Strawberry - A Shanghai Girl in America Ch. 04

Jello salad: Hair so standing on end when I first encountering Jello salad in Minneapolis. I so startled. So asking "is this food?" Jello salad is made with flavored gelatin, fruit, and sometimes grated carrots or more rarely, other vegetables. Other ingredients may include cottage cheese, cream cheese, marshmallows, nuts, or pretzels. These salads were popular in the 1960s and for some reason have survived in Minnesota (although it's not exclusive to there). It's (usually) what people in Minnesota mean when they say they'll bring "the salad" to your potluck (I found that out too). Once you get past the psychological shock, it's kind of not bad. If you like vegetable jello.

Frozen custard: "What IS Frozen Custard, anyway?" Well, ice cream is simply a base of cream, milk and sugar. What makes ice cream into "frozen custard" is the addition of egg yolk to this base. Also, when ice cream is made, air is whipped INTO it. When custard is made, air is whipped OUT of it, which gives frozen custard the smooth, velvety rich texture that makes a frozen custard-believer out of even the most die-hard ice cream fans. True frozen custard is a very dense dessert. Soft serve ice creams may have an overrun as large as 100%, meaning half of the final product is composed of air. Frozen custard, when made in a proper continuous freezer will have an overrun of 15–30% depending on the machine manufacturer (an overrun percentage similar to gelato). Air is not pumped into the mix, nor is it added as an "ingredient" but gets into the frozen state through the agitation of liquid similar to whisking a meringue. The high percentage of butterfat and egg yolk gives frozen custard a thick, creamy texture and a much smoother consistency than ice cream. Frozen custard is usually prepared fresh at the place of sale, rather than stored. I've only ever seen it in Kansas and Minnesota myself and okay, I love it. L.O.V.E. Yup!

Kransekake: Another Scandinavian recipe that's big in Minnesota. Made with almonds, egg white and sugar. Quite nice but not something I'd personally go out of my way to chase down and eat.

Lefse: A traditional soft Norwegian flatbread. Made with leftover potatoes, flour, butter, and milk or cream. Cooked on a griddle. Many Scandinavian-Americans eat lefse primarily around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Family members often gather to cook lefse as a group effort because the process is more enjoyable as a traditional holiday activity. Apparently. All sorts of ways to eat it.

* * *

Okay, so ending additional notes. So interesting doing research. So stopping now. So good of you to be reading all this, so thanking you dear reader so very much. So admiring continued interest of reader in so excellent story by so dedicated hard working beautiful charming young author. So instructing you to hit five star rating button next. So smiling seeing those five star ratings. So happy the author.

So laughing at own silliness...Seriously now, don't take me seriously. Rate it however you think. And thanks a million for reading all the way... Chloe

* * *