Eat your way through Scandinavia
If your knowledge of Scandinavian cuisine is limited to herring and Swedish meatballs, you owe it to yourself to check out the offerings at Scandinavian Day.
As a third generation Norwegian, I thought I was familiar with many Scandinavian dishes. I've baked krum kake (cone-shaped Norwegian cookies), eaten lapskaus (a type of stew) and even sampled lutefisk (dried cod soaked in lye, and yes, it's as awful as it sounds).
But last year's Scandinavian Day Festival gave me an opportunity to broaden my horizons.
Case in point - the Danish hot dog. It's different from a Chicago style dog - it's long and skinny, covered with a tangy sauce, cucumber salad and fried onions. Delicious.
The Swedish pancakes with ice cream made for a cool treat on a hot day. Swedish pancakes are thinner than American-style flapjack and are typically served with lingonberries, which are somewhat similar to cranberries.
The Swedish meatball plate was sold out by early afternoon, but there was still plenty of aebleskiver - Danish treats similar to doughnut holes. They're covered with cinnamon, sugar, and have a melt-in-your-mouth quality.
Also on the menu this year: a fried herring plate, Norwegian lefse/polse wrap, "uff da" burgers, rabarbergrod (rhubarb pudding), and Finnish and Icelandic foods.
The festival isn't all about food, though - there will be a church service, Viking encampment, pony rides for children, crafts, games, and entertainment.
Visit www.vasaparkil.com for details.
29th annual Scandinavian Day Festival
When: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: Vasa Park, on Route 31 in South Elgin; seven miles south of I-90 and five miles north of Route 64
How much? Admission is $10 for adults; children 12 and younger - and people of any age wearing full traditional Scandinavian dress - admitted free. Parking is free.
Info: Call (847) 695-6720 or visit www.vasaparkil.com