Celebrate Christmas the Icelandic Way

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Looking to shake things up this Christmas? Celebrate the Icelandic way! A writer from Saveur magazine traveled to Reykjavik to spend Christmas with the autor of Icelandic Food & Cookery, Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir, and documented her experience in this article. 

The cooking and feasting in Iceland begins before Christmas eve, in celebration of Þorláksmessa, which honors Saint Thorlak, Iceland’s patron saint, on December 23. “The holiday, a Catholic tradition that caught on with Iceland’s Lutheran majority, is set aside for huge, festive luncheons at which skata, fermented skate, is served, to signal the end of the Christmas fast,” writes the author of the Saveur article. The author then travels to a few other homes in Iceland, getting a truly authenitc and heartwarming Icelandic Christmas experience. Click here to read her story. 

Saveur also provides us with 10 recipes for delicious Icelandic Christmas foods. From Icelandic lobster langoustine soup to spiced cabbaged, caramel-glazed potatoes – it’s all delicous!

1. Creamy Langoustine Soup (Humarsúpa)

2. Christmas Grouse with Berry Sauce (Jólarjúpa með Berjasósu)

3. Cod with Egg and Butter Sauce (Þorskur með Eggja og Smjörsósu)

4. Venison Terrine (Dádýrakæfa)

5. Spiced Cabbage with Blueberries (Kryddað Rauðkál með Bláberjum)

6. Caramel-Glazed Potatoes (Brúnaðar Kartöflur)

7. Leaf Bread (Laufabrauð)

8. Icelandic Dark Rye Bread (Dökkt Rúgbrauð)

9. Shortbread and Prune Jam Layer Cake (Vínarterta)

10. Chocolate-Cornflake Cookies (Marens-Kornflexkökur)