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You’ll want to sit in a comfortable chair and read this book from cover to cover, perhaps rising from time to time to make coffee or see if you have the ingredients on hand for lefse (a thick Nordic tortilla) or Norwegian meatballs or hazelnut meringue torte. This delightful memoir combines the irresistible elements of humor, food, and love as the author tells about growing up, the youngest of six children, on her parents’ homestead farm in western North Dakota in the early decades of the 20th century. The hardy Norwegian immigrants who farmed those formidable prairies and braved the frigid winters tucked away prodigious amounts of food, drank vats of coffee, and marked occasions of happiness or sorrow with enough food to feed a small army.
The author’s daughter, Felicia Young, compiled and tested the 72 recipes in the book, deciphering notes written in Norwegian on scraps of paper and detailing the mysteries of lutefisk, lefse, and other legendary dishes, including those Three-Day Buns! A scratchboard illustration by artist Beth Krommes decorates the cover and title page. This book is a keepsake.
