POULSBO — On St. Patrick’s Day, everyone is Irish. During Viking Fest, held in conjunction with Norway’s Constitution Day, everyone’s Norwegian. The challenge is to preserve/discover real Norwegian culture and not succumb to plastic horned Viking helmets and green mead.

And the way to the heart of a culture is through people’s stomachs — or at least that’s what the dozen or so volunteers preparing the annual Norwegian luncheon at the Sons of Norway Lodge 44 believed.

Well, there was the matter of the Viking Dog Meal, but as one volunteer said, “It’s a Viking-sized dog, not one of those wimpy, little hot dogs.” OK, so the kids have to eat something and rullespølse sandwiches may not be to their tastes.

But the desserts … ah, the desserts. Now, there was something people of all ages could love. Oslo kringles, sandbakkels, kransekake, rosettes and lefse.

Especially the lefse, hot off the grill thanks to volunteers Myrt Jodray and the mother/daughter team of Jane Speer and Karen Shoemaker. Take one potato pancake hot of the grill, slather it with real butter (real Vikings don’t eat margarine), sprinkle it generously with sugar and cinnamon, roll it up and chow it down.

Heavenly. If the Viking women made these every day, it’s a wonder the men ever left home.

All told, the ladies at Sons of Norway Lodge made about 288 lefses. And they would all be gone by the end of the day, as more than 200 hungry visitors were expected to partake.

The only sad thing, according to Jodray, is that so many older Poulsbohemians are no longer able to attend. Jodray, who has been preparing lefse at the lodge for the past 20 years, said she has noticed that, with downtown streets closed off and parking lots full, the walk is simply too great for some older residents.

Krumkake recipe

If you tasted the krumkake at the Sons of Norway Lodge luncheon, you know how good they are. The ladies were kind enough to provide the recipe so you can try your hand making this Scandinavian delicacy at home.

You will need an electric or stovetop griddle (special krumkake griddles are available on the Internet). You can also buy a special cone-shaped tool to wrap the cooling krumkake around or just use a wooden spoon.

Ingredients: 4 eggs; 1 cup sugar; 1/2 tsp. vanilla; 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled; 1-1/2 cups flour; 1 heaping tsp. cardamom; 1 tsp. cornstarch.

Instructions: Beat eggs lightly with a hand beater. Add vanilla and sugar (1/2 cup at a time) and beat lightly. Do not over beat. Add cooled butter and mix thoroughly.

Sift flour, cardamom and corn starch together and add. Dough will be sticky and thin enough to drop by spoonfuls onto the grill.

When dough is dropped on grill, close the top and press down for a few seconds and release. As steam decreases, check for doneness … it should be lightly browned. Roll over cone-shaped tool or wooden spoon immediately, keeping as tight as possible with the seam side down and pressed flat. Leave cooling on the cone tool or spoon until the next batch is on the grill and pressed down.

— Terryl Asla is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. Contact him at tasla@soundpublishing.com.

The rosettes melt in your mouth. Terryl Asla/Kitsap News Group

“Think of it as a Norwegian tortilla,” joked long-time Lefse maker Myrt Jodray, Terryl Asla/Kitsap News Group

If you tasted the krumkake cookies at the Sons of Norway Norway Lodge 44 luncheon, you know how good they are. The ladies were kind enough to provide the recipe so you can try your hand making this Scandanavian delicacy at home. Terryl Asla/Kitsap News Group