Family Heirloom

We think this lefse stick ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lefse) has been in the Wigen family for around 100 years. It is used throughout the Christmas season by various Wigen families to stock up on one of their favorite holiday treats, tynnlefse (thin lefse) filled with butter and white sugar.
(Please view magnified to see the detail painted on the handle.)

[katy]

Did you make the lefse? It sounds good and I love the photo. A wonderful antique to be in possession of.

[Marilyn Wigen]

I did not participate in any lefse making this year. And we only have the stick because Marvin had to re-repair it. It gets passed around with the lefse iron, but I think Mary Ann usually keeps it at her house... she is the most organized with the best storage! :)

[katy]

@marilyn I almost didn't get this because you didn't hit reply. Is that lefse on the plate?

[Harry J Benson]

It is a treat I haven't had in years (my great-grandmother was a Knudtsdatter)

[Marilyn Wigen]

@grammyn Yes... it's lefse.

[Marilyn Wigen]

@hjbenson I have to say I am not the biggest lefse fan, though I love to eat the "leftover" edges when we make it... still a little warm and frreshly buttered and sugared... MMMM!

[Peter de Graaff]

I haven't quite figured out what the stick is for. Is it used like a rolling pin? Christmas has so many wonderful traditions across so many cultures. Lovely photo

[katy]

@marilyn So........who made it?

[Marilyn Wigen]

@peterdegraaff The stick is used to lift the lefse rounds off the hot grill/griddle both to turn it over and when they are done. There is a real art to "lefse-lifting" and it takes some practice to be able to do it without tearing or dropping the freshly cooked lefse. :)

[Marilyn Wigen]

@grammyn Unfortunately, no one knows for sure exactly who started out with it or how they acquired it. Back in "the day" things like that weren't considered important... you had a lefse stick and/or a lefse griddle and/or a lefse rolling pin and you just used it and passed it along to the next generation when they were ready to start being the lefse makers in the family.

[katy]

@marilyn Silly girl, who made the lefse on the plate?!

[Marilyn Wigen]

@grammyn Oh... they had a lefse-making day at church this week and sold it to help send three of our youth to a national conference this summer, so those were ones we bought at church yesterday. Marvin did help with it, so he may have had a hand in those pieces, but they were a group effort... as most lefse actually is. :)

[katy]

@marilyn Thanks! ;.}

[Rach_who]

What a lovely heirloom to have and it is wonderful that it is still being used.

[Marilyn Wigen]

@rach_who Thanks... :)

[Lennon's Mom]

Such a beautiful stick Marillyn! I've never had the pleasure of trying this food....do you like yours sweet or savory?

[Marilyn Wigen]

@heidievans73 Thanks... I have only had it sweet, but I imagine they would be good with whatever as they don't have too much flavor of their own and sort of take on the flavor of whatever you fill them with.