Yes, ladies and gentlemen, it's that time of year once again, except this time, I ate the salad, rebel foreigner that I am. It's given me a weird fake I'm-so-local feeling to be seeing these routines and traditions again for the second time. This time I know how to cut everything up, I know that one ladleful of soup is the right amount to give you space for everything, and the smoky thick flavor reminds me of things a year ago. Soup for rememberance!
Meanwhile, outside things have become rather un-wintry during my time away. It's balmy and springlike, with bright skies late into the evening and the fresh smell of things growing on the breezes that sneak in my open window at night. Iceland's doing all it can to woo me away from the charms and memories of other lands!
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11 comments:
Tasty stuff! I'd missed that entry a year-ago so it was nice to visit it. Perhaps I'll give it a whirl soon....
Thanks.
-cK
Damn, I seem to be missing all those weird February traditions! Well there's always next year.
I'm glad you had a good vacation in the Alps E :). I'll be flying into Iceland on the 1st of March, need anything from the US?
Happy Creme Puff Day (day late) hope it was fun. Umm - smoked lamb. We actually had some yesterday when G's uncle brought some over from Iceland. Nothing like it anywhere else on earth.
Great blog!
and awesome pics on your Flickr account (esp the winter ones)!
ck: I'd be curious to learn if you can assemble all the ingredients in the US, namely the salted lamb meat. It'd be kind of an odd crusade, I imagine.
jade: they'll be back next year, and there are plenty of other odd traditions the rest of the year to entertain and delight! As for US-items, the one thing I am most thinking about is probably not importable. These past months I have developed a craving for that crappy type of American cheese, where each slice is individually wrapped and the texture is oddly slippery. So much for gaining European polish...
terry: I've definitely enjoyed all the buns! Have you tried the salted lamb as well? I think the only time I've had it is on Sprengidagur, but it's pretty tasty.
siri: Hi, and thanks! I just peeked over at your blog, and I'll have to start reading to keep my French up. Are you Icelandic or French?
Yeah, I can't bring cheese overseas. Also I can't bring myself to buy THAT kind of cheese, sorry :)
By the way, I noticed that you can't bring in spirits which contain above 47% alcohol.. Is that strictly controlled? My favorite spirit has 53% alcohol, so I'm wondering if I can bring it in.. (I'm aware of the limitations on quantities, by the way)
jade: beware! You also will find yourself yearning for all kinds of mysterious, unusual, and unsavory things. My other big love has become Reeses Peanut Butter (pieces or cups), also rather unavailable here. You're welcome to bring those if you like :)
As for the booze, I'm one of the luckies that's never been stopped, but I suspect that even if you are, they're more interested in volume than alcohol percentage. Whatchoo trying to bring in anyway that has such a tremendous alcohol percentage?
Reese's peanut butter is more doable. Although I have to say, having lived in the US for 4 years, I still don't get peanut butter. Nutella all the way!
The alcohol is Arak, a Lebanese aniseed flavored sprit (much like Ouzo). You mix it with water before drinking it it won't be as potent. Somehow I don't imagine I'll find it in Iceland :)
I think Siri may be Norwegian, possibly Swedish/Finnish.
That'd be the scandinavian version. If none of these apply then Siri has a scandinavian version of the Sigridur. The Icelandic version as you know is Sirry og more often Sigga. All from the same name.
Well I'm French, but I've a Scandinavian first name!
jade: I am starting to suspect that only born-and-raised Americans "get" peanut butter, although I haven't missed it myself- just Reeses! I've gotten a lot of trouble for it from Icelanders Around Me though.
As for your booze, I'm not really the best person to advise, but if I were you, I'd bring it.
sirry: thanks for the namegame!
siri: hurrah for unexpected names. My name's such that people generally guess I'm from a different country than my passport would have you believe!
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