Gosh it feels like our long weekend getaway just flew by – only yesterday were we getting on the plane from JFK to the unknown island nation of Iceland, what to expect, we were unsure. But boy did it wow and dazzle our senses – such an unusual and magical landscape, a capital city that felt like a small town, you ran into people that you’d seen the day before at a café or restaurant or bar or on a sightseeing trip and that was somewhat par for the course.
Last night after some deliberations and discussions, we decided to change up our plans and settled on a restaurant on the main drag, with a bunch of bars, shops, restos, and more. The resto we chose offered authentic Icelandic food so that my friend could try a national specialty – whale. Was I going to have whale? Unfortunately folks, that’s a negative. I don’t feel comfortable with the idea of eating whale. But I did have my final dish of smoked salmon called “Salmon Rose,” it was a mixture of gravlax and smoked and cured salmons served atop a mixed green salad with cucumbers, tomatoes, and peppers and the classic dark rye toast with a dill mustard dressing. It was fresh, vegetal, aromatic, crisp, light yet filling and all around fabulous. The sort of simple salad combination that in the few days I was in Iceland, I learned was a classic offering at any decent restaurant. Some restaurants would have better salmon and more inventive pairings but across the board, I knew I could order this on any Icelandic menu and be satisfied. But where was the cheese? Right, isn’t this a blog about cheese?
The cheese was in the form of a classic Icelandic appetizer to share – cheese bread. Toasted and grilled rye bread with a light brushing of garlic oil and then a nice topping of Icelandic aged Gouda baked in the oven till the cheese was golden brown. There wasn’t too much cheese on the bread so that you couldn’t taste the nuances of the crusty bread and aromatics of the garlic and herbs. It was the perfect balance of all of the simple elements rolled into satisfying appetizer. Super exciting, it wasn’t, but reliable and delish, it was.
And that wraps up our final meal in Iceland – two classic dishes found on a majority of menus around Reykjavik. What was the icing on top of the cake? How about a taste of one of the national drinks – Brennevin or Black Death? An Icelandic schnapps with hints of cumin and licorice – not too strong but with a unique flavor profile on the backdrop of an alcohol drink.
But let’s not stop there….
Today we went to the Blue Lagoon – the stunningly bright blue hot springs pools with natural healing qualities located between Reykjavik and Keflavik Airport. Upon approach, it feels as though you are driving up to some nuclear plant plopped down in the middle of the stark Icelandic landscape. There are no words to describe the experience of bathing in the Blue Lagoon – breath taking, completely surreal, out of this world come to mind. All of your troubles melt away and you truly feel like you are as far away from home as one can imagine. With that folks, stay tuned for some pictures of my trip over the next few days.
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