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Lutefisk

Lutefisk

What it is: Fish. More precisely, “lye fish.” And that’s a direct translation. The Nordes and Swedes couldn’t just stick with giving us Jarlsberg, meatballs, and vodka. They had to go ahead and make some lye-soaked fish that becomes so corrosive it’ll destroy your silverware. Oh, and apparently, due to the reaction of lye with fish, a nonstandard amino acid found in rat poison can be found in lutefisk. Never mind that it’s also been compared to eating vomit and smells like the afterbirth of a dog. “Mmm, delici… I don’t feel so well suddenly…”

Strangely enough, this cuisine item is more popular in the US amongst Norwegian- and Swedish-Americans during the holiday season than it is in any of the Scandinavian countries. We’re fine with that as long as they don’t serve it at IKEA.

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