“Food is our common ground, a universal experience.” ~James Beard
To be honest, before this year, Iceland had never been high on my list of places to visit. And until one of my best friends suggested it as our biennial comadres vacation destination, I didn’t know much about the country, its history or its food culture. But as I mentioned in last week’s blog post, once I started reading and researching, I knew it would be a different kind of travel experience and culinary adventure – and if I did want to be challenged on this trip, I was not disappointed!
In fact, the word adventure doesn’t even begin to decribe our twelve days away from home in beautiful Iceland.
In those almost twelve full days in the country, Iceland welcomed my food palate with a bounty of fresh seafood, oh, so good bread and butter and cheese, not-too-sweet pastries (just how I like them), rich lamb, perfectly seasoned everything (!), bowls of soup perfect for the mid-50’s temperatures, chocolate-covered licorice everywhere and as far as the eye can see, refreshingly cold beers, delicious ice cream cones, amazing pizza, crispy fish & chips, my new favorite dish in plokkfiskur, and last but not least, new foods that I probably wouldn’t be able to taste anywhere else: fermented shark in all its ammonia-smelling glory, grilled puffin, fin whale, and tender samples of horse meat.
Oh, did I mention the shot of Brennevin? Yep, I took that challenge too, and let’s just say that the “black death” ain’t got nothing on this adventurous eater & drinker.
(P.S. Follow Elda Eats on Facebook or Instagram to see photos of all of the above and more…)
The flight to Iceland marked my 10th time flying across the Atlantic to visit Europe, and while I always enjoy eating in foreign countries, I must say that Iceland ended up being a different kind of culinary journey – and one that made me think a little differently, not only about how and what I would eat, but how I would think about being introduced to foods that I most likely could never eat at home or in many other places abroad. I not only liked the challenge, but I also liked being made to think and learn about my own philosophy of traveling to foreign destinations and respecting other cultures while there.
So, what did I learn?
First, I learned that to really enjoy a new place, you must slow down a bit. We didn’t rush too much in Iceland, and we were the richer for that. Together, my friends and I have definitely rushed in other places (hello, July 2016 in Paris!), perhaps blurring otherwise beautiful landscapes while sitting on tour buses editing photos on our phones, or not taking the time to really see the anonymous faces that will never get a chance to appear in future dreams as strangers we know we’ve seen someplace else. We’ve all done that, right? Well not so much in Iceland. Maybe it was their cool July weather or the warmth of their delicious comfort food, but we were able to take it easy; we took our time and sat in cafes, in pubs, and almost every evening in our favorite ice cream shop. And we just read, or we wrote, or we talked to people from all over the globe. And yes, maybe we did sometimes sit there and edit photos on our phones or update social media posts, but not so much that we didn’t truly enjoy the experience in a different way.
Second, I learned (and hope I always knew), to never lose an opportunity to say hello and thank you – and all words in between. Nothing goes better with food than great conversation. You might just learn something, and make new friends in the process.
Third, I learned to really taste and respect the food. Yes, I take pictures of just about everything I eat (hello, food blogger here…) but I do eventually put down my iPhone and enjoy my meal. I also respect the food culture of any country I visit. Iceland is a country that still hunts and eats whale, reindeer and puffin; and they still farm horses for food. I realize this turns off many travelers and no, I am not interested in eating my own pets, but these are somewhat arbitrary lines that each culture creates for the meals they’re comfortable with putting on their tables. There are many people around the globe who would be horrified by what I ate for breakfast and lunch today (bacon in the morning, beef in the afternoon). Now, controversial foods and the eating of certain animals won’t be a subject for debate in this blog post (maybe another time), but I feel the need to mention this anyway. Icelanders have a great respect for their culinary traditions and don’t apologize for those arbitrary lines that separate cows from horses, or chickens from puffins. I don’t apologize for trying these dishes either. They were delicious.
Fourth, I learned to smile. Not just while eating (what does Emily Post say about this???), but while exploring. I was in Iceland, after all. What was not to smile about? I had the wonderful opportunity to smell and taste new flavors, and to – yes – take pictures of many plates of food that were works of art that I’ll never forget. I think each plate was worthy of a little bit of immortality. Something to smile about, indeed.
Finally, I learned to enjoy each and every day while on vacation. I know, that sounds silly, who doesn’t do that!? A lot of people, actually. People complain about the service in a restaurant, or a line at a museum, or a delayed flight at the airport, or the cost of a beer, or the weather. A lot of people complain about the weather! And no, I’m not saying I’m perfect, of course I’ve complained about such seemingly important things, but Iceland had a way of making me think a little more before uttering a grunt or displaying a grimace. I’m sure I still had my moments, but I don’t remember anything to complain about now. Enjoy every day, you won’t see it again.
Iceland was truly a different kind of vacation adventure. From glaciers to tectonic plate fault lines, I was able to see things I’d never seen in person before; from breathtaking landscapes and awe-inspiring waterfalls, I was able to take in nature’s beauty in ways I’d never done before; and from each and every cold beer and warm bowl of soup, I was able to enjoy a culinary tradition like no other I’d ever experienced.
Iceland was an adventure in eating well and traveling better, and every day was a wonder. A wonder I won’t soon forget.
~Elda XO
