Stress Relief

[Bees Knees]

Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and relax before jumping into that next return.

Here is an oldie but goodie from the humor archives:

CBS News recently reported the following story:

Survey: Minnesota Healthiest State

(AP) Minnesota is the healthiest U.S. state, while Louisiana is the least healthy, a ranking it has held for 14 of the last 15 years of a national survey, officials said.

The annual report sponsored by the United Health Foundation weighs such factors as health insurance coverage, heart disease rates, total and infant mortality rates, the rate of motor vehicle deaths, high school graduation rates, childhood poverty, and public health spending.

And now for the rest of the story….

Many are puzzled at why Minnesota could beat out all the other states for the top health spot in the country. Some would think states such as California with an over abundance of tree huggers eating rabbit food should be the healthiest state in the country. Is it because Minnesotans buy more treadmills than any other state?

No.

Minnesota is the healthiest state in the nation for one reason. It has the highest population of Norwegian and Swedish immigrants.

For centuries, Scandinavians have weeded out the week from their gene pool by feeding their young Lutefisk. Anyone who has ever smelled Lutefisk knows that it takes a very stubborn person to force something with such an awful smell down their throat. Someone stubborn enough to stick to the story that Lutefisk actually tastes good is simply too stubborn to die.

And that is the rest of the story.

[SueBaby]

Sometimes we need to take a deep breath and relax before jumping into that next return.

Here is an oldie but goodie from the humor archives:

CBS News recently reported the following story:

Survey: Minnesota Healthiest State

(AP) Minnesota is the healthiest U.S. state, while Louisiana is the least healthy, a ranking it has held for 14 of the last 15 years of a national survey, officials said.

The annual report sponsored by the United Health Foundation weighs such factors as health insurance coverage, heart disease rates, total and infant mortality rates, the rate of motor vehicle deaths, high school graduation rates, childhood poverty, and public health spending.

And now for the rest of the story….

Many are puzzled at why Minnesota could beat out all the other states for the top health spot in the country. Some would think states such as California with an over abundance of tree huggers eating rabbit food should be the healthiest state in the country. Is it because Minnesotans buy more treadmills than any other state?

No.

Minnesota is the healthiest state in the nation for one reason. It has the highest population of Norwegian and Swedish immigrants.

For centuries, Scandinavians have weeded out the week from their gene pool by feeding their young Lutefisk. Anyone who has ever smelled Lutefisk knows that it takes a very stubborn person to force something with such an awful smell down their throat. Someone stubborn enough to stick to the story that Lutefisk actually tastes good is simply too stubborn to die.

And that is the rest of the story.

Why we are the least healthy: FAST foods---we seem to want everything fast.

[JohnH]

This sounds a lot like a skit that Garrison Keillor did about a month or so ago on NPR.
Very entertaining.

Anyhow, I'm not sure I'm ready to eat anything that has preparation directions which include "If you leave it in the lye too long before eating, it has a tendency to turn into soap."

[ChEAr$]

I just KNEW I had heard that before

This sounds a lot like a skit that Garrison Keillor did about a month or so ago on NPR.
Very entertaining.

Anyhow, I'm not sure I'm ready to eat anything that has preparation directions which include "If you leave it in the lye too long before eating, it has a tendency to turn into soap."

Keillor it was.

GMTA.

[Black Bart]

Okay,

Minnesota is the healthiest state in the nation for one reason. It has the highest population of Norwegian and Swedish immigrants.

For centuries, Scandinavians have weeded out the week from their gene pool by feeding their young Lutefisk. Anyone who has ever smelled Lutefisk knows that it takes a very stubborn person to force something with such an awful smell down their throat. Someone stubborn enough to stick to the story that Lutefisk actually tastes good is simply too stubborn to die.

I'll (pun intended) bite! Exactly what is lutefisk?

A friend once told me of his home state(North Dakota)'s stinky delicacy which I thought he was calling Ludafish (or something like that). Is it, in fact, a fish? If not, then what? And why does it smell so bad? And what originally prompted human beings to eat something that reeks? And...oh well, just those for starters.

[Bees Knees]

I'll (pun intended) bite! Exactly what is lutefisk?

A friend once told me of his home state(North Dakota)'s stinky delicacy which I thought he was calling Ludafish (or something like that). Is it, in fact, a fish? If not, then what? And why does it smell so bad? And what originally prompted human beings to eat something that reeks? And...oh well, just those for starters.

Lutefisk is white fish that is soaked in lye.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk

[Larmil]

Lutefisk is white fish that is soaked in lye.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk

You Yankees don't know what lye is for. It is used to soak corn.

[DTS]

Lutefish

I lived with my Norwegian grandmother and German grandfather. They ate like this all the time. Strange salted fish in little wooden boxes, not sure if this was something else or not. I read the link that had the sidedishes and it brought back a ton of memories about dinner and it's preparation!

Almost forgot, you have to top it off with some limburger each and every meal.

D

[Black Bart]

Okay,

Lutefisk is white fish that is soaked in lye.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutefisk

I read the article and it looks like all the jokes that can be made about it have been made.

The basics seem to be:

If left "cooking" too long, it turns into soap instead of food.

If the silverware is not washed right away it disintegrates...steel is recommended.

The appearance and aroma is that of aged roadkill mixed with clear congealed gel.

An accompanying beer (or a case) helps.

Wild animals avoid it.

The Irish tried to poison the Vikings with it, but they declared it a delicacy.

It's more popular in the United States (it can be microwaved) than in Norway.

P.S. Those mashed peas sure do look delicious.

[LawrenceGR]

Lutefisk

About 40 years ago when my wife and I first started going together her parents had me over for a traditional Swedish Cristmas Eve dinner. In the middle of the table was a large platter that didn't look good to me but everyone at the table was going crazy about "Larry have some fish" I took the platter smelled it and said "What is it". My soon to-be mother-in law said"Lutefish" I just said "No thanks". She tried every year after that to get me to eat that stuff but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. I have to say there may be some truth to the story as my wife's grandfather lived to be 95 and her mother 87.

There are T-shirt available that say "Lutefish, Just say NO!"

[Bees Knees]

I have to say there may be some truth to the story as my wife's grandfather lived to be 95 and her mother 87.

I have a Norwegian 105 year old great aunt still alive and living in a nursing home with dementia. She no longer recognizes close family members, but she still thinks she likes lutefisk.