Is there really a product called "Lutefisk Aquavit"? I Googled it and got no hits.

If there is such a concoction, it should be banned!

:-(

LOL! Yes, there is, but it's not lutefisk flavoured! It is meant to be drunk with lutefisk. I was tempted to buy a bottle at the Oslo Gardermoen Airport, but chickened out in the end. As a child growing up in Wisconsin, I acquired a taste for lutefisk, but was never allowed the akvavit. :-D

Thank GOODNESS! I pictured an Aquavit bottle filled with a semi-gelatinous mixture of lutefisk, diluted with alcohol.

Shudder!

The only way I could get my second helping of lutefisk down (I had my first at the home of a Norwegian neighbor on one unforgettable Xmas dinner) would be to drink a whole bottle of the aquavit first.

:-)

The alcohol is probably the best idea. Would not do any kind of food unless you really know the people well. Especially cheeses and chocolates! Brownies or chocolate chip cookies though are usually quite well accepted. If your town has calendars with photos that might be nice.

I have been amazed at some of these ideas on here. Fishing line? Velveeta cheese? American chocolate? Jeans? Cranberries? This is Norway for goodness sakes and the war has been over for quite a while. As a gift, think of giving something classy.

"I would bring fudge. It doesn't exist in Europe"

?!?!? I don't know about Norway, admittedly, but it is extremely common in Britain.

I consulted a genuine Norwegian.
It said that it's difficult if you don't know the family's tastes.
He personally would like a good single malt, but he said that a good cognac from the airport would be very welcome.
Also, if you come from a picturesque part of the US, a coffee table book of photographs would be nice.

Whoops, he's a he not an it ;-)

I have a lot more class than you do as I would never insult people the way you just did.

I said Europe Caroline, not the UK.

The UK is in Europe.

Well over here in Europe we don't think so. You don't even have the Euro.

"You don't even have the Euro."

Most European countries don't

You really have to live in the Eurozone to be so insular as to confuse it with Europe

The whole point was about fudge, which you can't find here in Switzerland, France, Germany, Italy or Austria. And I got some snippy response expressing surprise because you can get it in UK. Sorry, but I am not taking a train to the UK for fudge.

Fantastic :-0 are you saying that mainland europe has a fudge drought?

Too good, anyway I've tasted fudge in France and Holland.

So back to the point, its booze. Every Norweigan I've worked with and visited looks for a brown liquid with a screw top in your hand as you arrive. Stuff is nice but have you not seen "The Seagull"

No question but that the winner is liquor. Not bourbon, which most Europeans aren't very fond of, but either scotch/cognac or an expensive liqueur (everyone likes an after dinner drink -- Grand Marnier, etc.). Make sure you get the max allowable ... champagne for New Year's or Christmas would work for the wine allotment (as long as it's not sweet).

Cheese, chocolates, etc -- not so much unless you're an expatriate in the throes of withdrawal.

Scandianvians are usually fascinated with the Amish. A good photo book might work (even if it's not Wisconsin).

And don't forget to throw in a few "Aging Hippie for Obama" or similar buttons/t-shirts.

You don't have to take a train to buy fudge.
There's this new-fangled contraption called the Internet.
Go to http://www.fudgekitchen.co.uk/
and get your fudge posted to you.

Don't tell my mother but that looks like it might be better than hers! Thanks for the tip!