Icelandic cuisine. Dishes and recipes of Icelandic cuisine

It is extremely unique; some of the traditionally accepted local dishes can harm the stomachs of tourists accustomed to European food. The roots of Iceland's culinary traditions date back to the Middle Ages. However, the products from which Icelandic cuisine is prepared are highly environmentally friendly. The water here is clean, the air too, and the cattle graze on clean, fresh grass.

The cuisine of Iceland is not very rich and varied due to the generally meager nature and not very favorable climate. The geographical location of Iceland determined the presence of most dishes seafood And fish. This scallops, shrimp, salmon, shark meat, cod, halibut and many others. Meat predominates mutton. Recently, products successfully grown in geothermal greenhouses have begun to appear on the table of Icelandic residents more and more often. vegetables.

The general name for local delicacies is torramatur. Very often, marinated salmon with the addition of dill called "gravlax". Herring is marinated with spices, it is called "sild". A variety of fish options are often offered as appetizers. sandwich in or "hardfiskur", which is simply fried or dried fish.

Considered local exotic "hakarl"- fish “with a smell”. The dish consists of the meat of a shark or some marine mammal, which is allowed to stew in the sand for six months before being served.

Lamb dishes are also quite unusual, and the recipes are quite ancient. Often the whole head of a sheep is boiled or pickled, sawing it in half and calling the whole thing "date" Tourists can also try to dine on meat fried until charred. "bleikia", smoked lamb "hangikyot" or chopped sheep's liver "slatur". As an option they offer lamb kebab.

Another unique dish - "hrutspungur", which is the testicles of a young lamb, pickled and under pressure turned into a kind of cookie. All this is served with very thin bread. "laufabraus". The local method of baking bread is interesting, thanks to which the latter received the name “volcanic”. The dough in an iron container is simply buried in the ground, where, thanks to the hot springs, the bread bakes itself.

The most famous national soup is traditional Icelandic stew. Among dairy dishes, the most widespread is "skyr", which is a kind of intermediate state between yogurt and cottage cheese.

Beer in Iceland it is quite expensive and not very popular. You can buy European-made wines everywhere. But local alcohol is Brennivin, which is a “hybrid” of vodka and whiskey. Among the non-alcoholic drinks Icelanders prefer coffee. Only the first cup is paid for at the coffee shop; the rest are given out free of charge.

Both local dishes and European cuisine can be tasted in one of the country's excellent restaurants. Due to the intense competition in the restaurant industry, the quality of food and service ratings in Iceland are extremely high.

Authentic Icelandic cuisine is difficult to describe unambiguously. She is often called unusual, peculiar, rustic, funny, or whatever - wild. Nevertheless, the fact remains: many gourmets from all over the world actively visit this country in order to taste local delicacies. And who knows what attracts them more - unusual combinations of flavors in seemingly ordinary dishes or original ways of preparing them.

Story

There is very little detailed information about the stages of development of Icelandic cuisine. It is known that it was formed according to approximately the same scenario as the cuisines of other Scandinavian countries. Moreover, absolutely everything influenced this process, from the history of the formation of the state itself to its climatic and geographical features.

There is also scant information regarding the food products used in it.

For example, it is known that the predominance of lamb in the diet is a conscious choice of the population of Iceland, which for centuries feared the infection of local animals with dangerous diseases and simply prohibited the import of any meat products.
As for horse meat, in the 10th century, due to the Christianization of the country, it was completely removed from the tables of the Icelanders, while already in the 18th century it slowly began to appear on them again.
And finally, about vegetables, fruits and cereals. Due to the cold snap in the 14th century, their cultivation here became impossible. However, already in the twentieth century, barley, potatoes, cabbage, etc. were harvested in certain areas of the country.

Features of Icelandic cuisine

Perhaps the main feature of local cuisine is consistency. Judge for yourself: even after several hundred years, practically nothing has changed in it. Here, fish and lamb dishes still prevail, which are prepared according to special recipes with a centuries-old history. True, the local chefs no longer focus on the latter, but on the quality of the ingredients that are used to prepare them.

We cannot remain silent about the special ingenuity of the Icelanders. Perhaps this is one of the few nations that have learned to use their main attraction in the process of cooking. We are talking about volcanoes - terrible and treacherous, in which locals bake bread or set up greenhouses for growing vegetables.

Due to the harsh climate, the dishes here are quite filling. In addition, we can conditionally identify the products that are most often taken for their preparation. This:

Fish and seafood. Cod, flounder, mackerel, salmon, herring, halibut, salmon, shrimp, scallops, stingray, lobster, shark - in a word, everything that is found in the waters surrounding the country. Moreover, they are on the tables of Icelanders all year round. They are smoked, pickled, dried, salted, made into stew, made into sandwiches and chops, and prepared simply original dishes. For example, in local restaurants you can order marinated whale lips, whale steak and more.
Meat. Lamb is available in all regions. In addition to it, there is pork, beef and veal, from which hot and cold snacks are prepared.
Dairy products. Not a single Scandinavian cuisine can do without them, and Icelandic is no exception. Milk is drunk here daily and in large quantities. In addition, porridges, side dishes and sauces are cooked from it. But skyr is more popular - it’s something like our yogurt with cottage cheese or overly thick yogurt.
Eggs – they are invariably present in the diet of the local population.
Breads and Pastries – Icelanders have several types of bread, including juniper, volcano, sweet, and with or without cumin. The favorite baked goods here are sweet kleinur brushwood and pancakes with berries.
There is not much grain, but there is some. Porridges and soups are made from them.
Vegetables and fruits. Most of them are imported due to the scarcity of land here. However, potatoes, cabbage, carrots, tomatoes and cucumbers are grown on the island, although mainly in greenhouses.
Beverages. It is worth noting that the local water is of incredibly high quality, so you can drink it from the tap or from reservoirs. True, cold, since when heated, the smell of sulfur with which it is saturated enriches it with a not entirely pleasant aroma. But this does not stop Icelanders from loving coffee. This love, by the way, dates back to the 18th century and is felt even in some coffee shops, where they charge only for the first cup of this drink, and the rest are given as a gift.

Basic cooking methods:

Haukarl is rotten polar shark meat. An original dish with a spicy taste and pungent smell, which is considered the “signature” of the country. It takes about six months to prepare in a special way (read: it just rots), but not because the locals are not familiar with other cooking methods. It’s just that in another form it is poisonous and only rotting can remove all toxins from it.

Hangikyot, or "hanging meat". This is lamb meat smoked over birch wood and then boiled. It is served with peas, potatoes and sauce.

Gellur are boiled or baked “cod tongues”, which are actually triangular muscles under the fish tongues.

Hardfiskur is a dried or dried fish that locals eat with butter.

Volcanic bread is a sweetish rye bread that is often prepared in a metal mold left in places where the top layers of the soil are heated by volcanoes.

Lundi. This is smoked or boiled meat of puffin birds.

Hvalspik, or "whale oil". Used to be very popular. It was boiled and smoked in lactic acid.

Slatur – blood sausage. A dish made from the entrails, fat and blood of sheep, which, oddly enough, is served with sweet rice pudding.

It is capable of delighting gourmets with its exquisite dishes, but it is somewhat unique and will definitely find its fans. The main dishes there are seafood and lamb, which is due to the climate of the country and the position of the island. After all, local residents need, first of all, high-calorie food that can provide the body with the necessary amount of energy, so important on frosty days.

If you are attracted to Iceland, the national cuisine will also be interesting. Although in general it is difficult to call it very diverse, even if it contains several unusual, colorful dishes. It is worth noting that the roots of many dishes are quite deep. The recipes were invented by the ancient Vikings, but to this day such food remains relevant in Iceland.

Seafood

Considering that Iceland is washed by ocean waters on all sides, it is not surprising that local residents have a dominance of seafood and fish on their tables, which are served in any possible form: salted, fried, smoked, etc.

It can be a herring that is banal even for us, or ordinary cod, or delicious trout, or an unusual, a little strange, as for a culinary masterpiece, stingray.

However, most often the fish is simply dried, turning it hard, almost wooden. This “drying” is eaten by first dipping it in melted butter.

The most popular “liquid” dish is the usual fisherman’s stew, which is prepared in every family here and there are a great many recipes for it. It is worth adding that even such a stew prepared according to one recipe turns out completely different from different housewives. Like ours - borscht!

By the way, in Iceland you will also be able to try dishes made from whale meat, because this country has not joined the world convention banning hunting of these waterfowl.

Meat

First of all, it is lamb. There are a countless number of sheep on the island - mainly in its southern part, because these shores are washed by the Gulf Stream, which contributed to the formation of a mild, pleasant climate suitable for full-fledged breeding of animals.

Among the dishes for the preparation of which lamb (and most often lamb) is used, the following stand out: smoked lamb, lamb soup, lamb sausages.

Other types of meat dishes are prepared from wild animals - partridge, deer, fur seals.

Other types of meat, traditional for us, are overwhelmingly imported to the island from Europe, and therefore their cost is quite high. Naturally, dishes made from veal or, for example, pork are not so common. And they do not belong to the national cuisine of Iceland.

Side dishes

Unfortunately, the side dishes here are not that varied. Which, however, is again connected with the climate in Iceland. The land is not fertile, and therefore the harvests are not very abundant. The main crops grown on the island are potatoes, cabbage, and carrots.

And even then, to get at least some harvest, greenhouses are needed. Therefore, vegetables, and even more so fruits, are imported from mainland Europe.

Recently, thanks to more active breeding of domestic cattle, dairy products have increasingly begun to be used as an addition to main dishes.

Exotic

Considering the ancient history and harsh past of Iceland, when the land was inhabited by true Vikings, it is not surprising that the traditional local cuisine includes unusual and even exotic dishes. Although they are not only peculiar, but can even cause disgust among tourists delving into the culinary traditions of the Icelanders.

haukarl;
piles;
hritspungur.

Haukarl is disgusting after reading exactly how it is prepared. So, this is shark meat that lies in the ground for several months and decomposes there. After which it is taken out and served in small pieces. The cost of the dish is exorbitant. By the way, something similar is prepared from stingray meat, but it is not buried in the ground, but is left to decompose in the sun.

You need to eat this “meat” in small pieces. Although its aroma and taste are not the most pleasant. Haukarl is chewed until there is enough urine to tolerate its taste, after which it is swallowed and always washed down with a strong alcoholic drink. At the same time, Icelanders claim that haukarl is digested easily and without consequences for the body, but, apparently, they themselves are not particularly sure of this if they do not consume it without alcohol.

Svay is the head of a sheep with eyes. It is marinated or boiled a little, after which it is chopped into two parts and served.

Hritspungur - sheep testicles, pre-marinated in whey, and then put under a press and baked.

Sweets

Icelandic traditional cuisine doesn’t offer much in the way of desserts. Apparently, the harsh past is again taking its toll - the Vikings hardly liked sweets, their warlike nature did not allow them to eat desserts.

The national desserts in Iceland are: local berries - they are served fresh, sweet pancakes, kleinjor - soft “brushwood” made from dough and skyr - yoghurt-curd mass.

Beverages

Naturally, as throughout the world, the most popular drink is ordinary, clean water. Its quality is amazingly high. The water is clean everywhere, they drink it straight from the tap, as well as from all open sources on the island. If we talk about other drinks, then since the distant 18th century, coffee has been especially popular, which is drunk in almost liters. In honor of the drink, they even came up with a special holiday - Solarkaffi. It is noteworthy that in the vast majority of cafes, restaurants, and other establishments of this type, only the first cup of coffee is paid for, and all the rest are served to visitors for free. If, of course, they want to.

Iceland's national alcoholic drink is brennivin, a dark schnapps made from potatoes and caraway seeds.

In general, alcohol is quite expensive and therefore not very common. For example, beer was completely banned here for a long time, but it was officially allowed to be brought to the island, produced and consumed only in 1989!

How to try Icelandic cuisine?

As you can see, Icelandic cuisine is not very sophisticated or varied. But, without a doubt, it deserves the attention of gourmets, because it has its own unique, inimitable traditions. And we're not just talking about strange exotic dishes.

If you want to become better acquainted with the culinary traditions of Iceland and learn the true recipes of dishes prepared by the descendants of the Vikings, be sure to visit this wonderful country.

A flight from Moscow to Moscow will take from six and a half to twenty hours and will require one or two transfers, depending on the chosen flight and route.

The most important "ingredient" in Icelandic cuisine is its unique location. Iceland is renowned for its abundance of fresh water, clean nature and fishing, while geothermal energy provides year-round fresh vegetables grown in organic greenhouses. Over the past few years, Iceland has become one of the most dynamic food destinations in Europe, regularly introducing exciting new recipes.

The chefs prepare modern dishes from traditional ingredients, influenced by the philosophy of New Nordic cuisine, where freshness and local, seasonal ingredients play an important role. The basis of Icelandic cuisine is fresh fish dishes. Some of the richest fishing grounds in the North Atlantic are off the coast of Iceland, where cool and warm ocean currents meet to create ideal conditions for replenishing fish stocks. From time immemorial, fishing has been an integral part of Icelandic history and culture.

Icelandic recipes. Dishes for the holidays. National New Year recipes

First meal:

Main dishes:

Gellur - cod tongues and cheeks, baked or boiled with potatoes

Dough dishes and desserts:

Fish was the basis of the nation's life, an important part of the diet, and a major export product. Iceland has strict standards to maintain sustainable fishing and has good laws to regulate catches. Visit one of Iceland's many fish restaurants and you'll see why locals believe they invented fish cuisine. Icelandic lamb is also a popular ingredient. Sheep roam the open countryside all summer, feeding on wild berries and moss. Autumn comes and they are rounded up by shepherds on horseback, as has been done since the days of the first settlers. The aroma of local herbs permeates succulent Icelandic lamb, delighting chefs around the world.

Chefs throughout Iceland use vegetables and herbs grown in geothermally heated greenhouses, allowing you to enjoy the best quality products. Icelandic dairy products are also famous for their health and taste, especially Skyr yoghurt, which can already be found on sale throughout Europe. Fish and lamb are traditional, but most restaurants offer beef, poultry, pork, game, lobster, shrimp and scallops, as well as vegetarian options. You will also find many themed restaurants in the country, such as Indian, Pakistani, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish, Danish, American and Mexican cuisines. The street offers tourists a particularly favorite Icelandic snack, the pylsa, or hot dog. Tell a street vendor "eina með öllu" (with everything) and you'll get a hot dog boldly topped with crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onions and curry sauce. Along with new culinary delights, traditional Icelandic cuisine is also widespread. In the era before modern food storage technologies, that is, before the invention of the refrigerator, food was traditionally preserved using more primitive methods. This traditional food consists of pickled, salted, dried or smoked fish and meat of various types. In order to survive the long winter months, all parts of the animals were used for food. Don't be surprised if you see fermented shark fillet, smoked sheep's head or pickled lamb testicles on restaurant menus. Try them at your own risk.

While some traditional Icelandic dishes are considered a delicacy, and some are commonly eaten by locals and tourists, there are some dishes you might not want to eat in Iceland. And some tourists go so far as to claim that this is the most disgusting food! Luckily, Iceland is home to some of the best tastiest food in the world—especially when it comes to lamb or seafood. For centuries, Icelanders had to smoke, salt or dry their food to preserve it during the harsh winters. As a result, Iceland's traditional cuisine mainly consists of seafood and lamb that have gone through some kind of processing method. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a fairly new addition to Icelandic cuisine (only since the last century!). Today the country prides itself on fresh produce and has a number of world famous fine dining restaurants, as well as a regular Food and Fun Festival where chefs from other countries use Icelandic ingredients to create some new and tasty treats

You've probably heard that the traditional Icelandic way of "preserving" shark meat is to bury it in the ground and then urinate on it before letting the meat rot for a few months. It is not true! Well, the “pee” thing is a little true, but the shark doesn’t rot, it ferments. Shark meat actually smells like ammonia, which is what gave birth to this myth. To get rid of the smell, shark meat is packed in boxes with cracks and gravel and allowed to “dry” for 1.5-2 months. This is done to get rid of the acid in the meat, which prevents the shark meat from being eaten fresh. And then it is hung on hooks and it is air-dried for another 2 to 4 months. When serving, cut off the resulting crust. The result is a product that is more for everyone. Connoisseurs of very sharp cheese may like this dish. As for the rest, well, let's just say that this is not a common dish in Iceland. Although the older generation in Iceland still eats and enjoys this dish. You can buy Hákarl at the Kolaportid flea market on the weekends in the produce section for a small fee. Icelanders just love selling pieces of Hákarl for tourists to see on their sour faces! For extra hardcore, wash it down with Iceland's famous drink Brennivín!

Brennivín can be directly translated as "flaming wine", although it is mainly marketed as "black death". Brennivín is schnapps made from caraway and potatoes. This drink has a strong cumin flavor and will quickly send you into oblivion. Although, if you eat fermented shark fillet or pickled lamb testicles, it's probably not such a bad thing.

When producers set out to create the first vodka distillery in Iceland, they chose this unique country for its natural resources. To make vodka, Arctic spring water is collected from a source that passes through 4,000-year-old lava fields. Lava rocks naturally filter the water, making it some of the cleanest water in the world. The purity of the water makes it possible to impart “transparency” to the taste of this vodka. Did we forget to mention that this plant runs on geothermal energy from volcanoes? Reika Vodka isn't just made in Iceland. She was born in Iceland!

The most important “ingredient” in Icelandic cuisine is its unique location. Iceland is renowned for its abundance of fresh water, clean nature and fishing, while geothermal energy provides year-round fresh vegetables grown in organic greenhouses.

Over the past few years, Iceland has become one of the most dynamic food destinations in Europe, regularly introducing exciting new recipes. The chefs prepare modern dishes from traditional ingredients, influenced by the philosophy of New Nordic cuisine, where freshness and local, seasonal ingredients play an important role.

The basis of Icelandic cuisine is fresh fish dishes. Some of the richest fishing grounds in the North Atlantic are off the coast of Iceland, where cool and warm ocean currents meet to create ideal conditions for replenishing fish stocks. From time immemorial, fishing has been an integral part of Icelandic history and culture. It was the basis of the life of the nation, an important part of the diet, and a major export product. Iceland has strict standards to maintain sustainable fishing and has good laws to regulate catches. Visit one of Iceland's many fish restaurants and you'll understand why locals believe they invented fish cuisine.

Icelandic lamb is also a popular ingredient. Sheep roam the open countryside all summer, feeding on wild berries and moss. Autumn comes and they are rounded up by shepherds on horseback, as has been done since the days of the first settlers. The aroma of local herbs permeates succulent Icelandic lamb, delighting chefs around the world.

Fish and lamb are traditional, but most restaurants offer beef, poultry, pork, game, lobster, shrimp and scallops, as well as vegetarian options. You will also find many themed restaurants in the country, such as Indian, Pakistani, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Filipino, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish, Danish, American and Mexican cuisines.

The street offers tourists a particularly favorite Icelandic snack, the pylsa, or hot dog. Tell a street vendor "eina með öllu" (with everything) and you'll get a hot dog boldly topped with crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet mustard, raw onions and curry sauce.

Along with new culinary delights, traditional Icelandic cuisine is also widespread. In the era before modern food storage technologies, that is, before the invention of the refrigerator, food was traditionally preserved using more primitive methods. This traditional food consists of pickled, salted, dried or smoked fish and meat of various types. In order to survive the long winter months, all parts of the animals were used for food. Don't be surprised if you see fermented shark fillet, smoked sheep's head or pickled lamb testicles on restaurant menus. Try them at your own risk.

The most “disgusting” in the world is Icelandic cuisine

Here is a list of traditional Icelandic dishes, some of which may not be to everyone's taste.

For centuries, Icelanders had to smoke, salt or dry their food to preserve it during the harsh winters. As a result, Iceland's traditional cuisine mainly consists of seafood and lamb that have gone through some kind of processing method.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are a fairly new addition to Icelandic cuisine (only since the last century!). Today the country prides itself on fresh produce and has a number of world famous fine dining restaurants, as well as a regular Food and Fun Festival where international chefs use Icelandic ingredients to create some new and tasty treats.

But if you want to experience something a little more traditional, then check out the following food items:

Hakarl (haukarl) – shark fillet

Shark meat actually smells like ammonia, which is what gave birth to this myth. To get rid of the smell, shark meat is packed in boxes with cracks and gravel and allowed to “dry” for 1.5-2 months. This is done to get rid of the acid in the meat, which prevents the shark meat from being eaten fresh. And then it is hung on hooks and it is air-dried for another 2 to 4 months. When serving, cut off the resulting crust.

The result is a product that is more for everyone. Connoisseurs of very sharp cheese may like this dish. As for the rest, well, let's just say that this is not a common dish in Iceland. Although the older generation in Iceland still eats and enjoys this dish. You can buy Hákarl at the Kolaportid flea market on the weekends in the produce section for a small fee. Icelanders just love selling pieces of Hákarl for tourists to see on their sour faces! For extra hardcore, wash it down with Iceland's famous drink Brennivín!

Brennivin - Black Death

Surir hrutspungar - marinated lamb testicles

The history of the appearance of sheep's testicles goes back to ancient times. Iceland was a very poor country, and the poor peasants used whatever they could eat for food. Their menu also included sheep's testicles. They were pickled and did not spoil in winter.

Hot spring rye bread

Let's move on to something more delicious!

Icelandic rye bread is very popular in the country. This is dark bread that has a very specific taste, a little sweet. However, it is not a cookie and is mainly eaten with butter, fish or smoked lamb (hangikjöt - see below). One option for making this bread is to place the dough in special wooden barrels in the ground near hot springs and pick it up the next day. Delicious!

Harðfiskur (hardfiskur) – dried fish

Another popular food in Iceland is dried fish, usually cod or haddock. It is very popular among Icelanders and some foreigners. It's kind of like "stockfish". Icelanders consume tons of it every year, smearing it with butter. The texture of the fish is very dry and the oil makes it softer. You need to chew each piece very carefully before swallowing it! Dried fish is very rich in protein, 100g of the product contains about 80-85% protein. You will either love it or hate it!

Svið (swid) - ram's head

Iceland's favorite local delicacy and national dish is lamb's head. You can buy it frozen in almost any supermarket. The entire head is cooked, except for the brain. The cheeks and tongue are the best part. It tastes exactly like lamb or mutton.

At the café "Fljótt og Gott" ("Fast and Good") at the BSI bus terminal in Reykjavik, you can buy it daily. You can also get sviðasulta (in the form of brawn) - created by mincing the meat from boiled sheep heads, pressing into molds and then chilling. It is eaten as a side dish with bread.

Slatur – blood pudding

Slátur literally means "slaughter". This is a dish made from lamb entrails, blood and fat. This dish is often served with a sheep's head. This is Iceland's answer to Scottish haggis. Blood sausage is also often served alongside sweet rice pudding, which is a slightly odd combination.

There are two types of slátur: blóðmör (blood sausage) or lifrarpylsa (liver sausage). Blóðmör is reminiscent of English/Irish black pudding and lifrarpylsa is reminiscent of Scottish haggis, although Icelandic slatur is much softer in texture. Some people like slatur sprinkled with sugar.

Hangikjöt (hangikyot) - smoked meats

A delicacy that is eaten in Iceland mainly at Christmas. The meat (mutton or lamb) is smoked, either with birch wood or with dried sheep droppings. It is then usually boiled and served hot or cold in slices with peas, mashed potatoes and a white sauce similar to bechamel sauce.

It is often accompanied by thin bread (laufabrauð). In recent times, it has become popular to eat hangikyot raw, just like Italian prosciutto. You can also buy slices of hangikjöt in supermarkets to eat as a sandwich.

Laufabrauð - sheet bread

This is a very thin round “bread” - similar in texture to flatbread. These can be variously flavored flatbreads and are eaten with butter, although laufabrauð is fried in hot oil. Before serving this bread, it is cut into portions, which is often done as a family New Year's tradition. There are many traditional cutting methods, but you can come up with your own twist to show off your creative side!

Saltfiskur - salted fish

One of the methods used in Iceland to preserve food is pickling. The fish is completely covered with salt, which dries and is absorbed into the carcass. Before use, Saltfiskur should be soaked in water for several hours or even 2-3 days. The soaking time depends on the size of the fish, how much salt you want to get rid of and how often you change the water.

Today you can buy “lightly salted” fish that does not need to be soaked. But nothing will give you the same taste and texture as “properly” salted fish. Traditionally, salted fish is simply boiled and served with potatoes and rye bread, but today it has become popular to prepare it in the Spanish or Italian style, with tomatoes or, for example, olives. Icelandic salt cod remains one of Iceland's largest exports and is a popular delicacy in Portugal, Greece and Spain.

Kæfa - pate

Favorite addition to bread. Icelandic kæfa is made primarily from lamb and is almost identical to pate - but it is made in different shapes, smooth or rough.

It is worth noting here that the only species of whale eaten in Iceland is the minke whale (which has never been on the verge of extinction!).

Whale meat can be eaten raw or cooked. If you cook it (or have someone cook it for you), you need to make sure the portion is not too big because whale meat gets dry quickly. Whale meat is red meat similar to steak, but softer and leaner than beef. It is often described as a cross between beef and tuna. Whale meat is also very tasty raw, as eaten with sushi with wasabi and soy sauce - but it is equally good when cooked, when served with a side dish, like beef steak. Yummy!

Gellur – fish tongue

When fried, for example in breadcrumbs, gellur can be quite tasty. On the other hand, the traditional way of preparing gellur is by boiling only.

Gellur is often mistakenly called "fish tongue", but is actually the fleshy, triangular muscle from the back of the fish.

Reyka - Icelandic vodka

This vodka is produced in small batches only in Iceland.

Fiskibollur – fish balls

Fiskibollur are balls of fish and onions or potatoes (similar to meatballs). You can buy them cheaply prepared in supermarkets, where they are sold either in a tin or vacuum-packed. It would be much better to make your own fish balls, as buying from supermarkets is not very interesting. Store-bought Fiskibollur does not have a distinct flavor and is too bland.

Lundi – puffin bird

Lundi (puffin bird) can be boiled in milk sauce or smoked. Smoked puffin is a real delicacy that can be found in restaurants throughout the country. Lundi is the national dish of the Westman Islands, home to the largest colony of puffins in Iceland.

Kjötsupa ( kyotsupa)- meat soup

Traditional Icelandic meat soup is a hearty and delicious soup made from pieces of lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions and rutabaga.

Fiskisupa - fish soup

The recipe for Icelandic fish soup or seafood soup varies from family to family. Fish soup is most often prepared with cream, and one of the most interesting recipes involves blue cheese and curry.

Iceland has such an abundance of fresh fish and seafood that you should definitely try the best fish soups in the world, which are only prepared in Iceland!

In conclusion, I want to mention one thing that every foreigner always likes. No list of traditional Icelandic cuisine would be complete without mentioning dairy products.

Skyr is a low-fat dairy product that resembles yogurt, but it is very different from yogurt, it is more like a soft cheese. It has a very creamy taste, contains virtually no fat, but is very high in protein! This is a product that is unique to Iceland and is very popular among locals and foreigners. Many of Iceland's skyr desserts have gained popularity abroad, and now you can buy skyr in some other countries!