The Hilltop Restaurant in L'Anse, one of our Pasty Cam sponsors, lays claim to bakery that's bigger than life, from the cookies you can wrap a child around, to their breads and muffins. This tiny sweet roll eater was caught on film by Mark Pontti. We'll have to check with Mark to see if the little tyke was able to finish the whole thing off! Sure is making my stomach growl.

Editor's note: Pasty Cam apologizes for any diets this photo has sabotaged. :->

Don't know if Junior ever finished the roll, but we know what he did after dinner!

I've always wanted to stop and get one of those.

How cute!
...and I may add...those rolls ARE gooooood!

Sarah has told me about them, heck of a drive - but it looks worth the effort (may half to walk back down state afterwards)

No trip to Marquette from the Copper Country was complete without a stop at the Hilltop! Had some sent to us and they were great.

On our trip to the U.P. last summer, my friend would say "How did you hear about this place?" My response every time was "Pasty.com." When we arrived at the Hilltop for their famous rolls she looked at me and said "Let me guess, Pasty.com? I like this place!!!" Consequently I ordered some for her birthday in Dec. and she was thrilled with the reminder of her tasty treat from the U.P.

How many carbs???????????????????

My aunt in Highland told us about the rolls. She and my uncle used to go up to L'Anse snowmobiling. We didn't believe it until we saw them for ourselves. WOW!! One could feed four people (depending on your diet). Good rolls, good memories!

Too many carbs or calories to mention!
We LOVE the big sweet roll at the Hilltop.We stop every year as we get in the final stretch of our drive...our on the way to our "Marquette day" of vacation.
During our 10 months down here we get 1-2 shipmants for thoseSunday mornings around the house MMMmmmmmmmmmm.

A pasty followed by a Hilltop bun --- WHO CARES ABOUT THE CARBS!!!!!!! Some things are simply meant to be enjoyed. :?)

Now ---- catsup or gravy on that bun?

nah - no catsup - no gravy - just coffee!

What a darling little boy. How lucky he is to be growing up in the U.P.! Good job, mom and dad. Love the expression on his face in both photos. He appears to be a very happy boy.

Carbs- "shmarbs'! Just get out and do some UP winter walking or sports!!
YUM! YUM! Love them Hilltop baked goods!

This little cutie could start a new gallery dedicated to the Hilltop!?

AWWWW, what a cutie pie! And the rolls are awesome! A "must have", to heck with the calories is right, give them a try!

My husband's grandfather was Big Eric and the Hilltop had a sandwich named after him. Does anyone remember having one of those sandwiches?

What an intelligent boy! what a remarkable boy!

A little Jeff Foxworthy-ism about U.P. Living:

If you consider it a sport to gather your food by
drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in the U.P..

If you're proud that your state makes the national
news 96 nights each year because Houghton/Hancock has the most snow in the nation, you might live in the U.P..

If you have ever refused to buy something because it's "too spendy", you might live in the U.P..
If you think a basketball team consists of twelve
white boys, you Might live in the U.P..

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November
through March, you might live in the U.P..

If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five
months out of the year, you might live in the U.P..

If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in the U.P..

If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, you might live in the U.P..

If you have apologized to a telemarketer, you might live in the U.P..

If you may not have actually eaten it, but you have heard of Lutefisk, you might live in the U.P..

You have worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you might live in the U.P.

If you have either a pet or a child named "Toivo", you might live in the U.P..

If your town has an equal number of bars and churches, you might live in the U.P.(or Wisconsin)

If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in the U.P.

If you know how to say Ontonagon, Lanse, Baraga, and Toivola, you might live in the U.P..

If you grew up thinking rice was only for dessert, you might live in the U.P..

If you think that ketchup is a little too spicy, you might live in the U.P..

If every time you see moonlight on a lake, you think of a dancing bear, and you sing gently, "From the land of sky-blue waters, ..."Hamm's the beer refreshing",
you might live in the U.P..

I think that little snowman's a cutie. Probably no bigger than a Hilltop sweet roll.

Hi all!! Sure wish I had a cuppla doze to go wit my coffee!! Snowed in here in Mt. Pleasant. Been snowing since yesterday afternoon, with a short break overnight. Must have about 6-7 inches already and it's still coming down. Just enjoying the warm cottage and watching our neighborhood deer herd eating sugar beets outside my front window!!! It doesn't get better than this, unless I was up home (Mohawk)!!!

Wish I had one right now heated with a pad of butter on the top with a hot cup of tea

Looks like a day in the Keweenaw today, in the Northern portion of Indiana. Wake up and shovel and go home and shovel,,,,,enjoyable exercise!

Aw, give the little guy a break and take the plastic wrap off the roll.

Dear Troll in Ferndale:
I enjoyed your "...you might live in the U.P." I'm originally a Norwegian girl from southern Wisconsin and we also know Lutefisk. It was our traditional Christmas Eve dinner when I was growing up. I didn't know the Yoopers knew about it! Do you know anyone who sells it up there? Can't wait to be a Yooper in 2005!

I'd give those rolls that are that big a name.
Something like "Attila the Bun" comes to mind.

You can usually find lutefisk in select grocery
stores around Christmas time. There is a
restaurant in Gladstone that used to serve a
lutefisk dinner during the holidays - don't know
whether they still do. Our family made the
switch from lutefisk on Christmas Eve to
potato sausage; personally, I am much
happier with the potato sausage.

Michigan is the only place they know how to make a CINNAMON ROLL. Well, my Finnish grandma could, too.

PS Lutfisk sure stinks up the house, though, doesn't it? I'm sure the non-Scandinavian neighbors wondered what the heck it was....

Julie Lower Yooper to be:
Being of Finnish decent I don't believe we ever had it at our house, I have NO idea what the heck Lutfisk is...can someone clue me in?

whitefish pickled in lye. sounds yummy hey?

To troll:
Lutfisk is a Scandinavin traditional dish at Christmas. It is fish soaked in lye(sodium hydroxide). It is harder to find as each year goes by because leftovers must be desposed in a hazardous landfill. Just kidding.
But, I have had it at Swede's house at Christmas, and watched them gag it down for tradition sake. It is terrible.

I'm of Finnish descent, and my mom used to make lippiakalla (sorry if my spelling is off; Finnish for lutefisk) every year on Christmas Eve. The smell was so bad I would barricade myself in my room until it was done! In later years though, it didn't smell nearly so bad, and I actually enjoy some myself now if my dad prepares it. I think what we buy in the store nowadays is much more processed than it used to be, and the smell is much less pungent.

Reference lutefisk, we used to have it on Christmas Eve when I was growing up in the Mass City area. Somehow, it tasted good with an onion white sauce. A few years ago, however, I saw frozen lutefisk in a specialty store and bought it. Cost was not cheap and when I cooked per directions, it did indeed stink up the whole house and worse, it cooked up slimy. YUK! Needless to say, I don't plan to have lutefisk unless someone really knows how to prepare it. Our family tradition for many years since on Christmas Eve is wonderful pasty, salad, and rice pudding with sauce on top. YUM, especially the pasty! If I had a choice of one last meal, I'd choose pasty with butter and ketchup and a big glass of cold milk. Thumbs down on lutefisk.


1

AČ, that white onion sauce sounds like the same recipe my family used. Tastes good to me! See if you can track down the old family recipe and give it a try!

To those wondering about the carbs in that roll.
Just eat it. About 6 months or a year from now they'll tell you that they are good for you. Thats what they do with everything else they say is bad for you.
Its 12 down here with the real feel at -2 pretty good wind so it really feels cold out.
One of them rolls and a cup of good coffee would go good about right now.

I was sure my imagination was remembering those sweet rolls bigger than they must be...but your picture proved I remember them correctly. How we loved to stop and get a roll if we were passing through L'anse when leaving home in Hancock. I've been in Texas for about 25 years now and they keep telling me everything's bigger in Texas...Would love to put one of those sweet rolls on their plates!

Hey,Stan stuck in the Mitten! I agree, take the plastic wrap off and let the youngster have at it.

My dad came over in 1924 - he was 8 years old... Came over from Hanover Germany. It was a family tradition to make the "New Year Salad" which is a northern german dish, as I recall, beets, potatoes, picked herring to name but a few ingredients... Kinda had to aquire a tast for it - if you know what I mean. My family back home still makes it... Traditional holiday dishes - sounds like a yooper cook book waiting to happen,
maybe my neighbor in Ferndale can promote it...

Those Yooperisms really are so true!!! I had to laugh about the Hamms Beer one it was one of my favorites.Some things never leave you -I still find myself helping people out in the stores. My neighbors get a kick out of me as I sometimes wear shorts and a sweatshirt. It is a dead giveaway that a I am a yankee!It is cold here in N.Ga-28 with a goodwind and it feels pretty cold.

to Kathie in SD- hi there! I vaguely remember there was
a sandwich named after Grandpa. I didn't realize that
the Hilltop served it. I believe they simply called it
'the Big Erick'. Maybe frequent poster Clyde Elmblad
would know... he is a distant cousin of ours on Elin's
side, and he lives in L'Anse. Say hi to Mike and the
boys.

To those who responded in regard to lutefisk:
Thanks for letting me know what it is. Sounds terrible. Glad my mom never made it. Not sure if her mom ever made it on their farm but, I'll leave it, thank you!!! Now Pasty on the other hand...yum!!

Fran in GA,,,glad you liked the Yooperisms....I too love the Hamms beer one. Loved that commercial as a kid and the McCallough(?) Chain Saw commercials with the beavers. Too funny!

The "other" Troll has hit the nail on the head...and if you still know what a hammer is and how to use it, you probably live in the UP. I make my living doing stuff that nobody north of the bridge would ever pay me to do, because they do it themselves, and probably better.

Lots of lively pleasant conversation here today!

To the Troll in Ferndale: that was the "nicest" you must be a Yooper I've ever read!

and to Julie in the lower: would you believe that I saw Lutefisk in Glen's Grocery in Cadillac around the holidays. I've never made it or had it... we are Finn/ Cornish...


Still snowing here...

My Favorite way to eat a Hill top Roll, We will buy a bunch to take home, When home we would freeze them. Then take one out later in the week, slice it like a piece of bread, and butter both sides and put in fry pan to heat, the best with cup of coffee. Yum

Evidently Lutfisk and Chitterlings are related.

Great looking roll...
better than Cinnabon ????

I grew up in Chassell...we went to L'anse once or twice...I think I was 18 at the time...but never to the Hilltop

Cinnabon is second rate to Hilltop delights! I appreciated the comment from Doctor. "An intelligent boy! A remarkable boy!" A wonderful statement about the little fellow in the picture. Nice to know that some still appreciate Charles Dicken's books.

Ah, lutfisk (spelled the Swedish way)! The butt of many jokes (most deserved) and much entertainment. But ya know, it can taste really good too. In the old days, it did smell terrible. My Swedish grandfather who emigrated from Sweden to the U.P. in the 1880s and worked in the copper mining industry for several years, probably had it every Christmas because I had it with him at the end of his life in the 1940s. Now, they process it so well that there is very little unpleasant smell when cooking it. Two things are important: 1) Bake it, don't boil it; and don't bake it too long or it will turn into jelly. Done right, it is firm and flaky. And 2) the sauce is critical. Norwegians usually use melted butter. That's it. Just melt it. Don't do anything else to it. Swedes generally use cream sauce. Not bland. Not too thin. Use some spices such as allspice, garlic, onion, pepper, salt, etc. Slightly brown the butter and flour so that there isn't too much of a flour taste. (I wonder how it would taste with Toivo and Eino's Really Secret Pasty Sauce?) Eat it with boiled potatoes, Swedish (or Norwegian) meatballs or potato sausage, rutabagas, beets, lingonberries (like cranberries), rye bread, lefse with butter and brown sugar, with rice pudding and lingonberry sauce for dessert. (Or eat a pasty). If you eat it this way and enjoy it, you can still tell jokes about it. BTW, I have had lutfisk 17 times this season since Oct. 8th and will have the last lutfisk dinner on March 20th. Some season, huh?

Jim in the Cities--

Why the last time on March 20? Because of spring? If yes, then you were a little early with Oct.8...

Both my grandparents were born in Norway and we all ate our lutefisk with boilded potatoes and lots of melted butter. The secret is definitely in the cooking. It was delicious. We won't even get into the discussion about blood sausage or blood bologna as it was called in our community!

I'm the Mommy of that little boy in the picture and I must clarify...the plastic wrap WAS off the roll. We would never torture our son like that! Ha! I should also mention he is growing up in California, but his Mommy and Daddy were born and raised in the U.P., which still holds a special place in their hearts. We'll get him back there every chance we can get!

how much snow in the western up so far

To Catherine in Holland, MI

My first lutfisk dinner was at the Vang Lutheran church in Dennison, MN on Oct. 8th (80 dergees - Oof Da) while the first Lutfisk dinner that I know of was the Norwegian Glee Club on Oct. 4th, 2003. (If you are interested, email me. I have a list of over 70 venues for Lutfisk dinners in the Twin Cities area and beyond (as far as Conrad, MT)). The last Lutfisk dinner is on March 20th, 2004 and guess who is putting it on: the Norwegian Glee Club. I guess you might call them "book ends". I keep some frozen lutfisk in my freezer for emergencies (in case I can't get any good hot dogs for the Fourth of July) but I haven't had to use it yet. I'll bet that there are no responses to this post because lutfisk lovers don't stay up this late. They're trying to sleep off the lutfisk they ate at yesterday's Lutheran Church Supper.

After reading various reader comments about lutefisk/lutfisk, I found several websites dedicated to the subject, two of which I found quite interesting.

http://www.lawzone.com/half-nor/lutefisk.htm


http://www.aftenposten.no/english/bildeserier/article.jhtml?articleID=419747&bildenr=0

Here's another "interesting" lutfisk website:

http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/3227/events.htm

Beautiful Westby,WI has a traditional Lutefisk dinner during their Norwegien festival in May...it is a challange to actually eat it after smelling it being prepared!

Larry - IN,

There is a Westby, WI lutfisk feed on my list. It's at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, generally on the first Saturday in Feb. You haven't missed it. Thanks for the lead about the dinner in May. A couple more like that and we could go all year around. (What's the point? Maybe I should get a life.)

Carbs? After church every Sunday I used to go to the Hilltop and order a lumberjack breakfast with a sweet roll. (Ate it all too!) That was my teenage years and I was skinny as a rail. Now, however, I live below the bridge and those days are long gone. Probably for the better, eh?

Not only are the cinnamon rolls good but so is there gigantic loafs of bread, great for toast. All of these are available online for us southerner's who don't make it upnorth as much as we should. Check the links on top of the pastycom homepage.

Just had to say you are even more beautiful than I could emagine

One of my friends has a coffee mug with the saying
JUST SAY NO!! TO LUTEFISK. And another that says
Friends don't let friends eat lutefisk! :>)

All for buns, and buns for all...

Just checked the pasty.cam before switching off for the night - and now I'll have to get something to satisfy my appetite again ere I can sleep!
Hrmpf;-)
Though, no bun, no lutefisk, no pasty (wonder what they taste like) - hmmm ...