church festival but our home church was Sacred Heart in Owatonna. My mom’s side was Czech and my dad’s was German. He liked trying different foods; hence we even tried lutefisk once. I enjoyed this column as it brought back memories but also, reminders of what I still do today. My husband and I make sauerkraut every other year. It might not be exactly how it was made before, but everyone we share it with likes it.
Congratulations to you too on your honorable mention “Creative Twist” entry in the Talking Stick! When I received mine, I first went to look for my entry, then my sister’s, and then yours. This was my first time an entry was accepted so I felt quite honored to receive and honorable mention.
One Christmas tradition for me was lutefisk was at our Christmas dinners. I didn’t like it. I tried it again, as a “grown up” at St. Olaf Christmas dinners, but still didn’t like it. 😉
It sounds like you gave lutefisk a good try by eating it twice.
This post brought back many memories of my grandma and aunt in the kitchen preparing the dreaded Lutefisk for Christmas dinner. My grandparents were 100% Norwegian, as was my dad. I am only 50%, hence maybe the reason I cant “stomach” this smelly, slimy fish. Thankfully my grandma made meatballs…I think she had her grandchildren in mind.
I’m unaware of Kolacky, but it sounds yummy. No thanks to anything fermented.
I do think it’s pretty neat how your family keeps up the tradition of making horseradish, I could never aquire a taste for this, but SPAM…. I do love spam, and make pizza burgers often, a family favorite ( from Rick’s side of the family)
You are making me really really hungry for pizza burgers! 🙂