SILVANA Menfolk are increasing in numbers at the Peace Lutheran Churchs annual lefse making sessions.
I do what I have to do, said Jim Wood, who learned the technique of mixing lefse dough from his mentor, Scott Stenson. Together they comprise the official dough-mixing team. There are also potato-masher and potato-ricer teams, rolling teams (mostly women) and lefse grilling teams, who get to carry a big stick. Retired pastor Jerry Hefty works with his wife, Donna, on that job.
The contents of the dough vary, because it depends on the temperature, Stenson said he learned to make lefse from his mother who now lives at Merrill Gardens in Stanwood.
A team of 30 helpers spent three days making 300 packages of four pieces of lefse each pack to sell at the upcoming Early Country Christmas Bazaar which is this Saturday, Nov. 4 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The lefse sells for $4 per package.
They used 225 pounds of potatoes, 100 pounds of flour, 25 pounds of butter and three gallons of half-and-half.
About 12 people helped prep on Monday and 37 people attended Tuesday and Wednesday when production was in full force, said the coordinator of the annual project, Mary Fuentes. She has been lead on lefse making four years now, with assistance from Christa (Stangland) Carrus, who is also her best friend.
The three hundred packages go fast, Fuentes said. But there are plenty of other things for sale for the holiday season, including other Scandinavian treats like rommegrot, fatiman, flat bread and rosettes. The bazaar includes the Harvest Room with some garden produce and jams, jellies and famous dill pickles by Ruth Schei.
Used treasures and crafts are also for sale, and lunch is served, including corn chowder, cabbage patch soup, chicken salad sandwiches, and pie, of course.
Peace Lutheran Church is located at 1717 Larson Road, just west of downtown Silvana, four miles west of I-5 exit
No. 208 at Island Crossing.