Since I was headed to Minneapolis, my friend who grew up there, gave me a list of places to visit and of course, eat.
Ingebretsen’s is all things Scandinavian since 1921. I arrived on a Saturday morning and people were lined up at the meat counter. They bought big amounts of Swedish meatball mix and asked the butchers how much meat to serve for holiday dinners.
In a Mid-western politeness, they’d ask for pickled herring, bacon and ham. Rocky is one of the butchers and he scooped up meatball mix enough to feed a crowd. The products from Norway, Finland, Denmark and Sweden are so interesting and ever so delicious looking.
I asked which food items were popular besides the meatball mix and immediately was shown Lefse bread. Made of potatoes, flour and shortening, the thin sheets warmed with butter and then rolled up are a delicious snack. I found out they are popular with my friends, so I brought back many packages to share and they travel well. I ate my first one when I returned home and now I’m hooked. Thank goodness, Ingebretsen’s ships!
I then wandered into Ingebretsen’s Nordic Marketplace which is connected next door. Customers searched for traditional Scandinavian Christmas gifts for friends and family and didn’t stop until they found the perfect gift.
I just wish I could have brought home some meatball mix!
Ingebretsen’s
1601 E. Lake Street
Minneapolis, MN
www.Ingebretsens.com
