Today we had the opportunity to try a variety of different traditional Iceland foods at a local restaurant in Reykjavik. A tasting course included horse, puffin, arctic char, and lamb. I expect the lamb and char to be good, as I’ve had it before, and was excited to try to horse and puffin as our bus driver said they were some of his favorite foods. As expected, the lamb and char were amazing. What surprised me was the horse. It was served raw in a tartar which really highlighted to rich flavor it had. I thought it was amazing; it was my favorite dish of the night. Harder are some of the only livestock they can survive in this harsh weather, so they have become a vital source of food for the island.
To me, trying a nations food is the best way to get to know its country and its people. Food is something that connects all of us and each place has a unique pallet of flavors, foods, and experiences. We were laughing with our server while he taught us how to pronounce the desserts we were ordering; I got closer to the people who are on this trip with me; I tried some food I can get nowhere else in the world. All of this happened over a meal and I think that is a beautiful thing.
Swanson School of Engineering 