Two types of non-sturgeon caviar and both are inexpensive!
When you think of caviar, do you think of inexpensive? Obviously, if it comes from one of the varieties of sturgeon, then chances are it is very expensive. Caviar is fish eggs and not all command a great price. The brush of red eggs that appear on your sushi are from Smelts and are quite nice. The two Icelandic caviar products I like come from Lumpfish ( or called LUMPSUCKER and for obvious marketing reasons they chose a less strange name) and Capelin.
Capelin is a Smelt that can be found migrating in and around Iceland and Greenland. It spawns on the beach very similarly to the California Grunion, which as a boy on a trip to Baja I remember filling an abandoned large glass water bottle and later wondered how I was going to get them out !
The Lumpfish is a strange looking fish which probably explains why they don’t place a picture on the bottle. Wikipedia has this to say about the importance of this fish to Iceland, “Lumpsuckers play an important role in the Icelandic fishing industry; Lotna ehf, a fishing company partly owned by Swansea City midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, have recorded catches of lumpfish as large as 2 tonnes. Other fish often caught on trawlers simultaneously with lumpfish include cod”
For a long time, non sturgeon caviar was referred to as ‘imitation’, but is it really? To me the smaller eggs are preferred. In addition, with the cost of purchasing a twelve ounce bottle ($12 -15 normally) at a small fraction of the price of a 1 ounce of a sturgeon caviar… it is a practical alternative and makes a nice garnish for an everyday meal!
First, don’t think I am being critical of the cuisine of Iceland because it does speak to my more sturdy warlike roots. However, I do think the Viking celebration of Thor with ‘Thorramatur’ would rival the strongest cuisine of ancient Sparta. Thorramatur is a meal served during January and February in the ‘short’ months of light. This meal consists of various dried meats and Icelandic Vodka. One interesting brand is Reyka and here’s alink . Lift your glass and say “Skål.” As you might have guessed, there are other vodkas, but I am told that the lowest priced version and the most well known outside of Iceland is enjoyed almost exclusively by ‘alcoholics and the homeless’ ( ‘homeless’ in Iceland does sounds formidable and puts a new spin on the term).
Here are a few of the traditional items served during Thorramatur : putrefied Greenland Shark, the testicles of rams cured with lactic acid, blood pudding, rye bread, seal flippers cured in lactic acid, wind dried fish and the ever popular sheep’s head. Obviously, this is a meal not for the squeamish. Tradition held that all of this be served on wooden planks for four people each in order to create a ‘country’ feel and friendliness to the meal. I also learned what will ‘sell’ Icelandic cuisine to my very Scandinavian wife Laura is ‘Skyr’ — which is a very soft cheese served cold ( are we surprised?) with a topping of sugar and cream and made in Iceland for hundreds of years.
Nowadays, Icelandic cuisine prides itself on the quality of it’s lamb and the innovation of an annual chef’s competition utilizing only the ingredients from Iceland. Of course, for me, they have it all : Icelandic blueberries, thyme, seaweed and mushrooms! For us, the process of ‘fermenting’ fish in its preservation may seem a bit unusual, but not if you recognize that they have been doing this since the 9th century. In addition, smoked meat is an honored tradition and this is where they sold me. They have a smattering of vegetables: potatoes, cabbage, turnips and rutabaga which are often boiled and served along with fish. Be advised, this isn’t a country where a vegan could survive easily.
All in all, Iceland has a very interesting diet, but not exactly for the faint hearted. I do hope to someday visit and become well acquainted. BTW, in my journey, I did find a couple of recipes that although simple in their constructions sound very delicious!
Icelandic Pancakes (or Crepes) with Whipped Cream.
Directions: Separate egg whites and beat until stiff. Mix together all other ingredients and add the egg whites last. Bake paper-thin on a hot cast-iron griddle (about 9 inches in diameter). Spread with preserves, jam or jelly, one tablespoon whipped cream. Fold into triangles. Serve with afternoon coffee or as dessert. (Traditional)
Directions: Mix together the flour, baking powder, hartshorn and cardamom. Add the margarine, sugar, egg and the milk. Work into a dough. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into strips about 3/4 inch wide and about 3 inches long in a slantwise direction, using a pastry wheel and ruler. Make a slit in the center of each cruller and pull one pointed end through. Lower the crullers, one at a time, into hot fat and fry them until golden brown (deep fat frying). Lift them out and let them drain on a paper towel. Serve hot or cold.
