At North House, learning is a craft

The focus at North House Folk School is on the crafts and arts of northern people, whether they're Ojibwe or Norwegian. Classes last from several hours to several weeks, depending on the size and complexity of the project.

By Chris Welsch, Star Tribune

Last update: December 4, 2007 - 2:14 PM

People need shelter, clothing, tools, transportation and food to survive. Accordingly, there are classes that fit each of those categories. A well-rounded North House graduate could build a log cabin or timber-frame home, make her own anorak, fur hat, knit sweater and snowshoes, forge and sharpen her own knife, weave her own baskets, throw her own ceramic pots, build and sail her own boat. She could adorn herself with handmade jewelry, take her own photos and write her own songs.

"Our mission is enriching lives and building community," said director Greg Wright. "Our tool to achieve that goal is craft, whatever form it takes."

Classes and tuition

Class costs vary widely: The four-hour sausage class was a bargain at $35 plus $10 for ingredients. (A parent and child together can take the class for $45). The Build Your Own Cedar-Strip Canoe or Kayak, which lasts 11 days, costs $3,200 per boat. To see the full course catalog, go online to www.northhouse.org or call 1-888-387-9762.

A sausage epilogue

Each of the 13 students in Craig and Dianne Peterson's class walked away with about 6 pounds of sausage and a degree in "sausage-ology." I boiled and grilled my sausage and served it with two variations of creamed peas for Christmas Eve dinner. It was a big hit. The potatoes give parakarf (the Swedish term for it) a smooth, firm consistency and lightness; it's lower in fat than some traditional sausages.

I made one batch of creamed peas according to my Norwegian mother's advice, with butter, flour and milk mixed in a saucepan. I made a second batch improvised from a Deep South recipe, which started with a big pile of bacon and onions in a skillet. To that I added sour cream, milk and flour and, in my own variation, portobello mushrooms; that sauce proved more popular than the blander and healthier Scandinavian version.

The next Swedish potato sausage-making class at North House is May 13.

Grand Marais

A big reason for the success of North House is the appeal of Grand Marais as a destination. Other than Duluth, there is no better-sited city in the state. The town, with a year-round population of about 1,400, is arrayed around a tidy natural harbor with the Sawtooth Mountains as one backdrop and Lake Superior as the other.

North House does not provide lodging, but there are several hotels and bed-and-breakfasts nearby, and a trio of very good restaurants within shouting distance. The Angry Trout, with organic salads, vegetables and fresh fish, has been a favorite for years. Chez Jude and the Crooked Spoon are two newer gourmet entries that are drawing good reviews.

My favorite place to stay near Grand Marais is Pincushion Mountain Bed and Breakfast, which has a beautiful network of cross-country ski trails. It's up the Gunflint Trail, just on the first ridge of the Sawtooth Mountains, giving the rooms on the Lake Superior side some of the best views in the state. www.grandmarais.com or call 1-888-922-5000.

Chris Welsch • cwelsch@startribune.com

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