Have been reading the different recipes and or discussion on the Swedish Sausage etc. and thought I would check in the Butte MT. cookbook. This is BLOD KLUB (Swedish Blood Bread) thought it might be interesting to read. This was something brought to America from Sweden by my grandmother, Hannah Gustafson. She could not read or write, so consequently there was no written recipe. An indelible image remains in my mind of a group of 5 or 6 womenworking around a brand-new galavanized rinse tub, making this recipe. I also recall eating it hot from the oven. On the day of butchering at Hansen Packing Co. south of Butte, my dad, Elmer Gustafson, a butcher at the Columbia Meat Market, would go down to Hansen/s and after a beef was killed, the throat was cut and the blood was drained into a 10 or 15 gallon milk can. This blood had to be stirred continuously so as not to let it coagulate or gel. Five or six families went in together to buy the ingredients. Two different kinds of flour were used: a very finely ground brown graham flour and white flour. These were bought in 25-pound sacks. A small amount of sugar, salt and yeast made up the rest of the ingredients. The kneading took quite awhile, with all the women kneading at one time and my Dad pouring in the flour and blood as it was needed. When the kneading was done, the bread was then formed into round loaves and left to rise only a tiny bit. It was cooked in the bottom of the old coal and wood stove, which only held about three loaves at a time, so this wnet on for hours. Just keeping the fire right was a job in itself. When the first loaves came from the oven, they were sliced and served with butter and coffee. The bread looked like delicious chocolate cake when warm. I was hesitant at first to try it, but my dad insisted it would be good for me. I was only 6 or 7 at the time. Idolizing my dad, I tried it and loved it. One couldn't eat too much at a time, however, or it would work as a "spring tonic." After the bread had cooled it was cut into cubes and placed on a cookie sheet. It was then put back into a very slow oven and turned frequently until it was dried. Then it was stored in salt sacks and kept for several months in this condition. I presume each family did this second baking in their own home the following day. This cubed bread would be served in scalded milk and butter as a cereal on Sunday Morning during the holidays. I'm wondering if possibly this had some religious significance to it. It was definitely made as a health food because of its high iron content. Beverly J. (Gustafson) Brothers I know this is very long but for those of Swedish descent will give an idea of how and what their ancestors ate.