Stepping inside the Scandinavian Festival gives a nod to its ancestry every way you turn.

The halls are filled with artisans sharing their whimsical pottery, hand-carved wood décor, and beautiful rosemaling. The sound of music and laughter chatters through the common areas that are decorated with Viking ships, Scandinavian flags, and photos from the past. The smell, oh the smell is that of sugar and simple deliciousness. Blend the sights, sound, and smell and you get the making of Malung Community Centers Annual Scandinavian Festival. An event that you won’t want to miss.  

This year, we talked to the right ladies and they were willing to share some of their family recipes and secrets that they learned while cooking for generations in Scandinavian kitchens here in Roseau County. We are sharing them with you as a way of honoring their heritage and carrying on the traditions. 

 

Rommegrot is a warm pudding that finds a way of bringing contentment to your soul. At the Scandinavian Festival, a kind lady handed out bowls of these simple, warm Norwegian puddings. She advised everyone to add some softened butter over the top and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. After finishing their first bowl, most festival goers went back for seconds. With more cinnamon and sugar the second go-’round. The pudding is wonderful, and she was willing to share her recipe.

Gracia stood with her apron on and chatted the way through the recipe. Her Rommegrot recipe is a simple mixture of milk, butter, flour, and salt. Romme translates to sour cream in Norwegian. Gracia told us if we want a tart taste add some sour cream to the mixture. When asked if she taught her grandchildren this recipe, she smiled and said of course! Traditions need to be passed on. In the old world, Gracia added, whenever a family had excess cream from milking the cows, Rommegrot was made as an affordable way to put food on the table and a smile on the face of those gathered.  

Gracia’s Rommegrot Recipe:  

• 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) of melted butter  
• 1 3/4 flour  
• 2 quarts whole milk (bring milk to boil) she uses a microwave to do this  3 T. sugar  
• Pinch of salt  
  
  Melt butter in a saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Add 1/3 of the milk and beat.  Continue adding milk 1/3 at a time. Beat until smooth. When it starts to bubble,  add sugar and salt. Mix well. Remove from stove and serve with butter, sugar, and cinnamon. 

The kitchen door was open and inside a couple of elderly men and women were busy inside. Huge pots of boiling water and large grinders were being put to good use preparing the potato dumplings for the event. Over the past few hours, 1000 pounds of potatoes were peeled. This event brings people from across the state to eat and gather to celebrate the rich history and culture preserved by the festival. In  Roseau, potato dumplings are often served with bacon, ham, or side pork. They are heavy dumpling that tastes best slathered in butter. It is another 5-ingredient recipe that tastes so good. Our recipe that we are sharing has been passed on by  Marian Gunderson to her daughter Pam Hetteen. It was a recipe that never needed to find its way to a cookbook as it was a staple meal in the Gunderson home. Pam remembers making dumplings with her mother at holidays and during hunting season. Her most important instruction was to keep stirring in flour until you cannot add any more. Many of the best cooks never measure anything. They just know by the look and feel. The fond memories of dumpling day with her 92-year-old mother make Pam smile just the same as you will when you try this recipe.  

Potato Dumplings:  

Shared by Pam Hetteen from her mother’s kitchen Marian Gunderson  

• 4 c raw finely grated potatoes  
• 1/2 c oatmeal  
• 1 T salt  
• 2 to 2 1/4 c flour  
• Small pieces of ham mixed in the dough…probably a cup or so if making Klub  
  
  Form into balls using wet hands. Drop in boiling water. Boil for 30 to 40 minutes depending on size. Stir occasionally as they will stick to the bottom of your kettle. It is better if you cook a ham bone in a pot of water first, as it gives the dumplings more flavor.  
  
  Serve hot with lots of butter. There are a few Scandinavians that like syrup on them also.  
  
  Note: When you are beginning to grind the potatoes, add some of the flour and oatmeal and mix so the potatoes don’t turn dark.  Now that you know a few of the secrets found in a Scandinavian kitchen, be sure to share the goodness with your families and friends.