Atlantica - 01.02.2002, Side 42

40 A T L A N T I C A
Icelandic cooking has come a long way. The nation used to be so poor that the tradi-
tional meals consisted of salted or smoked meats, putrefied fish and sour milk products
– basically anything you could preserve for the harsh winter ahead. Times have cer-
tainly changed, and Iceland now has one of the most promising teams of chefs in the
world. The Icelandic Chef’s Association celebrates its 30th anniversary on 16 February
with a conference and cake buffet at the Reykjavík City Hall.
“Icelandic cooking has changed enormously in the last 15 years and Icelandic chefs are
at the forefront of the international scene,” says Gissur Gudmundsson, president of the
Icelandic Chef’s Association. “Our limited culinary traditions make us very open
towards new tendencies and the wide variety of restaurants in Iceland are at an excel-
lent level.“ The Icelandic Culinary Team has taken part in international competitions
since 1992, and proved their worth at the Olympic Cooking Competition 2000 where
they won a bronze and a silver medal. “We continued our work at the ScotHot compe-
tition in Glasgow this year and the team brought home a silver medal for the ‘hot
kitchen’,“ says Gudmundsson.
If you’re around on 16 February you’ll spot a herd of chefs on Reykjavík’s main shop-
ping street, Laugavegur, where they will be serving the traditional Kjötsúpa – a lamb-
meat soup with turnips – to warm up passers-by. Otherwise, reserve a table at
Gudmundsson’s Zen-like fish restaurant on the harbour front, named Tveir Fiskar (Two
Fish). The premises boast large windows resulting in a bright, airy atmosphere. With
the interior designed according to the principles of ‘Feng Shui’, the minimalist but warm
interior encourages calm, laid-back dining. Offering a large variety of seafood dishes
as well as lamb, beef and chicken, Tveir Fiskar makes a special effort in selecting only
the finest, organic ingredients and adhering to the strictest quality requirements.
“Icelandic ingredients are among the best in the world,” says Gudmundsson. “This is
thanks to our pristine, pollution-free environment and a no-hormone policy in raising
livestock. Most would agree that our fish is the best in the world.” We’ll take his word
for it. AMB
Tveir Fiskar, Geirsgata 9,101 Reykjavík, tel: (+354) 511-3474,
e-mail: restaurant@restaurant.is
EATING AND DRINKING
HIP HOPS
Looking for something typically Icelandic to drink,
but you can’t face yet another shot of Brennivín?
Kaffibarinn, undoubtedly the most famous bar in
Reykjavík, has come up with a new, alcoholic ver-
sion of the traditional tipple – Malt and Appelsín
(a malted soft drink and orangeade to you). Try
beer and appelsín instead, guaranteed to lift your
spirits. This wintery concoction has been inven-
tively named ‘HipHop’ and should be served nice-
ly chilled.
THE REAL THING
Hunting for a real Italian pizza in Reykjavík? The
best pizzas in town are undoubtedly at
Eldsmidjan, the first pizzeria to open in the city.
It’s still going strong and serves delicious pizzas
with a thin, crisp base baked in a wood-fired
oven. Aside from the classic Italian toppings, try
the different ‘Hekla’ pizza, a closed volcano-look-
ing offering filled with spicy mincemeat; the
‘pasta pizza’, cream cheese, bacon, broccoli.,
pasta and parmesan cheese; and the monster of
a ‘Marinara’, topped with the freshest scallops,
mussels and clams and lots of garlic.
Eldsmidjan, Bragagata 38A, tel: (+354) 562-3838.
CULINARY ART
Iceland’s foremost Italian restaurant, La
Primavera, has just launched its own cookbook.
Taking inspiration from the River Café, whose
chef, Peter Begg, graced the restaurant twice
with his cooking, the book is beautiful to look at
and contains all those wonderful Primavera clas-
sics. Now you can whip up their grilled squid with
capers and garlic, veal limonello, polenta with
pork sausage and red pepper sauce and panna
cotta in the comfort of your own home. The book
also offers great cooking and wine tips and
basics on Tuscan bread, tomato sauce and stock.
Primavera is published by Forlagid, available at
all good bookstores in Iceland.
La Primavera restaurant, Austurstræti 9, 101
Reykjavík, tel: (+354) 561-8555.
compiled by AMB
i-site RESTAURANTS❍
From Rams’ Balls to Pacific Rim
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF THE ICELANDIC CHEF’S ASSOCIATION
P
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Traditional Plokkfiskur (Fish stew)-on the plates of Icelanders for centuries, here at Thrír Frakkar in Reykjavík.
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