I will be spending Thanksgiving with my son in beautiful Decorah, Iowa. In this season of glutinous overeating, Decorah has several gastronomic delights worth importing to Augusta Georgia. (If I use the word importing, then it makes this an economic column, right?!?!)
- Decorah, and much of the upper mid-west, was settled by Scandinavian immigrants and that culture is still strong. One of the best legacies is Lefsa, a traditional flatbread made with potatoes. It can be used as naan bread for curries, a wrap for hotdogs, or like a tortilla for burritos. The Landing Market in Decorah wraps it around some baked salmon and adds lingonberry sauce for a Norwegian taco – delicious!
- Toppling Goliath Beer. Decorah is home to two breweries and one cidery, for a population of 8,000. Toppling Goliath is the largest brewer and has a good distribution deal. Pick up a four-pack at Toast on Furys Ferry Road this Thanksgiving.
- Cheese Curds. My family is not a big cheese-eating group, but we love cheese curds. Being close to Wisconsin, it is almost required to be a cheese eater in Decorah. Toppling Goliath does a good order, closer to home, I enjoyed a very good cheese curd appetizer with sriracha dipping sauce at Abel Brown in the Surrey Center.
Happy Thanksgiving to you all, wherever you are.
