WotD #9 - Rødgrød

As it turns out, in the quest to find a Danish word of the day, I learned a new English / Hebrew word. Shibboleth.

A shibboleth is a word, sound, or custom that a person unfamiliar with its significance may not pronounce or perform correctly relative to those who are familiar with it. It is used to identify foreigners or those who do not belong to a particular class or group of people. It also refers to features of language, and particularly to a word or phrase whose pronunciation identifies a speaker as belonging to a particular group.

For our Boston folks, I'm not sure if the grasshopper atop Faneuil Hall counts as a shibboleth. Emily and I were told on a freedom trail walking tour - perhaps spuriously - that a common revolutionary era Boston test to determine one's Boston-ness was to ask "what's on top of Faneuil Hall?". Well, it's this.

Who knows if it's true, but it makes for a good story. One that I've told others as fact.

Anyway, on to the Rødgrød. It's hard to pronounce. That's step one.

I think the day that I pronounce this correctly will be the day I can say "I understand Danish". To be exact, the dish is "Rødgrød med fløde" or with cream. 

Preparations vary, but the common ingredients are a mix of red / black summer berries / black cherries cooked briefly with sugar and then thickened / gelatinized with with a starch, usually potato starch.

It is served hot or cold as a dessert and paired with milk, cream, whipped cream, etc.