<p>Ah, yes, lutefisk: salt cod preserved in lye (“lutefisk” literally translates to “lye-fish”). It needs to be soaked in water for about a week to get the lye out before it’s (notionally) edible, then when cooked it becomes a gooey, gelatinous, pungent, white, fishy-tasting glob. The old Norwegian-Americans swear by it. I’m told that in Norway they watch television programs showing Minnesotans eating lutefisk, and they laugh their Nordic a**es off; they eat fresh fish these days and find it hilarious that Minnesotans think they’re preserving a “heritage dish” that the Norwegians gave up generations ago in favor of superior food storage technology (not to mention taste). But boy, do they line up for the lutefisk during the Christmas season at Ingebritsen’s in South Minneapolis!</p>