Williston ND has a Lutefisk feed coming up soon at the First Lutheran Church. People travel from Norway to eat Lutefisk there. I will say I tried it once. Not to my uncultured taste. I was burping that fish smell for days...even after chasing the lutefisk with a dozen large meatballs.
From what I understand of the lutefisk preservation process, any fat in the fish would be converted to soap. That cannot possibly taste good.
I had the opportunity to ask a visiting Norwegian about lutefisk. His reaction was priceless—you dry it and dump it in ashes, what kind of way is that to treat good fish? (said with much emotion).
My husband’s great grandmother was Norwegian. Apparently, his family’s gatherings used to feature lutefisk. Members of his family said it’s an acquired taste. I don’t know, since by the time I met him, great grandma was no longer preparing lutefisk.