Lefse diplomacy: Using the power of food to bind families

With this holiday season following a hotly contested election, some Americans fear that political disagreements among family will boil over like a pot of poorly watched potatoes.

In North Dakota, where the Plains meet the prairie and the spirit of the old country lives on, the secret to peace at the family table may be found in prioritizing lefse over politics.

Norwegian immigrants began arriving in North Dakota in the 1870s. According to World Population Review, Norwegian Americans are predominantly concentrated in the Midwest, with North Dakota having the highest percentage of Norwegian ancestry at 22.5%.

A taste of home

A cultural staple made of humble ingredients like potatoes and flour, lefse is a symbol of Norwegian heritage and community identity.

Lefse is more than a potato pancake; it represents a legacy of rolling, cooking and flipping passed down through generations like a family heirloom. This year, if holiday dinner table tensions threaten to bubble over, consider borrowing some wisdom from two extraordinary women who have recognized the power of food to bind families together. Let’s call it Lefse Diplomacy.

Dora Rolfstad, 103, of Williston, continues to infuse warmth and tradition in every round of lefse she makes. Betty Mae Johnson of Parshall who died in January 2024 at 99, was a matriarch whose family recipe remains a cherished legacy. Together, their stories remind us that, even amidst political disagreements and family debates at the holiday dinner table, tradition and kindness can keep us united.

Dora Rolfstad: A century of rolling

Born in 1921, Dora Rolfstad is the second youngest of 11 children raised on a farm near Epping by Norwegian immigrant parents.

Over the years, Rofstad has taught her children and grandchildren to roll lefse, eventually passing her prized lefse roller to her grandson, Mikal, whom she deemed the “thinnest roller of them all.”

“Mom worked hard her entire life,” said her daughter Bekki Larson, “from making bread as a teenager for custom combining crews to rolling hundreds of sheets of lefse for family gatherings. She tells us that her secret to a long life is hard work, God, and family.”

As a child, when her family rolled lutefisk (dried cod) into their lefse, Dora discreetly swapped the fish for butter and sugar – a sweet rebellion that lives on in Rolfstad family lore.

Betty Mae Johnson (1928-2023): Innovation meets tradition

If lefse is a North Dakota staple, Betty Mae Johnson elevated it to an art form. Johnson began making lefse in the 1960s for her husband, Carl. With her neighbor, she worked tirelessly to perfect a unique recipe featuring sour cream – a departure from the traditional cream-based recipes.

Johnson’s daughter, Karen Johner, owned Karen’s Sweet Tooth bakery in Parshall in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

“Mom made batch after batch until she got it just right,” she said.

Together, the mother-daughter team, known as the best bakers in Montrail County, produced lefse that was sold across the country, including at the Norsk Høstfest in Minot, one of the largest Scandinavian festivals in North America.

Up until her passing at 99, Johnson was still rolling lefse. Her sour cream lefse recipe had been kept a family secret until now.

“Since Mom is now gone, I think this is a recipe that should be out there for others to discover.”

Lefse diplomacy: Wisdom from the women who rolled before us

As these women’s lives and legacies demonstrate, lefse is about more than potatoes – it’s about family, heritage, and finding common ground. This holiday season, consider adopting “Lefse Diplomacy” to navigate family dynamics:

Former North Dakota Counselor of the Year, Nancy Sprynczynatyk, suggests some ingredients for preparing a successful and stress-free family holiday.

“Decide ahead of time that family relationships, love, and kindness are more important than being right or wrong,” she said. “Set your ‘recipe’ for a peaceful gathering by avoiding volatile topics and focusing on shared memories and laughter.”

Debora Dragseth is the Baker Boy Professor of Leadership at Dickinson State University. She is a national award-winning journalist, published poet, artist and photographer. She was the 2019-2020 faculty representative on the State Board of Higher Education.