'Tis the Season for Reconstituted Lyefish aka Lutefisk. Nov. 12th & 13th from 4pm to 8pm. Sons of Norway, Norrona Lodge. Van Nuys, CA.

Lutefisk from eric alba on Vimeo.
Viking Victuals!

It's that time again. The air turns crisp. Leaves drop dead. Walmarts deck their aisles with animatronic rapping Xmas penguins. And lutefisk, meatballs, lefse and other foods of Norway congregate on platters like a dragon shipful of Vikings ready to dive headlong down your throat. Lutefisk, however, is king here at the annual Lutefisk & Meatball Fundraiser Dinner at the Sons of Norway Lodge in Van Nuys, California.

Lutefisk is a dried whitefish that has been reconstituted with a solution of lye and water, hence the name lutefisk or lye fish. But if the fish stays too long in its corrosive bath, it may saponify and become a nice pile of Irish Spring. Maybe that's what your mom meant when she threatened to wash your filthy mouth out with soap — she was gonna feed you lutefisk!

But if lutefisk is too scary for you, don't fret, the other featured dish at this fundraiser is everybody's favorite Swedish meatballs. Drenched in a savory and faintly sweet gravy, these meatballs kick all the other meatballs you've ever had in the, um, teeth.

Above all, this dinner is truly a cultural experience. Norwegians and Swedes in Central Van Nuys? Weird. You have to see it to believe it.

Bring 20 bucks and eat all you can. I'll see you there!

Lutefisk & Meatball Dinner
Date/Time: November 12 & 13, 2010
4:00 to 8:00 pm on both evenings.
No reservations are needed. First come, first serve. Get there early!!

$20 for adults. $10 for kids.

Location: Norrona Hall
14312 Friar St.
Van Nuys, CA 91401 USA

Phone: 818.780.4778
Email contacts:
Gary Thorpe at garysthorpe@gmail.com
Ole Olson, Jr. at crafteec@msn.com