Lumpe tastes delicious with cured meats. many enjoy these potato cakes with Norwegian goat cheese, or butter and sugar.

However, the lumpe I remember best from my childhood in Oslo, is when we are pølse med lumpe. A thin sausage, smothered in Idun mustard and wrapped in lumpe. In those days, they were sold at bua--an enclosed market-cart where they also sold drinks and confectioneries. And it would be unthinkable in those days not to find pølse med lumpe at athletic events such as Holmenkolldagen, or when at the beach or even children's parties.

During one of my first return visits to Norway, after several years absence, nostalgia washed over me when, one sub-zero day in February, my sister Eva and I entered Stortorget, a market place in downtown Oslo. Where we hurriedly purchased, at a market cart, our pølse med lumpe. Just as we remembered they were delicious. We exchanged glances, and agreed we must have one more!

Lumpe is easy to make; with just potatoes, flour, and a little salt. They are made like lefse, smaller, but a little thicker. They can be served in a variety of ways.

Before potatoes were cultivated in 18th century Norway, the lumpe were made from barley, oat flour, and water. Later, the potato replaced the water. Lumpe was as a rule eaten dry, except on Sundays when butter was added, and thus on that day became referred to as butter-lumpe. (Many now enjoy new-baked lumpe with butter and sugar with their hot beverage.) All types of flour can be used, wither all of one, or several mixed, but the tastiest and softest result when only potatoes and barley flour is used. A mixture of all-purpose and barley flour also give good result.

Boil unpeeled potatoes. Peel, and twice grind, rice, or mash while still warm, until potatoes are smooth and elastic, thus requiring less flour. Add salt during this process, rather than adding it to the water, it increases the elasticity of the potatoes. The more elastic the potatoes, the better the lumpe. Cool. Add flour to a small portion of potatoes at a time, stir just enough to make a firm, easily-handled dough. Making a lot of dough at once and leaving it stand may cause the dough to become sticky. Cut off slices with a sharp knife. Press these down lightly with the back of your hand, and finish rolling out with grooved rolling pin into 6?8 inch (15?17 1/2 cm) flaps. Doing it this way one needs less flour. Brush off all excess flour before baking.

Place lumpe on medium hot lefse or other griddle and turn often with a pliable spatula. Prick any blisters that form while baking. When done they should be light in color with large, brown spots. If the griddle is too hot they will remain raw inside; if too low, they will be hard and tough. Allow them to dry out for a few minutes, them wrap in a clean towel and cover until ready to be served. They are tastiest when used immediately. They can be served with butter and sugar, or with sharp cheese. As for me, it will always be pølse with lumpe.

Ekte Norsk Mat--Authentic Norwegian Cooking is available for purchase, through the Vesterheim bookstore. Call toll free at 1-888-979-3346.