An Anniversary Hike and Swedish Meatballs with Hot Buttered Noodles

There is a place, not too far from the Farm where a fire burns just behind a wall of water, cascading down before it. The Farmer’s Wife had heard of this place many times, but had never been there to see it for herself.

Isn’t that always the case with places in our own Neighborhood?

Well, it had finally been enough. Enough hearing about it, enough not going. So, on the day of their Anniversary when the Farmer asked what-should-we-do, his Wife answered go-see-the-flame.

Of course, that meant all of them: the Farmer and his Wife, Mikaela (who is home from college for a bit), Hannah, and Jacob. All don hats and mittens, boots and jackets and head out of doors to see this thing they have heard so much about.

Now, the Farmer read that the way was treacherous. His Wife had heard the same, but more along the lines of strenuous. Being who and what she is, that’s the version she went with.

Until they got about an eighth mile into the hike, where a wall of ice and snow met them, ending in a winding stream, far below. His Wife frowned. “Is that the way?” she asked.

A trail marker about half-way down indicated it was. Jacob raced past, sliding from tree to tree, gripping each for balance. Mikaela took a more gingerly route, carefully stepping on any exposed rocks, as she also, braced onto the trees. She may have fallen a time or two, but still, she made it. The Farmer’s Wife began, but feeling her feet slipping, and seeing the packed snow and ice, decided to make some lemonade out of the situation. She sat on her bottom and slid all the way down. Hannah must’ve decided it looked like a bit of fun, if not the better alternative, and slid down as well. She may have squealed a bit on her way, though. Most undignified, if you ask me. The Farmer followed silently behind, ready and willing to assist where any assistance was needed.

Once at the bottom, the creek was followed, winding here and there as it was. It ended at a falls with an exposed ledge. Tucked in that ledge, somehow, was a flame licking along the rocks. Where that flame came from and how it stayed lit, no one knows. Although the Farmer began spouting off some stuff about a natural gas leak and someone at sometime setting it alight.

After a few pictures were taken and the cold remembered, all turned to head back, only then remembering that hill of ice. Somehow the Farmer’s Wife suspected going up may and might be a skoash more difficult than sliding down.

Rest assured; it was.

Now that the Family was home, it felt like a good time to have the Swedish Meatballs and Hot Buttered Noodles that had been waiting for them. Hannah had suggested having them in the woods in the way of a picnic, as they do all the Summer long, but her Mother advised against it. She suspected, if not knew, the family would have quite enough of the Outside by the time the hike was done.

That is why she prepared it ahead of time. And this is how it’s done:

A pound of ground pork is placed in a bowl, topped with a half cup breadcrumbs and an egg. To this is added a half teaspoon salt and a half teaspoon pepper, along with a tablespoon freshly and finely chopped sage. On occasion (and this was one of those) the Farmer’s Wife adds a bit of beef base (a tablespoon) to the mix. This all gets stirred and mashed together with your hands and with those same hands rolled into balls, about two tablespoons worth each. The balls get placed on a cookie-sheet-pan and baked in a three-hundred-degree oven for twenty-five minutes, or until they start sizzling. While they’re cooking, the sauce is made.

The Sauce:

A quarter cup lard is added to a frying pan and placed on the heat and let to melt. Once it does, a quarter cup flour is stirred in and allowed to cook for a minute or two. Once it has, two cups of beef stock (preferably homemade and preferably of the bone-variety) is added and stirred in. This is continually stirred until it thickens and boils. At which time a cup of sour cream is added and stirred. The whole thing is tasted, and salt and pepper is added, if needed. The meatballs, once done, are added to the sauce. The whole thing may be kept in a Crock-pot to await your arrival back from a strenuous or treacherous hike—whichever you prefer to call it.

To serve, you may make your own noodles or buy the pre-packaged kind and cook according to the directions on the bag. (If you make your own, feel free to follow your recipe, or the Farmer’s Wife’s. Here are the links for a couple varieties: https://thefarmerandhiswife.org/2020/11/20/farm-kitchen-goulash/ , https://thefarmerandhiswife.org/2020/10/20/oktoberfest-on-the-farm/ )Once they’re tender, toss in butter, to keep them from sticking. That’s right. Butter makes everything better.

Give each person a good helping of noodles, and ladle the meatballs and sauce over all. Serve a dollop of cranberry sauce alongside. Actually, to be correct, it needs to be lingonberry, but they’re a bugger to find outside of Sweden. And if you do so happen to find them, you’ll also find that they taste just like a cranberry. So that’s what the Farmer’s Wife uses.

Enjoy!