These are not Major Icelandic National Foods, but since they're new to me, I figured they were comment-worthy.
Kókó mjólk with its stripey super-cat on the container, is one of those things that kids grow up with here, and adults still drink in those being-a-kid moments. I'm not usually one for chocolate milk (my brother used to drink it almost every day after school) but this stuff was different, more cocoa milk than chocolate milk, with a more dark-chocolate flavor to it. This is best served with a triangle of snúður, which is a big round sticky-bun type of confection, usually frosted in chocolate by a very generous hand. This may sound like a wretchedly sweet pairing with all the chocolate flavors, but the relative simplicity of the snúður base and the smoothness of the kókó mjólk makes it a winning combination. Plus, kókó mjólk comes in little juice boxes, just like I used to get in grade school on field trips, so that's cool too.
Next, and I can't blame Iceland for this one, are sour winegums. I had an English friend when I was in college who used to rave about winegums. He'd come back to Boston with a few packets from England and hoard them, parcelling them out slowly so they would last until his next trip. With this love in mind, I bought a packet of Sour Winegums at Krónan, but Sour Patch Kids they're not. First of all, the "sour" sugar is for lame-o's. Not a pucker to be had when eating this sub-par sour sugar. When you bust through that, the flavors are all weird and English, like "pear". I have never gotten used to pear flavor, whether lollipops, jellybeans, or gummy things. Most of the other flavors I am unable to recognize.
On the plus side, they come in all kinds of different shapes and their texture is wonderfully resilient, but as a replacement for sour-patch kids bought at the movie store, they are sadly lacking.
One final note: Waffles are MEANT to be eaten with rhubarb jam and whipped cream. I can't get enough of creamy-plus-tart-n-sweet flavor combination.
Ship sighting: Engey RE1 is back, and tied up in the prime front-seat location. Short trip, I guess. Also, the harbor website reports that 1765 ships made their way through the Reykjavík harbor last year. Almost five boats a day, all of which have to pass by my window. I'm keeping an eye out!
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3 comments:
Well, as an Icelandiphobe and winegum lover, this is great news. Winegums are indeed awesome. I was born and raised in Canada and am now settled in the U.S.A. but I can't find them here so I have winegums shipped down from Canada. Like your English friend, I share just a little at a time because my friends also have come to enjoy them and I have to make them last. Thanks!
What about the wonderful selection of licorice? J. has brought us bags of this great confection!FB
bon- thanks for commenting, but I have to say I am confused why you are reading a blog that is only about living in Iceland if you are an icelandiphobe. Are you trying to cure yourself? :-)
FB- Licorice in Iceland goes without saying. My co-workers made sure I was introduced to the idea of salt licorice by giving me a box each of the three major brands, so I could develop a proper taste for it. I have to say it did kinda work, and I will eat it happily now.
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