Both North Dakota and South Dakota have implemented the classic Norweigan flatbread dish into their culinary cultures, but South Dakota is taking the crown as its state's go-to dish. With potato crops being prevalent in the region, Norweigan immigrants would make mass amounts of the lefse as a reminder of their home country. The famous flatbread became widely popular with the native South Dakotans and different variations of the flatbread were born throughout the state.
Lefse is made using potatoes as a base, flour, butter, and milk/cream and cooked on a large griddle. Specific tools like large wooden turning sticks and rolling pin with deep grooves are essential to perfecting the bread that is often rolled up and served as is. While lefse is often served during the holiday season, it also is eaten during every meal, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Scandinavian elders have single-handedly provided the state of South Dakota with a dish that is now apart of its own culture.
Chefs made their way into celebrity land a while ago. But how many celebrities that weren’t trained as professional cooks are actually whizzes in the kitchen? Here are several that come to mind.
Actress Julia Roberts is confident about her cooking skills. “I’m quite a good cook,” she told E! News. “I’m like a closet home ec teacher…I can really cook anything.” Roberts has said she often cooks fish for herself and her kids. And speaking of her three children, “They think that I’m a good cook,” Roberts told People. “They actually told me that I should open a restaurant.” She also relishes cooking for the holidays, particularly shredded Brussel sprouts. Roberts hasn’t published a cookbook, but we did find recipes attributed to her for peach crisp and banana hemp muffins. Or you can make the same summer salad the actress supposedly eats.
Chrissy Teigen started off as a supermodel. Then her love of cooking filtered into her professional life too. At this point, she’s created recipes for a limited Blue Apron release and also just launched her own home and cooking line at Target named “Cravings,” after the two cookbooks she’s released. Teigen describes cooking as “a time of peace” for herself. So maybe peace out to her tuna melt sandwich or the fried chicken wings that are a favorite of her husband, John Legend.
Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, comes from a cooking Italian family. Her father started his own restaurant in New York and also published a cookbook. And apparently, Lady Gaga has inherited the family’s cooking genes. Her Instagram account occasionally features photos of her culinary activities. Sure, sometimes it’s topless cooking. But other times it’s more poignant like in the post she shared about her bringing food to the family of her dear friend who passed away. Want to try a Gaga/Germanotta family favorite? Check out her recipe for whole wheat pasta with a sweet fennel sauce.