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Reader Meghan wants some help with her Christmas dinner – no turkeys or hams for their family! She says:
I am going to cook a traditional Norwegian Christmas meal and I need to find a local grocer that sells lutefisk and lefse. I want to avoid mail order since it is so expensive. I am willing to go to Denver if need be.
Wow, Meghan, you may need to jump in and explain what a traditional Norweign Christmas meal includes, it sounds interesting!
But, it sounds like she’ll need our help to make it: do you know where you can find lutefisk and lefse in Colorado Springs or Denver? Please leave a comment on this post and help Meghan out!
If Meghan doesn’t find anywhere to buy lefse I know a local woman (my mom) who is Norweign and she makes the best lefse – you’re on your own for the lutefisk though. I’m sure she’d be happy to help you out.
Can I get the name of the lady that makes lefse. I love to get some.
hi. better late than never, but i though i would pass along this information to you for the best lefse “just like grama’s” people say. we have lefse, primost, lingonberries, lutefisk, wonderful cookies. we are in wheat ridge, colorado but we ship all over the u.s. it’s amazing how many people, in all states, that cannot find lefse. we are not a store, people have to orer ahead, but we have a lage commercial kitchen in our home. we were just swamped at the holidays, but we are open all year long. please go on our website or call at 303-422-3394. thanks.
Hi Jennifer,
We had communicated, through email before, about your mom making lefse and me buying some. I cannot find the email but hopefully you still have my contact.
I’m almost certain that the supermarkets carry it right around Christmas, in the ‘gourmet’/'deli’ area. And there’s a gourmet store that used to be on the corner of Barnes and OroBlanco…then they moved down to the Southgate area…Par Avion? I think if you call them, they might have it around the holidays too.
Lefse is good…I was going to get to try lutefisk one time but the lady chickened out and didn’t bring it – oh well.
-Laura
http://www.tenthingsfarm.blogspot.com
My sister Jennifer (above) is right…our mom makes the BEST lefse (she just made some at Thanksgiving)! She also makes Sanbakkels and Krumkake too. She’s full blood Norwegian and retired…so she has time to bake! If you’re interested, I’ll email Carrie our contact info and she can pass it along to you. Merry Christmas! Or I should say, “God jul”!!!
Oh, I love Krumkake! My grandma used to make that too!
Par Avion is no longer at Southgate; Mollicas moved into that spot. I am not sure if Par Avion is even still in business….?
You may want to consider contacting the Sons of Norway. They put on a lot of Christmas events, so they might know where to get specialty Norwegian items. http://www.sonsofnorwaycs.com/
I would love to know more about a traditional Norwegian Christmas, though. I just married into a Norwegian family, and I know nothing about the culture! :)
I make lefse every year and it turns out quite well, if i do say so. ;) I found an easy recipe that is very forgiving. Let me know if you would like it and I can email it to you.
But I have seen lefsa at King Soopers. It is usually by the specialty cheeses by the deli. I have never bought it so I can’t vouch for the taste.
Have you ever had lutefisk? It is some scary stuff! LOL! I would personally go without that. Just kidding – kind of. That is one thing I have never looked for after my grandma passed away and we stopped having it at Christmas. Sorry I can’t help you on that one.
Lynne,
I was spoiled with my mom making lefse at Christmas and want to pass along the tradition to my kids. Is it easy to make? Where would I find the recipe? Besides King Soupers have you noted any other stores that would carry lefse?
You made me laugh with the lutefisk comment – I still gag thinking back of my dad trying to convince us it was good? That’s one tradition I will pass on.
Merry Christmas!
Kurt
Like Lynne said, King Soopers usually has lefse. If they don’t have it, ask them and they can order it. The brand they carry is Mrs. Olson’s. It’s pretty good.
better late than never but contact kings norsk products in wheatridge colorado at 303-422-3394. we ship all over the u.s. and are open all year round. “just like grama’s” lefse, lutefisk, primost, fresh lingonberries, many, many cookies. we are not a store, we have a large home commercial kitchen. people call ahead to order and they can pick up or have it shipped. try our website for a full menu of products. thanks.
Safeway also carries lefse – I think it is Mrs. Olson’s as well. Won’t compare to homemade, but warmed up with some butter and cinnamon and sugar it’s still pretty tasty. I’d love to have the info on getting some homemade lefse though!
Can Jennifer and Joanne email me their mom’s contact info too? Please?? I miss lefse so much and my son (age 6) is asking for it this year again. On the store-bought: Mrs. Olson’s isn’t very good, I don’t think – too thick. Freddy’s is good, but haven’t seen that anywhere here. Thank you!!
Amy, I emailed Carried our contact information to forward…Carrie, can you please send it to Amy as well?
Thanks!!
Joanna, did you get my reply? Unfortunately, for liability and privacy purposes, I can’t put people in contact with each other. You can post your email address here – either use a junk mail one or “jumble” your real one so spam bots don’t pick up on it – ie, myemailaddress (at) gmail (dot) com.
Carrie, I understand completely and it’s no problem. Amber and Amy can contact me directly at joanneludos@yahoo.com
Thanks again,
Joanne and Jennifer
They carry lefse at Safeway in Falcon.
Bev King in Denver makes Lefse with a large roller press. She catered our wedding and my Grandparent’s 50th anniversary two years later, both held at the Sons of Norway Hall in Denver; the buffet at both events featured lefse among other Scandinavian foods. In fact, my grandmother picked up up some large lefse rounds from her yesterday for our Santa Lucia family brunch today. Her website says you have to order five packs, but my grandmother bought just two from her and picked it up at her business (38th and Dover in Denver, CO). She’ll also ship UPS.
Kings Norsk Products
Bev King
3905 Dover St
Wheatridge, CO 80033
Phone: 303-422-3394
Fax: 303-422-1989
kongeogdronning@comcast.net
http://www.kingsnorsk.com/
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You might be able to get lutefisk in Ault, CO. My father-in-law has gotten it there before from someone who makes it. If I find out better info on that, I’ll post it.
RE: Lutefisk–
My father-in-law says he gets it at a place called Anderson’s Supermarket (or something like that) in Ault, CO. (We’ve had the joy of him experiementing with it to “make it taste better” including trying to fry it like hash-browns–YUCK!). He says the guy in Ault makes it himself and you can get it “done” or just the cod (dried) ready to put in the lye yourself…go figure. I can’t find an address online…but at least it’s a lead.
I also noticed Bev King lists lutefisk as a product on her website, so she might be another good lead.
Good luck (finding it and eating it!) LOL
I’ve seen lefse at King Soopers in the specialty cheeses area. My grandma used to make the best lefse… I’ve tried to make it myself once but it didn’t turn out very good at all. The stuff at the store probably wouldn’t be wonderful but it was at least the right thickness and seemed to have the right texture. :) good luck!
Okay you guys make this stuff sound so good I may have to try some. We always have the German tradition of Pfeffernusse Cookies. That would make an intresting post about different traditions at the holidays.
I would like to order lutefisk and lefse for my mother and sister who are Norwegian and lives in California. Can you tell me where I can purchase it. My mother and sister are ailing and I don’t know how many Christmases they will be with me and I would like to give them this gift for Christmas. Can you help me please!!
Thank you for your assistance.
Rose
A warning about the lefse at King Soopers and Safeway: It is not remotely close to what lefse is supposed to look and taste like. I am from Norway and lefse is a must for Christmas (that is the only time we eat it) but I would rather go without than eat the one at King Soopers so try to find somewhere else even if you have to have it shipped.
Grandrud’s lefse out of Montana sells and ships lefse. I have ordered it and it’s actually pretty good. I don’t have their website handy but I’m sure if you googled it you could find it pretty easy. You usually will have to place orders by late October or mid-November for Christmas. I would like to find a place in Denver that sell lutefisk. It is hard to get Lutefisk that isn’t mostly gel. You need good firm fish for it to be good.
This may a bit late for some of you but we are open year around and make Lefse and many other Norwegian “goodies” Please check our web site or call 303-422-3394 for more information. We also have fresh frozen Lingonberries that you can prepare or we prepare for you. Our lefse is sooooo thin it has only one side. We are Denver based and zoned as manufacturers — sorry we do not have a store front–place your order on the web or call us at 303-422-3393. When the order is ready you pick up at our location in Wheat Ridge. CO. If shipping you must order five packages. If you are picking up your minimum is one package. Hope to hear from you.
Beverly Johnson King—–KINGS NORSK PRODUCTS