Page 72 iGap travelguide 2023
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iGap Travel Guide
72
Steeped in Icelandic tradition,
svið
is a dish that
is centred around sheep’s head – stemming back
to a time where wasting part of an animal wasn’t
the done thing. Much like
hákarl
, this dish isn’t as
popular today but is still part of Icelandic cuisine
and can be found in restaurants across the country.
The head is cut in half, singed on the outside to
remove the fur, and the brain removed before
boiling. Its traditionally served with mashed
turnips or mashed potatoes, and the
svið
itself
has an interesting variety of textures and flavours
running through it, with the cheek said to be the
meatiest and most tender part. Dishes such as
these are often celebrated during Iceland’s mid-
winter festival, Thorrablot, a centuries old feast
that occurs in January each year, with its roots
stemming from Viking tradition.
A type of rye bread, Rúgbrauð is an Icelandic staple
that’s been enjoyed for centuries. Traditionally, the
bread was baked in a pot in the ground next to a
bubbling hot spring, using the country’s natural
geothermal power. Today, it is made with more
conventional means but much of the recipe is the
same, developing its dark brown look and its dense,
spongy texture. Whilst it has quite a sweet flavour,
it’s very versatile and is used in a number of different
ways. Locals will slather it in butter and volcanic
salt, or use it as an accompaniment to dishes such
as a
kjötsúpa
or a
plokkfiskur
. The bread is famously
still baked the traditional way in Laugarvatn, a small
lakeside town that can be found on the superb
Golden Circle tour route, where guests can see this
tradition for themselves.
Image by: streetcuisine.blogspot
Image by: kingarthurbaking
SVIÐ
RÚGBRAUÐ
72
Steeped in Icelandic tradition,
svið
is a dish that
is centred around sheep’s head – stemming back
to a time where wasting part of an animal wasn’t
the done thing. Much like
hákarl
, this dish isn’t as
popular today but is still part of Icelandic cuisine
and can be found in restaurants across the country.
The head is cut in half, singed on the outside to
remove the fur, and the brain removed before
boiling. Its traditionally served with mashed
turnips or mashed potatoes, and the
svið
itself
has an interesting variety of textures and flavours
running through it, with the cheek said to be the
meatiest and most tender part. Dishes such as
these are often celebrated during Iceland’s mid-
winter festival, Thorrablot, a centuries old feast
that occurs in January each year, with its roots
stemming from Viking tradition.
A type of rye bread, Rúgbrauð is an Icelandic staple
that’s been enjoyed for centuries. Traditionally, the
bread was baked in a pot in the ground next to a
bubbling hot spring, using the country’s natural
geothermal power. Today, it is made with more
conventional means but much of the recipe is the
same, developing its dark brown look and its dense,
spongy texture. Whilst it has quite a sweet flavour,
it’s very versatile and is used in a number of different
ways. Locals will slather it in butter and volcanic
salt, or use it as an accompaniment to dishes such
as a
kjötsúpa
or a
plokkfiskur
. The bread is famously
still baked the traditional way in Laugarvatn, a small
lakeside town that can be found on the superb
Golden Circle tour route, where guests can see this
tradition for themselves.
Image by: streetcuisine.blogspot
Image by: kingarthurbaking
SVIÐ
RÚGBRAUÐ
