Iceland 1: Wind, Water & Wacky Food
Expect the Unexpected
The Land of Fire and Ice is full of contrasts. This sub-polar island skims the Arctic Circle, straddles two continents, sizzles with fire-breathing volcanoes, and houses enormous ice fields and glaciers. Its steamy geysers, craggy black-lava beaches, and vast wilderness terrains enhance its rugged beauty. Add easy access and a moderate Northern climate to the equation, and that’s all Hubs and I needed to put Iceland at the top of our travel destinations.
I used up my lifetime quota of cold weather exposure during my Canadian upbringing, so I chose late August/early September as the ideal time for our Icelandic adventure. The weather is traditionally a balmy 50°- 59°F during that time with little or no rainfall. Perfect! I booked the trip and we headed to Reykjavik, Iceland.
Reality took a chilling swipe at me in front of our hotel in Reykjavik, the capital city of Iceland. When we tried to get out of the taxi, the door would not budge against the opposing force of the Icelandic wind. So Hubs repositioned himself and gave it an all-out heave. The gale-force wind seized the door and violently hurled it open, nailing it flat-open against the outside of the yellow cab. Hubs and I hunkered down and made a dash for the hotel. We assumed the driver had some type of Reykjavikian Method for closing the cab door. The ice-cold penetrated right through my jacket, immediately showing me how ill-prepared I was to deal with Iceland’s bone-chilling winds.
Apparently, I had lived in Texas so long that I forgot Northern Weather Rule 101: Factor the Wind Speed into the Temperature.
In reality, 50°F (10°C) with 50 mph winds translates to 25°F (-4 °C) with the windchill factor. When we left Houston earlier that day, it was 98°F (37°C).
Iceland’s “moderate climate” was a bit of a SHOCK to my Texas fair-weather system. Furthermore, the wind kept BLOWING the entire time we were in Iceland.
This environmental sculpture made from stone, steel, and hardwood is found in Grundarfjörður, Iceland. It shows 112 of the 130 Icelandic words for “wind. " The words are listed in progressive order from the calmest winds to those that are strong beyond comprehension. The sculpture is almost 60 feet long and two feet wide.
Perpetual wind is a way of life in Iceland.
A soak in the world-renowned BLUE LAGOON was the perfect solution to the chilling reception the Northern Island gave us. Off we went to the town of Grindavík, an easy 30-mile drive southwest of Reykjavik, to check out the warm therapeutic waters of the famous geothermal pool that receives 700,000 visitors annually.
Contrary to popular belief, the Blue Lagoon is NOT a natural pool. Rather, its water is runoff from the nearby Svartsengi Geothermal Power Plant. After the water is used in the power plant, it cannot be recycled due to its high mineral content, so it is redirected into the Blue Lagoon.
Iceland is a global leader in clean, sustainable energy, with an impressive 73% of its electricity produced by hydropower and 26% by geothermal power. The remaining 1% by… probably the EverReady Bunny??
In addition to providing thermal mineral water to the Blue Lagoon, the Svartsengi Geothermal Power Plant produces 60% of the electricity and 90% of the household heating for Reykjavik and the surrounding area.
Hold on a minute?!! The Blue Lagoon is full of WASTEWATER from a power plant?
Well… yes and no. Yes, it is RUNOFF water. No, it isn’t typical yukky wastewater. The water is exceptionally CLEAN. If you’re skeptical about the quality and safety of the water - and why wouldn’t you be - here’s the info in a nutshell.
Although it has NOT been artificially disinfected, the mineral-rich water in the Blue Lagoon is FREE of fungi, environmental bacteria, and plants. This results from the natural disinfecting qualities of silica, the most prevalent mineral in the water. Furthermore, the water is constantly monitored and COMPLETELY CHANGED once every 48 hours. That is impressively clean blue water!
HEADS UP IN THE BLUE LAGOON! BAD HAIR DAY ALERT!
The turquoise-blue hue in the water is natural light reflecting off of the mineral SILICA.
The water temperature is maintained consistently between 99-102 °F/37-39°C.
Your SKIN will luxuriate in all that silica and other minerals.
If you DUNK YOUR HAIR in the water, it will be a SILICA-PLASTERED DISASTER!
Warning! Silica sticks to hair like glue!
Although it won’t damage your hair, it won’t wash out either. You’ll be STUCK with your new PLASTER DISASTER for a while. If that’s what you want, then go for it. Otherwise, consider yourself forewarned. Nope. I’m not speaking from experience, but I saw the results of people who didn’t pay heed to the warnings – and it was not pretty!
If you are looking for Squeaky Clean water, the Blue Lagoon won’t be for you because it specializes exclusively in the Silky Smooth variety.
If you love seafood, Iceland is your culinary dream come true. The cold sub-polar waters abound with hundreds of species of saltwater fish, the most common of which are Atlantic cod, haddock, monkfish, Arctic char, halibut, Atlantic salmon, mackerel, and Greenland shark. (More about the Greenland sharks in a while.)
The fresh catch of the day is delivered by the local fishermen just hours before it is prepared and served in the restaurants following traditional Icelandic recipes and techniques. For seafood enthusiasts this is one AMAZING dining opportunity to be seized!
Tell me, have I convinced you to check out the seafood experience next time you just happen to drop by Reykjavik, Iceland for dinner?
I confess – seafood and my palate DO NOT mix. Yup, I’ve tried it all, and then some. I still don’t like it.
Enjoy all the seafood you want and you can have my portion too.
When I went to Iceland, I traveled as a vegetarian because when seafood wasn’t on the menu, this WOOLY SWEETHEART was.
And I was even less enthused about the prospect of eating it.
Look at that sweet face!
Among the oldest and purest breeds in the world, Icelandic sheep are directly descended from the first sheep brought to Iceland by the Norwegians in the 9th and 10th centuries. As the largest member of the North European short-tailed group, Icelandic sheep have played an integral part in the health, well-being, lifestyle, and even survival of every generation of Icelanders.
Historically genetic protection of the Icelandic breed was most likely attributable to the island nation’s remote, sub-Arctic geographic location.
Today the genetic integrity of the Icelandic sheep is protected in two ways:
It is unlawful to import sheep into Iceland.
Exported Icelandic sheep are NOT permitted to return to the country.
Despite the strict regulations governing trade, there is NO shortage of Icelandic sheep! The hardy double-coated breed is highly disease-resistant, has a remarkable tolerance to cold weather, and is very prolific – unusually, the female ewes give birth to twins or triplets in May every year.
In the Land of Fire and Ice, the sheep population fluctuates between 400,000 and 500,000. At times, it has topped 800,000!
Considering the nation of Iceland has a total human population of 376,621 people, there are MORE SHEEP than people!
The wild and wooly creatures wander the entire island, going whichever way the wind blows them, grazing on grass and foliage from May until September.
We drove the 820-mile (1,322 km)circumference of Iceland’s scenic Ring Road, and we saw free-range sheep along the entire journey. Some were loners, some were twofers, and some mingled in small flocks. Others meandered down the road, paying little to no attention to the vehicles.
Traditional Icelandic cuisine has a reputation for being grueling compared to modern Western standards. Even some Icelanders have problems stomaching some of the dishes associated with the nation’s heritage. The origins of the unusual sheep and seafood concoctions can be traced back to the 1st century when poor Scandinavian farmers settled in Europe’s westernmost country, seeking the adventure of a fresh new start. As the number of settlers increased, food supplies became so scarce that STARVATION LOOMED ON THE HORIZON.
Note that Iceland was settled by FARMERS NOT VIKINGS.
This is a key point for understanding the historical foundation that eventually led the settlers to eat very UNUSUAL foods for survival.
Seriously, think about it. The very first lesson taught in every Viking Survival School was “365 Different Catches of the Day While at Sea”. Case in point: Vikings simply would NEVER be in the position to starve to death! They’d just hop on board their ships and go round up a seafood dinner. (Note: The Vikings played a significant role in the exploration and discovery of Iceland. Farmers settled the country.)
The farmers, however, were not very savvy about soil erosion or the special intricacies of sustainable farming in a sub-Arctic environment. Within a few short years, they caused significant erosion to the arable land, rendering it useless for many years to follow. And new settlers kept arriving by the boatload.
Desperate times call for desperate solutions.
Along comes the Greenland Shark! He flips-the-bucket and washes up on the beach of Iceland, deader than a doornail. The sand on the beach starts covering the shark’s body. This might sound like a typical cycle of nature EXCEPT… the shark’s body DOES NOT decompose. It FERMENTS.
Is this a fluke of nature? An Act of God? Manna from Heaven? The shark is discovered by some very hungry folks walking on the beach and Icelandic Cuisine makes its debut!
Hákarl (Fermented Shark) Although it is often called “rotten shark” hákarl is not rotten. In its untreated, unfermented form, the meat contains LETHAL LEVELS of ammonia because the shark’s urine is excreted through the skin. This causes the meat to ferment. Hákarl takes 6- 9 weeks to ferment, and then it is hung to dry for six months before it is eaten.
Let’s check out a few “reviews” on this traditional Icelandic delicacy.
One reports, “It is not a pretty sight and it smells like ammonia and urine.”
Here’s what the late Anthony Bourdain said about Iceland’s renowned fermented shark: “It is the single worst, most disgusting and terrible tasting thing I’ve ever eaten.”
Svið (Sheep's Head) is a traditional Icelandic dish that receives rave reviews and is very popular. The general consensus is that it tastes much better than it looks. What does it look like? Much like half of this adorable face… on a plate with one eyeball staring at you.
I want to have a word with you….
Baa! Baa! The cook will burn the fuzz off my face and then split my head down the middle with a big, sharp knife. That will give me a bad, splitting headache. I’ll go out of my mind when my brain is removed and put aside to make sheep’s head jelly. My brainless noggin will then be dropped in boiling water and simmered until my cheeks are tender. Then it’s game over for me. I’ll be forked.
Icelanders don’t eat my teeth, and they will NEVER eat my ears because only thieves eat sheep’s ears. By the way, a baby will become permanently mute if you eat my head and don’t break the tiny bone under my tongue.
Or, you could be a very nice person and let me keep my head. I will be happy to give you all my beautiful wool for the rest of my natural life. I really am a nice sheep!
Súrsaðir Hrútspungar (Soured Ram’s Testicles) Icelanders boil those bad boys to a soft, mushy texture, mold the squishy ram-junk into loaf pans, and cure the whole package with lactic acid. The end product is an anemic-looking pale-colored meat that delivers a powerful punch to the palate! This dish dresses up nicely for the fanciest tables when served in bite-size appetizer cubes and speared with Flag of Iceland toothpicks!
Hverabrauð (Hot Spring Rye Bread) Is this a mistake? An Icelandic traditional food that appears to be almost normal by modern standards?
Hverabrauð is made by using the heat from local geothermal springs to bake rye dough bread underground in stainless-steel-covered pots for 24 hours.
Typically the pots are buried 12 inches (30 centimeters) under the ground where the geothermal water temperature holds steady at just over 200°F (93°C). Got it! Icelandic bread baked in a rudimentary style, natural clay baker.
Check it out! It looks and even tastes relatively “normal.”
Hverabrauð - Hot Spring Rye Bread 5. Brennivín ("Black Death") Icelanders have a trick for eating their own quirky foods. They wash it down with a quick shot of Brennivín, more commonly referred to as Black Death. This schnapps, made from fermented potatoes and caraway has been Iceland’s most popular alcoholic beverage since the 16th century. Bennivin is noted for its pungent overpowering caraway taste.
In recent times, Icelanders have begun referring to Brennivin as “Black Death.” This foreboding name is NOT a result of its exceedingly high alcohol content or a specific danger associated with the beverage. Yes, it is 40% ABV (80 proof), so it holds its own with all the usual big-league hitters, but it isn’t in the Hall of Fame.
Brennivin - Black Death After prohibition ended in 1935 the State Alcohol Monopoly in Iceland assumed the production of Brennivin. To discourage Icelanders from consuming the product the government deliberately made the bottle of the drink unappealing. In 1991 the production of Brennivin was privatized. The bottles received a modern look, that maintained the established tradition of simplicity.
“Black” refers to the simple black label on the bottle.
“Death” refers to the term Islanders use to describe passing out from the overconsumption of alcohol.
For some people there might not be enough Black Death in Iceland to rescue their palates after eating a traditional Icelandic meal. Others laugh, chow down the strange fare, and toss back shots of Black Death. And others, like me pass on it all.
Watch for Iceland Part II. We will be driving around Iceland’s famous Ring Road.
If you enjoyed this posting, feel free to share it with others. I’d love to hear from you. And hey… If you haven’t already subscribed, come and join the group as we travel around.
I've gotta go to that Blue Lagoon, then drink some Black Death.
Thanks so much for the entertaining and informative read.
Cheers
I travelled to Iceland in winter, I can't wait for the next post to know about the ring road trip. For me the shark was interesting :-)