News
Caring for Your Parents: Traditions
By Lauren Maxwell
Bio | Email
ANCHORAGE - The holidays are a time when many of us think about traditions, and, if we are lucky enough to have an older relative in our lives, we can share those traditions together.
At Loyd Eggan’s house there is one holiday tradition that has become important to share. This time of year his kitchen is filled with family coming together to make a special Norwegian flatbread called Lefsa.
“To me Lefsa is the most important holiday food there is,” said Eggan. “I especially always think of my folks when we are making it.”
Eggan started making the holiday treat when he was a child, and said for him, the simple ingredients of mashed potatoes, butter, flour and salt belie the importance of the holiday tradition.
His recipe is the original, handed down from his mother, who taught him how to roll out the dough to the thinnest pancake, then cook it on a special griddle that fills the room with wonderful smells.
Eggan taught his own children the tradition when they were little, and then his grandchildren when they were only five or six years old.
13-year-old Conor said it isn’t easy to get the springy dough just right, but with years of practice, he’s become a pro.
“I’ve done it every time we’ve had it and it’s really fun,” he said.
Eggan’s extended family has gathered in his kitchen for years to make the holiday bread, and this year is no different. But for him they are making more than just a treat to share. They are also making memories, and maintaining a tradition that, hopefully, will live on.
If you would like to learn more about our series “Caring For Your Parents,” we invite you to test KTVAAGING to 28201.
