Iceland Portal

The Icelandic kitchen is simple and interesting. It is not famous like the French or the Italian but it has its own rhythm and flavors. The Icelandic climate and the harsh land didn't give farmers the option to grow a large variety of fruits and vegetables. Fishing, sheep and potatoes were the main food for Icelanders for generations.

Still fish and lamb are the most common main courses the Icelandic kitchen has to offer and even tough the Icelandic kitchen remains simple, it offer some unique delicacies which most people will never forget.

Traditional food:

Þorramatur (food of the þorri) is the Icelandic traditional food. Today þorramatur is mostly eaten during January and February during the ancient Nordic month of þorri. as a tribute to old culture.

Þorramatur consists of many different types of food. These are mostly offal dishes like pickled ram's testicles, putrefied shark, singed sheep heads, singed sheep head jam, blood pudding, liver sausage (similar to Scottish haggis) and dried fish (often cod or haddock) with butter. Much of the cuisine centres around Iceland's fishing industry. Traditional dishes include Hákarl (putrefied shark), graflax (salmon marinated in salt and dill), hangikjöt (smoked lamb), hrútspungar (pickled ram's testicles), and slátur (sausages made from sheep entrails). A popular food is skyr made of cultured skim milk, in the summer time it may be served with bilberries as a dessert. Brennivin is an Icelandic liquor made from potatoes and caraway.