Last night I had the amazing opportunity to sample various different traditional Icelandic foods, including puffin, lamb, arctic char and horse tartar. These items have long been a part of Icelandic cuisine due to their prevalence on their island.
The puffin has been a key part of the icelandic diet for a while, being easy to hunt and prepare, especially during times of scarcity. I initially thought the flavor was going to be overwhelming, but the puffin was quite nice and tasted almost like a gamey chicken.
Lamb is another staple in the icelandic diet, with sheep roaming around the island and being easy to raise. Lamb was especially eaten during the winter months when other foods were hard to come by. This was not the first time I had lamb, and I very much enjoyed the preparation.
The arctic char was also very tasty, and it tasted very fresh and was enjoyable. I initially expected it to be a little fishy, but that was not the case. It was a nice contrast to the puffin and lamb.
Finally, the horse tartare was surprisingly my favorite meal of the night. Although its not very commonly served nowadays, historically it was very important in the icelandic diet. I was initially a little timid but the horse ended up being my favorite dish.
Overall, tasting all these culturally significant icelandic dishes was an excellent experience and I enjoyed all of the meals.
Swanson School of Engineering 