Facts About Iceland

A Popular Vegetable Market in the Countryside of Iceland

Don't forget to visit the vegetable market in Mosfellsdalur (near Reykjavik) if you visit Iceland between the months of July and September. You will be able to buy different kinds of vegetables, homegrown and fresh of course. The market is now ten years old and is open on Saturdays. Another attraction is the possibility to buy homemade jams, trout and char from Lake Thingvallavatn and even home-knitted woolen socks!

Icelandic Slatur - Slaughter - a Traditional Icelandic Dish

Most countries have their own special dishes or food. Icelanders are no different and Iceland slatur (Icelandic: Slátur) or "slaughter" is something you really should taste.

The autumn is the season for making slatur which comes from the innards of sheep. Many Icelandic housewifes used to make one or two types of slatur each autumn where the whole family participated but nowadays we mostly buy slatur in the supermarket.

The two types of slatur are blodmör (Icelandic: Blóðmör) or "blood pudding" and lifrarpylsa ("liver sausage"). The photos show the liver sausage - lifrarpylsa.

You should definitely have a taste of slátur... However I suggest you taste FIRST and then watch how slatur is made :-).

 

  

Icelandic Pancake Pan

A pan was born.... fifty years ago! The Icelandic pancake frying pan was designed by Mr. Gudmundur Haraldsson, who had been working for the same company, Malmsmidja Ámunda Sigurdssonar since 1947.

The company is still going strong and makes up to 600 pancake frying pans a day. Take a look at a photo of this famous frying pan and see a recipe of real Icelandic pancakes.

Cheap Restaurant in Reykjavik

If you really want to save money, eating out in Iceland is a "no, no". Stay away from the restaurants and buy your food at the budget stores, supermarkets or hypermarkets.

However if you really want to eat out at a restaurant,  you might find some good offers at lunch time in various restaurants.  You will probably find it interesting that the Thai and Chinese restaurants are the cheapest...

There are four cheap restaurants in Reykjavík a whole lot cheaper than many others - one Thai, two vegetarian and one fish restaurant:

• Núðluhúsið - A Thai noodle restaurant, very popular for its huge portions
  http://www.nudluhusid.is/
  Vitastígur 10
  101 Reykjavík
  552 7088
• Grænn kostur - A vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Reykjavík
  http://graennkostur.is/english.htm
  Skólavörðustígur 8,
  101 Reykjavík,
  tel. 552 20208
• Á næstu grösum - A vegetarian restaurant in the heart of Reykjavík
  Laugavegur 20 b, tel. 552 8410 and Suðurlandsbraut 52, tel. 581 1065
• Sægreifinn
  http://www.saegreifinn.is/
  Verbúð 8 v/ Geirsgötu
  101 Reykjavík
  Tel: 553 1500

Last but not least - a tasty Icelandic hot dog is a cheap, good choice too.

Tips from Travellers: The Best Hot Dog Stand in Reykjavik - "Bæjarins bestu"

"Bæjarins bestu: This is a very good hot dog stand and there are always queues to get here. We were down around the ship yard around lunch time one day. There was a queue of more locals than tourists to be honest, sailors and business men in suits, which is a good sign."

And here I might add that even Mr. Bill Clinton stopped there to have a taste some years ago!

An Icelandic hot dog (pulsa or pylsa) is not a bad choice at all if you want something quick, cheap and tasty. In fact, some travelers find it the best hot dog in the world! 

Iceland Food Prices - Icelandic Food Stores

Food is one of the major expenses when traveling and you would be well adviced to shop where it is least expensive.

If you plan to travel from Reykjavík with a car it would be smart to start by shopping for food in a food chain store called Bónus or Krónan. You won't find a cheaper solution! These chain stores can be found in the following towns:

• Bónus:
  Reykjavík, Kópavogur, Hafnarfjörður, Mosfellsbær, Ísafjörður, Akureyri, Selfoss, Borgarnes, Egtilsstaðir, Reykjanesbær, Hveragerði, Stykkishólmur.
• Krónan:
  Reykjavík, Mosfellsbær, Selfoss, Reyðarfjörður, Vestmannaeyjar.

Fjarðarkaup is a supermarket in Hafnarfjördur - low cost (although not as cheap as Bónus/Krónan) but offers very good service and selection.

You might want to check my blog on Prices in Iceland.

Iceland Water

You can drink the Icelandic water right from the tap, refreshingly cold and sweet. No need to buy bottled still water unless you want to spend money needlessly. In fact there aren’t many brands for you to choose from!

Photo by Guy David: Creative commons licence

Some Icelandic specialities

Lifrarpylsa is a mixed internals from sheep. It is boiled, served either cold or warm.

Slátur means "slaughter" and is similar to Haggis in Scotland. Also served either cold or warm.

Harðfiskur (dried fish) is indispensable when you travel in the countryside as a snack. Don't let the rather strong smell disturb you, it really is delicious.

Hákarl (Rotten shark) - is cured by burying and preferably washed down with a shot of Black Death Schnapps. It is mostly served in a Þorrablót - an ancient midwinter feast where pickled, sour meats and rotten shark are among the things to be tried once a year!

Photo: Slatur - strange but very good :-).

Icelandic Skyr

Skyr is a milk product, please don't leave without tasting it! It is a white, milky substance, thicker than yougurt and we usually eat it with a bit of extra milk. Extremely good and healthy. Restaurants offer it as a desert, often with berries, but you can also grab it in every grocery store.

Icelandic Bread and Pastry - Icelandic Receipes for You to Try!

You can be sure of a wide selection of bread, both dark and white. If you go into a bakery, be sure to try also some of the pastries, such as snúðar, vínarbrauð and kleinur. Pancakes (see photo) are not available in the bakeries, but they are often made during family gatherings.

Below are some tempting Icelandic recipes:

Pancakes are among the most traditional Icelandic recipes.

130 g (4 1/2 oz) flour
6 dl (1 pt 2 5/8 cups) milk
3 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla essence
40 g margarine

Get yourself a good bowl. Beat together eggs, milk and vanilla. Then mix the dry ingredients. Add them to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly. Keep in a fridge for 1 hour.

Melt margarine on the pancake pan and wisk with the dough. Keep the pancake pan fairly hot, pour on the batter. Roll about to cover the pan and make the pancake very thin. Bake for a moment, then turn it over and bake the other side for a short while. Transfer to a plate.

Sprinkle with sugar or serve with jam and whipped cream.

(From The New Icelandic Cookbook).

Waffles
Waffles are very popular in Iceland. This is an Icelandic receipe where spelt is used instead of white wheat. You need a special waffle iron.

3 dl skimmed milk
2 eggs
100 g melted butter or margarine (or use oil instead).
1 tsp vanilla sugar
2 tsp baking powder
180 g spelt (or white wheat)

Pour the skimmed milk in a bowl. Add the eggs, the melted butter (or margarine) and the dry ingredients. Stir until the dough looks good. Bake the waffles until golden brown. Serve with jam and whipped cream.