I’ve been married to Marcia, the daughter of Norwegian immigrants, for 54 years. Her mother occasionally served cod lutefisk. Marcia’s never liked it. Largely, I think, because it smells horrible when cooking, while Lutefisk from other fishes is somewhat non-traditional, but cooks with less odor.
I ultimately convinced Marcia to cook it once around Christmas, so that our children would have a chance to form their own opinions. I was late for dinner that night and Lutefisk doesn’t hold well—it turned into a gelatinous mess. That was the only time it’s been prepared in my household.
I used to plan business trips to Williston, North Dakota, every Christmas season in order to eat at a Lutheran Church’s Lutefisk dinner.
