The traditions of Icelandic cuisine are rooted in the distant Middle Ages. The basis of the diet of Icelanders is made up of dishes prepared from seafood, local varieties of fish, etc. Invariable interest among guests gastronomic festivals also enjoy exotic dishes from the meat of wild animals according to the recipes of the ancient Vikings, which are carefully preserved by Icelandic chefs.

Along with traditional dishes, local chefs develop modern Icelandic cuisine. There was a place in it for vegetables that are grown in the country's geothermal greenhouses, as well as for imported products. Nevertheless, gourmets from all over the world flock to the land of the ancient Vikings to taste local exotic delicacies ("torramatur") made from organic products.

general characteristics

The peculiar Icelandic cuisine is based on seemingly ordinary ingredients: meat, fish and seafood. At first glance, it may seem too simple, even "rustic". Not every tourist who has visited the country dares to join very exotic traditional dishes, fearing for his stomach. However, having tasted local cooking daredevils are shocked unusual taste at first glance, the most ordinary dishes and the originality of their preparation.

The culinary traditions of Icelandic cuisine are due to the history of the formation of the state and the peculiarity of its geographical location. Very scant information about products that have been used for a long time has reached our days. So, the love of lamb is a conscious choice of Icelanders, who for centuries have been afraid to import meat products due to their infection various ailments... disappeared from the menu of the local population in the tenth century, after the adoption of Christianity by the population of the country, and only eight centuries later began to slowly return to the diet of the Icelanders.

A decrease in temperature in the fourteenth century (the Little Ice Age) made it impossible to grow fruits, vegetables and cereals in the country. , and cabbage appeared here only in the twentieth century, but only in separate regions of the country. The inhabitants of a country with a harsh climate showed considerable ingenuity to provide themselves with food. Climatic conditions and everyday life predetermined the preference of the Irish: high-calorie meals made from shelf-stable products.

Icelandic cuisine is believed to be influenced by Danish cuisine, as the country was under Danish rule from the Middle Ages until the nineteenth century.

Dishes prepared from the products familiar to the inhabitants of this country do not differ in particular variety and sophistication, but they cannot be found in other parts of the world. Icelandic cooks carefully preserve and pass on from generation to generation the ancient recipes of the Vikings.

Characteristics and main courses

The main characteristic of Icelandic cuisine is its consistency. For centuries, the main ingredients used by local chefs are fish, seafood and lamb. Moreover, all products in Iceland are of the highest quality.

The culinary specialists of the country of glaciers, volcanoes and geysers use natural features in a very original way to prepare national dishes. This is evidenced, for example, by original way baking the local bread "laufabraus", thanks to which the thin Icelandic bread was nicknamed "volcanic". Its secret is that the dough in a special iron container is simply buried in the ground heated by volcanoes. At the hot springs, the Irish also set up greenhouses where vegetables are grown.

Local environmentally pure products from which chefs prepare hearty meals present at the tables of Icelanders all year round... These include:

1. Seafood: fish and seafood. From local species, as well as mackerel, and even sharks, cooks cook varied dishes and sandwiches. The fish is served smoked, pickled, dried and salted. Popular in Iceland are pickled salmon "gravlax" and herring marinated with spices "sild", fried or dried fish"Hardfiskur" served with oil or red algae; or a "smelly" shark called "hakarl". This spicy dish with a pungent smell is considered to be peculiar business card country. It is "prepared" in a peculiar way: for several weeks, shark meat is kept in special containers with gravel or sand, and then for another three months it is "languished" for fresh air... It is believed that such manipulations disinfect the meat of the sea predator. One more a traditional dish called "gellur" - boiled or baked "cod tongues", which are actually triangular muscles under the fish tongues. Seafood dishes (, and) and marine mammals, for example, pickled whale lips, whale steak and "Kaistur Khvalyur" - soaked in c. In addition, every family here cooks the usual fishing stew, the recipe of which has been passed down from generation to generation.
2. Meat products. Sheep and rams are raised in all regions of the country. Lamb, in particular, is used to prepare such "Viking dishes" as "svid" - a boiled sheep's head, "hrutspungur" - testicles of a young ram under various sauces and marinade, as well as lamb stomach stuffed with frozen sheep blood, chopped slatur sheep liver, blikya roast meat, or hangikyot smoked lamb (hanging meat). Lamb meat is stored on birch wood, then boiled and served with sauce and garnish of peas and potatoes. No less popular are the peculiar lamb kebabs. It is also customary here to cook blood sausage from the entrails, fat and blood of sheep - "slatur", which is served with sweet rice pudding... Traditional national dish on the Westman Islands is "lundi" - puffin meat, which is cooked in milk sauce or smoked. Recently, in addition to lamb, Icelanders have been using it to prepare hot and cold dishes, and.
3. Milk and dairy products. Icelanders drink a lot and use it to make cereals, sauces and side dishes. Especially popular is "skir" - Icelandic s, which is very thick in consistency, as well as cheeses made from natural and ecologically pure Icelandic milk. It is also used for making excellent yoghurts.
4. Eggs are by all means present in the daily diet of the country's population.
5. Bread and flour products... In addition to volcanic, Icelandic culinary specialists prepare other types of bread, in particular, juniper, sweet, as well as bread with. The pastries are represented by sweet "brushwood" -kleinur, pancakes with berries, as well as many types of cakes and cookies, prepared according to recipes borrowed from Danish chefs.
6. The range of cereals is very limited; they are used for filling soups and making cereals. The traditional first the dish is Icelandic chowder.
7. Vegetables and fruits are mainly imported to the land of glaciers. On local lands, only potatoes, cabbage and, as well as in greenhouses, are grown. The diet of Icelanders also contains northern berries, which are eaten fresh and used to make jelly and jams.
8. Icelanders prefer drinks, which became popular in the country three centuries ago. Nowadays, many coffee houses here take payment only for the first cup of coffee, and everyone else is presented as a gift. Icelanders drink little because of its high price. The traditional alcoholic drink here is "brennivin" - a cross between and. This drink, which is made from potatoes and caraway seeds, is popularly called the "black death". Also, European alcoholic drinks and are widely represented in the country.
9. Of particular note high quality local, which you can safely drink from the tap or reservoir. Only one "but": when heated, the water acquires a pronounced smell of sulfur.

Beneficial features

Few know that the Scandinavian diet is no less beneficial to health than the widely advertised Japanese or Mediterranean diet. Meanwhile, as evidenced by the results of a study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, the diet of the inhabitants of the Scandinavian countries has a pronounced anti-inflammatory effect.

His beneficial impact on health scandinavian cuisine owes to the high content, the very restrained attitude of local chefs to and seasonings, as well as the presence of seafood, rich in and out, on the menu.

Cooking plokkfiskure

Plokkfiskur is a hot fish dish very popular in Iceland. In an approximate translation into Russian, the name means “ stewed fish and potatoes in sauce. "

The plokkfiskur recipe goes back centuries, but this dish remains invariably popular to this day. The reason for this is simple - it does not take too long to prepare this dish, the ingredients are available and the result exceeds all expectations.

The history of the origin of Plokkfiskur is similar to one of the versions explaining how pizza was first made in Italy. Recall that a very common theory says that pizza was invented zealous housewives seeking to "dispose" of product leftovers from family dinners... Moreover, in Iceland sea ​​fish for centuries it remained a food that was present in the daily diet of the local population. As a rule, after dinner, separate fragments of boiled fish remained on the plate. In a few days, there were so many of them that it was enough to prepare a full-fledged dinner.

Traditionally, plokkfiskur is made from cod, flounder or. You can also use fish fillets that have not been previously boiled, but fried without use. bread crumbs... Please note that fillets must first be skinned and small bones... There is Plokkfiskur in two flavors: baked with cheese and stewed. Both are distinguished by their excellent taste.

To prepare this dish, you will need: 500 g of white fish fillet, peeled from skin and bones, the same amount of potatoes, one medium-sized onion, 50 g butter, about 400 ml of milk, 2-3 tablespoons, and white pepper taste.

Option one, stew

Boil water. Salt it and dip the fish fillets into the pan. Bring the water to a boil, then immediately remove the pan from the heat. Cover and leave for a quarter of an hour.

Peel the potatoes. Boil it in well salted water. Cut the finished potatoes into large pieces and put them in a warm place.

Remove the fish from the pan, cut into large pieces and put it in a warm place too.

Prepare the sauce. Saute the onions in a large saucepan over low heat until translucent. Add flour there and mix thoroughly.

Stir constantly and pour in the milk. Warm up the mixture, stir so that there are no lumps left. Season with salt and pepper.

Put in hot sauce pieces of potatoes and fish. Stir, but very carefully so that the fish does not fall apart. Bring to a boil over low heat and immediately remove from heat. Let the dish sit under the lid for 10 minutes and serve.

Option two, baked

On the last stage Add any spices, such as curry, to the sauce. Place the finished potatoes and fish in a baking dish, pour over the hot sauce. Sprinkle with grated cheese and place in preheated oven. Bake at 180 degrees for twenty minutes, until the cheese is melted, turning into a golden crust.

After ready meal will be removed from the oven, let it brew, and then put on plates.

Icelandic black bread rugbraze with butter is usually served with plokkfiskur.

Cooking Icelandic black bread Rugbraise

To bake the traditional black yeast-free bread you will need: 250 g wheat flour s, 400 g with bran, 0.8 l of milk or kefir, three dessert spoons sugar syrup, two dessert spoons of salt, two dessert spoons of soda.

Mix two types of flour, add salt and pour in water. Stir well. After that, pour milk or kefir into the mixture and stir until the mass becomes homogeneous. Add syrup and stir again.

The dough turns out to be quite thick, so in order to knead it properly, you will have to make some effort. Put the finished dough in a greased form, having previously covered it with baking paper. Flatten.

Bread is baked for four hours at a temperature of 100 degrees. Please note that the dough rises slightly during baking and also darkens. Remove the pan from the oven, cover the bread with a towel and let it cool before taking it out.

Preparing Icelandic pancakes for coffee

Coffee in Iceland is a cult drink. In coffee shops to invigorating drink often order pancakes with. They are prepared according to a recipe that dates back to the eighteenth century and has remained virtually unchanged since then.

To prepare this dish, you will need: one glass of flour, two and a half glasses of milk, a couple of eggs, a tablespoon of butter, two tablespoons of sugar, half a teaspoon of baking powder, a quarter teaspoon of salt, and one teaspoon of vanilla extract.

Boil milk in a saucepan and let cool.

In the meantime, sift the flour and add baking powder and sugar and salt to it. Add half of the milk there and knead the dough until the lumps disappear. Pour the second half of the milk into it and add the eggs and vanilla extract... Stir the dough well and add the melted butter and mix again.

Heat the skillet well, after greasing it with oil. Pour the dough in small portions and spread it over the surface of the pan. Bake the pancakes for one minute on each side.

Use for filling pancakes. Garnish with whipped cream before serving.

Icelandic cuisine is not very diverse and rich. This is largely due to the fact that the land is not very fertile and the climate is unfavorable. Therefore, from time immemorial, Icelanders get out as best they can - absolutely everything goes into their food, it even creates the feeling that they have no such thing as food waste.

We have selected 15 dishes of national Icelandic cuisine, some of which, perhaps, can only be eaten by real Vikings.

Haukarl - rotten Greenland polar shark meat
V fresh the meat of these sharks is poisonous - it contains a huge concentration of ammonia, since this species of shark does not have a urinary tract. That is why haukarl takes a very long time to prepare in order to remove toxic urea. In fact, shark meat is placed in special containers with gravel, where it goes out within 6-8 weeks. The meat reaches the required condition, drying in the fresh air for another 3-4 months. In total, the fish goes out for about six months.
By the way, the characteristic smell is also preserved in the finished product, however, this does not diminish its popularity among the local population.

Saltfiskur - salted fish
In Iceland, one of the most used food preservation methods is salting. The fish is completely covered with salt, which then dries up its meat. Before cooking such fish, let it sit in the water for several hours (or several days, depending on the size of the fish). Traditionally, this fish is simply boiled and served with potatoes and bread. Now Icelanders are increasingly choosing to do salted fish in spanish or Italian styles, with tomatoes and olives, for example.

Hangikyot - smoked lamb
A festive dish, the name translates as "hanging meat". The meat is smoked on birch wood or with the addition of dried sheep dung. Then boiled and served hot or cold with peas, mashed potatoes and white sauce, an analogue of bechamel.

Gellur - cod tongues
If gellur is cooked, as shown in the photo, in the oven, then it is very tasty. But usually gellur is just boiled and served.
Gellur is often mistaken for fish tongues however, these are fleshy triangular muscles just under the tongue.

Hardfiskur - dried fish
One more popular dish among Icelanders and even foreigners - dried or dried fish, usually haddock or cod. Icelanders eat it literally in tons of butter, without which, frankly, you cannot swallow it, since the fish meat is very dry.

Volcanic bread
Icelandic rye bread is very popular in the country. It is dark in color and has a sweet taste. It is eaten with oil and fish or meat. One of the ways to prepare it is very curious - ready dough put in metal mold and left for a day where volcanoes warm the upper layers of the soil. Such bread is also called volcanic.

Lundi is a puffin bird
Usually meat is boiled in milk sauce or smoked. The dish is most popular in the Westman Islands, where there is a whole colony of these birds. There are a lot of dead ends in Iceland, like we have, for example, pigeons, so they eat them without a twinge of conscience.

Hwalspeak
Hwalspik means whale oil. It is boiled and smoked in lactic acid. It was considered one of the main delicacies of the country, but now almost no one eats it.

Slatur - blood sausage or pudding
Slatur literally means bloodshed. Slatur is made from the entrails, blood and fat of sheep. Sometimes blood pudding is served with sweet rice pudding - a rather strange combination.

Testimonial - a ram's head
A whole lamb head is preliminarily cleaned of wool and brains, boiled and sometimes kept in lactic acid. They eat absolutely everything in this dish, even the eyes. The most tasty parts the cheeks and tongue are considered.

Khrutspungur - eggs of a young lamb
It is a delicacy in Iceland, although now almost no one eats it, except on holidays. The origin of this dish is explained by the fact that Iceland was once a poor country and farmers used everything they could. Eggs are first pickled and then pressed into cookies or filled with gelatin.

Whale meat
In Iceland, they eat the minke whale (a species of whale that is not endangered). Whale meat is made into steaks, kebabs or eaten raw with wasabi and soy sauce... The taste is something between tuna and beef.

Kyotsupa - meat soup
Traditional meat soup is made from lamb, potatoes, carrots, onions and rutabagas. They say it's a very tasty dish.

Skyr
It may not be a traditional dish, but it is very popular among Icelanders and foreigners. Skyr is milk product low in fat, a bit like yogurt, although not. Many desserts are made on the basis of thick skyr.

Brennivin - "black death"
And finally, the popular alcoholic drink "Brennivin". Translated as "burnt wine", it is made from potatoes and caraway seeds. The Icelanders themselves call it "black death".
By the way, alcohol prices in Iceland are very high. You can buy a glass of wine or beer in restaurants, bars and government stores, but you will have to shell out a fortune for alcohol.

In general, Icelandic cuisine does not boast much variety and richness. This is mainly due to the fact that the local land is not very fertile, and the climatic conditions are unfavorable. Therefore, from time immemorial, Icelanders have to get out as soon as possible - they use absolutely everything for food, as a result of which the feeling is created that they do not have the concept of "food waste". In this review, we have selected a dozen dishes from the national Icelandic cuisine, a certain number of which, perhaps, only true Vikings can eat.

Haukarl - Rotten Greenland Shark Meat

Fresh meat of these sharks is life threatening, because it is poisonous - it contains the highest concentration of ammonia, since this species of shark does not have a urinary tract. It is for this reason that the haukarl is cooked for a very long time - in order to remove poisonous urea from the meat.
To prepare it, shark meat is placed in special containers filled with gravel, where it goes out for six to eight weeks. Then the meat is brought to the required condition, dried in the fresh air for three to four months. Thus, in total, the shark goes out for about six months. By the way, the characteristic smell does not leave and completely finished product however, this does not diminish his popularity among the Icelanders.

Hangikyot - smoked lamb

In Iceland it is holiday dish, whose name can be translated as "hanging meat". To prepare Hangikyot, meat is smoked on birch wood, or with the addition of dried sheep dung. Then it is boiled and served cold or hot with mashed potatoes, peas and white sauce, which is an analogue of bechamel.

Gellur - cod tongues

If you prepare gellur as, for example, it is shown in the photograph, that is, in the oven, then it turns out to be very tasty. However, in Iceland, gellur is most often brewed and served immediately.
Often this food is mistaken for fish tongues, but in fact, the triangular fleshy muscles are prepared, located under the tongue of the cod.

Hardfiskur - felted fish

This is a dish that is dried or dried fish, usually haddock or cod, is very popular not only among native Icelanders, but also among foreigners. The local population eats such fish literally in tons, using it with oil, without which such dry meat, frankly speaking, is quite difficult to swallow.

Volcanic bread

This kind rye bread extremely popular in the state. It has a rather dark color and a sweet aftertaste. It is used with meat, or with oil and fish. One of the many ways to prepare it is very curious - the prepared dough is placed in a metal mold and left for a day where the upper layers of the soil are heated by volcanoes. For this, such bread was called volcanic.

Lundi - poultry meat puffin

Often, its meat is boiled in milk sauce, or smoked. This dish is especially popular in the Westman Islands, where there is an extensive colony of these birds. There are quite a few puffins in Iceland, like we have, for example, pigeons, therefore they are eaten mercilessly.

Hwalspeak

In translation, the name of this dish sounds like "whale oil". It is boiled and smoked in lactic acid. Previously, it was considered one of the main delicacies of the country, but now almost no one eats it.

Slatur - blood sausage or pudding

"Slatur" literally means "bloodshed". It is prepared from the entrails, fat and blood of sheep. Sometimes such a blood pudding is served with rice sweet pudding - a combination, you see, is more than strange.

Evidence - boiled lamb head

The lamb's head is completely cleaned of wool and brain, boiled and sometimes also kept in lactic acid. Everything in this dish is considered edible, including the eyes. Icelanders call the tongue and cheeks the most delicious parts of Svyda.

Khrutspungur - lamb eggs

An Islamic delicacy, although nowadays it has almost ceased to be eaten, except on major holidays. Emergence of this dish can be explained by the fact that Iceland was once a rather poor country, and farmers had to use everything they could for food. To prepare Khrutspungur, eggs are first pickled and then pressed into cookies, or poured with gelatin.

Whale meat

In Iceland, the non-endangered minke whale is eaten with pleasure. Steaks and kebabs are made from whale meat, or eaten raw with soy sauce and wasabi. It tastes like a cross between beef and tuna.

Brennivin - Black Death Drink

Well, at the end of our impromptu list is an alcoholic drink popular in Iceland called "Brennivin", which means "burnt wine". It is prepared from caraway seeds and potatoes. The Icelanders themselves call it gloomy - "black death".
By the way, the prices for alcoholic drinks in Iceland are quite high. You can always buy a glass of beer or wine in bars, restaurants, as well as in state stores, but here you will have to pay a fortune for alcohol.

Characters:
British Empire - population about 51 million, nuclear state.
Iceland - population of about 300 thousand people, there is no army.
NATO is an alliance of both Britain and Iceland.
Other countries - the USSR, the Federal Republic of Germany, the USA and others. Act one. 1958 Iceland. I need cod.
Other countries. You have 4 miles around your, um, island, so catch yourself there.
Iceland: I need more cod.
(* Iceland claims it now owns the entire sea area 12 miles around the island *)
Other countries (in chorus). No shit to yourself!
Iceland (fondly). Cod, crackle, my crackle ...
Britannia. Hey you…
Iceland (corrects). You.
Britannia. Hey, you. As I used to catch fish from you, I will continue to fish. Is the hint clear?
Iceland. U # boo.
Britain (shocked): What ?!
Iceland: U - # - boo.
Britain: I have nuclear weapons.
Iceland. You won't hit me.
Britannia. I have a fleet.
Iceland. Soon you will remember how pleasant it was to talk about your fleet in the present tense.
Britannia. You have less population than I have sailors in the navy!
Iceland. Nothing. Cod will get fatter on English meat.
Britannia. Oh you…
(* British fishermen continue to fish for cod in Icelandic waters *)
Iceland (thoughtfully). U # boo.
(* Icelandic Coast Guard surrounds British ships and trims their trawls *)
Britain (choking on milk tea). Yes, you are cold!
Iceland (in a satisfied voice). Oh, finally Britain speaks to Iceland with "you".
Britannia. I need cod!
Iceland. No. Iceland needs cod and The Soviet Union... Hey Soyuz, would you like some fish?
USSR (from afar). Fish? The union wants fish!
Britannia. Bl @ db ...
(* Britain withdraws its fishermen and recognizes Iceland's rights to the 12-mile zone *) Act two. 1972 Iceland. I need cod.
Britannia. Again?!

(* Iceland claims its exclusive rights now extend 50 miles around the island *)
Other countries (in chorus). Yes, you have lost weight!
Iceland (corrects). You.
Britannia. You got me, you little bastard.
Germany. And me. Maybe I need cod too!
(* Britain and Germany continue to fish in Icelandic waters with naval frigates attached to the fishermen *)
Iceland (thoughtfully). U # boo. Both of them.
(* The Icelandic Coast Guard tries to cut the trawls of the British fishermen, but runs into warning fire from the Navy *)
Iceland (melancholy). Not me U # boo - so others U # boo ... (picks up the phone) Hello, USA? Iceland is worried. No, not Ireland, but Iceland. No it is different countries... U # boo. What? No, this is not for you yet. We had your military base here, remember? In the sense - "still stands"? Now we will remove it, since it's worth it. And then we are offended here, but your base is of no use. We will put another base, a red one. With a bear and a button. And Russians. What do you mean "don't"? Ah, "solve the problem"? Okay, decide quickly. Chao. (hangs up)
THE USSR. Did someone call me?
Iceland. No, you heard it.
THE USSR. Is there still cod?
Iceland. No. She drowned.
THE USSR. It's a pity.
USA. Hey, there you are, who are in Icelandic waters!
Britain and Germany (in unison). What?
USA. Go from there nafig, please.
Britannia. But the cod ...
USA. Heartburn from cod.
Britain (doomed). Bl @ db ...
(* Britain and Germany leave Icelandic waters *)
Iceland. Wu # boo next time. Act three. 1975 Iceland. I need cod.
Britain and Germany (looking around, in a low whisper). Go to hell.
Iceland. To me. I need it. Cod.
(* Iceland claims it now owns the waters 200 miles around the island *)
Other countries. Iceland, yes you ... that is, you ...
Iceland (interrupts). U # boo.
Germany (melancholy). U # beta.
Britannia. Watch and learn, suckers.
(* Britain reintroduces a navy to protect fishermen in Icelandic waters *)
Iceland (thoughtfully). I have seven ships. Britain has about a hundred. (rubbing his hands) This will be a great victory worthy of our Viking ancestors!
Germany (in a whisper). Iceland is crazy, call the psychiatrists.
Iceland. Release the Coast Guard!
(* the old frigate Thor hardly leaves the bay, blocks the road to three English warships at once and enters into battle with them *)
Other countries (in chorus). Iceland is crazy!
Iceland (with devilish laughter). The palaces of Valhalla await us, where we will forever feast with the Forefather Odin at a long table! ..
Other countries (in a whisper). Kick-ass.
(* Icelandic and English ships chase each other across the sea, arranging firefights *)
USA. Bl @ db. You both…
Iceland (not listening). Fight, English rats! Your place is in gray Niflheim, under the heel of the great Hel! Behold the banner of the raven! Thor is with us!
USA (in a panic). You are both NATO members!
Iceland (without turning around). Not anymore.
USA (falling into chthonic horror). How is it not ?!
Iceland. We will not fight side by side with cowardly English rats. We are leaving NATO.
Other countries (in chorus). Fuck!
USA (turning pale). But you have the only NATO base in the northern seas!
USSR (sneaking up). But from this place in more detail ...
USA. Bl @ db! Britannia! Can I have two words for you?
Britain (reluctantly). What else?!
USA. Get out of there!
Britannia. It's a matter of principle!
USA. U # boo!
Iceland. USA, fuck off, I was the first to notice her!
USA. You're fucking crazy!
Iceland (waving a cod). You know, bears are very fond of raw fish... Historical fact.
THE USSR. Ry-s-s-yba-a-a-a ...
USA. Bl @ db! Britannia!
Britain (disappointed). But what kind of muiña ...
(* Britain withdraws its ships and, following all European countries, recognizes Iceland's right to a 200-mile zone around the island *)
Iceland (sadly). The Great Odin was left without sacrifice ... And the fun ended so quickly ... (looking around and noticing the Eyjafjallajökull volcano) Although you can still fix it!
All countries of the world (in chorus). Bl @ db ...
A curtain.

Due to the geographical location of the country, the inhabitants of Iceland in ancient times ate what can be found or caught on the islands. Plus, the Viking heritage also had a strong influence on the local cuisine.

Of course, now everyone here eats mainly fish (there is no shortage of it in Iceland), lamb meat and various dairy products, but also exotic dishes in local restaurants are also available. There are five in our selection unusual dishes Iceland.

ROOM ONE: FRIED AND SMOKED DEALS

Look into the face of this funny bird. This is a dead end. Small and cute in all respects, the creature lives on the east coast of the Atlantic Ocean and in North Africa.

These charms fly, swim, dive, dig holes with a long beak and breed chicks in them. Puffins also love to kiss.

And this beauty is consumed in Iceland. The fact is that there are as many puffins in Iceland as there are pigeons in Moscow, so birds are eaten here without a twinge of conscience. Puffins are caught with the help of nets, which resemble butterfly nets. Puffin breasts are eaten: they are either fried on a grill and served with berry sauce, or smoked. Tasty, but sorry for the bird!

NUMBER TWO: HAUKARL - ROTTED SHARK MEAT

Haukarl is a national Icelandic dish and its tasting is a must try for all tourists visiting Iceland. By the way, the Icelanders themselves especially often do not eat haukarl, after all, the taste of the dish, let's say, is very peculiar.

Haukarl is essentially the rotten Greenland shark meat. The fact is that the Greenland shark has no kidneys and urinary tract, so its meat is soaked through with ammonia. Ammonia is poison for humans, but the ancient Vikings figured out how to deal with this problem. You just need to put the meat of the caught shark in a box and leave it underground for three months. When the shark dies down, the ammonia will evaporate and the meat can be eaten.

The Greenland shark, I must say, is a large fish, it is transported to the place of preparation (that is, burial) using a tractor. In restaurants, pieces of ready-made haukal are suspended from the ceiling like hams in an Italian butcher's shop. For tasting, a thin piece is cut off from the ham, if you swallow it quickly without chewing, then everything is not so scary. But if you chew, you feel the taste of urea in your mouth to the fullest, so you need to wash down the “delicacy” with something very strong, for example, local potato vodka.

NUMBER THREE: BOILED SHEEP HEAD

Another national Icelandic dish. The sheep's head (along with the eyes and teeth) is boiled and served on a platter.

Cheeks (which taste like duck meat) and brains are considered the main delicacy. Tasty, but the dish is difficult to eat for psychological reasons.

NUMBER FOUR: WHALE STEAK

A whale is not a fish, but a mammal; therefore, whale meat in Iceland is used to prepare steaks using the same technology as we use for preparing veal steaks.

There are whales and killer whales near Iceland; in the late eighties, whale fishing was officially banned in order to preserve the population. As a result, after a while fishermen were outraged: the whales ate so much fish that people had nothing to catch.

Since 2006, whale hunting in Iceland is again allowed, but strictly regulated, that is, whales can be caught, but not more than a certain number per year. For this reason, whale steak is not served everywhere, the dish is, as they say, a gastronomic rarity.

NUMBER FIVE: BLACK LAMB BLOOD PUDDING

Black pudding is an Icelandic variety of blood sausage. Actually, in blood sausage or sausages there is nothing unusual, such dishes were prepared back in Ancient Greece, and today black pudding can be tasted, for example, in Poland or Spain.

The peculiarity of Icelandic black pudding is that this dish is often prepared by mothers at home (like our mothers porridge). A liter of fresh lamb blood is taken, the blood is filtered through a sieve (to remove clots), diluted with two glasses of water (water in Iceland is thermal, so it is simply poured from the tap) and two tablespoons of sea salt are added inside.

Then flour and lamb fat are added to the blood. Everything is mixed. The resulting mass is pushed into the intestine, sewn up and boiled like ordinary sausages. The result is a cross between a sausage and a wiener. The dish is distinguished by its characteristic black color and blood flavor. True Viking food, a must-try for fans of the TV series True Blood.