I'm going to do a series of posts about terms, foods, and objects I had either never heard of or knew nothing about prior to moving to North Dakota. Here's the first few:
Uff da ~ All purpose expression of Norwegian origin. Can be used as a substitute for any number of words that I am no longer allowed to say because my son will repeat them at school.
Round bacon ~ Also known as cottage bacon. The only bacon I'd ever known as "bacon" is the super-fatty strips of stuff that comes in plastic packages in the grocery store. That bacon comes from pork belly. I discovered round bacon at my local butcher shop. Round bacon is made from pork shoulder and is far more lean. It is not the same thing as Canadian bacon, despite our proximity to the border. Round bacon is what ham slices wish they could be. It's like the other bacon, but better, because it's easier to cook, slightly healthier, and is perfectly sized for BLT sandwiches
Buffalo berries ~ According to Lewis and Clark: "A berry resembling a currant except double the size" with fruit that was "deliciously flavored and makes delightful tarts". I have not had the pleasure of eating Buffalo berries fresh, but I have tasted jam and wine made from this fruit.
Choke cherries ~ Choke cherry is the official fruit of North Dakota (as of 2007)! I think I might have heard of these before, but I'd never tasted them. I had the, ahem, opportunity to taste a "ripe" chokecherry right off of the bush last summer. It was sweet, but then it lived up to its name. It was the most astringent thing I have ever put in my mouth and the pucker response in my throat made it feel like my throat was closing off. Hence the "choke" part of the name. It was worth the experience for sure, but in the future I'll stick to things like chokecherry wine, syrup, and jam.
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