Atlantica - 01.06.2001, Page 80

78 A T L A N T I C A
SNACKS, FAST FOOD AND THE
BAKER'S OVEN:
For a snack at any time of day, stop by
at a shop or hot dog stand and try a
good old Icelandic hot dog. The top-
pings to choose from include ketchup,
mustard, remoulade, dried fried onions
and raw onions. If you really want to be
Icelandic, however, just ask for, "one
hot dog with everything". It's certainly
a treat that you'll remember.
THE TOWN'S BEST HOT DOGS:
For the best hot dog in all of Reykjavík,
try Bæjarins Besta, which literally
means, 'the town's best'. The company
was established 70 years ago, and
according to its owner, Gudrún
Kristmundsdóttir, has always managed
to keep up its popularity. She says that
there are no secrets in creating the best
hot dogs in town, except for, "doing
things properly, and of course, using
real intestines". Tourists react different-
ly when they try the Icelandic hot dog
for the first time, but Gudrún says that
most people react positively and like
the different taste.
For a cheap and fun alternative to eating out, stop at a supermarket
or shop and pack up a typical Icelandic lunch box.
PICNIC AND DO-IT-YOURSELF LUNCH TIPS.
TRY THE FOLLOWING:
# Flatkökur with hangikjöt (smoked lamb) slices and butter.
# Sandwich with hangikjöt salad / salmon salad / prawn salad.
# Carton of strawberry/ blueberry skyr (yoghurt-like product).
# Egils Orangeade / Malt
# Kleinur (Icelandic donuts)
Iceland's numerous and delicious bakeries are a big part of the Icelandic way of
life. Try going to the bakery on a Sunday morning and starting the day in style!
BAKERY TIPS: TRY EVERYTHING! BUT ESPECIALLY THESE:
# Chocolate iced snúdur (cinnamon swirl)
# Kókoskúlur (coconut chocolatey balls)
# Kleinur (donuts)
# Vínarbraud
# Hjónabandssæla
Also try one or two of the large range of bread varieties. Special Icelandic types
include rúgbraud (a dark malt bread) and normalbraud (white bread). Try bread
with Icelandic cheese, mysingur (a dairy spread), síld (herring), hangikjöt, smoked
salmon, or gravlax.
i-site ICELANDIC FOOD❍
The Future of Icelandic Food
The New Generation
The most dramatic change in Icelandic cuisine occurred about fifteen to twen-
ty years ago when a new trend in Icelandic cooking began to emerge. The
preparation of food was no longer controlled by a lack of raw materials, but by
an explosion of new products and ideas.
Halla's daughter, Unnur Eva Jónsdóttir, 28, says that Mexican and Chinese food
are very popular in her home, along with oven baked chicken or fish, lasagne,
and other more modern dishes. She says, however, that the good old dishes
are also very popular and that she thinks that they will remain so in the future.
Iceland's master chefs are constantly exploring new territory in the gastro-
nomical world and are making much progress in their field. An astonishing
variety of restaurants can be found all over Iceland, and in them you will find
gourmet food that is among the best in the world.
P
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