Duck Pond Paul,
I'd love to compare notes and ideas with you as foods, preservation, and tastes have evolved so much over the last century.
I grew up in a 1st generation US immigrant community made up of grumpy Norsks, happy Svents, and dour Suomis from the Oulu region. My father's family were ever-optimistic Polskis (from today's Bialystock-to-Lithuania area), who didn't really know if they were Russians, Lithuanians, or Prussians.
But, no matter where they were from in this northern region, they all had very similar food recipes, just with somewhat different names, and slightly different cooking/preservation methods.
Someone I casually know from where I grew up, ventured to Finland several years ago, and wrote a book about the differences between Suomi cooking today versus how it has changed names and spices as they diverged over the last 100-120 years between Finland and the US. I can only assume we have similar evolutions between Norsk and Svensk foods and recipes.
I would love to do a followup. Are you coming to the US anytime soon? If I were able to make a trip to your part of the world, would you have some time to spend with my wife and me discussing your foods and how they are preserved and made?
Thank you very much (please excuse my broken language) -- tusen takk, tack s� mycket, paljon kiitoksia,
Knute (Ken) fra West Virginia, USA
