Ok, smarties... who among you has actually tried lutefisk? Just because you read about how the sausage is made on Wikipedia doesn't make it any less delicious. Come on... First hand, in your own mouth experience? Eat up or shut up. :D

In all seriousness? Because you don't have modern refrigeration, and there are months out of the year where the fishing isn't enough to keep you alive. Gotta preserve it somehow.

But someone should have explained to them that high volumes of salt work better than lye. And anyone still eating them after about 1870 has no excuse at all, including BigV. :)

No, for the same reason I won't eat dog shit.

I haven't tried it only because I could smell it coming and had time to escape.

There's no lye taste (or residue, as far as I know) at all. Any of you had hominy grits? Yep, processed with lye. No little Xs for eyes because of that breakfast, right?

It was delicious, like any steamed fish. It was prepared with salt and pepper and a little parsley and lemon. I'm cracking up at your collective EWWW! This must feel like the guy who ate the first oyster felt. "No, *really*, they're delicious!"

... whatever, more for me. :)

Ok, Cheborneck. How do you know?

Comparing them to oysters isn't helping your case.

I have to come to Seattle!
I've thought this before (because of this thread) and now do so again.
Not fussed about the coffee, the weather will be familiar but I am partial to a bit of seafood. Well, all seafood really.

The other night I was following random links while waiting for something to upload. I found a list of America's most popular Chain Restaurants and spent about 45 minutes browsing the menus (my original intention clean forgotten).

Cracker Barrel filled me with horror.
But I started Lottery-Dreaming when I got to Red Lobster, imagining taking my Mum.
Eating Lobster Thermidore in a restaurant is on her bucket list. I know it's hardly haute cuisine, but it would suit her down to the ground.

One day, one day.

Well, you don't have to limit yourself to Seattle, based on those desires. There are Red Lobsters (and Cracker Barrels, for that matter) all over the US.

Uncle, uncle ...

But now I don't understand. If it's just basically steamed fish with salt and pepper, parsley and lemon, why the big eating contest?

And I LOVE oysters. Raw only, never cooked; so I guess other people can say eeewwwwww at my tastes. Maybe I'd better put my money where my mouth is and mosey on over to Seattle to try me some lutefisk. ;)

and some oysters

That shit is gross.

horny what?

"...sewer rat may taste like pumpkin pie..."

@ clodfobble's salt vs. lye: I'm guessing wood ash was a lot easier to come by than salt, despite being so close to the ocean. But, I'm thinking this recipe may have evolved as a result of salvaging a serious fucked up food cache

I know. But I want to see Seattle too.
And obv BigV could point me in the direction of a really good seafood place.

In my experience, there are no seafood places in Seattle which are not really good. I was there for a week and every night, the process of finding a dinner restaurant consisted of walking down to the waterfront and picking a seafood place at random.