Strange Eats in Iceland

 Southern Iceland received a unusually large quantity of snow last week-- here's the view from our bedroom window, though it may be misleading because it is not very far from ground level.  I walked out of our front door and there was a huge drift of snow almost completely blocking our entrance.  Now the snow is completely gone due to incessant rain.

 This is a bucket of "Salted Horse Meat"--a delicacy in Iceland, mostly eaten in January and February--a celebratory season when most traditional foods are eaten.  Siggi presented us with a special dinner : )

 Pictured along with the Icelandic horses we were watching out the kitchen window.  Cruel?

 DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!  Here's the chef.  Recipe: dump horse meat in pot of water, boil for about an hour.  Served with Siggi's special "diet potatoes" seasoned and fried in butter.

 It was SOOOOOOO good-- tender, salty, rich, wonderful.  The Super-RED meat.

 We got to use the car to go to Selfoss and buy some wool (Keith's knitting a sweater) and explore a bit.  We went to a thrift shop, and bought some of our favorite Icelandic foods at the grocery store and had a picnic in the car.  This is a fermented shark sandwich Keith put together.  The shark smells AWEFUL--I begged Keith not to get it (I won't touch it--I Have tried it--Never again), but we are in Iceland after all-- you have to let your husband eat rotten shark SOMETIMES.

 Brie and Shark on Baguette.

 I DO love the moist smoked herring you can buy for very cheap.  Why don't we eat this at home?! It's great!  We sell all of our herring to the Japanese or use it for bait, but they're really on to something here.

 Skyr-- a definite favorite.  Like yogurt, but thicker--like it holds it's shape--and richer.  This one is melon and tropical something flavored.  Really good.

Our housemates and family for the time being at our usual meeting place.