God Jul! Yummy Norwegian Recipes

In follow up to last week's post about Christmas in July at the 1985 Nordic Fest, this week's post continues the holiday spirit by offering a Norwegian recipe to warm yourself by this winter, or to just enjoy if you prefer it cold. 

This recipe comes from 1992 Nordic Fest communications. 

Norwegian Sweet Soup

Bring 1 qt. water to boiling in deep saucepan. 

Add 2 T. rice to boiling water.

Boil rapidly, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes, or until a kernel is soft when pressed between fingers.

Drain rice, reserving liquid. 

Rinse and finely chop enough apple to yield 1/2 c. finely chopped apple. 

Put 1 c. pitted dark sweet cherries in a bowl. 

Add 1/2 c. red raspberry fruit syrup and 1/4 c. lemon juice. 

Return the rice water to the saucepan. 

Add the apple and a 2-inch stick of cinnamon. 

Cook over medium heat 4 to 5 minutes or until apple is tender.

Add the drained rice and cherry mixture. 

Remove the cinnamon. 

Simmer 5 minutes.

Blend 1 T. cold water and 1 tsp. cornstarch to form a smooth paste.

Blend cornstarch mixture into soup. Bring to boiling. 

Continue to cook 3 to 5 minutes. 

Cool soup slightly.

Serve soup warm or cold. 

Happy New Year! 

God Jul!

As the Christmas holiday takes place this week, it can be nice to think about a steamy Nordic Fest day gone by, or one that will happen at the 2015 event. The same can be said of thinking about Christmas weather during Nordic Fest. 

In 1985, the theme for the 19th annual Nordic Fest was God Jul i Juli, which roughly translates to Merry Christmas in July. The blue 8.5" x 11" program was decorated in nisse motif by the late Laura Hoeg, renowned for her nisse creations like the one pictured above. 

Laura's work adorns many a home and business window in Decorah during Nordic Fest and throughout the year. Her work also adorns many homes of those nationwide who will always feel deeply connected to Decorah. 

Some of the specific Christmas-themed activities at the 1985 Nordic Fest included:

• The Art of Making Julekake (Christmas Bread) and Risengrynsgrot (Rice Porridge) food demonstration from Doris Barnaal
• Silas Dayton 1856 building served as the Christmas Store at Vesterheim
• Christmas in Norway slide show
• A Christmas-themed parade 
• Christmas craft and decoration making demonstrations

What are your favorite Norwegian-inspired Christmas traditions? 

Tune in next week for Norwegian recipes to assist in your winter hosting and enjoy the new year with. 

Nordic Fest Online: Where to Look Part II

Following on the heals of last week's post about most common online locations for Nordic Fest images and information, this week's post highlights a few of the online articles done about this event nearing its 50th year:

• A 2012 Sons of Norway blog post: 
• http://sonsofnorwayblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/decorah-celebrates-nordic-fest.html

• A 2012 Eat, Explore and Enjoy blog post:
• http://www.eatexploreenjoy.com/2012/08/nordic-fest-and-celebrations.html

• Decorah as a Nordic getaway from a 2010 Chicago Tribune article: 
• http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-06-21/travel/ct-trav-0615-decorah-norway-fest-20100621_1_nordic-fest-upper-iowa-river-town

• A 2009 reprint of a Decorah Newspapers article in tribute to that year's Nordic Fest flag recipient, the incredibly dedicated Renda Saquitne, who the world lost later that year: 
• http://discoveramericasstory.com/view_article.html?articleId=DPO0721200900102

• A 2009 Happy to be From Iowa blog post: http://happytobefromiowa.blogspot.com/2009/07/velkommen-to-fest.html

• A 1989 Rochester Post-Bulletin article announcement Ernest E. Peterson's retirement: 
• http://www.postbulletin.com/making-tracks-pokey-pete-headed-for-the-roundhouse/article_1776fdae-2d35-543e-9b4d-7e6e8785e6f2.html?mode=jqm

• A 1986 mention of Nordic Fest in The New York Times: 
• http://www.nytimes.com/1986/07/06/travel/travel-advisory-tours-afloat-in-japan-nordic-fest-in-the-midwest.html

Do you have any links to Nordic Fest articles to submit as part of the #nordicfest50 research project> If so, email them to nordicfest50 at gmail dot com. 

Nordic Fest Online: Where to Look Part I

As this blog continues to share stories and various background pieces from the research being done for the #nordicfest50 book, today's post takes a step back to make sure you have bookmarked all the best places to go for more information about Nordic Fest and Decorah. First, let's start with the basics:

1. The primary Nordic Fest website may be found at www.nordicfest.com. 

2. You can "Like" Nordic Fest on Facebook for updates in your news feed at https://www.facebook.com/nordicfest. As of this writing, there are approximately 1,800 likes on this page - I know there are more Nordic Fest fans than that who have a Facebook account! 

3. For great information about Nordic Fest and the many other reasons to visit Decorah, bookmark http://www.decoraharea.com. 

4. To see some of the photos on the Flick website that users have uploaded from Nordic Fest, use this link: http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/nordicfest. 

5. For regular information about Nordic Fest activities and year-round exhibits and celebrations of Norwegian culture, bookmark http://vesterheim.org/index.php.

Next week's blog post will share links to articles and blog posts about Nordic Fest. 

What are some of your favorite Nordic Fest links? 

The Pokey Pete Spirit: A Tribute to Paul Estrem

Dedicated Pokey engineer Paul Estrem on one of many excursions with the Lit'L Pokey train, taken in 2002. Photo courtesy of his family.

Earlier this year, a couple of blogs covered Ernie Petersen, the original Pokey Pete and his return to Decorah at the start of the 2014 Nordic Fest. You may read those posts both here and here. 

The process of researching the history surrounding Pokey Pete and the train still maintained by the Decorah Lions was a wonderful reminder the late Paul Estrem, of a man who truly carried on the spirit of the original Pokey Pete by reaching so many area children and sharing what has become a symbol of Nordic Fest well beyond the borders of Water Street in Decorah. 

Paul's fellow engineer John Tjostem shares these memories of Paul's dedication:
"Paul generous took Pokey (the train) to gala events in several northeastern Iowa and southeastern Minnesota communities, donating his own trailer and gas. Many times he made the trip alone. In each Christmas parade, Paul decorated Lit'L Pokey with evergreen roping and lights. 

I volunteered to be Paul's replacement once when a conflict kept him from a Lit'L Pokey engagement at Fort Atkinson. I went alone and gave rides to children for some hours. Following an afternoon of non-stop rides, I loaded the train back onto Paul's trailer and returned it to Paul's shed. I then realized the amount of effort that went into doing one-man outings with Lit'L Pokey."

Paul's wife Lois shares:
"As a Lions Club member, Paul simply thought that taking the train around was something that has got to get done. He loved to be with people."

Although Paul was lost to an accident in 2010, his spirit lives on in the smiles of children who continue to enjoy train rides, and, as John concludes: 
"Thank you, Paul, for your enthusiasm and unselfish effort in continuing on the path which Ernest Petersen blazed."

You may read more about Paul's beautiful life and his commitment to his community here. 

Nordic Fest as a Success: Part 2

This week's post continues directly from last week with additional thoughts from 1996 Nordic Fest Board president, educator and community volunteer Clark Goltz, as transcribed from his 1997 interview about Nordic Fest:

"Nordic Fest is more than just an ethnic celebration. That's what the brochure says that we send out in the mail - a brochure that says this is the Nordic Fest - celebrating the Scandinavian traditions. That's a very important part. I know that. I know that being in the center of this community with Vesterheim Norwegian American Museum, we have a focal point few communities have. 

But what Nordic Fest also means to me is that it's a way for the community to say, 'Come look at where we live. Look at the pride that we take. Look at the things we do well. Look how we celebrate not only the ethnic traditions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Denmark but really all of our countries. Look at how we allow nonprofit organizations to do fundraising here so that they will be able to continue, be successful and continue serving others in the community. Look at how we do things for kids of all ages. Look at how we invite thousands of people into this little town in Iowa for a simple weekend that's going to be fun so people leave here having had fun.'

When you leave Decorah, you think 'Wouldn't that be a great place to live?' It's not just piece of paper that says 'Nordic Fest.' 

It's a community celebration where people say, 'We have a lot to be proud of. We work together. Come share our joy. Come share our pride. Come back again.' That's what it's supposed to be."

As the US gathers later this week for the Thanksgiving holiday, what cultural and community traditions are you most thankful for? 

Nordic Fest as a Success: Part 1

Decorah welcome sign and flags at the east entrance to town

For the last several weeks, we have been using interview transcript excepts from a 1997 Luther College communications department senior paper done on the impact of stories on perpetuating the culture of Nordic Fest. For the project, the first Nordic Fest president as well as each president at five year intervals were interviewed. One of the questions involved what the respondent's definition of success was for Nordic Fest. 1996 Nordic Fest Board president Clark Goltz, known for his commitment, eloquence, contagious energy and enthusiasm, offered the following response to that question:

"Nordic Fest in unequivocally a success. A success is where there are people who leave that festival and thank 'This was great,' whether you are a young person who just finished visiting the Viking Encampment, or doing games, or watching the parade. Another type of success is maybe when you're a person who enjoys the musical part of it and got to hear Trond and Ragna Dahlen or the exquisite Allesund Spellemanslag or you hear and American musical. 

Maybe your success is I went to a festival that has an antique show and sale and they jury that and it's so good that I got that piece I really wanted. Or you go and you see rosemaling that you normally see only when you go to Norway. So if people go away from the festival thinking, 'Gosh, I really saw something neat' or 'I learned something.' then it's successful. 

But I also think Nordic Fest is successful when you look at the number of people who attend and how they look. I love to drive around and just look at the positive emotions on people's faces. 

Of course, the other end is financial - can you make enough money to keep the festival going from year to year. Both ways are important." 

What's your definition of Nordic Fest success?