Food

Every Advent we entered the purgatory of lutefisk, a repulsive gelatinous fishlike dish that tasted of soap and gave off an odor that would gag a goat.

 ~ Garrison Keillor

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This is the dining table at my parents house.  Apparently for this particular meal we were having beans, olives, grapes (or "fruit salad" according to my mom) and rolls.  Judging from the wall hanging (an advent calendar) it was Christmas time.  That means that either the lutefisk hadn't been put out yet or else Leslie had eaten it all.

She had three helpings last year.  Three.  I don't know anyone who has ever done that.  On purpose OR on a dare.  When she took the second serving, I thought she was just trying to make a good impression.  But when she took a third helping, I thought she misunderstood that lutefisk is largely an ornamental food in our family holiday food tradition.  Like fruitcake in some other families.

She said she liked it.  Again, even people in my family - genetically pre-disposed to eating lutefisk - who eat it as part of our ritual don't really say they like it.  It was featured on "Bizarre Foods," so maybe that just makes her a bizarre foodie.

Of course, now that I think about it, it could be on the table.  It is clear, after all.