Mickey and Marv Slind Interview
Marv Slind
Mickey Slind
It is Steamed Pudding, and I don't know if you have tried it when you have visited MN at Christmas time. I always make it for family gatherings are Christmas. I first got the recipe from a friend in December 1966. I met Judy at the Law Wives Club when my first husband (Keith) was in law school. This was a group of women which was formed to support all of us while our husbands were working full time and going to law school at night. Judy was from the far north in MN - International Falls - and, like me, did not have any friends in St. Paul. She had a son the same age as your Aunt Angie, and we would get together so the children could play together. Around Christmas of that year, she invited our little family to join her and her law student husband for a holiday dinner, and she served Steamed Pudding, which I had never eaten before. It is a very old recipe that goes back to early America and beyond - back into Medieval Times in England. Back in the '60's and early '70's, it was a very labor intensive dessert to make because after you made the batter, you would put it into a 3 lb coffee tin (no longer made) and put it on a rack in a big kettle and "steam" in for 3 hours. Thus, the name - Steamed Pudding. The rolling boil of the water produced the very hot steam that "baked" the pudding in the kettle. Then, miracle of miracles - the microwave oven was invented. When we got our first one, I wondered if I could convert the tedious method of making Steamed Pudding and "steam" it in the microwave instead of for hours in a kettle on the top of the stove. My experiment worked perfectly. I make it every year for Christmas, and always give any leftovers to your Uncle Matt who could eat an entire pudding by himself, if allowed to do so! I absolutely love it, and I have been making it every Christmas now since 1966!
Marv Slind's Favourite Recipe:
Vafler (Norwegian Waffles)
(from my mother, Magna Walli Slind)
5 eggs
½ cup sugar; ½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cardamom or 1 teaspoon vanilla (I use vanilla)
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup UNSALTED butter (soften/melt beforehand)
mix together thoroughly.
Traditionally, these are cooked on a waffle iron with heart-shaped segments, but you can use a “regular” waffle iron if necessary (but I don’t think a Belgian waffle iron would work too well)
With our heart-shaped waffle iron, I use approximately ½ cup of mix per waffle, and cook approximately 2 minutes.
These are traditionally served with either jam or brown cheese (Norwegian Geitost – goat cheese—available at Fareway in Decorah). (Norwegians usually use raspberry or strawberry jam with Vafler, but other fruits go well., too.) With jam, Norwegians also use a dollop of rømme, which is essentially the Norwegian version of crème fraiche. We usually just use sour cream, but Mexican crema is a close approximation to rømme, too (though it has a runnier consistency).
I grew up eating these at all family gatherings, parties, holidays, and special events. I fell in love with them the first time I ate them at his mother's house way back when. After Mickey and I were married, we bought our own heart-shaped waffle iron so we could make them too. We have always used my mother's recipe. It is an old and very popular Norwegian treat. They are available all summer long all over Norway from outdoor kiosks where they will make them to order. Every time we have taken a ferry in Norway (they are part of the vast Norwegian transportation system), we always head to the cafe as soon as we park the car down below in the hold, and we have a treat of coffee and freshly made waffles. Norwegians travel on waffles and coffee! After my wife died in 1989, to help him get through the first Christmas without her, I decided to host a small party in honor of the Winter Solstice and served all of my favorite traditional Norwegian foods. After we were married, I also became a part of this tradition, and because Mickey knew absolutely nothing about Norwegian history, culture, and cuisine, she learned quickly. Once when we lived in Idaho and once after we had moved to Iowa. We would always have about 60 people and it was a huge fun party. We continued to host it every year until 2010. We still miss giving it, but I had hosted it for 21 years, and all good things eventually have to come to an end. Even if the party no longer exists, we still make the waffles year-round for special occasions.
Marv and Mickey's Favourite Song: Jimmy Buffett - Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude
Our favorite song (and performing pop artist) Is Changes in Latitude, Changes in Attitude by Jimmy Buffett. When you read the lyrics below, you will know why. Grandpa and I have always loved to travel - all of our lives. We are constantly seeking new places, new ideas, new experiences - and this song seems to sum up how we feel about life. Grandpa is a real "parrothead" (Buffett follower) and has been since the '70's. He introduced me to Buffett's music after we were married and I love it too. We've been to a number of his live concerts, and always have a wonderful time. He appeals to old and young, and the stands are full of people all the way from kids to seniors, all singing along and enjoying the music. I've included a link to an older concert when Buffett was younger that really gives you the feel of the song and his music. There are a couple of lines that have always reached out to us and I've highlighted them in blue.
Lyrics:
I took off for a weekend last month
Just to try and recall the whole year
All of the faces and all of the places
Wonderin' where they all disappeared
I didn't ponder the question too long
I was hungry and went out for a bite
Ran into a chum with a bottle of rum
And we wound up drinkin all night
It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
Reading departure signs in some big airport
Reminds me of the places I've been
Visions of good times that brought so much pleasure
Makes me want to go back again
If it suddenly ended tomorrow
I could somehow adjust to the fall
Good times and riches and son of a bitches
I've seen more than I can recall
It's these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
Through all of the islands and all of the highlands
If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
I think about Paris when I'm high on red wine
I wish I could jump on a plane
So many nights I just dream of the ocean
God I wish I was sailin' again
Oh, yesterday's over my shoulder
So I can't look back for too long
There's just too much to see waiting in front of me
And I know that I just can't go wrong
With these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains quite the same
With all of my running and all of my cunning
If I couldn't laugh I just would go insane
If we couldn't laugh we just would go insane
If we weren't all crazy we would go insane