This one’s for samanthab.
According to the ancient manuscript Landnámabók, the settlement of Iceland began in 874 AD when the Norwegian chieftain Ingólfr Arnarson became the first permanent settler on the island.[16] In the following centuries, Norwegians, and to a lesser extent other Scandinavians, emigrated to Iceland, bringing with them thralls (i.e., slaves or serfs) of Gaelic origin.
The island was governed as an independent commonwealth under the Althing, one of the world's oldest functioning legislative assemblies.
en.wikipedia.org/...
Obligatory aurora borealis photo (it really is gorgeous):
The landscape in Iceland is...active.
Iceland, island country located in the North Atlantic Ocean. Lying on the constantly active geologic border between North America and Europe, Iceland is a land of vivid contrasts of climate, geography, and culture. Sparkling glaciers, such as Vatna Glacier (Vatnajökull), Europe’s largest, lie across its ruggedly beautiful mountain ranges; abundant hot geysers provide heat for many of the country’s homes and buildings and allow for hothouse agriculture year-round; and the offshore Gulf Stream provides a surprisingly mild climate for what is one of the northernmost inhabited places on the planet.
www.britannica.com/...
...and Old Faithful is a piker:
Rapturous praise for the local hot dog; much debate over its name:
In Icelandic a hot dog is called Pylsa or Pulsa (with conjugations). There is actually (not joking) an active controversy amongst Icelanders whether Icelandic hot dogs should be called Pylsa or Pulsa. It is a bit of a silly argument, and both sides think that the other is saying it wrong. It is likely that Pulsa is influenced by the Danish language. The word for sausage in Danish is Polser. The Norse influence (Swedish, Faroese, Norwegian) changes the O in Polser to a Y - Pylsa.
www.icelandairhotels.com/...
Why are they so great?
What sets Icelandic hot dogs apart is that they are made mostly from Icelandic lamb, along with pork and beef. And, this isnt just any lamb, pork or beef. [...] And, the hot dogs are made with natural casings so they have the pop when you bit into them!
What are the condiments?
Order an Icelandic hot dog as most Icelanders do and yours will be served on a warm, steamed bun topped with raw white onions and crispy fried onions, ketchup, sweet brown mustard called pylsusinnep, and remoulade, a sauce made with mayo, capers, mustard, and herbs.
www.icelandairhotels.com/…
[1:31]
😋 😋 😋
Iceland’s literary roots are ancient. I have read some of these, and can recommend them.
In 2011, Reykjavík was designated a UNESCO City of Literature.[242]
Iceland's best-known classical works of literature are the Icelanders' sagas, prose epics set in Iceland's age of settlement. The most famous of these include Njáls saga, about an epic blood feud, and Grænlendinga saga and Eiríks saga, describing the discovery and settlement of Greenland and Vinland (modern Newfoundland). Egils saga, Laxdæla saga, Grettis saga, Gísla saga and Gunnlaugs saga ormstungu are also notable and popular Icelanders' sagas.
en.wikipedia.org/...
This is just wild:
Plokkfiskur or fish stew. It looks delicious (and NO, it is NOT the same as lutefiske) [4:25]:
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Icelandic cuisine centres on the country’s fishing industry. [...] Cod, haddock, whale blubber, and seal meat are available. Other traditional dishes include gravlax (salmon marinated in salt and dill), hangikjöt (smoked lamb), hrútspungar (rams’ testicles), and slátur, a haggis-like dish made of sheep entrails. The skyr, which is made of cultured skim milk, is a distinctive Icelandic dessert, served with fresh bilberries in summer. Coffee seems omnipresent, and a unique Icelandic liquor is brennivín, which is made from potatoes and caraway.
www.britannica.com/...
He mentions the traditional rye bread in the fish stew video, and we are going to need it again later. Interestingly, it’s a quickbread:
The most common type of bread was a pot bread called rúgbrauð, a dark and dense rye bread, reminiscent of the German pumpernickel and the Danish rugbrød, only moister.
en.wikipedia.org/...
Talk about synchronicity! In Max Miller’s latest Tasting History (2/1) he makes rúgbrauð and, of course, talks history. This one’s a must-watch. The bread is easy to make, too [18:34]:
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Icelanders are an outdoorsy bunch, when weather allows. When it doesn’t, there’s always chess.
Icelanders are passionate about chess, the ancient game beloved by their Viking forebears. The country abounds in chess clubs that, over the years, have produced a series of world-class grandmasters, among them Fridrik Ólafsson, Jóhann Hjartarson, Margeir Pétursson, and Jón Árnason. Glíma, a form of wrestling that originated with the Vikings, is still practiced in Iceland. Swimming in naturally heated pools, horseback riding, and various ball games also are popular, and many Icelanders ice and rock climb….
www.britannica.com/...
The scenery is spectacular.
Kjotsupa, or Icelandic Lamb Soup [3:17]:
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The first permanent settlers, the Norwegians, moved to Iceland before the Little Ice Age (~1300-1400 CE) but their descendants were hardy, and stayed through it all.
Historians believe that early Icelandic society was prosperous. The country proved to be well suited for sheep and cattle, and both were raised for meat and milk. The sheep also yielded wool, and homespun cloth became the chief export. There was some agriculture, but grain was always imported. Timber was also imported; the only indigenous wood was birch. However abundant driftwood may have been, it could not satisfy the needs of the whole population. The Icelanders built large turf-clad houses on bulky timber frames, and some of the churches were built entirely of timber.
www.britannica.com/...
This is a great animated history of Iceland [16:10]:
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Icelanders might call it something else, but I know a smorgasbord when I see its description. (I told you we were going to need that rúgbrauð again.)
Þorramatur (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈθɔrraˌmaːtʏr̥]; transliterated as thorramatur; food of Þorri) is a selection of traditional Icelandic food, consisting mainly of meat and fish products cured in a traditional manner, cut into slices or pieces and served with rúgbrauð (dense and dark rye bread), butter and brennivín (an Icelandic akvavit). Þorramatur is consumed during the Nordic month of Þorri (Thorri), in January and February, particularly at the mid-winter feast of Þorrablót (Thorrablot) as a tribute to old culture. Being thus connected with the tradition of Þorrablót festivals, Þorramatur is most often served as a buffet.
en.wikipedia.org/…
About that midwinter festival…
Þorrablót (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈθɔrraˌplouːt]; transliterated as thorrablot) is an Icelandic midwinter festival, named for the month of Þorri of the historical Icelandic calendar (corresponding to mid January to mid February), and blót, literally meaning sacrifice.
The historical context is from the Orkneyinga saga, where Þorri ("Frost") is an early Finnish king, the son of Snær ("Snow"). Hversu Noregr byggðist in the Flateyjarbók states that the Kvens offered a yearly sacrifice to Þorri at mid-winter.[1][2]
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Calling the feast a blót (a sacramental feast held in honor of a god in Norse mythology) makes clear the reference to pre-Christian times, which many nationalists of the 19th century considered a golden age of Icelandic history.
The festival gained wide publicity in the 1960s. This was due to a Reykjavík restaurant, called Naustið, starting to offer a platter with a selection of foods that had previously been common in the Icelandic countryside [...] The restaurant advertised this platter as Þorramatur, thereby linking it with the tradition of the Þorrablót. The idea was well received and the serving of Þorramatur has since become a defining feature of Þorrablót.[4]
Today Þorrablót are common events among Icelanders everywhere….
en.wikipedia.org/...
Meanwhile, here’s a quick foodie tour of Reykjavik [16:51]:
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This is probably more than you ever wanted to know about the Althing 😉 but it’s very interesting — political insider stuff! — and the landscape is incredible [22:40]:
Doughnuts! I want some of these… [5:11]:
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So c’mon into the cafe and grab a cuppa…
...and a nice nosh…
...and join us!
New Day Cafe is an open thread. What do you want to talk about today?