The cuisine of Iceland is not considered to be the high-class and luxury. Nevertheless, there are many followers of Iceland specific dishes in the world. It is time to find out everything about Iceland food specific. Iceland is always ready to surprise you. In general, the cuisine of Iceland consists of two parts: fish and seafood and lamb meat. As far as the climate is harsh and cold, people prefer substantial meals to light and diet products.
The dishes are not broad variety. Nevertheless, there are many interesting exotic recipes and cooking methods of traditional products. You cannot find soup or baked meat in Iceland. This is your chance to taste something new. The most of recipes throw you back to past, to the Vikings’ cuisine. You can hire a car in Reykjavik and start your food marathon.
Fish and Seafood
Fish and seafood are the main dishes of Iceland. As a matter of fact, this is the base of local cuisine, the richest and top variety food category. Fishing is the main activity of islands. You can try many different sorts of fish: cods, herring, and exotic slope. The fish and seafood can be salted, fried, dried and even smoked. The most popular way of cooking fish in Iceland is drying. The dry slices are eaten with hot butter. Speaking about fish soup, it is popular dish for all Iceland families. The restaurants are full of luxury fish dishes like lobsters, shrinks, scallops and salmon.
Iceland was not included into the whales’ protective convention. So, tourists can try dishes made of whale meat. They are highly popular in Iceland. This is the rare delicacy that you are offered to try just in specific places. Bread has interesting volcanic form. It is baked in the forms in hot ground at the volcano.
Meat Dishes
The hot Gulf Stream gives soft and pleasant climate to the Southern Iceland. So, the valleys are full of sheep. The lamb meat is considered to be the best in the world. The lamb meat is cooked in different ways: fried, baked, smoked, salted. You should try smoked lamb, milk lamb, fried lamb, meat soup, lamb meat sandwiches, baked meat with vegetables.
Of course, lamb meat is the most popular dish in Iceland. Never forget to try such delicacies as partridge, venison, seals. The big part of traditional European meat dishes, like chicken, pork, is imported into the country from the bog land. So, you should pay for this kind of meat dishes in rich way.
Garnishes
What about garnishes? Actually, they cannot make you very happy. Iceland is not rich in fruits and vegetables. The most popular of them are cabbage, potatoes, carrot and tomatoes and cucumbers. They are not rare products in an island. Locals grow all of them in the greenhouses. The rest of vegetables are imported in the country. Milk products are also worth saying – cheese, yogurts, soured mild. They are also popular in the country with the beginning of farming.
Exotic Delicacies
Speaking about the cuisine of Iceland, there are many exotic dishes that are also worth trying. Nevertheless, the most of them are sicken. From the other hand, these specific dishes are bright analogous of exotic cuisine of glorious Iceland. So, if you want to try something truly Viking, you should start with hakarl, shark meat, and tainted slopes.
Hakarl is shark meat of specific taste. It was kept in the ground for months. It costs big money, by the way. The dish is sold in the best restaurants of the country. The slope is cooked in the same way. Of course, it is not placed in the ground, but stay in the sun. Locals say that such delicate dishes are recommended to take just with the hot alcohol, just in case. Meat dishes are specific. Do you want to try boiled and salted sheep head with eye on it? It is served in carved into portions
Desserts
Desserts and sweet are not about Iceland! The country is not rich in desserts. As you can see, Vikings had many other important moments, except desserts. The main delicacies were fresh berries, jams and jellies. The most popular baked dishes are sweet pancakes and straws. The most popular dessert in Iceland is skyr – something unique. It looks like yogurt with creams and berries.
Drinks
The quality of local water is perfect. You can drink water just from the tap or surface water. Nevertheless, the water in the island is full of sulfur and its combinations. It smells bad. The most popular drink in the 18th century is coffee. Are you surprised? People really like coffee. The coffee with cinnamon is made in every house. There is special coffee holiday – Solarkaffi in January. There is an interesting fact: you should pay just for the first coffee cup, the rest of drinks you can get for free. It sounds attractive!
Speaking about alcohol drinks, they are not cheap in Iceland. The beer was legalized in 1989. You can buy alcohol just in the licensed bars, restaurants and shops of a big one monopoly – VinBud. Tourists can buy alcohol in Duty Free department of the airport. You can take no more than 2 liters of strong alcohol and 6 liters of beer for tourists. You can buy alcohol just if you are 20. Traditionally, you can buy alcohol in Iceland just if you are 20. The best popular national drink in Iceland is potato snaps with caraway.
As a matter of fact, Iceland and Iceland cuisine are not attractive for everyone. The lovers of plain and simple cuisine, fish lovers and extreme gourmands like Iceland. Nevertheless, you should not go to this Northern country on your own. You may use one of available booking services, and ask them for help. Never miss your chance to form your own estimate to all Viking dishes and choose one, the most favorite of them. What do you prefer? Iceland is really attractive and unexpected country with diversified menu.
