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| DPS - Namafjall Hverir, Hot Spring, Northern Iceland. |
"Amid the volcanic landscapes and icy fjords of north Iceland is a thriving culture of self-sufficiency, optimism and adventure..." So begins the opening words to my recent pictures for an article in the latest edition of Food and Travel Magazine.
I should also perhaps add a thriving culture of male Liverpool fans living off the glory days of the 1970's, complete with flares and the odd mullet, but don't let that put you off! Even as a Manchester United fan I was welcomed with open arms to the still remote Northern climes of Iceland.
A place of austere beauty with a legacy of island survivalist culture. In such places old traditions die hard and the food can be interesting to say the least; Smoked Puffin (delicious by the way), singed sheep's head (not so delicious), fermented Skate (an acquired taste) and rotten Shark (don't bother - lol!). The shark in particular is hung for months until the flesh becomes a cross between tallow and a semi-hard cheese smelling of ammonia. It's a real delecicy in these parts and takes some time and effort to track down, it's only for the men it would seem, more a rite of passage than a meal... or just maybe the women have better sense.
I should also perhaps add a thriving culture of male Liverpool fans living off the glory days of the 1970's, complete with flares and the odd mullet, but don't let that put you off! Even as a Manchester United fan I was welcomed with open arms to the still remote Northern climes of Iceland.
A place of austere beauty with a legacy of island survivalist culture. In such places old traditions die hard and the food can be interesting to say the least; Smoked Puffin (delicious by the way), singed sheep's head (not so delicious), fermented Skate (an acquired taste) and rotten Shark (don't bother - lol!). The shark in particular is hung for months until the flesh becomes a cross between tallow and a semi-hard cheese smelling of ammonia. It's a real delecicy in these parts and takes some time and effort to track down, it's only for the men it would seem, more a rite of passage than a meal... or just maybe the women have better sense.
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| Singed Sheep's Head anyone? Maybe I should do a blog on the weirdest foods I'v been offered... |
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'Rotten Shark', air dried in the hanging shed. I'v always wanted to visit Iceland, and it doesn't disappoint! Austere, yes. Slightly weird, yes. Like it says in the title "Fire & Ice" no room for mediocre it's a place of extreme beauty and it's beautiful in the extreme! |
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| Icelandic horse, Lonkot, Iceland. |
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| Lonkot, Iceland. |
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| Typical coastal view, Northern Iceland. |
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