Sons of Norway to host first 'Norwegian Waffle and Egg-Coffee Breakfast' on Saturday
Oct. 4—GRAND FORKS — The Gyda Varden Sons of Norway Lodge is hosting its first Norwegian Waffle and Egg-Coffee Breakfast beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 8.
The main feature will be the famous Norwegian heart-shaped waffle, or "vaffler," which will be served with either sweet or savory toppings, according to tradition.
Breakfast will be served until 11 a.m. "or until we run out of waffles," said Marianne Oyerhavn Knudson, lodge president.
"This is a New Member event, which means that potential new members will get their waffle breakfast free," she said, "however, joining the lodge is not a requirement for joining us at the breakfast."
Each breakfast platter is $10 for members.
The Norwegian heart-shaped waffle is topped with either brown cheese, sour cream and strawberry jam, or whipped cream and strawberry jam, said Knudson, a native of Norway. It will be served with two pieces of bacon, scrambled eggs, egg-coffee and orange juice.
"Norwegian waffles are immensely popular in Norway," Knudson said. "Pretty much everyone has a waffle iron. When you move from your parents' house, you usually get a waffle iron pretty soon after. ... I don't know anyone who doesn't have a waffle iron."
"You can have all kinds of toppings on Norwegian waffles — and brown cheese, sour cream and strawberry jam, or whipped cream and strawberry jam are some of the more popular ones," she said. "The toppings can, however, be both sweet and savory."
Her personal favorite topping is "Norwegian Gouda, or Havarti over here," she said.
Norwegian waffles, a staple of Norwegian cuisine, are not like Belgian waffles, Knudson said. "If you haven't tried the Norwegian waffle before, you are in for a treat."
"It's something that everybody eats at home" in Norway, she said.
The waffles are made from "a pretty basic recipe that includes a little bit of cardamom," she said. "They are not crispy; they're soft," and are not made with yeast.
The design of the waffle, featuring five heart-shapes, adds to its appeal.
In the Sons of Norway kitchen, Knudson will likely be making the waffles with Therese Hugg, a native of Norway who lives in Grand Forks, she said. "We have 23 volunteers to take care of everything for this event. We are prepared for quite a few guests. We expect people will be coming and going while we are open."
Norwegian egg-coffee is often served after church services in rural North Dakota, she said. "The egg is used to bind the coffee grounds and does not add taste to the coffee but, instead, apparently, makes the coffee taste very smooth."
Saturday's event will also feature speakers who will talk about the benefits of joining Sons of Norway. Benefits include financial products, fraternal programs, scholarships, grants and lodge activities, Knudson said.
The Gyda Varden Sons of Norway Lodge is at 1401 Ninth Ave. S. For more information, call the lodge at (701) 772-9963.
