Challenging Cuisine

On this trip we are going to Scotland, Iceland and London.  None of them are particularly noted for their cuisine, and Scotland and Iceland in particular are known for some fairly unappetising foods.  Haggis in Scotland and various fermented (read “putrefied”) fish products in Iceland are examples of what people did with food to survive times when it was scarce.  I’m not a massive believer that their transition to iconic dishes is always deserved, nor that they should be regarded as modern delicacies.  I am always reminded of Espen’s recipe for the Norwegian version (Lutefisk), which involves soaking it in toilet duck at the bottom of a hole for 6 months.  If he thinks that, I feel I am allowed to as well.

I’ve therefore been very pleasantly surprised in Iceland that the food has been consistently and universally fantastic.  Even in hotels that are literally in the middle of nowhere and quite basic in their facilities, the service and the food has been great.  The tomato based spicy fish soup for lunch yesterday was amazing, but I’ve not had a single lunch or dinner that wasn’t great.

I’ve also tried where possible to try the local foods that we wouldn’t normally have.  Not the really weird ones, but the ones that seem like serious menu choices.  To that end, I’ve had reindeer tartar, smoked wild goose, and horse.  They have all been well prepared, beautifully presented and really tasty.

At the restaurant we went to tonight they had Mike Whale steaks on the menu.  Espen also had not tried whale, and the waiter described a dish much like peppered steak, cooked rare and well-matched to a red wine.  He was right on every count, and it was one of my favourite culinary experiences on the trip.

Tomorrow we go to a place that includes on the menu an “Icelandic Tasting Plate”, which features amongst other things the infamous fermented shark.  I’m not sure I am so keen to try that – but I am almost certain to get that tasting plate, and once I have it there is no way I won’t be trying it, so I guess we will see what I have to say here this time tomorrow!