Shelby and I were home Friday night, it was dark, it was December, it was time to make lefse. So we invited some neighbors (where we live, this is a very broad term), and had an impromptu lefse making party.

The ricing of the potatoes is really a road block for me—so when our friend Stephen gave us a paper plate full (beginning of November), and he said that he used instant potatoes, I was much more inspired. Stephen has earned expert status–in addition to starting in November, he helped the Lutheran women with the lefse production at church. That’ll do it.

Of course we invited his family—he brings his own grill, rolling pin, prepared dough. Their dough was perfect. I figure mine might have been more authentic, because my Norwegian ancestors had to be resourceful and may not have always had the perfect ratios for the recipe. If they had used the industrial gourmet instant potatoes in little balls instead of flakes, they would have had to keep adding milk and butter and use the puree wand to get rid of the little powdery balls in the mix. Then, enough flour to facilitate the rolling.

The Ahrendt grill didn’t produce the perfect lefse, but it was warm and fresh and we had butter and sugar, and I heard no complaints. At any rate, it was a perfect way to spend a very chilly evening.