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Alternative names
Norsk Lundehund
Norwegian Puffin Dog
Lundehund
Country of origin
Norway
Classification and breed standards
FCI:     Group 5 Section 2 #269     Stds
AKC:     Miscellaneous Class - July 1, 2008     [? Stds]
CKC:     Group 2 - Hounds     Stds
UKC:     Northern Breeds     Stds

The Norwegian Lundehund (Norwegian: Norsk Lundehund (from Norsk (Norwegian), lunde (puffin) and hund (dog)) is a small dog breed originating from Norway and originally bred for hunting puffins.

Appearance

The Norwegian Lundehund is a small, rectangular Spitz type dog. The Lundehund has a great range of motion in its joints, allowing it to fit into narrow passages. The head can be bent backwards along the dog’s own spine, and the forelegs can turn to the side at a 90-degree angle to its body, much like human arms. Its pricked, upright ears can be sealed nearly shut by folding them forward or backward.The Norwegian Lundehund is polydactyl: instead of the normal four toes a foot, the Lundehund has six toes, all fully formed, jointed and muscled. The outercoat is dense and rough with a soft undercoat.

History

The breed has a long history. As far back as 1600 it was used for hunting puffins along the Norwegian coast. Its flexibility and extra toes were ideal for hunting the birds in their inaccessible nesting locations on cliffs and in caves. Interest for the breed declined when new methods for hunting puffins were invented and a dog tax was created. Around 1900, they were only found in the isolated village of Mostad, Lofoten. The breed was nearly extinct around World War II when canine distemper struck Værøy and the surrounding islands. In 1963, the population was further decimated by distemper again. This time, only 6 dogs survived (1 on Værøy & 5 in southern Norway Hamar (these 5 were from the same mother)), creating a population bottleneck. Due to careful breeding with strict guidelines, there are now an estimated 1500-2000 dogs in the world, with around 1100 of the population in Norway and approximately 350 in the United States.

Lundehund Gastroenteropathy

Catherine ‘Cat’ Cora[1] (born c. 1968)[2] is a professional chef best known for her featured role as an “Iron Chef” on the Food Network television show Iron Chef America.

Biography

Cora was raised in a Greek community in Jackson, Mississippi, United States. Her grandfather and father were both restaurateurs.[1] Cat was inspired by Julia Child, Barbara Tropp, M. F. K. Fisher and her grandmother, Alma. Her cuisine is a blend of her Greek and Southern roots like her favorite dish Kota Kapama (Greek cinnamon chicken), and slow-cooked lamb shanks with feta salsa verde.

After receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and Biology at The University of Southern Mississippi, she enrolled at the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.[3] Cora has also appeared on Simplify Your Life. She was also a cohost of the Food Network show Kitchen Accomplished. She has also coined the term Hellasian, referring to a fusion cuisine combining Greek and Asian cooking. She is one of the few female Iron Chefs in its franchise history (including the Japanese version of Iron Chef).

In January 2005, Cora co-founded Chefs For Humanity[4], which describes itself as “a grassroots coalition of chefs and culinary professionals guided by a mission to quickly be able to raise funds and provide resources for important emergency and humanitarian aid, nutritional education, and hunger-related initiatives throughout the world”.[5] She has also participated in charity wine auctions held by Auction Napa Valley.[6]

In 2006, she was hired as a paid spokesperson for InSinkErator Evolution series garbage disposals.[7] In partnership with 3 Street Media, she is developing The Cat Cora Show, a talk show devoted to food and wine which she will produce and host.[3] She is also Executive Chef for Bon Appétit magazine[8] and a UNICEF spokesperson[9].

Cora lives in Santa Barbara, California, with her partner Jennifer and sons Zoran and Caje.[2][10]

Trivia
Trivia sections are discouraged under Wikipedia guidelines.
The article could be improved by integrating relevant items and removing inappropriate ones.

* In March 2006, Cora was the Grand Marshal for Hal and Mal’s St. Paddy’s Parade in her hometown of Jackson, Mississippi.[11]
* In the September 2006 issue of FHM, Cora was featured in the cooking section, where she demonstrated various recipes using items purchased from a convenience store.
* Cat Cora also belongs to Macy’s Culinary Councils, amongst Tyler Florence, Rick Bayless and others
* She has worked as an entertainer for Olivia Cruises and Resorts, a travel company catering to the lesbian market.[12]
* She has purchased a Salvador Dalí print at auction, which she describes as her “first piece of true artwork”.[13]
* The celebrity she would most like to cook for is Oprah Winfrey.[1]
* Cora was a winner of the Bon Appétit American Food and Entertaining Awards for 2006.

Books

* Cat Cora’s Kitchen: Favorite Meals for Family and Friends (2004). ISBN 0-8118-3998-2. Co-authored with Ann Krueger Spivack. Photography by Maren Caruso.
* Cooking From the Hip: Fast, Easy, Phenomenal Meals (2007). ISBN 0-6187-2990-9. Co-authored with Ann Krueger Spivack.
* Under The Olive Tree (in development) [14]

With the Superbowl fast approaching, people are excitedly making plans to have or attend a Superbowl party, and why not?  What better excuse to have tailgating, party food in the warmth of your living room in front of that big screen TV you got for Christmas?

Food Network chef Cat Cora recently appeared on ABC’s Good Morning America to share a few recipes that just might be perfect for your upcoming shindig … her take on a Cheesesteak Sandwich, coupled with a recipe for Pizza Roll-Ups and Black and Tan Sweet Beer Custard.  You can get all the recipes right here, but in the meantime, we’ve included the Cheesesteak Sandwich one.  Enjoy!

Sunday Cheesesteak Sandwiches
with Homemade Provolone Sauce
Makes 4 Big Sandwiches
Recipe courtesy of Cat Cora’s newest cookbook, Cooking from the Hip

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1-1/2 pounds rib-eye steak, about 1 inch thick
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
4 crusty hoagie rolls, sliced
1 large onion, cut into paper-thin slices
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
homemade provolone sauce (recipe follows)

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 250°F. Heat a large cast-iron skillet (or any heavy skillet) over medium-high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil to the pan. Add the peppers and mushrooms and sauté until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and sauté until it’s just the way you like it. Transfer the peppers, mushrooms, and onion to an ovenproof platter and place in the oven to keep warm.

Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the pan over medium-high heat. Add the oregano, salt, and pepper to taste and sauté quickly. As soon as the seasonings are hot, sauté the steak for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the steak and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes for medium-rare.

Remove the steak from the pan, place on a cutting board, and let it rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak. With tongs, divide the meat among the hoagie rolls and top with the onion mixture. Spoon some of the cheese sauce over the meat and vegetables, cover with the top of the roll, and serve.

*Cat’s Note: If you want a traditionally cooked cheesesteak, wrap the rib-eye in plastic wrap and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes. Remove the steak from the freezer and cut it into very thin slices. Sauté the slices in olive oil with oregano, salt, and pepper.

On yesterday’s XPN Morning Show I recounted meeting my neighbors’ hairless cat Captain Jack Sparrow, named for Johnny Depp’s character in the Pirates of the Caribbean series. He’s very animated (the cat) and loves to pirouette around while holding a peacock feather in his mouth that’s five times longer than he is. One of our boardies requested a photo on this blog.

The cat looks like something that jumped off a computer screen or arrived from outer space. He’s multi-colored, grey and pink with translucent brown feet that seem to be made of rubber, and his neck skin wrinkles in concentric circles.

It turns out that hairless cats, which were bred after a mutation, need to be bathed a couple of times a week to prevent buildup of the oil that cats secrete. Cats with fur distribute the oil through their pelt when they lick themselves, but no such luck for the hairless ones. (Wonder why they’re called hairless if the thing they’re missing is fur…???).

Anyway, I got an e-mail from Ruth K, whose friend has a hairless cat named Flanny:

I mentioned that when my neighbors’ cat ran up, it looked like a chihuaha at first. Here’s Ruth’s chihuahua Elvis:
And here comes the musical payoff
……Flanny yodels

The Sphynx (also known as Canadian Skinless or A Cat Without Skin) is a rare breed of cat. The Sphynx appears to be a Skinless cat, although it is truly hairless. The skin should have the texture of chamois. It may be covered with very soft, fine down, which is almost imperceptible to both the eye and touch. On the ears, muzzle, tail, and feet, a short, soft, fine hair is allowed. Lack of coat makes the cat quite warm to the touch. Whiskers and eyebrows may be present, either whole or broken, or may be totally absent. Their skin is the color their fur would be, and all the usual cat marking patterns (solid, point, van, tabby, tortie, etc) may be found in Sphynx too. People are surprised by how different their personalities are. Many describe them as part monkey, pig, and human because of how intelligent, extroverted, and affectionate they are.

Many people with typical allergies to furry cats find that they tolerate the sphynx breed. This may be due to the fact that the proteins in cat saliva are often the culprit. Because sphynx lack hair and do not leave it behind, many have fewer difficulties living in harmony with the breed. There is no guarantee, however, and allergies vary greatly between individual people.

Sphynx cats are not maintenance-free. Their lack of hair results in increased body oils. Regular bathing is often necessary. Care should be taken to limit the Sphynx cat’s exposure to outdoor sunlight at length, as they can develop a sunburn, similar to that of human exposure. In general, Sphynx cats should never be allowed outdoors unattended, as they have limited means to conserve body heat in colder temperatures, and their curious nature can take them into dangerous places or situations.
Two-week-old Sphynx kitten.
Two-week-old Sphynx kitten.

The Sphynx breed is known for a sturdy, heavy body (many cats of this breed also develop a pot belly), a wedge-shaped head, and an alert, friendly temperament. Although hairless cats have been reported throughout history (hairless cats seem to appear naturally about every 15 years or so), breeders in Canada have been working on the Sphynx breed since the early 1960s. The current American and European Sphynx breed is descended from two lines of natural mutations:

* Dermis and Epidermis (1975) from the Pearsons of Wadena, Minnesota, USA.
* Bambi, Punkie, and Paloma (1978) found in Toronto, ON, Canada and raised by Shirley Smith.

Other hairless breeds might have different body shapes or temperaments than those described above. There are, for example, new hairless breeds, including the Don Sphynx and the Peterbald from Russia, which arose from their own spontaneous mutations. The standard for the Sphynx differs between cat associations such as TICA, FIFE and CFA.

It has been theorised that Sphynx hairlessness might be produced by an allele of the same gene that produces the Devon Rex (re), with the Sphynx allele being incompletely dominant over the Devon allele and both recessive to the wild type. However a different genetic symbol (hr) is given to the Sphynx gene and it is more likely that these are different genes interacting with each other. Sphynx were at one time crossbred with Devon Rex, but unfortunately this led to the introduction of some genetic diseases and is now forbidden in most breed standards associations. Herediary spasticity and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (a genetic heart defect) were introduced by the Devon Rex breed. The only allowable outcross breeds in the CFA are now the American Shorthair and Domestic Shorthair. Other associations may vary and the Russian Blue is a permitted outcross in the GCCF. In Europe mainly Devon Rex has been used for outcrosses.

In 1999 SGC Apophis Nordstrom of Classical Cats won the TICA International Alter of the Year. In 2006 SGC Classical Cats Valentino won the TICA International Cat of the year. In the Cat Fancier’s Association, GC, RW, NW Majikmoon Will Silver With Age was Cat of the Year for 2006. The following year, GC, RW, NW Enchantedlair NWA Cornflake Girl was Kitten of the Year. These awards are handed out for the highest scoring cats, across all breeds.

Popular culture

* A Sphynx, Mr. Bigglesworth, appears in the Austin Powers movies as Dr. Evil’s cat. Mr. Bigglesworth was played by SGC Belfry Ted Nude-Gent, owned and bred by Michelle Berge of Belfry Sphynx.

* In the Friends episode ‘The One with the Ball’, Rachel Green buys a Sphynx cat named Mrs. Whiskerson (”What am I gonna call her, Fluffy?”). Both Ross (”Why is it inside-out?”) and Joey (”It’s not a cat!”) think it’s hideous.

* In the reality TV show LA Ink, tattoo artist Kat Von D has a pet Sphynx named Ludwig.

* In the Disney cartoon series “Kim Possible”, villain Camille Leone is always seen with her Sphynx cat named Debutante.

* At the beginning of Ghostbusters 2, Peter Venkman (played by Bill Murray) introduces next week’s show as “Next week on “World of the Psychic”. Hairless cats… weird.” as he holds one up. Ghostbusters 2 was released in 1989.